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Wood Types, Tools, and
Finishes...Selecting the proper wood type and it's
condition is very helpful to a successful sculpture. Personally, I prefer white
cedar for most outdoor placed pieces. It ahs the advantage of drying quickly (2
years) and has internal components which avoids mildew and also insects. It stains well
and is fairly light in weight. For wood that will be used indoors, my favorite is white
walnut (better known as butternut). It ca be fashioned easily with carving tools and
ahs a wonderful appearance once it is finished with tongue oil.
The carving is first roughed out and then
defined with a chainsaw. I suggest texture with the saw and then finish the forms
and texture with a pneumatic hand held grinder and orbital sander. The final details
are done with hand carving tools, rasps, file and sometimes sandpaper.
A finish on an outdoor piece can take days.
First I use a wood conditioner to coat the entire surface. Then, oil based
paints are mixed with the same base conditioner for applying the colors. Once that is dry,
I usually put two or three coats of polyurethane (satin clear) to complete the process.
On an indoor carving, one can us a variety of
finish applications. However, if the grain and natural color of the wood is desired,
nothing seems to beat a tongue oil approach. |
