MTW Wood Carving
Materials Technology Wood
About this Site:
The aim of this website is to act as an aid to someone who has little or no experience of carving and it was designed as a resource for students and teachers of second level education. The main benefit of the site are the video tutorials taking a beginner carver through the basics principles of using the tools and the various styles of carving.
Through the explanations and demonstrations of key principles students will be equipped with the knowledge and understanding to design and make there own creations...
Tpyical wood used for Carving:
 MapleThis heavy wood is hard-wearing but not durable, with straight grain and fine texture. The heartwood is a light reddish brown, while the light sapwood is often selected for its whiteness. |  PoplarGreenish white to greyish yellow in colour. It’s even grained, not too hard and good to carve. |  OakThe course textured wood has straight grain and a course texture, distinct growth rings, and broad rays that show and attractive figure when quarter-sawn. The sapwood is much paler than the pale yellowish-brown of the heartwood. |
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 CherryThis durable wood has straight grain and a fine texture; it is hard and moderately strong, and can be steam-bent. The narrow sapwood is a pinkish colour while the heartwood is reddish-brown to deep red, with brown flecks and some gum pockets. |  MahoganyThe naturally durable wood has a medium texture, with grain that may be either straight or interlocked. The white-yellow sapwood contrasts with the heartwood which is reddish brown to deep red. |  ButternutThe course-textured straight-grained wood is relatively soft and weak, and is not durable. The figure resembles that of black American walnut, but the medium to dark-brown heartwood is light in colour. |
 WalnutThis moderately durable wood had a rather coarse texture, with straight to wavy grain. It is typically grey-brown with darker streaks, although this can vary according to its origin. The wood is reasonably tough and good for steam bending. Italian walnut is said to have the best colour. |  PineThe wood has straight grain and an even texture, with fine resin duct lines. It is not durable. Both earlywood and latewood are pale yellow to reddish brown in colour. |  Basswood/American LimeThe straight grain wood has a fine even texture. It is not durable, and is lighter in weight the the related European Lime, The soft, weak wood is creamy white when first cut, turning pale brown on exposure with little contrast between latewood and early wood. |
Choosing an appropriate wood
Choosing the appropriate wood for carving can depend on many factors. Is the wood soft enough to cut easily with a chip-carving knife, or do you need a chisel and mallet? Will it have a natural finish that shows the grain, or will it be painted?
There are some carvers who choose interestingly shaped sticks or logs, in particular when carving one of the wood spirits this website explores. A freshly cut log can present problems since it is still filled with a great deal of moisture. If the log dries too quickly it may check (crack) badly. It is best to let the log air dry for an extended period of time until it reaches an acceptable level of moisture content to prevent unwanted cracking.
Alternitavely kiln-dried wood that has been cut into boards can be bought. This would be the type of wood commonly availible to a MTW student within the classroom/workshop. If a large block is required, the boards can be milled with a planer and joiner to give flat surfaces that can be glued together. An advantage of gluing is that large, unusual shapes can be created, unlike the confining shape of a log.
For carving small, hand-held craft objects and chip carving, basswood is an excellent choice. It is soft and easy to carve, the close grain holds small carved detail, there are few knots or blemishes, and it is stable when dry. However, basswood's softness makes it difficult to apply a stain evenly an carved surfaces or attain a glossy finish. Most basswood carvings are painted. Basswoord is also a difficult wood to source.
For sculpture with a natural wood finish, walnut, mahogany, cherry, or butternut provide rich color with an attractive grain pattern. Butternut is very soft and the easiest to carve with hand tools. Walnut, mahogany, and cherry are rich in color, moderately difficult to carve because of the dense grain, and they take finished well. Gouges and a mallet will be needed for these woods.
For all of the activities on this site poplar is the suggested wood as it is soft and relatively easy to carve and the grain pattern enables it to retail detail quite well. Basswood would also be an ideal wood for beginners however availiblity can be a issue, partularly in a school setting where demand may be high.
Essentially Material Selection depends on:
Workability
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Fine Textured Straight Grained woods are easier to work, than woods with course and interlocking grain. Hardwood are preferable to softwoods as they generally have close gain. Softwoods can be difficult to cut across the grain due to the distinct difference in hardness between earlywood and latewood.
Colour and Grain
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The artifact being carved can determine the wood selected. For example if the carving in question is light in colour lime might be suitable whereas teak may be more approapriate with a darker object. Grain patterncan be used to an advantage. Stripy woods woth a pronounced figure can be effective for smooth forms where lines will emphasis the contours.
Wet or Dry Wood
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Freshly felled wood has a high moisture content (50%, Green) when felled and it will shrink as it dries. With uneven shrinkage the wood will split possibly ruining a piece. The best way to avoid this is to ensure that you use well seasoned wood.
