Explanation and Further Delays

I'm always surprised at how long it can get between posts when I get busy with other things. One thing that I often forget is that I'm a Senior Engineering Student trying to finish college. I have the greatest ability to make myself think that I have all the time I need to do what I want. 

Things have picked up quite a bit since I've returned from Portland, which was expected. The main reason I haven't been carving much was that my latest project took a turn for the worse. It was one of those things that I knew was bound to happen, but I didn't expect it to happen to my own sign. To sum up a long story, the sign was knocked off my tool chest and it snapped on the 'h' in Hampshire. It wasn't too bad of a break, but it was just demotivating to see something I had worked so long on to just be broken in half.I have since had it repaired, but am nervous to start working on it again, thinking I might break the weakened joint while carving. But I'm sure I'll get over that soon enough.

For now it looks like I'm going to have to wait until the semester winds down to get any work done. There is a carving show coming up in the next few weeks that I'm going to try and cover. If I make it, I'll be sure to take plenty of pictures for everyone. I'll try and keep everyone a little better informed from now on.

Goodbye Portland

I really did it! The sign is done and that will be the last project I'm working on while being in Portland. It was definitely interesting trying to get things done without all the tools that I'm used to using  back home. The biggest issue I ran into would be the finish, which I've totally taken for granted. I couldn't find a good gloss coat to put on the sign, so it turned out a little more matte than I'm used to, but it still looks alright.

But otherwise that's it! I'm packing up my stuff and heading home later on this week. On a different note, I just got word that Stelter made it to Germany safely in one piece! My faith in the USPS as been restored.

Running on Steam

Here is the last shot I've taken, but I'm well into the sanding at this point. I'm hoping to get the seal coat on tonight so I can start building up a finish and have a good coat by Monday night. This is going to be a stretch to get it done on time, but I'm still pushing forward. More pictures to come in a few days!

Where do I start?

I guess I should start out by saying that I'll be doing one last sign before I head back home to Provo in the coming weeks. But this has an interesting story, so sit back and enjoy.

This sign is actually a gift to a coworker that I have been closely working with over the summer. The way things work when you get to Intel (where I have been interning), they give you a "buddy", which is really someone who is experienced and can answer all of those questions that a newbie would ask. In my case, I feel like I asked my fair share of questions, and probably drove Deepika up the wall sometimes. I don't know if I will be returning to work full time to Intel, but I thought I'd show my appreciation in one of the best ways I can.

I had made one sign already with my current setup (Stelter), which worked out fairly well. The saw I was using belonged to Ken Carlson, a member of my church congregation that I met one of my first weeks here. He was more than gracious about letting me use his tools, which was great news for me. The first sign went off without a hitch, so I expected the same for the second.......NOPE!

If you look closely, you'll notice the small clamp that holds the blade to the arm of the saw is broken off. Marvelous. I was 95% done with the sign and I went to remove the blade to cut a inside piece when that clamp snapped off. Much to my dismay, I called Sears and found out that they no longer manufactured parts for this saw, this would be due to the fact that the saw is ~20-30 years old. So I talked with Ken and came to the agreement that I would help pay for a replacement saw. Luckily this model is only ~$110 and it was in stock at the local Sears in Portland. I picked it up and it looks surprisingly similar to the original. It actually cut a lot better than the old model, and will accept both types of scroll saw blades.

All in all, I feel good having left the situation the way I did. My father taught me to always bring something that you've borrowed back better than it was given to you. In this case I just helped buy the guy a new saw! He actually made the remark that he is going to try and make a replacement piece for the original, and if he does, I could just have the new one if we end up back here. I don't want to say here's hoping, but here's hoping!

I have to get this sign finished before I leave on the 24th, so I'm on a tight schedule. I don't know if I'll put updates up through the week or wait until it's finished, so just wait and see I guess.

Stelter: Everything you want to know

I know that this has been a long time coming, but there comes a point when something is so late, that you might as well put it all in the same post. Besides, MORE PICTURES! :)

While there were some difficult parts to carve on this name, it was fairly simple to get it done, most of it was just time and the lack thereof.

Since I'm away, I had to spray it myself. After first purchasing the wrong finish (good thing I did a test piece first) then getting the right kind, I think it turned out pretty good. I would have put more of a gloss on it, but  I couldn't find a good gloss in the time constraints that I had.

