# Getting started carving cedar



## Nathan Parker (Jul 23, 2016)

On my list of home improvement projects is replacement of my ugly, clunky, pressure-treated porch posts with better-proportioned western red cedar ones. I have a mind to carve some simple patterns in relief into the trim around the post top. The trim will probably be 3/4" thick. I've never done any carving and don't know where to begin, so any advice is appreciated! What are the best tools for this sort of carving? How deep can the relief be without weakening the trim too much (or is that even a concern with non-weight-bearing wood)? Should I use boards straight from the lumberyard, or let them acclimate in a sheltered outdoor location first? If the pattern wraps around the four sides, should I try to carve each section separately or assemble the whole thing and carve it all together to assure good matches at the corners? Are there any special considerations for applying stain or other finish to carved wood? What other, smarter questions am I forgetting to ask?

Thanks in advance!


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Nathan Parker said:


> On my list of home improvement projects is replacement of my ugly, clunky, pressure-treated porch posts with better-proportioned western red cedar ones. I have a mind to carve some simple patterns in relief into the trim around the post top. The trim will probably be 3/4" thick. I've never done any carving and don't know where to begin, so any advice is appreciated! What are the best tools for this sort of carving? How deep can the relief be without weakening the trim too much (or is that even a concern with non-weight-bearing wood)? Should I use boards straight from the lumberyard, or let them acclimate in a sheltered outdoor location first? If the pattern wraps around the four sides, should I try to carve each section separately or assemble the whole thing and carve it all together to assure good matches at the corners? Are there any special considerations for applying stain or other finish to carved wood? What other, smarter questions am I forgetting to ask?
> 
> Thanks in advance!


For that wood the chisels will need to be especially sharp. The wood is so soft it's likely to tear more than carve. 

Without seeing what you plan to carve it's difficult to tell you how to start. Do you have a sketch or photo of what you are proposing?


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## Nathan Parker (Jul 23, 2016)

I'll try to work up a sketch. The attached pic is more complex than what I have in mind, but shows about the level of relief I want - in other words, I'm not trying to create rounded 3-d forms, I'm really just making a 2-d line drawing with the "lines" carved into the board surface.

I really want to stick with cedar, as it matches other parts of the home's decor, rather than using an easier-to-carve wood. Would power carving be a better option?


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## 35015 (Nov 24, 2012)

Nathan Parker said:


> ... I've never done any carving and don't know where to begin, so any advice is appreciated!
> 
> What are the best tools for this sort of carving?
> 
> ...


Hi Nathan,

Nice to see another person getting hooked and starting down the very rewarding path of "wood carving." Good for you!!!

TOOLS:

Best are the ones you can get, get sharp and work for you the way you like them to...

Carving tools are a very personal choice and most of the mid range valued and above will all fill you needs. From Japanese hand forged, to 2 Cherry, Pfeil, Flex Cut, etc...I own, or have owned all of them and more...They all served me well..

DEPTH OF CARVING:

You can go all the way through and also quite deep even on structural members...Each application is very different. If non-structural...your only limit is your imagination...

WOOD CONDITION:

I work wood traditionally and have most of my career with it. As such, I work wood "green" 90% of the time...This is a subject all its own. You can carve wood no matter what state it is in. Green carves much easier than dry...

PATTERN AND STYLE:

All depends on what you want, what style/modality you may be emulating, and other such things. Go to the library or good book store and see what they have in the way of magazines or books. Perhaps take a shore orientation course?

FINISHES:

No real difference that any other woodworking system. Each has its own methods and systems. Being carving the finishes tend to be much more traditional than modern in nature. Lots of beeswax and oil blends are seen, as well as natural paints, rosins, hide paints, etc...



Nathan Parker said:


> ...What other, smarter questions am I forgetting to ask?


Millions...LOL...but you will come up with them for sure!!!

Good Luck,

j


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## Nathan Parker (Jul 23, 2016)

Thanks, Jay! I doubt I'll find green western red cedar here in the southeast, but I'll see what I can do with dry.


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

If you have multiple post or multiple sides to carve, I suggest a simple pattern that you first draw on thick paper like poster board to make yourself a stencil. This stencil can be used to repeat your pattern several times. 
Once the pattern is fully transferred to all sides, you’re ready to start your carving. 
Multiple post with multiple sides will result in quite a bit of carving even with a simple pattern. 
Some use a very small bit in a small hand held router, Dremel tool or Zip tool to outline their pattern prior to starting the hand carving. Others think of this relief work as cheating on the hand carving. 
I have a set of carving tools I purchased from Woodcraft years ago I use to carve with. And I say if you can remove some of the waste with a power tool, go for it. If it’s done right, only you will know the methods used.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

If you were going to do that design you would need several chisels of different shapes. You can use carpenters chisels for the flat chisels but the gouges are U-Shaped in different degrees. Then there is a chisel that is V shaped which is called a parting tool. The gouges are listed by the amount of curve it has which is called sweeps. The flat chisels are a sweep #1 and one that was completely U-Shaped is a sweep #11. Then that number is followed by how wide the chisel which is listed in metric. It sounds like what you intend to do is known as chip carving. You wouldn't need too many chisels to do that. You would for the most part just chipping out the background.


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## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

I've been carving western red cedar for 15+ years. I live in the middle of it.
No, it doesn't change texture very much at all as it dries.
If anything, select your wood based on ring count per inch. 15-40 is good.
Less than that ranges is soft and so punky it crushes, more is hard boney but it can be done.

No, you will never get WRC to hold the kind of detail that you show in your pictures.
That's called "chip carving" and you need fairly specialized chip carving knives from Moor or Flexcut for that.
I don't do chip carving and don't own the correct tools for it.
Chip carving is practically impossible to do with gouges with any sweep to them.

Chip carving wood choice is normally the top quality basswood from Heineke.
50% of what you will do is to keep your edges "carving sharp" for such soft wood.

Another style of carving that might look better is called "form line." 
Basically, an entire design cut as Vee grooves ( straight knife and a pair of 20* skews)
I did a massive WRC umbrella stand with a formline frog, beaver, salmon and orca on the outer sides.
Form line is one of the styles of representation used in the art and carvings here in the Pacific Northwest.


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## Nathan Parker (Jul 23, 2016)

Thank you very much! I grabbed a couple of culled cedar 2x4s from the Big Blue Box and will play with them a bit. Wish me luck!


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## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

First thing Nathan: find a clean end and make a ring count.
Less than 15 rings per inch will be so soft to drive you nuts.

I hope you scored some good stuff and, say, 25+ rings per inch.
Wash it if you have to. A sand grain can kill a $50 crooked knife and they are tedious to repair.

I do wish you luck as you learn the wood (the "do's" and "don't's" of the cuts you can make).
50% of the learning is in maintaining "carving sharp" edges.
Never fall in love with what you carve. More than 1/2 of my starts get burnt.


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## garayt (Jun 23, 2020)

Hello;
I am carving a whole cedar log about 15" in diameter. Should I be removing all the white wood from the outside or is it fine to just leave it?
peter in Owen sound


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