The Best wood to carve

[pbethard]

I have recently purchased a CarveWright machine, and I am new to this. I have carved out a few things and the end result does not look right. It is not the design, it is the wood. I would like to know what is the best wood to carve on?

[Fletcher]

Maple seems to cut pretty nicely, as well as other harder woods. Pine and softer woods can be left pretty fuzzy - nothing that a dremel and some scotch-brite pad can't help with though. MDF also cuts quite cleanly if you are looking to paint the carving.

This is just my personal experience...

[cnsranch]

There are a billion posts on this subject (no, I never exaggerate:mrgreen:) and as many opinions.

Bottom line - lower moisture hardwoods carve better, but with new carving options - optimal - virtually any wood does well.

You're always gonna have "fuzzies" to one degree or another - your design, and the care you take in making it right before putting wood in the machine will make more difference than anything.

Good luck.

[hogiewan]

maple is pretty cheap and abundant for a hardwood. I've had great success with cheap yellow pine from Home Depot as well

[pkunk]

Maple seems to cut pretty nicely, as well as other harder woods. Pine and softer woods can be left pretty fuzzy - nothing that a dremel and some scotch-brite pad can't help with though. MDF also cuts quite cleanly if you are looking to paint the carving.

This is just my personal experience...
Actually, a good grade of 'sugarpine' will carve as well as hard maple or walnut & with much easier cleanup. I occasionally buy #1 and/or moulding grade and use the scraps to carve. Not available at your local 'big box' though, but at a hardwood or cabinet supply dealer.

[Ike]

I have been using mostly redwood and it is hit and miss. I need to start paying attention to the end grain. I tried oak and was not impressed at all! I also tried birch and liked how it carved.

I need to try a good grade of sugar pine, I see other members projects and I think WOW when I see it. I think that most that I have seen were carved in pine!

I won't change from redwood for signs, but other projects I am thinking sugar pine! Thanks Paul!

Ike

[Chief]

pbethard,

Fletcher's right but I use pine from a local big box for testing. Sometimes what's on the screen doesn't look that good in wood. I bought five 5' x 10" pine boards today for $0.80 a board ft whereas the local Rockler sells oak for $3 per board ft. which makes it almost 4 times as expensive.

Chief