Wood carving with a chainsaw

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Recently, wood carving with a chainsaw has ceased to be something outlandish, and in our country every year more and more virtuoso craftsmen appear who are capable of making almost any sculpture from a log. Let us immediately note that if you decide to achieve some heights in this area, you will have to make a lot of effort and spend a lot of time mastering all the intricacies of the work, but we will look at the basics and touch on several simple options that can be mastered without experience.

In the photo: only an experienced craftsman can make such wooden products with a chainsaw with his own hands

Carving - what is it?

What is carving

Carving is an English word that means “to cut.” It is used in many areas of human activity - from hairdressing to landscape design. The carving technique is also used in carving, where a chainsaw can be used to process wood. To effectively practice this technology, you need to be proficient with the tool and constantly improve your skills.

Using carving, you can create original interior items or other interesting products. This method involves both geometric and volumetric processing of objects.

The first method is simpler, so it is suitable for beginners. For its implementation, harder wood species are used - maple, fruit or coniferous varieties. The volumetric processing method is more often used to create figures, interior items - design elements of stairs, chair legs and others. Wood species such as linden and alder are suitable for its implementation.

Wood carving with a chainsaw

Interesting videos

In this video you can see the progress of making a bear statue, and the whole process is shown quite clearly and interestingly. It is clear from the actions that a professional carver is working with a chainsaw, from whom you can learn a lot:

The process of creating an owl figure from wood using a chainsaw by carver Evgeny Akimov at his master class is captured in this video:

The result of the work of a person who is fluent in using a chainsaw is illustrated in the following video:

What tools are needed to cut wood?

Chainsaw and special clothes for wood carving

For wood carving, you not only need to prepare a powerful chainsaw, but also find the appropriate protective clothing. First of all, you need to purchase special glasses. They must protect the organs of vision from injury from wood chips flying in all directions.

Since working with a chainsaw is associated with a high level of noise, many craftsmen prefer to use special headphones. They will not only protect the hearing organs from sound stimuli, but also prevent injury.

Clothes for carving should be comfortable, not restrict movement, and made of thick fabric. A high-quality suit prevents skin injury from sharp splinters. For the same reason, choose good shoes with non-slip soles and gloves made of cotton fabric.

When buying a chainsaw, they approach it no less responsibly. It must work efficiently and smoothly, and have sufficient power. You should definitely purchase a wood carver's set with a standard set of chisels, knives, chisels and other tools. They are used for finer processing of products after using a chainsaw.

Recommendations for beginning carving masters before starting work

Wood carving is a rather responsible job that requires careful preparation and long training. The following tips from more experienced carving experts will help make this process easier.

Where to begin?

Sketch for wood carving

For craftsmen who are just mastering the technique of wood carving, you should not choose very complex intricate patterns or figures. It is recommended to start your creative journey with the simplest things possible. You can cut out ordinary geometric shapes - a cube, a ball, a parallelogram, a mushroom. More complex products like animals and people are best left for later, when the necessary experience and skills appear.

Before carving wood, it is recommended to make a sketch first. Only when all the calculations have been completed and the basic concept of the future creation has been chosen can work begin.

Wood carving should be started only in a good mood, when a calm environment is ensured. The presence of any distractions will not only lead to damage to materials, but can also cause injury. It is best to do this business in a place remote from people - in a country house, in a garage or in a specially equipped workshop.

Rules for operating a chainsaw

Parameters that need to be checked before starting to operate the chainsaw

To perform high-quality cutting, you should ensure that you have a professional chainsaw. Although it costs a lot, it will make all the work easier. It is necessary to ensure that the saw chain is well sharpened and fits carefully to the bar. The technical condition of the tool must be checked at all times. If any malfunctions are identified, they must be corrected promptly.

It is very good if you use a chainsaw with automatic lubrication when carving wood. This will keep the instrument in full technical suitability for a long period of time. In any case, the presence of lubricant in the saw must be carefully monitored. If this is not done, the working mechanisms of the tool will quickly fail.

How to fell trees

Most often, felled tree trunks or branches are used as the base material for chainsaw carving. Beginning craftsmen are often lost when organizing the work process and can put themselves in danger. Therefore, practicing carving specialists recommend adhering to certain rules:

Felling forest with a chainsaw - diagram

before felling a tree, it is necessary to clearly determine where it will fall and prepare a space free of any objects;
It is recommended to provide free waste for yourself. During felling, a tree can fall in almost any direction;
After preparation is completed, a cut is marked on the tree. It is adjusted in the direction that has been previously selected;
along the intended cut, saw through a quarter of the thickness at an angle of 45 degrees. After the horizontal cut is completed, it is pulled out;
A felling cut is made from the back side of the trunk. Approximately 10% of the tree's thickness is left, after which it begins to slowly bend;
quickly turn off the chainsaw and put it aside;
When the tree has fallen, all branches are removed and the trunk is cleared of bark. For sanding, use a special attachment or a tire with a chain.

