Paint and sculpting tools ?s

[Tash]

Hello, been a while since I been on here, the economy hit me hard and I found myself in the resurfacing business, spraying tubs, and countertops for the most part, looking to get back to signs(I have 14 years in it), I have a great mobile spraying setup with a couple hvlps, and a Iwata power jet pro, I'm wondering if there's business contracting out to other sign companies while I get business to myself.

Looking to get some carving tools for sculpting signfoam and possible wood in the future, anyone have any suggestions on what tools/chisels they use, I've only used powertools and sandpaper to sculpt hdu, looking to get more intricate. I have more experience with hotwires sculpting styro.

Wanting to do more custom signs/theming business, and interiors as I also do decorative painting. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[signmeup]

I use cheap carpenters chisels and a break away blade box cutter to do most of my stuff. Oh, and a wooden spokeshave.... very handy.

 

[OldPaint]

Styrofoam aint like carving wood. razor cutters, electiric heat cutter, some replaceable wood rasps........what else you need. for wood, depends on your skill level. i have had wood carving tools in my hand that belonged to my college professor that where made in gemany prior to WW2 !!! magnificent and wondrous tools is all i can say. so sharp they cut wood with out hammering. kept an edge. i have a couple 2 CHERRY wood chisels, not sure of their age but i got em in an old carpenters tool box many years ago. you want good professional grade, google Pfeil Carving Tools.

 

[mrchips]

Here's a good starter set...

#1/10mm straight chisel
#1/12mm skewed chisel (double bevel)
#3/14mm gouge
#7/6mm gouge
#5/20mm gouge
#11/2mm and a 10mm veiners
#12/6mm V tool
#7/10 fishtail gouge
#5/6mm spoon gouge

I use a handle made by Warren Cutlery.....it's the JW2 with a #20 detail blade (grind off the "hook" to make a great detail blade) Look for iton their page under "Industrial"

Also get a hard arkansau sharpening stone and a slip stone......don't get waterstones.

Add a good strop with white rouge.

Here is the best prices on a brand that is as good as it gets...
www.woodcarvingbiz.com great folks to work with and great service. Rare that you can get the best at tne best prices.

If you don't, first, want to make this investment in good tools then you are not serious about carving.

Make chips!!!!!

Joe,

Makin Chip# and Havin Fun!

 

[signmeup]

Here's a good starter set...

#1/10mm straight chisel
#1/12mm skewed chisel (double bevel)
#3/14mm gouge
#7/6mm gouge
#5/20mm gouge
#11/2mm and a 10mm veiners
#12/6mm V tool
#7/10 fishtail gouge
#5/6mm spoon gouge

I use a handle made by Warren Cutlery.....it's the JW2 with a #20 detail blade (grind off the "hook" to make a great detail blade) Look for iton their page under "Industrial"

Also get a hard arkansau sharpening stone and a slip stone......don't get waterstones.

Add a good strop with white rouge.

Here is the best prices on a brand that is as good as it gets...
www.woodcarvingbiz.com great folks to work with and great service. Rare that you can get the best at tne best prices.

If you don't, first, want to make this investment in good tools then you are not serious about carving.

Make chips!!!!!

Joe,

Makin Chip# and Havin Fun!

I disagree. I do very serious work with my box cutter and hardware store carpenters chisels. Although... I did hammer one of the chisels into a gouge. Wait I did that to two of them. And I bent one a bit.

I started carving with a bar of soap and the handle off a spoon that I sharpened by rubbing it on the road. (Mom wouldn't give me a knife... said I would cut myself... pfffft) For my first project I tackled carving a duck out of that bar of soap, sticking the spoon handle clean through the pulp of my thumb during the process. That duck looked very realistic though. If ducks looked like praying mantis's without arms...

Make sure you get a waterstone. They're the best.

 

[mrchips]

Tough choices Tash.

Dig around in the garbadge and make your own or start out like you want to be a carver, not a tool maker.
Stones? It's about the grit numbers. The arcansas stones, in each catagory, are a finer grit = a more durable edge.

In the end, the best tools are the ones that work best for you. Glad you found just what you need, Signmeup.

