If you only whittle once in a while when you're bored you won't need to be added accessories to your tool collection, but if you intend to carve seriously there are a number of accessories you need to consider.

Building a Carving Arm

After researching the mysterious art form of gargoyles, I wondered how I could integrate a carved gargoyle with a subject dearer to my heart: canes and walking sticks. One thought that crossed my mind when I first studied images of classic waterspout, or "true" gargoyles, was: "Man, that would make a great cane handle!"

Using A Pantograph in Woodcarving

Years ago, I used a pantograph to enlarge (or reduce) images for relief carving.  It was a wonderful tool in that I can’t draw worth a darn and I was able to reproduce a drawing with near perfect proportion for carving.  I am not sure what happened to my pantograph but somewhere along the line, it dropped off the planet.  I have wished I had it on many occasions as its capabilities go well beyond that of a copy machine for size… not to mention, it eliminates the need for carbon paper.

Dry Erase Board & Easel For Carving Design

One of the most useful things a woodcarver can do is sketch, either on paper or the wood. Often when I'm working on a new carving project I will want to have it laid out on paper before I commit tool to wood. Other times I may be in the process of carving a project and I will get an idea about something I either want to add to it or change about it.

Dremel Wood Carving Ideas

The Dremel, invented more than 70 years ago, is a small handheld wood-carving power tool that uses various attachments to allow woodworkers to carve, sand and engrave. Every aspect of the carving process can be done with a Dremel on small or medium-size projects. The various attachments for the Dremel allow for precision carving, and just about any woodcraft an artist can conceive can be achieved with a Dremel rotary carver and its many tools.

Power Carving Dust Collection

No matter what kind of wood you carve, the dust is harmful to your lungs. In the worst case, the dust of some woods can be outright poisonous, or can cause allergic reactions. Not only is this dust unhealthy, but it also floats through the air... around the room... throughout the house... slowly covering everything in its path. This is usually not harmful, depending on the patience of your spouse, but it is at least irritating to complete an honest day's carving only to be presented with a dust rag and an ultimatum.

Dust Collection – Wood Carving Article

We have started exploring power carving. Last time we discussed the basic things you would need to get started. Today we discuss what I think is the most important part of power carving, dust collection. Dust collection is all about your safety. This is an important topic so please don’t mistake any humor as me taking the subject lightly. Continue reading Dust Collection – Wood Carving Article

Dust Collection Article

This is a smaller document speaks to the issue of airborn dust and how to deal with it. It comes to us from Jo Craemer, who posted this information to the Woodcarver Mailing List early on in the life of the list. I think this article raises some serious concerns about airborn dust and provides helpful solutions. Let Jo know what you think of this article, especially if you have additional ideas/solutions/concerns that could be included in it.