# My first carving...



## TraditionalTool (Jun 23, 2009)

Ok, seeing Bill carve that mushroom looked pretty easy, easier than it turned out to be in reality.

I'm not done but have it roughed out, need to add a little detail still.


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## deeker (Jun 23, 2009)

Looks good, but it is not a Morel 'shroom.

Keep up the good work, and posting pics.

Kevin


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## Metals406 (Jun 23, 2009)

Looks like a shroom to me! Good job!


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## TraditionalTool (Jun 23, 2009)

I'll try to get it cleaned up tomorrow. Would be handy to have an angle grinder with a flap disk...I do have a Festool rotex, it's pretty good at hogging off with course paper. I'm gonna try it...I don't have an angle grinder...(does tool acquisition ever stop???? I mean, chainsaws is only a small part of it...


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## carvinmark (Jun 23, 2009)

We always need more tools! Good to se you got started and your shroom will turn out nice with the detail. Your carving bar will smooth it out alot more if you use the side of the b&c as a ruff grinder, wish I could show you how, it's easy after a few times.


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## TraditionalTool (Jun 24, 2009)

carvinmark said:


> We always need more tools! Good to se you got started and your shroom will turn out nice with the detail. Your carving bar will smooth it out alot more if you use the side of the b&c as a ruff grinder, wish I could show you how, it's easy after a few times.


I didn't get to work on it today, but got some chainsaw parts in to convert the 359 over to .325" narrow kerf. I ordered some stuff from Bailey's and they have a couple pieces on backorder, the clutch tool and the rim for the drum.


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## Metals406 (Jun 24, 2009)

TraditionalTool said:


> I'll try to get it cleaned up tomorrow. Would be handy to have an angle grinder with a flap disk...I do have a Festool rotex, it's pretty good at hogging off with course paper. I'm gonna try it...I don't have an angle grinder...(does tool acquisition ever stop???? I mean, chainsaws is only a small part of it...



You need an angle grinder!! Go buy one IMMEDIATELY!! LOL

I have two 9", one 7", and a 4"... My two 4 1/2's finally gave up the ghost.


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## TraditionalTool (Jun 24, 2009)

Metals406 said:


> You need an angle grinder!! Go buy one IMMEDIATELY!! LOL
> 
> I have two 9", one 7", and a 4"... My two 4 1/2's finally gave up the ghost.


Yeah, I know...it is on the list...just haven't gotten to it yet...

What size do you find to be most useful?


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## MotorSeven (Jun 24, 2009)

I have a 4" Harbor Freight grinder I got on sale for $14 & a Skil 4 1/2 that I have had for 15+ years. I have really beat the crap out of the HF grinder for over 4 years & the only issue was the screws that hold the motor together backed out & fell out.....it made a heck of a racket. I thought i had killed it, but found the screws, put them back in and no problems. Best $14 I ever spent.....! I would say that a 4 1/2 is more common & the wheels are easier to find on sale than the 4". 

RD


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## Metals406 (Jun 24, 2009)

TraditionalTool said:


> Yeah, I know...it is on the list...just haven't gotten to it yet...
> 
> What size do you find to be most useful?





MotorSeven said:


> I have a 4" Harbor Freight grinder I got on sale for $14 & a Skil 4 1/2 that I have had for 15+ years. I have really beat the crap out of the HF grinder for over 4 years & the only issue was the screws that hold the motor together backed out & fell out.....it made a heck of a racket. I thought i had killed it, but found the screws, put them back in and no problems. Best $14 I ever spent.....! I would say that a 4 1/2 is more common & the wheels are easier to find on sale than the 4".
> 
> RD



Yup, You'll use a 4 1/2" grinder more than any other... Although, I want one or two Makita 5" grinders... They still use the 4.5" wheels... They're nice.

I had two Harbor Freight 4.5" grinders... The orange ones you can't get anymore, with the paddle trigger... Those things just kept going and going!! The blue ones were cheaper (LOL) and broke really fast.

Get a 4.5" or 5" grinder... 8 amps or better is good, 11 amps is great.

These Ceramic discs eat wood like it's not even there, and the discs aren't expensive... The labeling is generic, but the abrasive and backing is Norton.

http://www.lehighvalleyabrasives.com/servlet/the-18/4-dsh-1-fdsh-2"-Ceramic-Grain-Flap/Detail


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## TraditionalTool (Jun 24, 2009)

Metals406 said:


> Yup, You'll use a 4 1/2" grinder more than any other... Although, I want one or two Makita 5" grinders... They still use the 4.5" wheels... They're nice.


I see that Milwaukee has a heavy duty 12 amp (4 1/2").


