A few years ago I replaced my workbench top in the shop. While I was at it I made a new cabinet and wound up only using the legs from the old bench. So I held onto the old top and cabinet, thinking I would use it someday....that day is here. I'm making new legs for it to go in the basement, it won't be a workbench, per se, but rather a bench for me to work on my guns and do some reloading stuff. Anyway, to make the legs I decided to use Douglas Fir instead of SYP or other construction lumber, and while I have them mostly done, it's the last time for this. The fir has given an uncountable number of splinters, sap all over everything, and has generally been a pain to work with. Should have just went with a cheap hardwood. On top of all that, the shop has that softwood smell from the machining I've done to get to to size. Ugggh!

Does the store offer kiln dried?  I've tried the wet stuff, and in addition to your criticisms, I found the wood twisted a lot.  I think it's only really good for studs.

Kiln dried is both beautiful and good to work with.  Or Try some ash.  It should be cheap in your area.

 

 

Edited September 28, 20187 yr by Michael Thuman

I just used a piece of D. Fir to carve a 3 foot tall Flamingo.  It was harder than I expected, but worked well.  It did sap some and I finished it to look more realistic with color acrylics.  I am now using a scrap piece of 2" x  8" to carve a Tiki face mask.  Still shaping the block so it will have a rounded face to mount in a frame.

 

I used the other piece to carve a pineapple for my son.  Rather, a slice of a whole pineapple.  Mounted it on a panel background (white) with the words ALOHA (painted in sunset colors) on top and Ohana (painted like the ocean) underneath.  Some sap, but not much of an issue.  

18 hours ago, pdexter said:

I just used a piece of D. Fir to carve a 3 foot tall Flamingo.  It was harder than I expected, but worked well.  It did sap some and I finished it to look more realistic with color acrylics.  I am now using a scrap piece of 2" x  8" to carve a Tiki face mask.  Still shaping the block so it will have a rounded face to mount in a frame.

 

I used the other piece to carve a pineapple for my son.  Rather, a slice of a whole pineapple.  Mounted it on a panel background (white) with the words ALOHA (painted in sunset colors) on top and Ohana (painted like the ocean) underneath.  Some sap, but not much of an issue.  

Welcome aboard James.  Please post up a few pics!

I am new to this site and am not sure how to post pictures.  I tried yesterday to do it, but did not succeed.  Help?

Ah haaa... I am going to try again...I see below that I can drag a pic to this response.  I can do that, but need to get recent pics from my wife's phone.  Will try later.....

17 minutes ago, pdexter said:

I am new to this site and am not sure how to post pictures.  I tried yesterday to do it, but did not succeed.  Help?

Ah haaa... I am going to try again...I see below that I can drag a pic to this response.  I can do that, but need to get recent pics from my wife's phone.  Will try later.....

After you load the pictures into your computer and open this forum thread for a reply, you'll see "Click to choose files" at the bottom of the reply window. Click on that and you'll get a message that asks where you want to get the files from. It should have the place where you stored the pictures as an option. Click that and you'll see thumbnails of the stored pictures. Select one at a time and you'll see each one appear in a thumbnail below your message space. 

Thanks.  I think I've got it.  Will post later today.  

Ok, I'm going to try to post a picture or two.

 

The Flamingo (his name is Pete  ) in this pic is not finished.  I will try to get another pic to post.  He has glass eyes (6mm) and his beak is more yellow.

Thats some really nice carving, James.  Really like your painting, too. What are the sizes? Glad you got the picture thing figured out. Now, can we see more? 

Pete, the flamingo is just shy of 3 foot tall.  He was cut from 2" x 10" Douglas fir. I didn't realize how hard it was.

The pineapple also has a name...Liliuokalani...in memory of the last reining monarch of Hawaii. 

It is about 8" x 12".  The lettering is from Hobby Lobby.  The painting is mine.

 

I made the pineapple for my son's birthday in September.  Pete, I made for my lovely wife.  He has a perch near our front door - when some other thing (scarecrow right now) is not standing there.  I am working on a Tiki mask for my son-in-laws birthday in November.  Got it drawn but haven't started carving.  It, too is Douglas fir.

 

I am working on another for my daughter's birthday in October.    It is a nesting of 3 geckos.  I have them cut from 3/4" pine.  I will do some carving on them.  I am trying to decide if I want to put glass eyes on them. ?  It will be mounted similar to the pineapple.  Plan right now is to use Aloha and Ohana similar to the pineapple.  Still thinking on that.

 

My 84 year old mother-in-law's birthday is in January.  I am planning to carve a single Cala lily in 3D about 10" tall.  She would like it mounted on a velvet background.  The wood is (will be) basswood.  It is a challenge for me, so I'm anxious to get started on it too.  The image is not mine, but serves as the pattern for me.  She is not sure how she wants it finished.  Natural or color?

 

Then, my 3rd daughter's birthday is in February.  She and her husband have a tortoise named Bill.  The idea at this time is to carve a tortoise or perhaps a sea turtle to mount similar to the Pineapple and the Tiki mask.  

 

I recently made a display rack for playing cards for my wife's employer.  She works at a nursery as a cashier and wanted to display the decks on her check stand.  I don't have a good picture but will have her take one.  They have sold a couple of decks from the display, so perhaps it is functional.  There are ten different decks.  I just added the picture she gave me last week.