Making things out of wood

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Vivi

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There are a lot of things you can make out of wood pretty easily in the outdoors as most of us would know. Spoons to shelters, it's a versatile material.

I'm looking for some new ideas of unusual, useful things you've made or seen others make from wood. I've been getting a stronger interest in wood carving lately but I'm not really looking to carve decorations and figurines. I prefer useful items.

Also tips about wood carving in general would be appreciated. Like specific techniques you use or certain specialized cutting tools you find useful for the job.
 
When I am splitting wood I some times carve a wedge and use to help split logs or to help if my knife gets stuck in the log.
 
I made a few buttons a long time ago when my bag fell apart.. Found a small branch and cut four rounds about a 1/4inch thick.. and it was about 1\2inch in diametar. made one small hole in it. Ran a string in the bag and then in the buttom. Tied a knot on one side and on the other side as close as i could to the buttom. Worked great, Got me home with all my stuff.

sasha
 
I recently got a frosts mora single sided spoon knife.. It has revolutionized my spoon and bowl making...I'd like to try my hand at carving a tobacco pipe down the road...and a nice dcorative bearing block for a drill set.
 
I make fires with wood every now and then...

But seriously, I have seen some neat things made with wood. My dad quit the corporate life a few years back and does wood turnings for a living now, so I see some very nice work come out of his shop. I also saw a fully working clock made out of wood a while back, which was awesome.
 
I made a few fishing lures before. Both popper types carved from balsa wood.

Caught fish on them also.
 
I've made bowls, and buckets with coals from the fire, a hatchet, saw, and a knife before. It was when I was a youngun though. It was a fun project. We (Boy Scouts) used the bucket to heat some soup by putting hot rocks into the bucket full of soup.

It was canned soup, but you could cook soup that way. You'd just have to have a good supply of clean dry rocks around, and a camp made tong to rotate out the not-so hot rocks.
 
Fiddleback said:
I've made bowls, and buckets with coals from the fire, a hatchet, saw, and a knife before. It was when I was a youngun though. It was a fun project. We (Boy Scouts) used the bucket to heat some soup by putting hot rocks into the bucket full of soup.

It was canned soup, but you could cook soup that way. You'd just have to have a good supply of clean dry rocks around, and a camp made tong to rotate out the not-so hot rocks.
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Good post, Andy. The hot rock technique is also how early peoples made Maple Syrup.

Doc
 
RescueRiley said:
I recently got a frosts mora single sided spoon knife.. It has revolutionized my spoon and bowl making...I'd like to try my hand at carving a tobacco pipe down the road...and a nice dcorative bearing block for a drill set.
Click to expand...

That'd be awesome. Not sure how expensive briar is to buy? Probably not very..

I do need to get a spoon knife.
 
Chopsticks!

Spoons are great, but chopsticks are really useful and easy to make.
 
I make dream catchers out of wood.
dreamcatcher.jpg
 
Thanks for all the suggestions so far. I forgot about using coals to hollow out bowls and similar objects. I might go try that tonight.
 
Ive made fishing lures outof wood. Heres two of my best. Made out of cedar. Shaped with an exacto blade while at work. Finished at home.

cranks.jpg
 
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A good carving knife will go a long way to making your projects fun. I like pinewood forge knives myself. They are made of O1 tool steel, and great ergonomics for the job.

Carvingknives007.jpg


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Cape Forge makes some great tools as well. Here is a profile shot of all my tools.

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Also, work with green wood whenever possible. It carves much nicer than dry or seasoned wood.

Start with simple projects like spoons (or toothpicks ;)) and move your way up.

Have fun......
 
I've made some walking sticks... :D
I guess,without the propper tools it's pretty hard to carve a spoon or something like that.Well,i suck at Do It Your Self too,so that may be the reason.
Anyway,i think carving is a lot of fun and gonna get me some nice Mora carving knives :thumbup:
 
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