Learn to Carve with Me
I don't claim to know the "right" way to do anything. I do things my way. If you like the way I work, this is for you.
Carving is play. It should feel like fun.
If you're sensible, you learn from your mistakes. If you're smart, you learn from other people's mistakes. That's what I can offer you.
Scroll down for my full tool list (free) and step-by-step tutorials.
My Carving Tool Setup
A NOTE BEFORE WE START
People ask me what tools I use approximately 47 times a day. So here's everything. The whole list. No secrets. This isn't the "right" way to do it. It's my way — cobbled together over years of trial, error, and a lung full of sawdust I'd rather forget about.
WORKHOLDING: THE JAWHORSE
You know those clampy sawhorse things drywall guys use? That's a Jawhorse. Search it. Hardware stores have them. Amazon has them. Your uncle who does renos probably has one in his garage he'll never notice is missing. Why I use it: It holds weird shapes. Logs aren't rectangles. They're lumpy, uncooperative bastards that want to roll off your bench and onto your foot. The Jawhorse doesn't care. Clamp it, spin it, attack from any angle. I've had mine for years. It owes me nothing.
SHAPING: KUTZALL DISCS
Once you've removed the bulk with the turboplane, these are what you use to make it actually look like something. They're carbide-coated discs that come in different coarsenesses. I use coarse when I'm still hogging material, fine when I'm getting close to final shape. The difference between "rustic charm" and "I meant to do that" happens here. Available on Amazon. Not cheap. Worth it.
TEXTURING: MANPA 2" BELT CUTTER SYSTEM
This is my secret weapon for texture work. The belt cutter is a powered extension arm that holds interchangeable 2" cutters. It reaches into bowls and vases at angles your grinder never could. Three extension lengths (8", 10.5", 14") so you can get into whatever you're making. The cutter heads swap out in seconds — no tools needed.
THE CUTTERS: 2" Triangle Cutter: Creates V-shaped gouges and texture lines. Think of it like having a powered V-gouge chisel. Perfect for bark texture, ray lines, decorative grooves. The triangle profile bites in clean. 2" Circle Cutter: Creates regular gouge marks and dimples. Like a powered round gouge. Smoother texture, softer shadows. Use it for organic flowing textures or stippled surfaces. Both cutters replace hours of chisel work with minutes of power carving.
ROUGH SHAPING: ARBORTECH TURBOPLANE
This is the disc that makes people nervous. Good. Respect it. It's aggressive. It eats wood like a hungry dog eats homework. The progression goes: chainsaw to rough shape → turboplane to remove bulk → kutzall for refinement → sander for finish. That's the fastest path from "log" to "thing that looks intentional." A note on chainsaw discs: Don't. Just don't. They grab, they kick, they turn your angle grinder into a weapon with opinions. The turboplane cuts clean and doesn't try to kill you. Use code SEAN10 for 10% off at Arbortech.
HOLLOWING: MANPA HOLE CUTTERS
These are the weird looking long-reach tools for getting inside vases and narrow openings. Nothing else reaches. Different sizes for different holes. Manpa is a Korean company, which means they're slightly harder to find. Amazon has some. Specialty woodworking suppliers have more. Worth the hunt if you want to make anything with an opening smaller than your fist.
FINISHING
Wax and mineral oil. Food safe. Simple. I use Clapham's Beeswax Salad Bowl Finish. Canadian company. Does what it says. Use code SEAN10 for 10% off at claphams.com.
THE GRINDER ITSELF
Buy the best angle grinder you can afford. I burn through about one a year. Corded gives you consistent power. Cordless gives you freedom. I've used both. I've killed both. The tool doesn't matter as much as the discs you put on it. Get one that feels good in your hand and has a warranty.
SANDING
Here's a secret that isn't a secret: I only make bowls that fit a random orbital sander. That's a design choice. If I can't sand the inside with a normal sander, I don't make it that shape. Life's too short to hand-sand the inside of a 4-inch opening.
SAFETY GEAR: THE BORING STUFF THAT KEEPS YOU ALIVE
Disclaimer: I'm not giving safety advice. I don't do things the proper way — I do them my way, for my own reasons. When it's +35 I wear sandals. When it's -35 I wear gloves. So don't do as I do, and don't do as I say. Be an adult and weigh up the risk you're willing to live with. This shit is dangerous. On a long enough timescale, everybody gets hurt. Use your common sense. If you don't have any, maybe try knitting or watercolour.
Dust Mask: Those flimsy paper N95 masks? Complete bullshit for woodworking. Wood dust will kill you. Slowly. It's called woodworker's lung. You need a proper respirator. Rubber nose bridge. Straps that actually pull tight. If you can smell the wood through your mask, your mask isn't working.
Leather Apron: Bits of wood flying at your sensitive bits really sting. A leather apron stops that. It won't stop a nail though. So don't grind nails. Ask me how I know.
Clothing: Loose clothing and rotary tools don't mix. That's why some woodworkers can only count to 7. Nothing loose. Nothing dangling. Tie back your hair. Lose the hoodie strings. Respect the physics. Yes I wear gloves sometimes. That’s because it gets to -35 where I live. They are a terrible idea. Don’t wear them if you don’t have to.
THAT'S IT. NO SECRETS.
Want to see how I actually use all this? Full build tutorials — from raw log to finished piece below.
Oak Vase Carving — Twist Series
Real time tutorial. Every tool, every cut, every decision.
Maple Vase Carving — Prairie Aurora
Real time tutorial. Every tool, every cut, every decision.