© 2019, 2022 by Helmut Tschiderer

All rights reserved. Chainsaw Carving for Beginners is a translation of the 2019 version originally published in German by Leopold Stocker Verlag under the title Schnitzen mit der Motorsäge in Graz, Austria. This version published by Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc., 903 Square Street, Mount Joy, PA 17552.

The patterns contained herein are copyrighted by the publisher. Readers may make copies of these patterns for personal use. The patterns themselves, however, are not to be duplicated for resale or distribution under any circumstances. Any such copying is a violation of copyright law.

Print ISBN: 9781497102743
eISBN: 9781637410721

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021947516

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

WHICH SAW IS THE RIGHT ONE?

CARVING BAR

THE CHAIN

CARE AND MAINTENANCE

PURCHASING AND INSTALLING A NEW SAW CHAIN

SAFETY EQUIPMENT

WORKPLACE SAFETY

WHAT KIND OF WOOD SHOULD I CHOOSE?

PROJECT 1: AN OLD SHOE

THE ROUGH DRAFT AND THE MODEL

FIRST CUTS

THE DOUBLE CUT

FINER CUTS

MAKING CONVEX AND CONCAVE CUTS

DETAILS

FINISHING

PATTERNS

PROJECT 2: BEAUTIFUL RABBIT

FIRST STEPS

CUTTING OUT THE ROUGH SHAPE

ROUNDING THE CONTOURS

DEFINING INDIVIDUAL BODY PARTS

ROUNDING AND SMOOTHING EVERYTHING AGAIN

FINISHING THE BODY

SHAPING THE FACE

PATTERNS

PROJECT 3: AN ELEGANT LADY

SOME TIPS ON DEFINING PROPORTIONS

THE HEAD

THE BODY

REFINING WORK ON THE HEAD

REFINING THE BODY

COSMETIC AND FINISHING TOUCHES

PATTERNS

PROJECT 4: MOUNTAIN GOAT

FIRST STEPS

TRANSFERRING THE CONTOURS

CARVING THE CONTOURS

FINER CUTS

FURTHER TOUCH-UP

WORKING THE DETAIL

THE BASE

THE HORNS

PATTERNS

TIPS AND TRICKS

REPAIRING CRACKS AND OVERDONE SAW CUTS

A SCALE RULER

THE FINISH

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

INTRODUCTION

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

Chainsaw carving takes a certain amount of physical and mental fitness. If there is any doubt about whether you can safely and carefully operate a chainsaw for a length of time, check with your doctor first.

Make sure to know as much as you can about your chainsaw’s cutting and safety systems, and research the subject of your carving before you get started. Then you can create quality work without jeopardizing your safety.

Step by step, we will now approach a project.

WHICH SAW IS THE RIGHT ONE?

Choose a saw that is not too large or too small for you. Your strength and ability should match the saw. Maintain your saw and other equipment as the manufacturers recommend.

It makes good sense to buy equipment at a specialty retailer in your area. There is nothing better than professional advice and competent service. My dealer offers professional help quickly when I’m having difficulty with my saw. And should later repairs be required, I save time and money by working with my local dealer.

The brand of saw you choose plays a minor role; each model has its pros and cons. Once you’ve become accustomed to “your” saw, its characteristics will, in most cases, be the “right” one for you.

In an urban or suburban area, neighbors do not want to hear a gasoline-powered chainsaw all day. In this setting, I would choose an electric chainsaw. In my workshops, I work exclusively with electric saws to avoid noise and exhaust fumes. For beginners, an electric saw with high wattage and the option of mounting a carving bar will be good enough.

If noise is not a problem in your area, I recommend a gasoline-powered saw for cutting your timber to length and blocking in your rough shape. With its high-powered torque, you can quickly do the preliminary rough cuts. In time you will likely add equipment and use both kinds of saws. I finish my work with an electric saw, using a carving bar because it minimizes the danger of injury.

CARVING BAR

This tapered carving accessory, with its narrow tip, makes working on fine details much easier. It reduces not only the weight of your saw, but also the potential for kickback. More on that later when we cover safe use measures.

When choosing a carving bar, the model purchased must be compatible with your saw. Also, don’t try to save money on this purchase if you want to enjoy using it over time. (Problems with “economy models” include bending, short-term wear, etc.)

With its taper and narrow radius at the tip, the carving blade requires a compatible chain and a sprocket matching the driving links. Each manufacturer will of course have their own system of accessories. Your specialty dealer will usually be able to advise you well.

THE CHAIN

Technical Details: the following are details you should know about your cutting chain. Basically, cutting chains come in three dimensions:

• ⅜-inch pitch

• .325-inch pitch

• ¼-inch pitch

The pitch describes the spacing of the saw teeth, which is found by measuring the space between three rivets and dividing the result by 2. The appropriate sizes for our purposes are ¼-inch and ⅜-inch pitches.

EXAMPLE: 12.70 MM DIVIDED BY 2 = 6.35 MM OR ¼"

TYPICAL LINK SPACING IS:

⅜"

.325"

¼"

ANATOMY OF A CUTTING CHAIN

Driving link, right tooth with depth limiter, connecting link with rivets, left tooth with depth limiter, connecting link without rivets, safety drive link

Typical tooth shapes:

• Full chisel tooth: Angular transition from the side to the top.

• Half chisel tooth: Rounded transition from the side to the top.

RAT TAIL FILES, VARIOUS DIAMETERS. STRAIGHT FILES. CLIP FOR SECURING THE BAR. DIVERSE GUIDES FOR TRUING THE SHARPENING ANGLE AND GRINDING THE DEPTH LIMITER.

CARE AND MAINTENANCE

There is much to be aware of in the care and maintenance of your chain. If possible, have a lumberjack show you how to sharpen the teeth. It takes practice to properly file your chain. Still, every chainsaw carver should give it a try. Anyone serious about chainsaw sculpting would do well to practice sharpening. But if you only have time for your hobby one or two weekends per month, the ideal solution would be to have your dealer sharpen it with a sharpening machine.

The advantage is that your chain will be properly cared for and safe to use. The time you save can be used for carving. It is important to use a rat tail with the diameter that matches your saw teeth. Nowadays there are plenty of accessories available to make sharpening an easy task.

It is also important to sharpen the teeth in the proper angle. I recommend a 30° cutting angle. A sharper or flatter angle will lessen your cutting efficiency and increase wear and tear on your chain as well as on the bar.

The same goes for the height of the depth limiter. The depth limiter regulates how deep each tooth can “bite” into the wood. With the proper height your chain will cut smoothly. If the limiter is filed down too far the chain will bite deeply into the wood, which you will feel as an increase of strain and exertion (arms and back). Besides, this increases strain on the motor as well, and can sometimes result in chain breakage, which is very dangerous.

It is best to use a file gauge. If you do your sharpening without a gauge, I recommend filing a depth limit of between slightly more than ¹/₆₄" and a little less than ¹/₃₂". Recently chains with shortened teeth that are slanted back at the top have become available at specialty dealerships. These chains bring a real increase in cutting performance.

