# should I paint theses guys white?



## Chainsaw Master

Some polar bears I carved up, and I'm putting the finishing touch on them, can't decied if I should paint them white, or leave em woodgrain, they're all carved from one red pine tree...... whatcha y'all think?


----------



## thompson1600

WOW! Beautiful work, that is real talent. I never like nice wood painted, so I'm biased in my opinion. I would leave them natural.

Tom


----------



## skwerl

in-freakin-credible! Totally impressed, and I think the woodgrain without paint looks great. I'd leave them natural. If you do paint them, I'd suggest a white stain so the woodgrain still shows through (like a whitewash).


----------



## artwood

nice job on those. Try wood bleach or thinned down white paint as a stain. Don't hide the wood grain showing thru. What kind of wood are they?


----------



## Trinity Honoria

Chainsaw Master said:


> Some polar bears I carved up, and I'm putting the finishing touch on them, can't decied if I should paint them white, or leave em woodgrain, they're all carved from one red pine tree...... whatcha y'all think?



as someone who would consider buying them, i would leave them natural... you do gorgeous work...


----------



## ray benson

The grain and knots give each piece its own unique character. Urethane or varnish no paint would be my choice. Very nice pieces.


----------



## Chainsaw Master

I gave them a few coats of polyurethane already, so I don't think a stain will take. I originally had the coke bear in mind, but I liked the wood grain after I sanded them.


----------



## Lawn Masters

I'd leave em as they are, and just proudly display them. that work is BEAUTIFUL.


----------



## BlueRidgeMark

*VERY *nice work! Most chainsaw bears are not really very good, but yours *ARE*. I'd buy one. Well, if I weren't broke, anyway! 

You are in a class with a very few chainsaw artists.


I like the natural look, but I could second skwerl's motion of using a whitewash if you must do something.


----------



## wagonwheeler

Way too nice to paint! 

It wouldn't matter what they were made of if they were painted - could be carved Great Stuff - but showin that grain says a whole lot!

Regards,

Chaser


----------



## doc874

L-Enterprises said:


> Awesome !


No paint!! They are perfect as-is, you have a great gift, proudly display these for all to enjoy they are simply incredible.


----------



## Chainsaw Master

Thanks everyone for the compliments & comments, I'll take all your advice and add a few more coats of polly, maybe just paint the noses black.


----------



## skwerl

Do you take Mastercard and can you ship?


----------



## ehp

they look great just the way they are, I think you will need to find somemore red pine cause you are going to be sold out very fast. great work


----------



## xander9727

Those are awesome. If you make another I would try the white stain..........but those look great. How much for one?


----------



## BlueRidgeMark

xander9727 said:


> Those are awesome. If you make another I would try the white stain..........but those look great. How much for one?




If it's less than a few hundred, you are selling yourself short.


----------



## xander9727

Tell him stuff like that AFTER I buy one.


----------



## smokechase II

I think you are a very clever person.
Asking nice and polite about what finish.
When you probably know what is best already.
Those things are incredible.
Hey, are you just a smooth sales person?
How long have you been carving?


What is the price?


----------



## xander9727

Christmas is just around the corner.

I can send my address if you are in a giving mood.


----------



## skwerl

Hey, I get the first one! Well, as long as he takes Mastercard and it's under my credit limit! 

Seriously though, PM me if we can do this. My old man just bought a vacation house on the Chatahoochie River and one of those fellas needs to guard the place.


----------



## Chainsaw Master

smokechase II .....I actually tried a test paint on a leg, it didn't look good. 
Skwerl.....I'm not set up to accept credit cards, but my kid has a paypal account............... I've been carving for 15 yrs or so, I retired from logging, and started carving full time 12 ys ago. Most of my carvings I finish with a cutting torch or paint them, these I sanded down after working them over with a log wizzard. I imagine I'll ask somewhere in the $500 range for them. Heres a link to my site with lots more pics..... 
http://www.angelfire.com/art2/masterofthechainsaw/main


----------



## superman_36

the stain is called pickling it would still show the grain but give it a nice color. You should try one, I have done some maple cabinets in a kitchen this way and they looked great


----------



## skwerl

The site looks great! (BTW it's performance, not preformance)


----------



## Tom Dunlap

My favorite finish for raw wood is Watco Danish Oil. It tends to make the glow nicely. 

If you plan on having them outside be sure to use an exterior varnish, I'm sure someone with your talent already thought of that though. 

VERY nice work!


