Carving positions and stands, etc. - Tiki Carving

B Benzart Member Port Saint Lucie, Florida Joined: Jan 09, 2004 Posts: 10397	B Benzart Posted posted on Wed, Jun 1, 2005 7:30 AM Hey Swank, welcome to the painful world of carving. Depending on the size of the log, you need to raise it up so that the working surface is about hip high so you can do the work without bending your back. I had a few Large logs, or stumps, cut at different lengths which each had a deep, wide "V" cut into the top where I would rest the carving. Taller stumps for thinner logs and shorter for bigger carvings. You can make a 2x4 stand however large you need for your first carving. Just think about 2X4 "X's" connected at the legs to bake a sort of bench. How ever you do it, you need to raise the carving. As for working on the back side of the piece if you line the bench or "Cradle with strips of old carpet, it will prevent most damage from laying on the carved area. you will be able to find uncarved spots to support the log. It is important to get the piece situated so that you are as comfortable as possible because once you start and get into the momentum of the carving, you will most likley not bother with trying to get it comfortable from then on and at the end of the day you will be in severe pain. Hope this helps and I'm sure others will have more ideas to add as well. Don't be afraid to ask whatever questions you have no matter how mundane you may think they are.

Hey Swank, welcome to the painful world of carving. Depending on the size of the log, you need to raise it up so that the working surface is about hip high so you can do the work without bending your back.

I had a few Large logs, or stumps, cut at different lengths which each had a deep, wide "V" cut into the top where I would rest the carving. Taller stumps for thinner logs and shorter for bigger carvings. You can make a 2x4 stand however large you need for your first carving. Just think about 2X4 "X's" connected at the legs to bake a sort of bench.
How ever you do it, you need to raise the carving.

As for working on the back side of the piece if you line the bench or "Cradle with strips of old carpet, it will prevent most damage from laying on the carved area. you will be able to find uncarved spots to support the log.

It is important to get the piece situated so that you are as comfortable as possible because once you start and get into the momentum of the carving, you will most likley not bother with trying to get it comfortable from then on and at the end of the day you will be in severe pain.

Hope this helps and I'm sure others will have more ideas to add as well. Don't be afraid to ask whatever questions you have no matter how mundane you may think they are.

Post #162746 by Benzart on Wed, Jun 1, 2005 7:30 AM