You ever have anybody tell you that you’re not to sharp? I know how you feel. Those days are over! It’s time to stop living the dull life and get on the razors edge.
I’m not a renowned expert on sharpening but I know it’s important, I know that it’s not as hard as people think, and I know that you don’t have to spend lots of money to buy the accessories you need to keep your tools sharp.
I’ve been carving for a few years now and one thing I’ve learned is that most beginning carvers do not take sharpening seriously. They try to get the same results they see better carvers getting but they can’t. One factor in this, besides experience, is that a lot of the beginners are carving with dull tools. You cannot get good results with dull tools. Read more…
Posted on March 10th, 2008 by John
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This is my first year as a beekeeper. Actually, I don’t even have bees yet. However, I believe in ‘prior proper planning’ so I have undertaken a study of my area and have determined that I will need protection against the black bear. I’ve looked at several methods and have decided on an electric fence. I figure there are many others out there who will be interested in installing their own fence so I am going to document my adventure. Read more…
Posted on March 3rd, 2008 by John
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Today we shall discuss gouges. We won’t actually discuss them since I can’t hear you talking but if you don’t mind looking strange you can talk really loudly and I’ll try and listen.
We’ve already talked about knives. They are the number one tool in your tool box. Today we shall discuss gouges. I believe gouges are the real work horses in any woodcarver’s arsenal. As you go deeper into this pursuit you will definitely want to add some gouges to your toolbox. Read more…
Posted on March 2nd, 2008 by John
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“That’s not a knife, this is a knife!” The famous line from ‘Crocodile Dundee’ still makes me laugh. In my mind a knife is the number one tool you’ll need to start woodcarving. They can be used in many different situations and can make a surprising number of cuts (which we’ll cover in a future show). Read more…
Posted on February 22nd, 2008 by John
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Top bar hives (TBH) are of a totally different design than traditional Langstroth beehives. They have been traditionally used where resources are limited but have become increasingly popular with hobby beekeepers. I believe they offer many advantages to beginners.
Simple Design
The hive design is very simple. Many people have used drawers, crates, and even old cylindrical containers. Almost anything can be converted into a top bar hive as long as it can be weather proofed and a good entrance can be provided. Read more…
Posted on February 20th, 2008 by John
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Carving fish is not like carving turkey though it sounds like it would be. It’s actually much more complicated.
The carving pictured is a grayling that I did in a class with Ed Walicki. Ed is one of the premier fish carvers in the world and I was blessed to be able to spend a week with him in his studio. I learned more in five days than I would have learned in five years on my own. Read more…
Posted on February 19th, 2008 by John
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If you don’t know who Lynn Doughty is you are missing out. He is an incredible carver. He focuses most of his talent carving caricatures of western scenes. He has been showing the progress of many of his carvings. Here you can see a new carving of his, Joshua Deets, that is mostly finished but unpainted.
Pay close attention to the details he has included in this carving. His style is humbling and inspiring!
Posted on February 18th, 2008 by John
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Here’s a picture of a woodspirit I carved out of cottonwood bark. I feel like this one came out pretty well. The composition is good, the finish came out well, and the contrast between the inner bark and outer bark is very pleasing. Read more…
Posted on February 16th, 2008 by John
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Welcome back to Novice Nibblings the column that is guaranteed to help you lose weight, grow hair, look good and smell better. Maybe not but I hope it will help you keep taking steps towards improving as a woodcarver. Today, we’ll talk about our friend, wood.
“The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seeds according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.”
Genesis 1:12
It was definitely a good day, especially if you like to carve wood. While every tree serves a purpose and are all good some of them are better than others when it comes to carving. Today I want to talk about wood and what makes some of them more loved than others. Read more…
Posted on February 16th, 2008 by John
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In this journey of finding the right beekeeping equipment I had finally decided on 8-frame medium supers. Everything looked very logical but price was an issue. Hives alone would be $250.00 with bees and other items running up to a total of $500.00. Read more…
Posted on February 15th, 2008 by John
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