TIP: For your carving bar, I recommend a cutting chain with modified slanted teeth

WITH A “NORMAL” BAR, THE CHAIN HAS PROPER TENSION WHEN IT SHOWS NO SLACK ON THE UNDERSIDE, BUT CAN EASILY BE PULLED SLIGHTLY OUT OF THE CHANNEL.

PURCHASING AND INSTALLING A NEW SAW CHAIN

From time to time you will need a new chain. It is very important to exchange worn out or damaged saw chains. Of course proper care and maintenance of your chain is still quite worth your while.

When purchasing a new chain it is important that you know how many drive links your old chain had. This is because the number of drive links determines the length of the chain.

I keep a notebook in my shop with the number of drive links for each of the bars I use.

When mounting your bar, it is important to be sure that the sprocket matching the chain length is installed. Also make sure you install your chain in the right direction and that it has the proper tension. On the carving bar, which doesn’t have a diverting pulley at the tip, the chain can have a bit more slack to minimize friction—but not so much that the chain can slip out of its channel.

It is well known that, when using a gasoline powered saw, regularly refilling the oil is a must. With an electric saw it is equally important to keep an eye on the oil level, so that your chain and the bar are always properly lubricated, especially since the sprocket is under higher strain due to there being less tension on the chain. You should use light-colored oil for carving because the oil, which will unavoidably spatter onto the wood, will then be less of a problem. Here your dealer can certainly recommend a good choice.

TIP: In the course of a day’s work, for safety’s sake you should regularly check the chain for proper tension.

SAFETY EQUIPMENT

• Cut resistant pants: These are of paramount importance. They should fit well, wear comfortably, and be of professional quality.

• High shoes: These provide firm footing, to prevent stumbling on wood scraps and twisting an ankle. Ideal would be cut resistant, steel toed shoes.

• Gloves: Also available with gel deposits to dampen the vibration.

• Safety glasses

• Ear protection

• First aid kit: Should be well stocked with assorted items. In mine I keep different bandages, band aids, disinfectant, ointment for burns from the exhaust, eye rinse, scissors, and tweezers. The emergency number of a doctor should of course be noted on the kit and saved to your cell phone.

WORKPLACE SAFETY

In order to work safely you will need to organize your workspace.

Ideal is a well-lit and well-ventilated space with room for moving around.

I use a wooden panel as a base on which my workpiece can stand securely.

If necessary, I can also fasten the workpiece to the panel. I keep my feet outside the danger zone. Electrical cord routing should be free of moisture, and damaged cords should be replaced immediately. Before I start, I check my saw to see that all screws are snug, and that the chain is in good condition and has proper tension.

When carving, I make sure to hold my saw in a firm grip without tensing up. I also take care to have a solid stance with one foot a half-step ahead of the other, reducing the danger of losing my balance.

Guests viewing you at work will need about six feet distance as a safety measure.

I also take care to have a solid stance with one foot a half-step ahead of the other, reducing the danger of losing my balance. And here we come to the subject of kickback, which indeed can throw you off balance. Kickback happens when the top third of the teeth at the tip make contact with the wood first, which happens often enough.

TIP:

Filing the depth limiter properly can also minimize kickback.

DANGER SPOT (TOP THIRD OF THE TEETH)

Rough wood scraps should be removed from time to time to avoid a stumble or even a sprained ankle. You can leave the sawdust on the floor during the day. It provides a bit of insulation underfoot and absorbs some of the oil spatters from the saw.

TIP: Do your work responsibly, and use common sense!

Another aspect of workplace safety is lifting heavy objects correctly.

Depending on the size of your project your workpiece can weigh quite a lot. If there’s somebody around, they will probably be glad to give you a hand.

TIP: Never lift heavy pieces with your back bent. Crouch down some and lift your piece using the strength in your legs. Your back will thank you.

To have heavy logs put in place, it is ideal to use a device with a lift. That spares your back and makes it easy to position your log well.

TIP: Big size isn’t everything. A somewhat smaller chainsaw sculpture can be incredibly intriguing.

WHAT KIND OF WOOD SHOULD I CHOOSE?

Though any type of wood can be carved, consider many factors when picking one for your sculpture. Softer woods do not hold detail well. Harder woods can take considerably longer to carve.

Some woods are more likely to rot than others, an especially important factor if the sculpture will be exposed to conditions that deteriorate the wood.

Choice of wood often depends on where you live. White pine is common in the East and Northeast. White pine and red pine are the most popular carving woods in the Midwest. White cypress and tupelo are favorites in the South and Southeast. In the Northwest and western states, red cedar, redwood, ponderosa pine, and others are used.

While of course your wood shouldn’t be rotten, a few brown spots will not be a problem. What is most important is that the wood is still firm. Knots will also not be a problem. In my experience knotty wood develops smaller cracks from drying than knot-free wood. I do make sure not to have a knot in areas of detail, for instance a face. The diameter of the log depends on your project. Nice work can be done in practically any size. Do be careful to shape your piece in such a way that rainwater can drain off of it. This increases the durability of your project. At the base, no water should be able to wick into the wood. An ideal base would be one allowing water to drain, gravel for instance. Or you can mount your sculpture, avoiding contact with the ground (by using a mounting iron). A ¾-inch space under your piece is plenty.

Maintenance is important depending on location. Resinous wood, such as larch and also pine, are more weatherproof than say white pine or spruce. With good maintenance, you can enjoy your pieces for years.

PROJECT 1

AN OLD SHOE

Before we get into more complicated projects, I would like to use the first project to acquaint you with several chainsaw cutting techniques. Our first project will be an old shoe.

Because for this project you’ll use all the chainsaw cutting techniques needed for sculpting, it is well suited for your first steps; an opportunity to get used to handling your saw. The more rustic the result, the more character the shoe will have.

I always work from a three-dimensional model, using the model to get the measurements for my piece. This makes it easier to get the proper proportions. It also makes it easier to transfer the contour of the model onto the wood so I can get right to work.

To find a 3D model for your chainsaw project you need look no further than a toy store or souvenir shop. Nowadays the Internet also offers all kinds of products that can be used as models for your projects.

THE ROUGH DRAFT AND THE MODEL

1 I start by sketching a rough draft, a simple drawing to go by. Working from this, I fashion my model using plasticine or clay. Or sometimes I carve a small model.

2 The model is 10" long, 6" high, and 4.7" in depth. The finished project will be double the size, so we’re working on a scale of 1:2. I first cut my stock to length, cutting at approximately 90° across the grain. This reduces the risk of the wood checking and weak spots developing as the wood contracts, because checking starts from the pith.

3 I then draw a center line on my blank, from which I can measure length and depth of the project.

4 Working from my center line ...

5 ... I draw the width and depth of the model ...

6 ... creating a shoe box of sorts.

7 The first work with the saw is cutting out the shoe box, taking care not to cut into the final shape.

8 One surface at a time ...

9 Now I draw the contours of the shoe on the block, beginning again with a center line, both on the side and across the top surface.

