beginner advice

[treemasher]

i would like to have a go at chainsaw carving but not sure which type of wood to use? does it have to be softwood or will hardwood work aswell? and should the wood be dry or fresh? any help and tips would be appreciated thanks

[dervishcarving]

carve the wood you have

seriously, sounds trite buts its true

dotn worry what the wood is at the start, anything will do

assuming you have all the safety kit then the more time you spend with the saw in your hand the better you will get. go slow, start with simple shapes.. yes mushrooms are a good start to learn basic controls, then try twisty-stem mushrooms to get better and to learn how to hold the 3d image in your head. then try more complex shapes (dolphin, owl etc). before you know it you will be knockign out some good bits and you will have lost most of yoru free time

there must be no-end of pieces of advice on this forum by now, slowly trawl through the chainsaw carving threads and you will find some gems

[Gnome]

Make sure your wood is secure (remember small workpieces can move due to the power of the chain) and work at a comfortable height. Take breaks and stand back, look and think. If it's a bear that is starting to look like a monkey, carve a big tail at the back and make it a monkey lol.

 

If you can work on a nice bit of concrete hardstanding then clearing the debris will be easier. Tarpaulins are good but can be slippy and cause a trip hazard. Have a first aid kit handy and eyewash as you will be using the saw in positions that will inevitably spray you in chip.(even with visor and or glasses.

 

Personally I work to the rules of the CS30 training i.e. no crazy drop starting and no saw above the chest height. It might look cool at shows but when you are starting out it's best to take a safe approach.

 

Just have fun and remember to post your creations on here for the guys to give you tips and support.

[treemasher]

Great advice thanks