And here she is! I like the way the pink flowers turned out, even though I was fairly skeptical at first. I feel like I've become a little rusty this summer, but I've got two more to finish before I head back to Utah in 5 weeks, so that will give me more time to get back into the swing of things. 

Overall it was great to get the knife back in my hands, and to get to know some new people out here that would let me borrow some of their power tools. It's a good picture of what is to come when we move for good.

Back in Action

I know it's been a while since I've been able to do anything, but I've finally been able to get in contact with the local wood supplier and someone with a saw. I've got another order from Europe that needs to be finished fairly quickly so the pressure is on. 


The wood that I got from the guy up here is great. Carving with this stuff is such a breeze compared to some of the wood that I've had to deal with down in Utah. Maybe Oregon is the place to be after all? Either way, just watch out for some more updates on progress, this one should be done quicker than usual.

Great Wood Turnings

I stumbled across this video the other day, it still blows me away how big these sculptures are. It's definitely worth your time to watch.

Big Wooden Ball Project from Mike Leuis on Vimeo.

Portland Woodcarvers Association

As most of you know, I have recently made the move to Hillsboro OR to work for Intel for the summer. While I'm here I decided that it was a good idea to check in with the Portland Woodcarvers Association to do some networking in the case that we find ourselves living here later on. I'll be honest, I was a little nervous after I checked out their website but I decided to give them a chance even though it looked like it was designed in the mid 90's. (Which is was) When I got there I was fairly surprised...

Something for myself

Now that I'm finished with existing orders, I have some time to work on something for me. This sign has been sitting around for a while, as some of you remember. I started, but got caught up in school and other orders which left this piece sitting inside the tool chest. I had some good time working on it last night, and it's turning out well, even if the butternut isn't as easy to work with as the basswood.

I'm still searching for a place where I can find some materials, but once I do I'll be able to start up the order process again. Until then, I'll keep pictures of this one coming.

Sisters: Complete

I know it's been a while, but moving and switching jobs has really taken up a lot of my time. But after long await, I finally have the sisters done. Enjoy.

Sisters: (Almost) Finished!

After a long wait, I finally was able to find my camera and get some pictures taken of the Sisters before I painted them. They aren't totally done, but I figured that it's been a little too long without an update. The colors turned out fairly well, I just wish that Tana's pink would have been a little lighter. Check back sometime next week for the finishing touches!

On a side note, a few of you may have noted that I have suspended orders for the time being. Having just relocated to Portland OR, I don't have access to the tools and supplies that I have had previously in Provo.  I will be doing my best to get in contact with someone who will let me use their equipment, but until then things may be a little quiet around these parts. Just stay tuned I suppose.

Sisters: Add some color!

Just another quick update. I spent the whole morning staining the signs and they are being sprayed with the finish as we speak. Pictures will follow tomorrow or Wednesday!

Sisters: Almost there

We're on the downhill slope of the project here. I finished the carving on Gracin and will be doing the sanding later this weekend. Tana and Ella will be getting their color today, with Gracin in tow (probably Monday). Looking at the three I feel like they are turning out well, despite how long it took to get them done. 

I'm personally off to Vegas for the weekend, so I'll give you an update once we're back.

Sisters & Location Changes

This will just be a short update. I'm half way done with the finer grit sanding on both Ella and Tana and am planning on finishing up today. Gracin is underway, but I didn't have the forethought to take some photos for you all to see. I figured Tana and Ella would just be more of the same, and held off on those as well. I need to have these done by next week, so expect some big updates soon. 


For those who don't know, I will be temporarily relocating to Portland OR for the next 4 months. This will not affect current orders, but shipping may need to be changed for the time being. More on that at a later time. 

Sisters Gracin: Been there, sawed that.

After regaining my freedom from finals earlier this week, I hunkered down and cut out the last of the sisters. It is nice to have all of that work done and now I can sit down and work with the knives. I've got a fair amount of time this weekend, so check back Monday for the excellent progress that I will make...

Finals: Enjoy yourself

Hey everyone, 
Most of you know, but I'm in the middle of finals, which doesn't leave me a lot of time to do what I do best. So between now and when I'm done, enjoy this video. It's a simple relief, but I think it is a good representation of what steps go into relief carving in general. 