How to cut down a tree correctly

Chainsaw MS 193 CE Carving

Additional images

Maneuverable saw for carving. Economical 2-MIX engine, STIHL ErgoStart and manual fuel pump for easy starting, non-losing nut on the sprocket cover, with STIHL Carving bar and 1/4″ RMS saw chain for precise and safe cutting.

Execution options

Price

* Manufacturer's recommended price as of 07/01/2019. Manufacturer's recommended price is not taken into account within promotions.

The product range and information may vary depending on the export version. Structural and technological modifications of tools and equipment, as well as price changes, are possible.

Technical data

The product range and information may vary depending on the export version. Structural and technological modifications of tools and equipment, as well as price changes, are possible.

Serial equipment

A manual fuel pump allows you to manually push fuel into the carburetor using your finger. This allows you to reduce the number of starting jerks after a long break in operation.
In four bypass channels, the working mixture swirls before ignition. As a result, fuel is optimally burned and engine efficiency is noticeably increased. As a result, fuel consumption decreases and torque increases over a wide speed range.
Strong vibration in the area of the handles can lead to chronic circulatory problems in the hands. That's why STIHL has developed a highly effective anti-vibration system (AS). For tools with AC, engine vibration transmitted to the handles is noticeably reduced.
The economical STIHL 2-MIX engine with 1 in 4 channel technology offers high torque over a wide rev range. At the same time, the engine saves up to 20% fuel compared to STIHL two-stroke engines of similar power without 2-MIX technology. At the same time, the volume of exhaust gas emissions is reduced by up to 50%.
The STIHL compensator - a regulating element in the carburetor - ensures almost constant engine power, exhaust quality and fuel consumption over a long period of time despite increasing contamination of the air filter. It is necessary to clean the air filter only when there is a noticeable drop in power. Long-term maintenance-free operation becomes possible.
The tension screw is accessible from the side through the chain sprocket cover. This prevents your hands from coming into contact with the sharp chain and dog tips.
The STIHL Ematic system consists of an Ematic guide bar, an Oilomatic saw chain and a variable-flow oil pump. The special design of the bar and chain ensures that every drop of oil reaches exactly where it is needed for lubrication. This allows you to reduce oil consumption by 50%.
The coil spring between the starter cable spool and the crankshaft compensates for peak forces, and now there is almost no shock felt on the cable. The result: STIHL ErgoStart reduces the force by half and the starting speed by approximately two-thirds compared to traditional jump starters.
Toolless Fuel Cap
Special patented caps for fuel and oil tanks. Tanks, if present, open and close easily, quickly and without tools.

The product range and information may vary depending on the export version. Structural and technological modifications of tools and equipment, as well as price changes, are possible.

Which chainsaw is recommended for carving?

Any chainsaw should not be used to cut wood products. It must have certain technical characteristics, which will make the processing process as simple and efficient as possible. The main parameters for choosing a chainsaw are:

engine power characteristics;
overall parameters of the chainsaw, its weight;
tire type and shape.

Chainsaw device

For carving, it is best to use lightweight and oversized chainsaws, which will ensure finer wood processing. For beginning craftsmen, it is recommended to choose a model with the following technical characteristics:

Different types of saw bars

weight – less than 5 kg;
chain pitch - ½ inch;
tire size is less than 14 inches.

When you manage to acquire basic wood carving skills, you can buy smaller tires. This will allow you to detail the images and figures, making them more interesting and original.

snow blower

Not many people can afford to buy a good quality factory snow blower. But those who love and know how to make things themselves can assemble such a device themselves. As a rule, for assembly they use what is available from old unnecessary trash.

The design turns out to be reliable - sometimes more reliable than factory models. There are plenty of assembly instructions on the Internet, so you can look for an assembly diagram that suits you.

That is, it will turn out to be an auger-rotary snow thrower, and not just a machine with a blade. The chainsaw is used as a motor here as usual. At the same time, it should have decent power - from 5 hp. As a rule, Druzhba or Ural are used, but in principle modern models can also be used.

READ What to replace chain saw oil with

Safety and protection

Wood carving using a chainsaw is a rather traumatic activity. To protect yourself, during work you must strictly follow all the rules and do not neglect personal protective equipment. Carving professionals use special clothing, gloves, shoes, and a helmet to prevent injury to the body.

It is recommended to select noise-isolating head protection, which will allow you to get rid of noise and focus more carefully on completing your tasks. High-quality and correct equipment is necessary for both a beginner (especially) and a professional.

Where is the best way to start carving wood with a chainsaw?