Carving Wood Selection

If you power carve there are some safety concerns you need to be familiar with when selecting wood. I stay away from exotic woods, some contain poisonous fibers that become airborne while power carving. All wood dust is hazardous, some more than others. You should always wear a quality dust mask while power carving, and use a good dust collection system to avoid a lifetime injury to your lungs.

Woods you will want to avoid will have dark stains or water lines in the grain, this is caused from the tree resting on wet ground before the wood was harvested. Molds and fungus begin to grow in some wood and stay active for some time. Many woodcarvers have become sick from this mold dust in their lungs, the mold spores become active in moist warm places, like your lungs. You don't have to fear wood, just examine it and wear the proper protection.

Not all wood is ready to carve, if the wood is too wet it may warp or crack later. Kiln dried wood is always my first choice.  Excessive moisture has been removed by a heat process. Kiln dried wood is less likely to check or warp after the carving is completed. Air dried wood can be used, however a moisture meter should be used prior to purchasing wood for carving. Most sawmills have these meters and will check your selection if asked. Ideally a 10-14% moisture content is desired for carving, however that range is tough to adhere to when searching out air dried wood in most cases..

Some fish carvings look best with checks and shrinking in the final finish, old decoys and folk art for instance. If this is the case, than don’t worry about moisture readings. Purchase clear cedar, cut out the fish blank, and soak it in water for at least one week. Then carve the complete fish in one setting. By carving the wood while it is wet, the grain is swollen and easy to carve. Sanding is not necessary because very little detail goes into one of these fish.

After the fish is carved paint it with water acrylics while the wood is still wet, this gives the fish a soft weathered antique look that is hard to duplicate any other way. After about a month the wood dries with a unique raised grain look, much like a sandblasted finish. As the water recedes into the wood it pulls the water based paint into the wood for a nice soft effect. A little rubbing with a Scotch Brite Pad and a couple coats of sealer and you are done.