# Basic tools for carving



## treeclimber101 (Dec 29, 2013)

I am extremely new with carving but I enjoy it a lot , I would like an idea of basic tools used for elementary carving , I basically wanna get together a starters kit so when it's raining out I can do alittle carving in the shop . I have saws all sizes but I believe that carvers use different bars and tip styles who knows maybe even different chains


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## danh8866 (Dec 29, 2013)

Baileys has everything you need to upgrade your saw to one with a carving bar. I suggest a 12 inch dime tip bar.
http://www.baileysonline.com/Chains...l-017-018-019T-MS-170-171-180-181-190-191.axd

this is the one I started with for my Sthil 170


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## treeclimber101 (Dec 29, 2013)

Thank you that's a good start .


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## danh8866 (Dec 29, 2013)

I use the 170 with that setup and a ms250 with a 16 inch micro picco .043 as my 2 main carving saws. Other tools I use are a die grinder with various bits, a grin.
der with flapper wheel, burning torch and a dremel


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## treeclimber101 (Dec 29, 2013)

That's what I am looking , I mean I am more or less just a dumb tree cutter , kinda empties my mind , but I am completely clueless with carving


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## treeclimber101 (Dec 31, 2013)

I made this from sassafras , it's awful right




it's a porridge spoon !


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## 2treeornot2tree (Jan 1, 2014)

treeclimber101 said:


> I made this from sassafras , it's awful right
> 
> 
> 
> it's a porridge spoon !


Be funny watching you try to use that spoon

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk


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## SAWsquatch (Sep 8, 2015)

what kind of flap wheel do you use on angle grinders? have seen them used in many videos but can't tell which one.?


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## SAWsquatch (Sep 8, 2015)

Already have 40, 60 , and 120 that i use when welding would those work? on a 4 1/2 " dewalt angle grinder


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## twoclones (Sep 16, 2015)

You will want to make some eye-tools for burnishing eyes into critters. It takes a die grinder to spin the tool fast enough to burn the wood and make the eye black. This is faster that using marbles and burnished eyes never fall out. Burnishing burns the eyes in. When the burn isn't complete, use a sharpie for touch-up.

Description of how to make your own eye-tools,,, 
http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/hobby-carving-some-pictures.266990/#post-5094051


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## twoclones (Sep 16, 2015)

and a *pry bar*. When you are cutting out a big chunk and your saw cuts don't quite match up, fiddling around with the saw can result in over cuts  Prying the chuck out can save you from working to hide the over cut or being forced to change your design. 

What hasn't been mentioned is that when switching to a 12" dime tip bar, you will need 1/4 pitch chain and sprocket. That setup works great except for plunge cutting and you will eventually do a lot of plunge cutting. Problem is the heel of the chain tooth drags when going around the dime tip. The "fix" for this is to grind off the heel. Try a plunge cut, with a dime tip, before and after modifying the chain and you will feel a huge difference in how it cuts.


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## SAWsquatch (Sep 26, 2015)

I havent noticed a problem yet plunge/bore cutting, I actually thought it was working a lot better. Might be because I had a 16" on it before and a 12' dime tip now. thanks for tips on eyes they have been a problem so far me. Die grinder on the list.


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## SAWsquatch (Sep 26, 2015)

on ms170


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## fatgraderman (Oct 4, 2015)

SAWsquatch said:


> I havent noticed a problem yet plunge/bore cutting, I actually thought it was working a lot better. Might be because I had a 16" on it before and a 12' dime tip now. thanks for tips on eyes they have been a problem so far me. Die grinder on the list.


Maybe the chain you are using already has the backside trimmed. My Stihl Carving ones do. If you are using a 30cc saw, you might want to try a 043 picco 1/4 chain- that seems to work well on underpowered saws. 35cc and larger just stay 050.


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## SAWsquatch (Oct 6, 2015)

That is what I have on it and so far works great. Needed to sharpen and it called for 1/8 file which no one carried


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## fatgraderman (Oct 6, 2015)

SAWsquatch said:


> That is what I have on it and so far works great. Needed to sharpen and it called for 1/8 file which no one carried


I had them order me in a box. Didn't have them here either.


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