10 After I’ve blocked in the rough shape, it should look something like this.

FIRST CUTS

TIP: The first rough cuts are mostly straight, so I use the original cutting bar with a ⅜-inch chain. This reduces wear and tear on the carving bar, which tends to be more expensive.

11 Next, at 90°, I start cutting out the contour I’ve drawn on the side. To do this I can position my blank either vertically or horizontally.

12 I CLEAN OUT THE INDENTATION AT THE INSTEP WITH A SERIES OF SMALL CUTS ...

13 ... until I have a clean surface.

14 Now’s a good time to practice “mopping up” using the chisel surface of the saw-teeth to “plane” the material from the tight and hard-to-reach instep. Use light pressure and move the cutting bar from side to side.

15 And on we go, blocking in the complete contour at 90°.

16 I do the round cuts like the arc of the sole by making three or four cuts in order to arrive at a faceted curve. I then trim the corners, accentuating the arc of the curve.

THE DOUBLE CUT

17 To cut the offset of the heel we do our first double cut. For the slanted cut of the sole I position the saw at the needed depth and take care that the cut resistance doesn’t draw me into an excessive cut.

18 For the second cut of the off-set I have to also take care not to cut too deeply. But with experience over time, I’ve gained a feel for the “pull” of the saw and can sense the depth of cut fairly accurately. It’s a good idea to make this cut in several incremental steps.

19 Cutting the kerf at the back of the heel is an opportunity to practice this technique a second time.

20 The first rough blocking of the profile is now finished.

21 Forming our object from a vertical perspective starts with a center line along the length.

22 Now we transfer measurements from our model, marking the most prominent points.

23 OF COURSE, ALL MEASUREMENTS ARE STARTED WITH OUR CENTER LINE.

24 FROM TOP TO BOTTOM WE WORK OUR WAY DOWN, CUTTING AWAY ALL THE CORNERS WE HAVE MARKED.

25 Now we start notching out the relief lying beneath the surfaces we have cut.

26 This again requires some double-cuts. This time we are cutting from a slanted angle to avoid cutting into what will later be the sole of our shoe.

27 With that, the rough preliminary blocking is finished. The proportions are accurate and I can lay aside my folding rule and add my personal touch to the shoe.

FINER CUTS

28 For this work I change to the carving bar and work my way from top to bottom, from outer surface to inner depths. I always start with the overall shape. This avoids later corrections that could result in the shoe becoming too skinny.

MAKING CONVEX AND CONCAVE CUTS

29 It’s a good idea to practice these cuts first. Start your convex cuts by setting your cutting bar fairly flat on your work piece, angling it increasingly steeper and steeper in the course of the cut.

30 The result should be a nicely rounded surface

31 Using this technique, I continue rounding off all the corners. Of course, your first attempt need not be perfect.

32 For the concave cuts I cut into the wood at a slightly slanted angle and in the course of the cut, I “bend” the carving bar to cut the desired curve. I keep in mind that the upper side of the saw can cut as well.

33 Step by step I approach the final form.

34 All in all, this isn’t difficult cutting. I take care that I cut nice, rounded hollows in the wood—making several cuts as needed.

35 I continue rounding at the toe end of the shoe.

36 I carefully round all the corners.

37 I can also use the upper side of the bar or rotate the saw on its axis. This will be necessary to reach the more difficult areas.

TIP:

All techniques are allowed, as long as danger is avoided.

DETAILS

38 Now we add some playful details to our shoe, giving it more character. First we cut a flap for the eyelets in the upper portion.

39 I angle cut the details in a slightly oblique angle toward the outside of the shoe. This makes for smoother transitions and gives me the opportunity to touch up if necessary. First, I determine how big my flap should be. The center line helps me to do this, and I always redraw it if in the course of my work I have cut it away.

40 A COUPLE OF DOUBLE CUTS. I’M SLIMMING DOWN THE OVERALL FORM.

41 THIS BRINGS THE FLAP INTO SHARP RELIEF. I CONTINUE UNTIL I’M SATISFIED WITH THE FORM.

42 Then I round everything a bit more, leaving a crease here and there, using the side of the teeth and drawing the bar across the surface in a similar manner as when spreading butter on a piece of bread. In doing so, I wipe or scrub with the side of my chain over the wood, smoothing the surface with the lower or the upper edge of the bar, depending on the run of the grain.

43 Next, we start work on the sole by marking the thickness.

44 This is followed by a light double cut. First a slanted cut delineating the seam between the sole and the upper, ...

45 ... then a cut slanted in the opposite direction, followed by a bit of rounding of the facets.

46 As you see here, I have secured the workpiece between two scraps I’ve screwed to my work surface to prevent it from slipping. I trim the sole back a bit, so that the “leather” protrudes slightly.

47 The other side gets the same treatment.

48 THE SECOND CUT AND SOME ROUNDING.

49 The same technique at the toe.

50 Now we turn our attention to the tongue. To do this, we first cut a clean surface.

51 I THEN CUT A SLIGHTLY SLANTED SLOT ABOUT AN INCH DEEP ...

52 ... drawing the cut down toward the instep.

53 A second pass with the saw widens the slot in the direction of the center line.

54 Rounding the sharp corner.

55 Do the same thing on the opposite side.

56 Cutting the tongue back a little.

57 Round the corners again.

58 Cutting the inner edges.

59 REFINING THINGS A BIT.

60 After that we hollow out our shoe at the top a little, creating space for a small flowerpot. To do this I first cut a slit in the wood.

61 Once again, I use a double cut. Placing the tip of the carving bar in the middle, I increase the size of the half-circle.

62 Now I carve the second half of the circle.

63 Continuing until I’m satisfied with the depth.

64 Now for a little smoothing and refining.

65 Drilling eyelets for the shoe laces ...

66 ... and then a hole up through the heel for drainage.

FINISHING

Carvings to be kept outside need a wood preservative. For inside carvings, apply a varnish over top of the preservative. High-moisture wood or those that decay easily like cottonwood, willow, basswood, and elm, require a borate solution to be applied before sealing the wood.

PROJECT 2

BEAUTIFUL RABBIT

Animals, whether eagle, owl, mountain goat, or, in our case, a rabbit, are also popular chainsaw carving projects.

FIRST STEPS

1 To polish up the techniques learned, our next step will be sculpting a rabbit. This is a very useful subject, because each part of the body can be divided into its own form.

2 Choosing a log with the right diameter and cutting it to length, I start again with marking the center line.

3 I measure the widest measurements of the model and transfer them to my blank.

4 Now I determine the height and transfer it to my blank with a slight added length so that my cute rabbit can sit on a pedestal. I measure from top to bottom, marking the line between pedestal and rabbit.

5 Once I have defined measurements for the first steps, I get right to work.

6 I cut my blank to length, leaving what will later be the pedestal uncut.

7 Same thing on the opposite side.

8 IN ORDER TO MEASURE ACCURATELY, I AGAIN TRANSFER THE CENTER LINE ONTO BOTH SIDES.

9 I extend my center line across the top of the base at 90° relative to the freshly cut sides. This makes it easy to find it again when needed.

