posted
Basswood carves the best, but has to be sealed exceptionally well to stand up for exterior usage. Many wildlife carvers locally use this type of wood as it's very soft and carves so easily.
------------------ Ken Henry Henry & Henry Signs London, Ontario Canada (519) 439-1881 e-mail kjmlhenry@home.
posted
You might try mahogany. Honduras, African, are good but not "Philippine"(lauan) don't know how they laminate though. I've heard that Teak is good also.
------------------ Wayne Webb Webb Sign Studio,Inc. Blastin' "woodesigns" in The Sunshine State "autograph your work with excellence" webbsignstudio@digitalexp.com
Posts: 7403 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
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posted
In the BHDU days I carved most of my signs out of Honduran mahogany. Choose your pieces carefully, avoid very swirly grain patterns, and be extra careful of end checks (cracks) on long planks. I have mahogany signs that have been outdoors over ten years with no decay or cracking. Mahogany carves and holds detail well, but it is harder and slower carving than HDU, and has to be glued up for large signs like the 4'x6' you mentioned. To glue up successfully, get the edges planed square and straight and use a two-part epoxy such as West System. I've glued up fairly wide 2" thick planks (over 16" wide) using West System and dowels, with good success. Generally I have found the labor saved in using HDU more than makes up for the higher cost per square foot, so if your customer absolutely requires wood, charge accordingly.
A word about teak. Teak is oily and its cells contain some sort of very hard crystalline molecules which dull tools quickly, and being oily, it doesn't like to be painted. Western Red Cedar is another choice as a replacement for redwood, I personally don't care for carving it. Sugar Pine and Graphikore (balsa)are possibilities; like basswood, they decay when wet, so have to be treated to lock out moisture. My first choice is Mahogany.
------------------ "A wise man concerns himself with the truth, not with what people believe." - Aristotle
When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro. - Raoul Duke (Hunter S. Thompson)
Cam Finest Kind Signs 256 S. Broad St. Pawcatuck, Ct. 06379 "Award winning Signs since 1988"
Posts: 3051 | From: Pawcatuck,Connecticut USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Hi, Michael.......I've been a chisel/mallet carver for 35 years and I can tell you that for the last three years I have been only using precision board. The 18 and 22 pound carve much better than any hardwood I've ever used. Super fine detail is simple. One of my more prominent pieces is at the entrance to Glacier National Park. I specialize in large commercial mural carvings. If I can help with advice please email me. PS Redwood is really a terrible medium for carving. I'ts great for sandblasting but not for chisels. Regards....... :^)
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