• From Salko Safic on Workshop Tour - Beginner Lesson #16

    Hi Mary,

    I'm a clock maker in Australia, I love my clocks but I also love period style furniture but what's held me back from making them was my lack of knowledge in carving. I've known about you for a long time now and I knew when the time comes to learn the art of carving I'd learn from you. Thankfully you've made the process of learning so much simpler by offering videos on your website. I'm very eager to begin learning, I have purchased about 7 carving chisels recommended as the general chisels needed for period style furniture. I would like to email you this list if you don't mind for my own peace of mind whether or not I do have the right tools for the job or do I need more.

    Well thanks very much for the time and effort you put into producing these videos I know its hard and frustrating work producing videos but it's our passion for our work that makes it a labour of love.. Good on you and God bless talk to
    you soon. Let me know if its ok to email you my list.. Cheers

    Go to comment
    2014/09/11 at 6:51 pm
  • From Tom Benim on Carving a Donut - Beginner Lesson #6

    After being a member for 6 months or so, I have finally collected enough tools to start massacring some wood. To get the most out of this, I carved a large donut, then two smaller donuts (in the same area), and finally turned that into a cruller! I call this piece, "One board, three donuts, and a cruller".

    I was surprised at the skill required to accomplished such a simple shape, and look forward to coming back to it in a few months and see if progress.

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    2014/09/08 at 12:25 pm
    • From Mary May on Carving a Donut - Beginner Lesson #6

      Tom, very creative! Sounds like a real work of art!

      I'd love it if you could add a photo of it to our student gallery to see what kind of creative things donuts can be made into. Keep up the good work!

      Go to comment
      2014/09/08 at 9:45 pm
  • From Rob Drown on Carving a Donut - Beginner Lesson #6

    I'm carving a double ring donut just for more practice. The wood is about 12" square and 1.75 thick red mahogany. How deep should the carving be? 3/8 inch or 1/2 inch?

    I would like to relieve the entire background. Which video covers taking down the background?

    I am really enjoying these simple projects now that I can actually work in my shop. I am recovering from heart valve surgery (open heart) and it feels great to be doing woodworking again.

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    2014/09/05 at 2:44 am
    • From Mary May on Carving a Donut - Beginner Lesson #6

      Hi Rob,
      1/2 inch is a lot of work to take the background down, but it will certainly give you some good depth to work with. Either depth will work fine - it really depends on how much time and effort you want to put in. A good video on lowering the background is the Grape and Leaf carving. You could also cut the double donut out on a scroll saw and use whatever thickness of wood you use and make a fully 3-d donut! Please add a photo to our student gallery when you are finished. I'd love to see it, and I'm sure others would love to see what can be done with a donut... other than just the donut.

      Go to comment
      2014/09/08 at 9:41 pm
  • From sheila lewis-lorum on Carving a Donut - Beginner Lesson #6

    What is the best way to "know" which way to carve with the wood grain (left or right; up or down) as you've explained in this donut video? I wasn't aware of this. . .no wonder my wood has been splitting. Thanks for the wonderful explanation.

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    2014/08/31 at 9:36 am
    • From Mary May on Carving a Donut - Beginner Lesson #6

      Wow. That's probably one of the toughest questions to answer. The donut lesson really is the simplest explanation - simple, but so important (and complex) in the carving technique. When you are carving other designs, apply this technique. When rounding something over, find the area where the grain switches (the top and bottom of the donut), and think back to the donut - round over down-hill on each side of the carving.

      Ultimately, the best technique is to get to tool in your hand, and experiment. The more you carve, the more it comes naturally. Split some wood out, say "hmmm - I guess that was against the grain" and hopefully next time you will remember 🙂 Having said that, I still get caught carving against the grain - after nearly 23 years. So don't be too hard on yourself!

      Another fun way of thinking - when you pet a cat, you don't pet a cat backwards (or against the grain) or it will bite you. Well, the wood responds the same way.

      Have fun!

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      2014/09/02 at 10:44 pm
  • From Bob Easton on Carving a Simple Fleur-De-Lis Applique - Episode 2

    It seems to me that "beginner" lessons should have a lot of emphasis and learning about handling grain direction. This one highlights grain considerations superbly.

    THANKS for showing 2 carvings with differing grain directions!

    Go to comment
    2014/08/28 at 7:19 am