10 Now I transfer the contour of the model onto my workpiece.

11 Important! Your height is measured from the base, the breadth from the center line. A little patience and precision at this point is well rewarded later on in the project. Point for point we transfer the measurements and mark out the side view.

12 The result should look something like this.

CUTTING OUT THE ROUGH SHAPE

13 Once I’m satisfied with the draft, I start cutting out the contour.

14 To avoid kickback, I start my cut with the bar slanted so that the underside of the round tip cuts into the wood ...

15 ... deepening the cut to an inch or so ...

16 ... only then bringing the bar into a horizontal position.

17 Now nothing dangerous should happen. Such “stabbing” cuts should always be done with great care and concentration. Again, I cut all the way to the base.

18 Cutting to length.

19 ALREADY APPEARS LIGHTER.

20 BUT THERE’S MORE TO BE DONE.

21 The rough shape of the front is finished, and I turn my attention to the rabbit’s back. With a small incision I mark the upper curve ...

22 ... removing the wedge up to the rump.

23 To be able to make corrections and to maintain stability, I don’t yet remove the material under the ears.

24 WORKING OUR WAY FROM THE FRONT TO THE BACK STARTS WITH REDRAWING OUR CENTER LINE AT THE TOP.

25 Just as we did on the sides...

26 ... I transfer the measurements from the model.

27 So here we go, working our way from top to bottom. Starting with the slanted head ...

28 ... the cut runs all the way to the legs.

29 Make this cut on both sides of course.

30 Beginning of a double cut: make an incision marking the ears ...

31 ... and take care not to cut too deeply.

32 Make the second cut.

33 Again, the position of your saw should cut into the workpiece at a slant to avoid kickback. The result should look something like this.

34 CUT BOTH SIDES, OF COURSE.

35 I have mounted the carving bar for the cut needed for the protruding ears.

36 Don’t cut into the back of the head!

37 Each time I lose my center line, I redraw it as well as any other contours I have cut away.

38 TOUCHING UP A BIT.

39 A cut defining the contour of the rabbit’s back.

40 Cutting along the flank.

41 Cut on both sides.

42 Now we cut out a wedge from about the height of the thigh to the tip of the foot and the curve of the rump. This is so that later the knee protrudes slightly and the line of the hind leg does not have a bend.

ROUNDING THE CONTOURS

43 START ROUNDING THE FACETED SURFACES.

44 Use the center line and the model for orientation and symmetry.

45 In order to work the back, we’ll need to remove some of the excess material behind and under the ears.

46 Leave more material on one side because one ear will droop a bit.

47 To avoid cutting away too much wood and weakening the ear I again measure the height from the base to the height of the upper and lower edges ...

48 ... AND REDRAW THOSE CONTOURS.

49 The first pass of a double cut defines the height ...

50 ... and then the second cut.

51 Before we start working the details, a little touch-up here and there.

52 Then, after measuring the length of the front and hind legs ...

53 ... I MAKE A FEW CUTS DEFINING THE LENGTH OF THE FOUR FEET ...

54 ... on both sides.

55 Now I draw the curved lines of the front legs.

56 I Also define the curvature of the hind legs, always using my model for orientation.

DEFINING INDIVIDUAL BODY PARTS

57 Now I start to separate the individual parts of the anatomy from each other. First, I define the shape of the back leg by cutting along the line I had drawn.

58 Next I make a rounding cut towards the breast, down to the dimensions needed for the front legs.

59 Careful! Take your time. You don’t want to cut too deeply.

60 The details are coming into focus.

61 THE THIGH CAN BE CUT A LITTLE DEEPER AND SLIGHTLY MORE TO THE BACK.

62 SMOOTHING THE SURFACES.

63 Looking a bit better.

64 REPEAT THE SAME PROCEDURE ON THE OTHER SIDE.

65 I am satisfied with the work up front. Now to define the length of the hind leg. First a cut delineating the rump.

66 Rounding up all the back surfaces.

67 WITH ONE SMOOTH PASS I DRAW THE LINE ALL THE WAY TO THE BASE.

68 Repeat the same thing on the other side.

69 Separating the cottontail from the base.

70 THIS CLOSES THE THIRD PHASE.

ROUNDING AND SMOOTHING EVERYTHING AGAIN

71 For the next steps I switch to the electric saw. Due to the lower torque, I have more time to check the cuts, making them easier to control. We start again at the top and work our way down. I divide the body into different parts.

72 Starting with the head ...

73 ... we round off the corners till we arrive at an egg shape.

74 Angling the ear a little.

75 Cutting around the eyes ...

76 ... AND ROUNDING OUT THE EGG-SHAPED HEAD.

77 Carefully approaching the desired form.

78 Round the edges around the face while you’re at it.

79 THIS IS GETTING TO REALLY BE FUN!

80 Start the next egg-shaped piece. Trim the ear a bit, so that we can work out the back of the head better.

81 One at a time, trim away the corners between the facets.

82 TO GET THE BELLY RIGHT, FIRST I MEASURE THE JOINTS OF THE FRONT LEGS ON MY MODEL ...

83 ... and transfer them onto my workpiece.

84 Now we can delineate the front leg by cutting along the line between the belly and the leg, angling our cut slightly away from the belly ...

85 ... and making a flat-angled cut across the joint of the leg from the side, ...

86 ... guiding the saw in a convex curve.

87 CONTINUE ROUNDING.

88 The front leg comes nicely into focus.

89 The surface of the belly recedes nicely in relation to the front legs. Continue rounding.

90 While rounding, I repeatedly need to re-cut the outlines of the details.

91 TOUCHING UP THE JOINTS.

92 Defining the shoulder blade.

93 The rib cage could use a little more rounding.

94 And again, a round of touch-up.

95 GRADUALLY IT’S STARTING TO LOOK LIKE A RABBIT.

96 WE CONTINUE ROUNDING THE RIB CAGE.

97 Always hold the carving bar parallel to your work surface. This prevents you cutting too deep a notch in the wood.

98 A little more work on the hind legs.

99 Cutting the lower leg slightly below the level of the claws.

100 DRAWING A CLEAR LINE BETWEEN THE LEGS AND THE BELLY.

101 Rounding everything.

102 The same work on the front legs.

103 Defining the shoulder joint.

104 At the breastbone, we narrow the body somewhat.

105 With several passes with the tip of the carving bar, we round up the bottom of the paws.

106 Have to smooth the transition between head and ear as well.

107 TIME TO SLOPE THE BACK OF THE HEAD AT THE TOP.

108 We’ll clear the space between the ears later. The left side is alright for now.

109 On to the right. Same procedure.

110 Start with rounding the egg-shaped head.

111 The double cut delineating cheek and throat, ...

112 ... not forgetting that the cut at the throat is round as well.

113 TRIMMING THE EAR TO MAKE ROOM FOR WORK ON THE BACK OF THE HEAD.

114 WORKING THE TRANSITION BETWEEN THE EAR AND THE HEAD.

115 Drawing a line with the saw defining the thickness of the ear.

116 Rounding as often as needed.

117 Touching up the transition.

118 NOW FOR THE NECK.

119 A double cut to round the back.

120 THE FRONT LEG IS STILL TOO BROAD.

121 Here again, the belly recedes, bringing the leg into focus.

122 Shaping the hind leg.

123 Now I measure the joints of the front legs parallel to the other side.

124 A DOUBLE CUT DEFINES THE BACK OF THE JOINTS; FROM THE FRONT A CURVED INCISION AT A FLAT ANGLE ...

125 ... and from the back again a flat-angled curve.

