One Handed Carving?

Hi all... I'm new here. I've been reluctant to start chiseling a tiki since I have a clumsy right hand. I had a stroke a number of years ago and lost the motor skills on the right side of my body (not a big set back in most cases). My hand is strong but can only be used for grabbing things or possibly clumsily swinging a mallet into the blunt end of a chisel.

Last night, I was at a friend’s house and I discovered his Wecheer Rotary Carving tool. After playing around with it, I realized: “I CAN chisel a tiki!!!”. I am almost certain that I’ll be getting one of these.

Aside from the rotary tool, can anyone recommend tools or specific tool bits that would help this one-handed artist? I currently have a 4 inch angle grinder that needs a better tip for wood. I want to keep the tools to the core-basics at first. If my first attempt is successful, I will get more.

Any advice is GREATLY appreciated.

BTW… here’s a tiki flier I designed a few years back. I think I may try to carve this guy into a log that I have sitting in my garage.

-Craig

Welcome to Tiki Central.

I carve smaller objects that I can clamp to my workbench (not usually full sized tiki's). My workbench sits fairly high. About mid abdomen on me.

If I carve in a soft enough wood.. I dont need a mallet at all. I hold the handle of the chisel with my right hand and rest the butt of the handle on my sternum, then guide the blade of the chisel with my left hand. I lean on the chisel to make a number of precise cuts and get really good results just leaning on the chisel.

If you think your right hand can hold the handle of the chisel and you can clamp down your work.. then you very well may be able to carve proficiently.

Rotary tools are sometimes tough to work with unless you are removing very small pieces of material and really lay the bit on its side... otherwise they tend to jump around a lot and require two hands to hold them steady.

If I carve in a soft enough wood.. I dont need a mallet at all. I hold the handle of the chisel with my right hand and rest the butt of the handle on my sternum, then guide the blade of the chisel with my left hand. I lean on the chisel to make a number of precise cuts and get really good results just leaning on the chisel.

This is great to hear. I think the log I have right now may be too hard for that, although I'll certainly play around with the concept on some pine or some other soft wood.

Rotary tools are sometimes tough to work with unless you are removing very small pieces of material and really lay the bit on its side... otherwise they tend to jump around a lot and require two hands to hold them steady.

Actually, the tool that I used was very easy to use. It didn't jump aroud much at all. It just vibrated. Besides... it'll double nicely as a dremel tool if I scrap this wood carving venture. My dremel tool is junk and in need of a replacement anyways.

Any thoughts on angle grinder attchments? I'm gonna head over to Woodcraft over the next few days to do some window shopping. I'll get their thoughts as well.

Thanks again!!!!

-C

The Weecher is a great tool and may be the total solution for you (also look for the Foredom models). The flexshaft tools can take the recipricating chisel attachment off and replace it with a rotary attachment that is similar to the dremel. The flexshaft motors also have a foot pedal to control the speed. While learning keep the size of your tiki down till you are comfortable with the tools. Mallet and chisels may not be right for but there are plenty of other options - rasps and files may also work for you. Good luck and keep us posted!

On 2009-04-09 09:51, AlohaStation wrote:
The Weecher is a great tool and may be the total solution for you (also look for the Foredom models). The flexshaft tools can take the recipricating chisel attachment off and replace it with a rotary attachment that is similar to the dremel. The flexshaft motors also have a foot pedal to control the speed. While learning keep the size of your tiki down till you are comfortable with the tools. Mallet and chisels may not be right for but there are plenty of other options - rasps and files may also work for you. Good luck and keep us posted!

Thanks! I just googled "weecher" and it looks like the tool I was playing around with last night. Yeah I was kind of thinking it could do most of what I might need. Then again... everytime I think I have all the right tools I discover something else that I don't have/need!

Anyways, thanks for all of your thoughts.

-Craig

BTW... what's the difference between "wecheer" and "weecher"? Is one a mispelling? Wecheer makes the tool I was using last night. Is a weecher the style of tool I was using (i.e. rotary carving tool)?

-C

I think it's just a misspelling.
I'd look into something like the 330 http://www.wecheer.com/show_prd.php?id=330〈=en or a foredom, not one that looks like a dremel. I've got the wecheer handpiece that hooks up to my dremel, but I'm afraid of running it too hard or too long and burning up my dremel. The bigger motors are designed better for the harder work. I haven't used it all that much though, so I can't give you too much input.

Aside from strength, how is your proprioception? If you swing with the clumsy side are you gonna hit yourself in the nuts with the mallet? :lol: I am only laughing at you hitting yourself in the nuts. :)

When you go for the large tikis, larger than small table toppers, you might consider Velcro!! This idea is based on holding the chisel with your weak side. You can wrap chisel handles with the rough side of Velcro and have the soft side sewn into a glove. Use a strap wrapped around the right wrist leading to your left shoulder, maybe 18ish inches long or what ever is comfy. That way you never knock your weak hand farther than what ever the length of the strap is. You may even want a wrist brace. You may want a strap around your right elbow attached to your right hip 6-12 inches long to help prevent unwanted movement.
And get a leather apron, maybe combined with chainsaw chaps, in the case that you knock a chisel into your lap. Not that it would ever be aimed in that direction! :o Especially if you choose the angle grinder method. Avoid the Lancelot at all costs!

