A quick question

[Stuartsharp]

Just after some free info...the cheek of it! Never done any saw carving, but we bought a lump of poplar back to the yard the other day that is crying out to be turned into a chair, just after a bit of advice really as would like to have a go, when i get a spare afternoon. Watched some guys at the arb fair who clearly know what they are doing judging by the end products, and they seemed to have their chains very slack, and somebody has told me, that they also use blunt chains, both of these things obviously go against normal practice so wanted to know if i was barking up the wrong tree.....so to speak. Any other gems of information would be greatfully appreciated, although i suspect its another one of those learn from your own mistakes and get a feel for for it. ta

[Graham]

The chains are run slack to enable them to run round the tip of a narrow carving bar. If you're using a standard bar then run the chain as normal.

[Bart]

As Graham said, i think blunt chains are used for smoothing off, not tried it myself tho, never tried carving willow either.

 

Have a go, n post some pics

[Stuartsharp]

Thank you for those words of wisdom, Had a play at the weekend, not exactly perfect but we all have to starrt somewhere. bit of work left to do!

[skyhuck]

Not bad at all!!

 

But funny looking Pop!

[tommer9]

Certainly fummy looking pop mate!!

I deal with a couple of really excellent carvers, one of whom is on this forum, Carver si, and neither of them use slack or blunt chains. They insist on the chains being razor sharp. What they do do is buy canon bars with 'dime' tips for doing the detailed stuff, with a 1/4" pitch, and take a grinder to the back of the cutter, so that when the chain goes round the bar tip the back of the link doesnt lift the working corner off the wood. For carving mushrooms and roughing out pieces of work they both use normal bars and chains, bur still razor sharp and correctly tensioned.

[Stuartsharp]

Ta, i think i may have got a little confused when i wrote the first post, we took a pop and a syc i think down on the same job a while back, and after adding them to the pile of timber in the yard.....well! anyway thanks for the info, im sure a proper carver would laugh at my efforts, was only really having a play! Still it does make you appreciate how versatile a saw can really be, instead of just the normal felling or cross cutting cuts.

[Bart]

Great chair:001_smile:

[Treewarrior]

Can you give me a bit more detail about grinding the back of the cutter. Spent ages doing my first mushroom, then sanded it smooth, which took a lot of sandpaper. Is there another way of getting a smooth finish?

Getting a decent camera this weekend so will post a picture of finished mushroom.

[Graham]

As the chain goes round a narrow tipped bar the back of the cutting links hit the timber. You need to grind them back to avoid this ie make them shorter.