See you all again soon.

Sisters Gracin: At long last

This one has definitely been in the works for a while now. I actually had this done, but decided to erase 90% of it and start over. I wasn't sure how I was going to like the branch off of the G at first, but I think it fits. It also provides a little more structural support between the R and the A.

I'm still waiting for the final OK on this one from the customer, so I won't be cutting anything until then. I also might make a few tweaks to the leaves on the bud before I get this one to the saw. Either way it won't be too dramatic, or noticeable. I'm just happy it's finally done.

X-Post: Light Suits

This has been one crazy weekend, and I thought I'd let everyone know that it went great. We had our final performances with the BYU Ballroom team and our light suits we designed for them. All the shows went well and the audience loved it. If you want an idea of what it looked like, we have been featured on KSL, Deseret News and the BYU Homepage. 

It was a fun ride while it lasted, but I'm fairly excited that it's over. At least I have more time to dedicate to my carving now. More to come this week.

Sisters Tana: The Sanding Edition

Did the same thing here as I did with Ella. I'm fairly sure at this point I'm just putting off Gracin. I just can't get a few of the letters the way I want them to look. I may have to go to some outside help to get a design that looks good. But anyway, stay tuned as always, color and finish sanding is coming up soon.

Sisters Ella: The Sanding Edition

I figured that since I was done with carving on Ella, I could just do some initial sanding to see how it was going to turn out when it is done. This was just 80 grit, which means I still have 120, 150, 180 and 220 to go. Thankfully those all go by fairly quickly since the 80 does all the hard work.

Sisters: Tana

Not much to say here, Tana is cut out and ready to start with shaping. I still haven't decided on a design for Gracin, but it looks like the time is running out for me to put it off. We'll see what happens later on this week.

Sisters: Ella

Had access to the scroll saw earlier this week and took the liberty to get these two cut out while I had the chance. I've already started on shaping Ella, and am actually almost done. It is a little refreshing to have a name that isn't too long or complex, especially after such a long hiatus. Check back in a few days and I'll have Tana cut out as well.

Sisters: Tana

I've had somewhat of a mental block the last bit on how I should design Gracin's sign. So instead of wasting time, I went ahead and started on Tana's. I took some of the design from TerBo that I did last December, and I'm really happy with how it looks. Enjoy!

Salt Lake Carving Show

Hey everyone!


I just thought I'd get the word out about the 2012 Great Salt Lake Woodcarvers show going on this weekend! It will be at Wheeler Farm on Friday and Saturday (23rd-24th) and is going to be great. I will sadly not be there this year because I will be in Washington assisting the BYU Ballroom Dance team with the light suits I helped construct for them. Even so, every show that I have been to hasn't been a disappointment at all. 


Details can be found at the Great Salt Lake Woodcarvers website. 


Bring your family, you won't be disappointed!

The Start of the Sisters: Ella

Now that things are rolling again, I've one big project coming up. It will be signs for three sisters, and thankfully they have relatively short names. 

I've got one drafted and some great ideas for the others. I'll start out with Ella, and Gracin and Tana will be following soon!

The Long Hiatus..........is OVER!

Many of you have noticed that I've been rather absent for the last two months. It is true that I've had to put my carving on hold due to the many school related obligations that I've had this semester. Thankfully the semester is winding down and I'm finally finding myself with enough free time to start new projects!


For those of you who are curious, I've been working with a team of fellow engineers to develop special lighted suits for the BYU Ballroom Dance team. The suits use a special wire called EL (Electro Luminescent) wire which glows when a voltage is applied to it. 

The different sections of the suits can be turned on and off independently to create the light patterns used in the performance.

We've made 4 suits in total and all are controlled wirelessly from a computer offstage. The team will be taking these suits on tour across the country in the coming months. 

(We have some video from a few practice runs that I will post once we get it back from the photographer.)

Back in Business!

After a well deserved break I'm getting back into the rest of the orders that have piled up. I did some consulting of sorts over the break for a co-worker of mine. He wanted to do the carving, so I did the drafting and cut the sign for him. 

I have three that are being drafted at the moment, so check back in the next few days to see what is in store!