Metals406 said:


> http://www.lehighvalleyabrasives.com/servlet/the-18/4-dsh-1-fdsh-2"-Ceramic-Grain-Flap/Detail


I'll check those out after I get one. Thanks!

EDIT: Hey, that company is called Lehigh Valley...I'm surprised that Lee Valley hasn't sued them, Lee Valley is very protective over patents and IP.


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## Metals406 (Jun 24, 2009)

TraditionalTool said:


> Hey, that company is called Lehigh Valley...I'm surprised that Lee Valley hasn't sued them, Lee Valley is very protective over patents and IP.



:dunno:


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## TraditionalTool (Jul 17, 2009)

*Cleaned up the 'shroom with my new-to-me angle grinder*

Got the angle grinder going today, with a ceramic flapper disk which Metals pointed to above in this thread:

http://www.lehighvalleyabrasives.com/servlet/the-18/4-dsh-1-fdsh-2"-Ceramic-Grain-Flap/Detail

I don't know why I have never bought one of these angle grinders yet, what a great tool, I can see myself using it a lot on the log home and it's various projects that will crop up.

I've named this Fiver's 'shroom, I'm giving it to a friend that calls his backyard office, "Fiver", with rabbit decor, so the 'shroom should go well with the rabbits. My friend is an avid mushroom hunter, knows all the various types, how to prepare them, etc...I've eaten some chantrells he got once, but only because they weren't red with white dots on them...*lol* (BTW, somewhere I saw some amenita mascaria that a chainsaw carver did)

I need to put some type of varnish on it, or would you pro carvers recommend something else for an outdoor finish?











Cheers,
TT


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## Metals406 (Jul 17, 2009)

So I take it you like the discs?


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## TraditionalTool (Jul 17, 2009)

Metals406 said:


> So I take it you like the discs?


Yes, works dandy. Haven't tried the 120 grit, just playing around with the 40 grit, which it gets the carving pretty smooth in itself.

Cheers,
TT


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## Metals406 (Jul 17, 2009)

TraditionalTool said:


> Yes, works dandy. Haven't tried the 120 grit, just playing around with the 40 grit, which it gets the carving pretty smooth in itself.
> 
> Cheers,
> TT



Have you gone to bed yet? LOL

I haven't...

The 120's will work great for finish stuff.


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## TraditionalTool (Jul 17, 2009)

Metals406 said:


> Have you gone to bed yet? LOL
> 
> I haven't...
> 
> The 120's will work great for finish stuff.


Nah, I'm an insomniac...*lol*

Almost got my blogs going, but have some type of problem with the app server talking to the database, it seems...

I can't imagine doing carving without an angle grinder.

How do these discs wear on metal? They don't seem durable in that condition, although you mentioned they can be used on metal.

Cheers,
TT


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## TraditionalTool (Jul 17, 2009)

TraditionalTool said:


> Almost got my blogs going, but have some type of problem with the app server talking to the database, it seems...


Ok, we have a blog once again. I have most of the data on another blog I duplicated most of it on, and will populate it with the proper timestamps...you can set that when you create the entries.

I often will post to my blog first and/or only to it in some cases.

For some reason I had to downgrade the database to mysql 5.0 rather than the mysql 5.1, not sure if you do any web stuff...


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## Metals406 (Jul 17, 2009)

TraditionalTool said:


> Nah, I'm an insomniac...*lol*
> 
> Almost got my blogs going, but have some type of problem with the app server talking to the database, it seems...
> 
> ...



Those discs you bought, and the others they offer for sale are made for steel and stainless steel... And not actually for wood. So, wood would be a secondary use for them. They work well for steel, and last quite a long time. The other good ones I've ordered for my steel work are the Zirconia Discs.



TraditionalTool said:


> Ok, we have a blog once again. I have most of the data on another blog I duplicated most of it on, and will populate it with the proper timestamps...you can set that when you create the entries.
> 
> I often will post to my blog first and/or only to it in some cases.
> 
> For some reason I had to downgrade the database to mysql 5.0 rather than the mysql 5.1, not sure if you do any web stuff...



I've looked into XHTML... My cousin gave me a book on it. I just haven't put the time into learning it yet.


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## TraditionalTool (Jul 19, 2009)

*Now it's finished...going to a friend...*

I finished this piece and it will go off and live at Fiver, a friend's office in his backyard.

Put a coat of some marine spar varnish that was laying around the garage from when I refinished the tiller on my old sailboat...so if my friend ever takes it out sailing, this 'shroom shall survive! 

Fiver is mostly decorated with rabbits, as would be suspected, and this 'shroom will go along with those silly wabitts just fine...


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