126 To make the neck look longer, we cut the back a little deeper.

127 ROUNDING UP ...

128 ... continuing by rounding the whole backside.

FINISHING THE BODY

129 Going back to the legs, the first thing will be working the transition between neck and belly.

130 Clearly defining the shoulder joint.

131 And then we trim the breast cage down some.

132 THE FRONT LEG IS NOW FREE AND HAS BECOME A DISTINCT BODY PART.

133 Some corrections on the chest and belly.

134 SOME COSMETIC WORK ON THE HIND LEGS AND SIDES.

135 Emphasizing the joints.

136 BRINGING THE LEG A LITTLE CLOSER TO THE BELLY.

137 NOW WE GIVE THE FINISHING TOUCHES TO THE HIND LEG.

138 The same goes for the front paws.

139 Checking overall, making sure everything’s looking good.

140 Shaping up the rump a bit.

141 TO EMPHASIZE THE THIGHS, WE ADD A SLIGHT INDENTATION TO THE HIND LEGS

142 Now draw the line between your rabbit and the base, but take care not to cut all the way through.

143 The shape of the front legs seems to need a little more depth.

144 That’s better.

145 Shaping the breast and emphasizing the breastbone.

146 WHILE WE’RE AT IT, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND CLEAR THE SPACE BETWEEN THE FRONT LEGS.

147 Going over our work we can use the flat side of the cutting bar to smooth everything and round the worst of the corners and edges.

SHAPING THE FACE

148 Time to give our furry friend a face! We start by arranging blocking in the basic shape.

149 I now retrace that all-important center line so that I can work both sides of the head symmetrically. Working from front to back, I cut out a small wedge to mark the upper lip and leave a bulge (convex shape) toward the mouth.

150 Of course, we repeat these cuts on the other side.

151 We can follow up on these cuts by lightly redrawing them with the tip of the carving bar.

152 I POSITION THE EYES BY MARKING THE SPACE BETWEEN THEIR CENTER POINTS, THEN DRAWING A LINE ACROSS THE HEAD AT 90° TO THE CENTER LINE.

153 I then draw them in order to make sure they’re placed at the same height.

154 Now we’re getting somewhere. With the saw held at a flat angle, I make a slight indentation marking the eye.

155 A CAREFUL TRIM CUT.

156 This step also narrows the forehead somewhat. Carefully shape the eyeball, keeping a firm grip on your saw!

157 A LITTLE MORE DEPTH AROUND THE EYE.

158 And some shaping of the cheek.

159 The same thing for the second eye ...

160 ... and the other cheek.

161 Now we free up the ears and bring them into shape.

162 Step by step we remove material between the ears.

163 Rounding the result.

164 A little touch-up on the bulge of the neck.

165 Final cuts on the ears.

166 A nice play of light and shadow.

HAVE FUN DOING YOUR OWN RABBIT. AND REMEMBER: PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT!

PROJECT 3

AN ELEGANT LADY

Our next project will be carving the figure of a lady. This is a good project for learning some basics about defining proportions, as well as for loosening up a bit; measuring less and working more spontaneously.

SOME TIPS ON DEFINING PROPORTIONS

The simplest way to define proportions is using the length of the head as our unit of measurement. Important fact: Eight times the length of the head is equal to our body height. So, we’ll be working with units of one-eighth.

Already in ancient Greece, artists worked with the proportion rules of the canon, in which the head is considered the unit of measurement. The body is divided into eight parts, and the length of the head multiplied by eight determines the overall height. For certain details, for example the length of the hands, the distance from the chin to the pit of the throat, the length of the feet, etc., one also works with tenths (one can spend lots of time exploring this subject). For the aspiring chainsaw artist, it’s a good idea to simply work with the one-eighth measure.

Again, we start our project with a sketch. In my sketch I have integrated the gown with the base, slightly elongating the sculpture for added elegance. The diameter of the log will dictate the width of the figure. Assuming the width of the shoulders is about two head lengths, I can easily determine the size of the lady.

1 Once I’ve cut my log to length ...

2 ... and determined the width of the shoulders ...

3 ... I cut out a surface on which I can draw the contour.

4 My surface is slanted, and ends at the height of the base.

5 After I have drawn the center line, starting from the width of the trunk (halved), I divide the trunk into eight equal parts. This determines the head width, the chest height, the width of the shoulders, the waist width, and the middle of the body.

6 These lines are my orientation. First, I make two cuts to the left and right of the future head down to the shoulder marking and ...

7 ... remove the material above the shoulders.

8 I cut the shoulders a little narrower so that the elbows can later protrude a little from the body.

9 I NOW DRAW THE CENTER LINE ON BOTH SIDES.

10 Based on the center line, I can now define the neck, which is approximately at the height of the shoulders at the center of the body and slightly in front of the side center line below the chin.

THE HEAD

11 Again, we work from top to bottom and from front to back. So we start with the head. To avoid our face looking too flat later, we cut material away on both sides of the center line at 45° ...

12 ... resulting in a 90° angle.

13 This cut goes all the way down to the shoulder.

14 Once we’ve found the tip of the nose, we cut material away from the chin ...

15 ... and the forehead.

16 A little touch-up around the chin.

17 Deciding at which height I should cut the curve ...

18 ... that goes all the way to the top of the head.

19 In the same way I round the corners at the sides of the head.

20 Marking the width of the face.

21 That center line is important!

22 NOW WE NEED TO CUT AWAY SOME MATERIAL WHERE THE MOUTH WILL BE.

23 THE ROOT OF THE NOSE.

24 A double cut.

25 Now I make a cut from behind slanted towards the cheek.

26 This allows me to decide later how the hairstyle should look or whether I will carve her ears.

27 We do the same on both sides.

28 As we know by now, that center line is important!

29 To make room for the eyes, we carefully make a slightly inclined cut from the forehead inward to the root of the nose.

30 Taking the width of the nose into account we make a concave cut from the tip of the nose to the surface of the cheek.

31 We repeat these cuts on the opposite side. This requires a good bit of courage and some skill with the use of the saw; it’s quite a challenge.

32 Now I cut a recession for the forehead, slanting my cut away from the final shape. This will be a double cut.

33 The second cut.

34 Now we touch up everything.

35 Good enough for now.

TIP:

These first cuts have required high concentration; reason enough to loosen up a bit by seeing to the first cuts for the body.

