Hi, have you had these Questions ❓

Published: Sat, 08/22/20

Hello ,

How do you put the pattern on the wood?

This question is so common that when I'm a vendor at a Show or instructor of a class, I’m always sure to demonstrate how to use the Pattern Transfer Tool.

Before I decided to make the PTT my go-to recommended pattern application method, I did my research and experimentation. The other methods I tried turned out to be either too expensive or were too difficult to get good results. Since settling on the PTT, I’ve never looked back. This video shows you how quick, easy and accurate the PTT does this job.

How to use the Pattern Transfer Tool

Yikes! My carving warped! What can I do?

This has happened to me more than once so you’re not alone and not without hope. If the wood you carved is fairly thin and a penetrating finish is applied, there’s a very good chance the piece will cup (warp). Here’s why this happens and how to attempt a fix.

Image the tiny cells that make up the wood as little balloons. When a penetrating finish is applied (shellac, sanding sealer, any penetrating oil finish) these little balloons get filled up with the finish. The “balloons” on one side of the board will fill up more than the other side and cause the full side to expand more than the unfull side, causing the board to cup.

Also, when one side of the board is carved, the cell structure of that surface has been changed quite a bit. End grain is exposed inside the chips. The finish will be absorbed differently than the uncarved surface. All this will lead to the cells expanding at different rates that can lead to warping. Got it? 😕

So…”What can I do?” The solution is to try and even out how full the balloons are! The cells on the cupped surface need more moisture to fill the balloons so they can expand. Apply more finish. The cells on the outside surface need less moisture so the balloons shrink. Place this surface in the sun so it can dry out. Adding weight to this surface can help too.

The best solution = don't apply a penetrating finish to thin wood in the first place. Spray lacquer, acrylic and polyurethane all dry on the surface and will not cause the cells to expand and contract.

I could never do that.

While technically not a question, this is a common statement I hear regularly. Most of the time “I could never do that.” has to do with the person feeling they “don’t have the patience” or “don’t have the ability” to chip carve.

The lack of “ability” is easy enough to deal with when I show them how to hold the knife and make the cuts needed to remove a two-sided chip (preferably in EZboard). The look in their eyes and smile on their face says it all.

“I don’t have the patience” is harder to respond to because I don’t know anything about their determination to learn something and stick with it. If they expect to chip carve a 12” plate with a rosette and border during the halftime of a football game, then maybe it’s more false expectations than having enough patience.

If learning all there is to learn about this great craft in a one-day class is their limit of “patience”, then I think any style of woodcarving or artistic endeavor is out of the question. But, if someone really wants to learn how to chip carve, I’ll prove to them that they can do it, enjoy it, and find success!

How do you do that?

This was probably my first question when I saw those chip carved boxes in Fine Woodworking back in 1985. Almost immediately it changed to, “I have to learn how to do that!”

If this is asked of me at a Show, I’ll demonstrate and then ask them if they want to try. That way they can see that chip carving is not that hard. With a sharp knife and good instruction, “You CAN do this!”

P.S. Don't forget to visit the Community. Share your carving, ask questions and browse around.