An Introduction to Woodworking

So you have decided that you want to start carving wood. The first thing you should do is go out and get some supplies. Search for a relatively large sized shallow gouge. This is a curved chisel that will quickly take the wood off, but will also let you start finding the final shape pretty quickly. There are a few more things you will need, but you will not have to spend more than $75.

Before you start carving, find someone who loves the hobby and will give you some advice. All wood carvers love to talk, and love to lend out their tools (as long as you promise to bring them back). He might even give you some of his own wood to start with and bring you to his local carving club. If you don't know any carvers in your area, just look online, and you're almost guaranteed to find a club in your area.

Still interested? It's time to start looking for a woodworking class in your area. The community college or recreation center in your city probably offers a class, for somewhere between $50 and $100, that will last about 8-10 weeks. You can also find private instructors that will work with you. Your class instructor will probably ask you to buy a few more tools and supplies that you can practice with.

What type of carving would you like to do? There are four kinds: chip carving, relief carving, carving in the round, and whittling.

Whittling is the most elementary and least tool-driven type of carving. You can even do it with just a pocket knife. With your wood, knife, a place to sit, and your imagination, you can make anything! Just sit on the front porch and bring your inventions to life.

If you carve something "in the round," that means that it looks like a real object from any angle. You will need a U and V shaped gouge for this, as well as straight knives, #80, 120 and 240 grit sandpaper, a coping saw, tracing paper, straight and skew chisels, dividers, a ruler, hand drills, a vise, and a mallet. The best woods are pine, tupelo, butternut, or basswood.

Relief carving is either done in low or high type. Low relief means that the design is made on a flat board surface, and everything around the figure is taken out to emphasize the figure itself. High relief means that the figures have been carved to give them perspective and depth. Relief carving is only seen from the front. The wood and tools are similar to those used with "in the round" carving, but you will also need a smaller set of U and V gouges.

Chip carving means that you are setting out your pattern on the wood's surface and then taking out triangular pieces to emphasize that design. It can be on all sides of the object, like if you were making a box. You will need wood that is smooth and knot-free, like basswood.

Now that you know how to get started, get to woodworking! Keep your work so that you can see how you're progressing and improving with each day. Collecting is one of the fun parts of any hobby, particularly woodworking.