THE BODY

36 I mark the width of the chest with two short lines between one and one-and-a-half head units apart.

37 Slightly ahead of the lateral center line, I cut away the corner.

38 Defining the height of the chest.

39 With this cut define the transition between shoulder and chest on both sides.

40 Rounding the chest some.

41 Now I draw the arms. The elbows are at about the height of the midsection.

42 With a cut towards the rib cage, I draw the shape of the arm.

43 I’m taking care not to cut too deeply. It’s better to take a slow approach to the final form.

44 One can now picture the arms.

45 From the rib cage to roughly the body middle I remove some material from the belly.

46 To accentuate the arms, we narrow the waist a little, making sure the narrowest point is at the abdominal line.

47 Chamfering the corners.

48 After making sure the form is right and no major corrections on the front will be necessary, we can lighten up things by removing material from the back. If I start this work too soon, I risk overdoing it. To avoid getting the waist too narrow, I sketch out the rough form with a few simple lines.

49 In the meantime, I work on refining the chin.

50 A little more rounding at the back of the head.

51 CUTTING THE HAIR.

52 Take your time!

53 Removing the excess material on the back.

54 Rounding up a bit.

55 Marking the back of the waist.

56 And free the arm with a cut.

57 Starting at the elbow, define the shape of the forearm.

58 Slowly the lady takes shape.

59 Freeing up the second arm.

60 To give the buttocks a little more volume, we add an additional cut under the shoulder blades towards the spine.

61 Yes, I like it!

62 In between we turn our attention to the head again. It is still much too big for the overall proportions.

63 Rework it altogether.

64 Nose.

65 Forehead.

66 IT ALL NEEDS TO BE ROUNDED.

REFINING WORK ON THE HEAD

67 Once we’ve done the basic shape ...

68 ... we start with a double cut recessing the eyes.

69 For the second cut, take care to work both sides as symmetrically as possible.

70 Work the cheekbone with the tip of the carving bar.

TIP:

For the rough proportions of the face, we work in thirds. Assuming that the eyes are in the middle of the of the head, I know where the root of the nose is. Dividing by two the area below the root of the nose tells me where the tip of the nose is. If I now take our measurement (one-third) from the root of the nose upward, I have defined the forehead. Above it is the hairline. The chin area can also be divided into three parts: First, from the upper lip to the nose, then, the lower lip, and below that the chin. For the width of the head, we work in fifths; one-half eye width equals a fifth of the total width. Imagine an additional eye between the eyes, and at eyes-width an eye to the right and to the left. This defines the widest part of the face.

71 With a slight cut I mark the mouth.

72 Removing the sharp edges to the right and to the left of the center line with the tip of the saw ...

73 ... reveals the form of the upper lip. Still, she’s looking pretty grim, so I lift the corners of the mouth.

74 Now she should have a friendly smile.

75 To mark the lower lip, I cut a slight indentation into the lower third with the tip of the saw ...

76 ... and retrace the form of the lower lip.

77 The lower lip is narrower than the upper lip, and, seen in profile, recedes somewhat as well.

78 SLOPE THE NOSTRILS SLIGHTLY.

79 In order to work on the eyes, we first work the surrounding area.

80 Now I again draw a curve under the eye with the tip of the saw.

81 Both eyes, of course.

82 This is easy—just round everything!

83 REFINING THE NECK PROPORTIONS.

REFINING THE BODY

84 The lady’s gown should have a collar. For that I do a double cut; defining the shape of the collar with the first one ...

85 ... REMOVING THE SURROUNDING MATERIAL WITH THE SECOND ONE.

86 On both sides.

87 REDUCING THE SHOULDERS, A BIT.

88 With a concave cut between the shoulder and the front of the chest ...

89 ... I emphasize the shoulders a bit more.

90 A double cut now: to mark the sleeves I make a light cut around the arm ...

91 ... and remove material.

92 Starting with the elbow, we bring the forearm a little closer to the the body.

93 I do not do any more cuts here at this point because later we will be putting the lady’s hands in the pockets of the gown. The outer side of the forearms are now defined. Now if I slim the lady down a little at the waist, ...

94 THE FOREARM BEGINS TO TAKE SHAPE.

95 Now the opposite side.

96 With several shallow double cuts, we shape the collar.

97 A bit of flair.

98 Once we’ve touched up everywhere, ...

99 WE WORK ON THE POCKETS WITH THE HANDS INSIDE.

100 Using the gasoline-powered saw, I shape the gown by removing material all around.

101 I make a cut toward the thighs below the hands, which are hidden in the pockets.

102 CHAMFER THE EDGES.

103 After that we indicate the shape of the hands and work some on the stomach.

104 Chamfer all corners!

105 Stretching the fabric over the back of the hands.

106 Slimming the body midsection, a little.

107 THIS WILL BE A DOUBLE CUT, A SHALLOW FIRST CUT ...

108 ... and then a shallow second cut.

109 This lady is starting to look pretty attractive.

110 But we can do more.

111 Here you can see how shallow these cuts should be.

112 We will put a fold in the fabric just above the pocket.

113 But before we get to the pocket, let’s work on shaping the back.

114 Adding relief to the back of the arms.

115 We want the young lady to have a slightly curved back ...

116 ... and a nice round behind.

117 Here you can see the beautiful S-shape of the lateral contour.

118 Touching up the backside of the arms.

119 DOUBLE CUT: SHAPING THE BACK OF THE COLLAR.

120 FINISHING THE DOUBLE CUT.

121 Smoothing the neck.

122 When I now define the size of the forearm ...

123 ... the fold in the fabric around the pocket becomes visible.

124 WE NOW EXTEND THE FABRIC FOLD FARTHER.

125 Tidying everything.

TIP: It is also possible to cut spiral surfaces. To do this, I position my saw for a shallow cut, turn the saw while cutting in spiral fashion, and continue the cut.

129 Some more touch-up

130 You have the option now of sawing all the way through, opening the space between arm and torso. Your choice. I’ve decided not to do so. Also, the rib cage is still too angular.

131 Details are slowly coming into focus. Nice.

132 IN ORDER TO EMPHASIZE THE HAND UNDER THE FABRIC, WE REMOVE ANOTHER LEVEL OF THE SURROUNDING MATERIAL.

133 The transitions need to be nice and smooth.

COSMETIC AND FINISHING TOUCHES

134 Time to go over the head again. We shape the hair-do to match the form of the head by rounding all corners.

135 To shape the strands of our lady’s hair, begin by forming larger tufts that run from the crown in slight S-curves.

136 Shallow double cuts; be careful not to cut into the basic shape of the head!

137 REPEAT ALL AROUND THE HEAD.

138 Add a little bounce to the hairstyle to give it more volume.

139 Now it’s time to do some more work on the face.

140 First, I deepen the area under the eye a little, thus increasing the emphasis on the cheekbone.

141 Then I round everything a bit.

142 Deepen the area towards the root of the nose slightly. This creates space for eyes that are convex instead of flat.

143 Shape the lips a bit with the flat side of the saw blade ...

144 ... and mark the corners of the mouth.

145 The mouth looks good.

146 The face is now good enough for my taste. Of course, you are free to decide just how much effort you want to invest in working out the details even more precisely. With a little practice you will become increasingly bold, but take care; mistakes are easily made. ... Now just a few cosmetic finishing touches.

A GOOD-LOOKING YOUNG LADY, I WOULD SAY.