----------



## Chainsaw Master

Hey all I've been hanging around here reading, what all ya have to say about chainsaws, for a year or so, and I've learned alot, I always thought I knew it all about saws........I grew up with them in a loggers house, and cleaning and sharpening saws were my chores as a kid. Anyway I wasn't trying to sell carvings, I was looking for imput.....these polar bears I just carved are the end result of a year and a half of learning to use a log wizzard, the coolest tool in the shed. I have it mounted on a jonyred 2052, the planer head is mounted as close to the saw as I can get it. This thing moves wood like crazy, and it feels that way too! when screaming wide out..... with new blades, its like a giant dremel..... Its taken me quite awhile figuring out how to use it, and aquire the muscle to hang on to it. :sword:


----------



## lesorubcheek

I agree with Tom. I've used Watco to finish red oak and its durable with a very warm sheen. Poly may be longer lasting but doesn't give the same feeling.

Dan


----------



## Chainsaw Master

lesorubcheek said:


> I agree with Tom. I've used Watco to finish red oak and its durable with a very warm sheen. Poly may be longer lasting but doesn't give the same feeling.
> 
> Dan




I use floor gloss polly, its the cheapest sealer I can find, I go threw lotsa gallons of the stuff. Whats Watco I don't think I've seen it any where. Does it coat with a gloss or act like a oil preservitive?


----------



## spacemule

Looks like you're working no a nice library collection there too. Pretty awesome. I don't know much about finishes, but I would think, as others have said, some kind of oil to darken the wood but still show the grain. I've never liked painted wood. I like to see a shiny, polished looking service clear enough to still see the wood grain.


----------



## Chainsaw Master

Heres a pic of some other bears that were burned instead of sanding, only tools I used on them was chainsaws, log wiz, and a cutting torch and a bath then polly. I think I'll be doing a bit more sanding instead of burning, and use some finishing oil, on the next set of bears.


----------



## rb_in_va

I would leave those natural. Maybe use some sort of light stain, but the way they look is really cool. You can see the grain, and it looks close to a natural color for polar bears.


----------



## Chainsaw Master

Oops forgot the pic......


----------



## superman_36

if you have a controlled area meaning temp controlled try what is called SPAR varnish extremely durable, it is what is on a lot of wooden boats that have to deal with the elements and it gives that warm feel to the wood. i have a end table out of heart pine with spar on it. It does have the yellower in it that gives it the warm look unlike a lot of the new poly's that are clear based. If they are being exposed to the outdoors and the sun the floor poly's you are using are insufficent do to the lack of UV blockers in them, prime example a client of mine had a custom 10,000 front door made and had a painter coat it with min-wax and in 2 years the door was toast it all had to be sanded down and spar varnish applied. If you would like i can get you the names of the products i use.
good luck 
also great work on the bears


----------



## spacemule

I'd like to see some pictures of the cutting process for those. This has got to be the most interesting use for a chainsaw.


----------



## smokechase II

Chainsaw Master:
Where can a fella get a log wizard?
And by the way, I thought so. 
Next time, start off with some half finished work so you're a little more realistic.


----------



## Rotax Robert

Log wizard....Madsens1.com... they are great and fun to use


----------



## Gypo Logger

What bears? I like the bookshelves. Got any John Steinbeck?
John


----------



## BlueRidgeMark

smokechase II said:


> Chainsaw Master:
> Where can a fella get a log wizard?
> And by the way, I thought so.
> Next time, start off with some half finished work so you're a little more realistic.




http://www.logwizard.com/dealers.php3

I seem to remember seeing it on one of the sponsor's websites, but I can't remember which one...


----------



## Chainsaw Master

Gypo Logger said:


> What bears? I like the bookshelves. Got any John Steinbeck?
> John


I read of Mice and Men a long time ago, haven't read any Stienbeck lately, been reading stuff by Micheal Grear, and Allan Eckert..... mountain men and indian wars. The book shelves I logged the logs, had the lumber milled, and built them meself.


----------



## Chainsaw Master

smokechase II said:


> Chainsaw Master:
> Where can a fella get a log wizard?
> And by the way, I thought so.
> Next time, start off with some half finished work so you're a little more realistic.


If ya do get one, mount it close to the saw head on a mid sized saw, it balances out better. Also when ya first use it with new blades, its pretty wicked.....so just peel up some dirty wood and dull it down a bit, untill ya get used to it. It takes Makita 3 1/4" planer blades, I get them at Ace HWD, $22 or so a set.


----------



## smokechase II

Thanks for sources and hints !!


----------



## ross_scott

It would be a criminal offence to paint those carvings keep up the nice work


----------



## pbtree

skwerl said:


> in-freakin-credible! Totally impressed, and I think the woodgrain without paint looks great. I'd leave them natural. If you do paint them, I'd suggest a white stain so the woodgrain still shows through (like a whitewash).



I concure with the Skwerl on this one - beautiful stuff man!


----------