Maybe all the straps and such could be attached to the apron. This would also make an awesome Halloween costume to scare the kiddies with. For Halloween substitute chains for the straps. Get some dark red paint and flick it on the apron, maybe even wig hair. :D Bwwahahahah.

Skal,
Erik the Red

If there is a WILL there is a WAY. Go for it. Keep your chisels sharp and bandaids closer than usual. GOOD LUCK !! BUFFBAD

Again, Welcome to TC cesper, I really hope you find the tools and stuff you need to Enjoy tiki carving since once you get started and get bitten by the bug there is No turning back. There are MANY Refrences to tools here on the carving forum. You can search for Carving Tools but Start HERE
There are many pages there with links to good tool deals as well as lots of info.
Yes, Definitely stay away from the chainsaw blades for your angle grinder and DO get a router speed control for it and other rotary tools.
The Weecheer is an excellent tool for carving as long as you don't push it too hard where it will fail early on. I just received a similar tool from Harbor Freight Tools, obviously a china knock-off from the Weecheer China knock-off of the great Japanese Automach recip tool which is top of the line. The H F tool was Only 14$ and looks like it will last as long as the Weecheer tool for a third the cost AND you can open it up for greasing which is the weakness of the We tool. The Foredom wil not last long at all as the mechanism inside is made of oil impregnated metal that disintegrates with use, don't waste your money and disregard my initial findings on the tool in the Tools thread.
The Flexcut chisels for the recip tool work well with all the tools and Treeline Tools has one of the better pricing for them with I Think a 10% discount on the purchase of 5 or more tips.
Hope this helps and Good luck!

One handed carving......

that sounds dirty!

Hee hee hee.

I say go for it, how ever you do it. And share story and pictures and all of the fun stuff!

Cesper,

I've got a bum arm and hand....you can work past it. Don't try, just do it. See the tiki....make the tiki. It is as easy as that. Have fun, be careful, and show us what you come up with.

-G

Welcome on board Cesper, you already most advise for begining...Go on!

Hi Cesper and welcome to TC! I am also disabled and have found that a rotary tool is a great way to get my sanding done since I don't have the strength to anymore. I use a Dremel 400 XPR. It comes with a flexible shaft and have had great success with it. It only runs about $100 at The Home Depot and my first one lasted about three years. Just don't use an extension cord with it since they tend to burnup. I use it for sanding cavings, polishing Hei-Matau's and sharpening my hand chisels. They are not meant for heavy use for that you would have to look at a Foredom. The flex shaft is a must. Since I can't stand while carving it allows me to get into the smaller spaces and odd angles. You can also by a course burr set on ebay that will fit the Dremel and alloiw you to remove larger amounts of wood faster. Dremel also makes a multi-vise that is ball and socket that allows it to rotate and tilt to any position. The vise rotates 360 degrees and tilts 50 degrees. Again this isn't meant for heavy duty but it frees up both hands. Happy Carving!

Whoaaaa!!! Just got to check this thread after Easter Break and was happy to see all the responses. This is quite the active forum.

"When you go for the large tikis, larger than small table toppers, you might consider Velcro!! This idea is based on holding the chisel with your weak side."

Luckily... my hand is not weak... just hard to keep from shaking/twitching. I can grab or release. Anything fancier than that requires me to watch the hand while focusing on the movements-- I have trouble feeling/controling the exact positioning of my fingers.

"Yes, Definitely stay away from the chainsaw blades for your angle grinder and DO get a router speed control for it and other rotary tools."

GOOD...those chainsaw blades are scary looking. I've got one good hand and I intend to keep it that way.

"I just received a similar tool from Harbor Freight Tools"

I love Harbor Freight... I will try to go there sooner than later to look for this given the low cost. Price IS an issue right now since I am a GM employee and who knows how long that will last. Save, save, save!!! Scary times.

"Hi Cesper and welcome to TC! I am also disabled and have found that a rotary tool is a great way to get my sanding done since I don't have the strength to anymore. I use a Dremel 400 XPR. It comes with a flexible shaft and have had great success with it."

Thanks for the advice... I'm convinced that the flexible shaft IS the way to go. I looked at the dremel tools but decided I wanted to stick with something that could take recipracating bits as well. The Wecheer that I used offers both options for the same tool. Very slick set-up!!!

Again thanks for the tips. I will post pictures eventually. Right now, it may be a little while before I can get started. Too much is going on at the moment. Should Slow down soon. Hopefully I'll know in a week or two if I get keep my job.

over & out,
-Craig

Whoah.... per Benzart's suggestion, I just found this:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=42614

And this:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?itemnumber=40432

Very cost effective way to get started.

-Craig