PROJECT 4

MOUNTAIN GOAT

(STEINBOCK, ALPINE IBEX)

One of the most popular motifs in the chainsaw courses I lead is the steinbock, or Alpine ibex. This king of the Alps is also one of my favorite subjects because Capricorn is my mother’s zodiac sign and the steinbock is also the heraldic animal symbolized in the emblems of my adopted home, Grisons.

This proud animal, with its mighty horns, is a challenge for every chainsaw sculptor. With a little practice in the use of the carving saw, you can take on this task.

As a rule, your carving projects should fit into the diameter of the log you’ve chosen. But finding a trunk in our forests with the diameter needed for this project is rather difficult. If you do manage to find such a log, your next challenge will be to cut the needed surface, because you need a cutting bar long enough to take on this task.

There are, however, several other possibilities. One solution would be cutting a clean surface on each of two logs and gluing them together, but this requires some real precision and a lot of work.

Another solution is the one I have chosen in this case. I work with a trunk that has a large dimension near the roots. Moving up the tree, the diameter tapers rapidly. To take advantage of the thickness, I simply position the trunk upside down. This puts the portion of the trunk with the necessary diameter where I need it.

Because my model is widest at head height and tapers towards the hooves, this option allows me to make the best possible use of the wood.

It is a good idea to make a small model based on your sketch. This lets you approach the shape slowly and potentially see in advance where the difficulties may be. Errors are also easily detected in this way, and are easily corrected in the clay or in the plasticine. With this small effort you can save a lot of time, and more importantly, nerves.

FIRST STEPS

1 First, I mark the diameter of the animal on the trunk so I can, as usual, cut a surface on which I can transfer the contours of the ibex from the model to the wood.

2 A deep cut like this creates plenty of friction. No surprise to see some smoke.

3 If the cutting bar is too short you may have to make a second cut from the other side.

4 CAREFULLY CHECKING TO SEE IF THE RESULT IS SATISFACTORY.

5 Yep, it’s all good! That isn’t always the case.

6 I then cut the other side surface as well. This makes the next steps easier, because I can cut the contours in one go.

7 I now define my center and transfer it onto my timber.

8 I have intentionally cut the trunk to a somewhat greater length in order to provide a base and have our mountain goat stand higher. Since we are measuring from the center line and the base, I now define the base ...

9 ... and mark it by screwing a slat onto the baseline.

TRANSFERRING THE CONTOUR

10 AS SOON AS THESE PRELIMINARY TASKS ARE DONE, I CAN START TRANSFERRING THE CONTOURS ONTO THE TRUNK.

11 There’s just enough space for the design.

12 THEN I CUT OUT THE CONTOURS AT 90° RELATIVE TO THE FRONT SURFACE.

13 I’m pleased with it.

14 Now for the back part, a really big double cut.

15 Carefully I start the second cut. I want to avoid any kickback.

16 If necessary, go ahead with multiple cuts. Who says you have to do it all with one cut?

17 TIMBER!!!

18 If necessary, clean the surface.

19 As soon as I’ve cut the rough contour, I lay out the longitudinal center line.

20 Here I’m marking the height of the hind leg.

21 In order for the head to extend to the fore, I need to cut the torso back somewhat. So I now mark those measurements.

22 I also measure to determine the center line for the head ...

23 ... and draw it as well.

24 After that I cut the belly back all the way to the height of the hind leg and outer edge.

25 THIS IS PRECISE WORK.

26 When cutting the head to length don’t forget the goat’s beard. Also, take care not to cut too deep into the body.

27 The result.

28 Continuing, I next redraw my center line. And after I have drawn the front legs, I mark them with a cut done in such a way that the hind leg protrudes a little.

29 I cut the top of the head back some.

30 THIS IS HOW THE ROUGH RESULT LOOKS.

31 In order to continue working on the head, I must again define the center.

32 Determine the front width of the head and make a slanted cut toward the back. Here you are removing excess material while taking care that there’s enough wood left for the ears.

33 To lighten things up a bit, we now remove material from the rear part. I first have to redraw the rough contour.

34 Now I remove material from the back of the head ...

35 ... AND SLIM THINGS DOWN ALL AROUND. ALL THE WHILE, I’M MAKING SURE THE HIND LEG EXTENDS SOMEWHAT BEYOND THE OVERALL CONTOUR.

36 I redraw the center line.

37 Using the model, I’m measuring the distance between the pelvis and the middle.

38 Measuring from the base, I determine the height and mark the spot with a cross ...

39 ... and slant the back to the marked point. Then I slim down the buttocks.

40 Careful! Don’t cut into the hind leg!

41 Do the same thing on both sides.

42 Taking the width of the pelvis as a starting point, I cut the shoulders narrower.

43 While I’m at it, I’m careful not to cut into the neck.

44 Touching everything up.

45 NOW WE’RE STARTING TO GET THE PICTURE.

46 Here I’ve marked the width of the pelvis on the other side.

47 I cut to the mark for the bottom of the hoof.

48 I now cut away excess material behind the ears, bringing the shape of the back into focus ...

49 ... continuing with a slanted cut along the back center line.

50 So far, so good.

51 I GRAB MY FOLDING RULE TO DEFINE THE POSITION OF THE HIND LEG.

52 Point for point, I measure and mark the outer contour of the hind leg ...

53 ... and then draw lines from point to point.

54 By marking the joints, I can “see” the leg more clearly.

55 I NOW MARK THE DEPTH OF THIS DOUBLE CUT STARTING WITH A CUT IN FRONT OF THE TAIL.

56 I’m slanting both of these cuts slightly outward from from the desired form.

57 Removing the piece above the hind leg.

58 Taking it carefully, with several cuts. There’s always the risk of cutting too deeply

59 I now remove the material behind the leg.

60 To accentuate the leg, I cut away a wedge of material, moving the surface closer to the spine.

CARVING THE CONTOURS

Now I work on the head, which so far still looks as if a box was put over it. It is good to always have the whole project in mind, and to keep the entire sculpture in the same stage of development. Otherwise, you run the risk of a body part looking out of proportion.

61 THE FIRST STEP IS OF COURSE MEASURING TO ENSURE PROPER PROPORTIONS.

62 After drawing the ears and forehead ...

63 ... I cut the head back so the it doesn’t protrude too much ...

64 ... and define the width of the head by cutting on both sides almost to the ears.

65 Cutting excess material from the ears.

66 And now I remove material from behind the ears.

67 Paying attention to the shape of the neck while I’m at it.

68 Up front I make a slanted cut down to the throat.

69 Redrawing the center line.

70 Now I’m cutting down from the jaw for the goatee.

71 A little more work on the neck. Looking better now.

72 The front legs seem a little too short. So, I’m measuring again, and also marking the breast bone.

73 QUICKLY CORRECTING THE LENGTH OF THE FRONT LEGS.

74 For a forward-moving dynamic, the front legs should be under the shoulder blades instead of under the head. I’ll slant them slightly farther back ...

75 ... taking care not to change the position of the breastbone.