Make chips!

Joe,

Makin Chip$ and Havin Fun!

 

[signmeup]

Tough choices Tash.

Dig around in the garbadge and make your own or start out like you want to be a carver, not a tool maker.
Stones? It's about the grit numbers. The arcansas stones, in each catagory, are a finer grit = a more durable edge.

In the end, the best tools are the ones that work best for you. Glad you found just what you need, Signmeup.

Make chips!

Joe,

Makin Chip$ and Havin Fun!

Hey! I didn't get my chisels in the garbage. I got them at the hardware store. Don't make me come over there...

I like waterstones because I don't get oil all over myself, my shop and my carving. I found dull edges last a lot longer than sharp ones anyway.

I forgot to mention the gutter adz I made out of an old pole axe and the curved spoke-shave I made out of a piece of maple and a cant saw file. Very handy for larger pieces. If you can find wooden spoke shaves they are to die for. Don't waste your time with metal ones.

I also recommend you get a German chip carving knife. I loved mine but it fell down behind my workbench and got all rusty by the time it turned up some years later so now I use a box cutter.

 

[CanuckSigns]

LOL Woodcarver fight!!!

 

[mrchips]

It's a bummer you can't control your fluids.....the oil stones are great.

Like I said.....whatever works for you.

Hmmmmmm, do you think I can make an airbrush with a straw and thimble.........hmmmmm I always wanted to learn to airbrush!!!!



Joe,

Makin Chip$ and Havin Fun!

 

[CanuckSigns]

I think Signmeup's work shows that if you have the talent, you don't need expensive tools to make a great looking product!

 

[BobM]

It's a bummer you can't control your fluids.....the oil stones are great.

Like I said.....whatever works for you.

Hmmmmmm, do you think I can make an airbrush with a straw and thimble.........hmmmmm I always wanted to learn to airbrush!!!!



Joe,

Makin Chip$ and Havin Fun!

Joe,
You could always make a vinyl cutter out of an Olfa knife. Look how much cash you would save. No machine, no software, no computer, no electricity. :ROFLMAO:

 

[mrchips]

Just NO, Bob...lol

Joe,

Makin Chip$ and Havin Fun!

 

[signmeup]

I think Signmeup's work shows that if you have the talent, you don't need expensive tools to make a great looking product!

I like this guy! Nice to see someone's paying attention. What I was trying to point out (a bit too subtly I guess) is it's not the tools folks.

 

[mrchips]

OK, it's not the tools.

So why do you take exception to my list of tools made especially for carving, vs the tools that you skillfully altered?

BTW, I do agree that dull tools last longer.......I have a mess of them that I use every day. They are over 40 years old and I've never had to sharpen them. Keep em in a kitchen drawer and they come out mostly with breakfast.

Make Chips!!!! Yeaaaa

Joe

Makin Chip$ and Havin Fun!

ps I agree with Watson as well.

 

[Tash]

Thank you signmeup and mrchips for the two different options, I'm only sculpting sign foam now, I think my best option is to go down to the local woodshop and pick up a couple of the tools on mrchips list and have a bit of fun with it, if I take to it, then I'll invest on the better tools.

I've sculpted a few different mediums, I like things I can sand as my backround before signs was in automotive body repair/painting, looking to combine my sculpting and painting/airbrushing to make custom signs, not sure if I'll ever make it to wood but have much respect for those that do, for now I'll just have to paint it to look like wood -

 

[signmeup]

That looks cool. You might want to keep a lookout for an old draw knife, They're great for big "in the round" stuff.

 

[GAC05]

"I started carving with a bar of soap and the handle off a spoon that I sharpened by rubbing it on the road. (Mom wouldn't give me a knife... said I would cut myself... pfffft) For my first project I tackled carving a duck out of that bar of soap, sticking the spoon handle clean through the pulp of my thumb during the process. That duck looked very realistic though. If ducks looked like praying mantis's without arms..."

These sound a lot like skills learned in prison.
just say'n....

wayne k
guam usa

 

[signmeup]

I carved a pistol out the second bar of soap. Stained it black with lamp soot. I've been on the lamb ever since. (shhhhh)