Brutally Refined

I have been making sculptures ever since I was a little kid. I find that the three dimensional aspects of a sculpture are much easier for me to grasp than the flat world of the drawing or painting. I really admire people who have that talent.

At this time I have found that the logging industry has become one of my best sources for wood. They leave behind stumps and knarled wood that is useless for lumber. Well one mans junk is another mans treasure, and so is the case of the discarded wood. I find the wood no one wants to have unbelievably beautiful grain patterns, that explode with radiance once finished. It is also in these rejects I find the wood demanding to be a certain thing.

I never rush a project, especially if the piece of wood is really interesting. I have had unique pieces of wood lie around for years before I ever touch them. Then one day it will come to me and I see what is inside. It is like looking at one of those magic eye pictures with the hidden images. Once I know what is in the wood, I am compelled to release it as soon as I possibly can. I will usually sink my saw into it the very same day that I perceive the image.

The first cuts are always the most important and must be well thought out, especially if there are large relieved areas. The saws I use at this stage are a Husquavarna 372 with a 32 inch bar and my trusty Echo 346 with a 16 inch bar. Wings, legs, and fins should be left with a generous amount of extra wood for the detail carving. Plunge cuts must be the most accurate of all because once they are made the option of shrinking the shape in any way is lost.

After this series of rough cuts the piece should have a blocky appearance of the end product. Sharpening the chain for different types of wood is an art unto itself, and a necessary thing to learn to perform the best of work. I will write more on that in a later article. The second series of cuts really is where you bring out the subject to a refined rough form. I will usually use a smaller saw like an Echo 346 with a 16 inch bar for this phase.

Do not worry about detail at this point , but leave plenty of wood to create it. I will take this step as close to the finish as I possibly can.

The third and final round of chainsaw cuts are all done with a small saw with a carving bar. The Echo 346 with a 12 inch dime tip is ideal. This is where all of the detail is brought to life. After this series of cuts are accomplished some touch up with a die grinder finishes the carving part of the job.

Remember you are seeking the illusion of detail. No wood project, even a chainsaw carving is finished without some sanding. I use a combination of sanders to finish the job. Great care should be taken at this point for you are your own quality control. Removing burrs, roughness, and splinters might save your customer a nasty splinter or abrasion, besides they finish better when cleaned up in this way. There are a myriad of finishes out there for your finished project. I will cover those in another article dedicated to that step entirely. In closing remember art is the illusion of detail, especially a chainsaw carving.

Chainsaws are extremely dangerous when using the tip like you will when carving. You will need to bond with your saw and understand how and why it kicks back, once you do it will do what you want as long as you out smart it.