File spoon-archives/puptcrit.archive/puptcrit_1999/puptcrit.9903, message 205


Date: Sun, 28 Mar 1999 10:45:41 -0800
Subject: PUPT: woodcarving
From: "Stephen Carter" <nwpuppet-AT-earthlink.net>


Basswood is a preferred wood also because of weight.  Sugestions of the very
hard woods-maple and boxwood would only apply to very small (miniature)
scale figures, or to  delicate mechanical pieces ( for which I salvage scrub
oak from packing cases- although it is coarse- it is very tough and free!). 
 They will not be very pleasant to carve by hand due to density, nor are
they really suitable for an 18-20" marionette due to weight.  Alternatives
to basswood which I use are very tight grain white pine, yellow cedar.....
and red cedar for larger pieces.  There are also occasionally available
tropical woods such as Tupelo which are very, very light weight and require
extra sharp tools.   I do not like the way Tupelo carves but used it once
for a very big piece - "Sigi" the antelope head.  Sicilians use a very hard
heavy wood like maple.  Weight is less of a consideration in balancing rod
marionettes though makes operating them tiresome.


---
Stephen Carter <nwpuppet-AT-earthlink.net>
NW Puppet Ctr.


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