starting out carving

[forest tink]

can anyone recommend a kit for starting out,i.e saw,bar,chain,sprocket etc,always been interested but never had a proper go at it

[thewoodwizard]

Hi forest I started with a ms 181 with a 12" quarter tip bar plus quarter sprocket -chain you can do most stuff with it and add to kit if you get into it more ,a burner for your shadowed areas and a wire brush to take the bur off, a drill and sanding wheel to bring up your highlights, I would just start with smallish log 8" dia , just srew it down to another log one each side to a good working hight to save ya back. Goog luck

[forest tink]

Hi forest I started with a ms 181 with a 12" quarter tip bar plus quarter sprocket -chain you can do most stuff with it and add to kit if you get into it more ,a burner for your shadowed areas and a wire brush to take the bur off, a drill and sanding wheel to bring up your highlights, I would just start with smallish log 8" dia , just srew it down to another log one each side to a good working hight to save ya back. Goog luck

 

cheers mate,what type of chain is best for this and wheres the best place to source the parts

[NorfolknGood]

I started out with and still use a Stihl MS150 with 10" standard bar and chain. Even though I have a MS200 now with Stihl carving chain and Sugi Hara carving bar I still use the MS150 a lot. £350 brand new great little set up.

 

If you need a eye burning tool for drill or die grinder I can sort you out there

[thewoodwizard]

cheers mate,what type of chain is best for this and wheres the best place to source the parts

 

If you look for Rob D or Chainsawbars ? chainsaw chains, chainsaw bars and chainsaw accessories he will sort u out with the gear to go onyour saw. Ray

[forest tink]

ok cheers guys,i will look into it

[splinters]

To get you started. An ms 181 with 12inch dime tip. if you can afford it get a second saw. Somthing like a 231 or if you can strech to it a 261. An angle grinder with a sanding disk is a good tool to have and so is a black n deker power file sander.a can of spray paint water colour pencils are good for drawing on wet wood.a long straight edgeand im sure ill think of other stuff later.

[Coletti]

I'm not a great fan of stihl but for ease of set up I would suggest the ms150ce to start with as it has a tine chain and the standard bar is quater tip so basically just fill with fuel and oil and crack on

[Coletti]

Would like to add that this bar and chain combo is all I use, no grinder just a wire wheel in a drill to take the fuzz off

[splinters]

Im going to say somthing that I have no doubt will cause a but of an uproar But....... I dont like the 150. It is under powered and pish. Its only any use for tip work. The only thing it has going for it is its very light. I only use stihl saws but I will never buy a 150. A 181 will power a 14 inch normal bar enough for roughing out carvings before changing over to a carving bar if you only have one saw. The 181 is alot heavier than a 150 but the exrea weigh helps to keep the saw steady when you are learning to carve with the tip. The 181 also rolls from side to side nicely which helps when learning to carve with the tip. When I used to give lessons I used a 181. I now carve with a 201as my dime tip saw its lovely to carve with but it was bloody expensive. However although I carve as a hobby i carve atleast 15hrs a week so I was able to justfy it.