76 I slowly approach the final form.

77 Starting to look pretty good.

78 TO GET A CLEARER PERSPECTIVE, I AGAIN DRAW THE MAJOR JOINTS AND MARK THE POSITION OF THE SHOULDER BLADES.

79 Because the shoulder blade forms an almost flat surface from the breastbone to the backbone, I’m cutting it first.

80 CAREFULLY ROUNDING THE NECK.

81 My next step is defining the contours if the thigh—a shallow double cut.

82 The cut is slanted outward from the contour of the thigh ...

83 ... and runs all the way to the hoof.

84 A shallow second cut.

85 This defines the shape of both thigh and belly. I now use the same double cut on the front legs, by cutting lightly along the line marking the joint ...

86 ... AND SLANTING THE JOINT TOWARD THE TORSO.

87 The second shallow cut.

88 While I’m at it I mark the space between the front and hind legs, again with a shallow cut.

89 Since the shoulder blade and joint lie fairly flat on the rib cage, I trace these contours with a light cut as well.

90 A second cut separates the shape of the leg from the neck.

91 Before I remove material under the rib cage, I work on the size of the tail.

92 I now begin to carefully remove material under the belly with a series of stabbing cuts. I take it slowly, since I don’t want to cut into the leg on the other side.

93 I CAN’T DO ANYTHING WRONG IF I START BY WORKING ALONG THE CENTER LINE.

94 I cut out all the wood from behind the leg to the center line.

95 Gradually, the body takes shape.

96 To lighten things up a bit, and to keep things proportionate, I define the height of the breast bone.

97 Cutting from behind, I define the thickness of the hind leg.

98 INCREASING THE SIZE OF THE OPENING UNDER THE BELLY IS SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT, BUT QUITE SATISFYING.

99 While you are at it, always take care not to cut into that other leg!

100 Sometimes an axe is the right tool.

101 NEED TO REMOVE SOME MATERIAL FROM THE BELLY AND FLANK.

102 Making progress.

103 I’m ready now to stab-cut my way through right behind the front legs. Here goes!

104 I’m placing the front legs a little closer to the middle. Don’t want him looking like a bodybuilder.

105 To let more light shine through under the belly, I am now working on the shape of the other hind leg. Cutting along the flank parallel to the backbone, and at roughly the same angle as on the other hind leg ...

106 ... I cut all the way to the end of the hoof.

107 I cut the piece off at the base on which our goat will be standing.

108 ALREADY THE LEG GIVES THE IMPRESSION OF A LUNGING STANCE.

109 Rounding the rump starting at the back center line.

110 Cutting out the tail, I follow the red line I have drawn. I match the depth of cut with that of the other side.

111 Now let’s take care of that left hind leg.

112 To keep my bearings, I measure the major reference points and draw them carefully.

113 FIRST I CUT THE OUTER CONTOUR.

114 I need to make a small correction on the hoof.

115 Also, around the pelvis.

116 Next to my saw, my two favorite tools are my folding rule and a piece of chalk.

117 First, I carefully cut out the contour of the joint.

118 To bring the leg into sharper relief, I thin the belly down a little.

119 And again, I’ve chalked in all the lines.

120 First, I make a couple of rough cuts, to remove excess material.

121 The cuts are slanted away from the torso.

122 Step by step.

123 Exciting—the moment when you cut through.

124 The light shines through, but the shadow is still pretty big.

FINER CUTS

125 The roughest work is now done; the individual body parts are defined and the proportions are basically clear. Approaching the final form, I will now start working more precisely.

126 I try to take the anatomy into account as much as possible. For example, there are tendons in the hind legs that I can emphasize a little.

127 In order to stay focused, I chalk in the next cuts I want to make. This allows me to check whether I’m making the right decisions and not removing the wrong material.

128 The leg turns outward nicely.

129 Now for the other leg.

130 Let’s see, where is this cut going?

131 As thoroughly as possible, remove all excess material from the spaces between body and base.

132 NOW THERE IS ROOM FOR SHAPING THE LEG.

133 Before I work on the belly, I correct adjacent parts. First I position the front leg more correctly ...

134 ... mark the line where joint and body meet with a shallow cut ...

135 ... and with a second shallow cut I trim excess from the belly.

136 Between the pelvic bone and thorax there is a hollow.

137 It is still too flat.

138 So, I’ll just hollow it out a little more.

139 After that, I define the thigh.

140 Here you can see how shallow a double cut can be.

141 AND JUST AS SHALLOW, THE SECOND CUT.

142 SHAPING THE BELLY A BIT MORE, GETTING BOTH SIDES TO ABOUT THE SAME STAGE.

143 To get the size of the head proportionate to the current state, I will adjust it. For this I measure from the center line and draw the width of the forehead plate. I shorten the head by cutting the ears free.

144 Now for the angles of the face. I follow the lines marking the width of the nose and cut the excess away at 90°.

145 With a small cut a little below the eyes I mark the eye area ...

146 ... and repeat this on the opposite side.

147 A small correction on the neck.

148 A double cut to accentuate the beard.

149 Behind the area of the eyes the head is a bit narrower.

150 Now the ears become more prominent.

151 After having redrawn the back center line, I tighten the surface of the neck ...

152 ... IN THE AREA OF THE SHOULDER BLADE.

153 I also narrow the area under the jaw.

154 Correcting the position of the front leg ...

155 ... so I can highlight the shoulder blade.

156 RE-CUTTING THE JOINT ADJACENT TO THE FRONT FLANK.

157 Now for the neck.

158 Here I turn my carving bar to a flat angle ...

159 ... in order to give the neck a nice concave curve.

160 The neck begins at the top of the breastbone, so I cut this area all the way to its origin.

161 On the other side I also tighten the surface of the neck and refine my work at the back of the head.

162 Here I position the joint and shoulder blade ...

163 ... and tighten the neck area starting at the shoulder blade.

164 I sharpen the contour of the back to lessen the roundness of the spine. This also lengthens the neck a little behind the head.

165 The shoulder blade protrudes a bit more than it should. I taper the top of it towards the spine ...

166 ... AND SEPARATE THE JOINT FROM THE RIB CAGE.

167 I also delineate the shoulder blade from the neck.

168 Again, a double cut.

169 I tighten the neck surface.

170 Now I can work the space between the ears. So I can later make corrections where necessary, I leave them a little thicker than they’ll be.

171 A slanted double cut: first from one side and then from the other.

172 Don’t make the cut all at once! The risk of cutting off an ear is real.

173 Now I start rounding the outside of the front leg.

174 I leave a little more material at the joint.

175 Our project is shaping up nicely.

176 Go ahead, give it a try: spiral-cut in one pass along the length of the leg.

177 Now the leg is also shaping up.

178 In between, I tidy up and smooth the torso.

179 For this I have to wield my saw quite differently.

180 Reviewing my work with a critical eye.

181 Since I’m halfway satisfied with the shape as a whole, I can go ahead and cut out the material between the front legs.

182 First, I cut a space free between the front legs.

183 Now I round the inside edges of the legs.

FURTHER TOUCH-UP

184 NOW I TURN TO THE HIND LEG.

185 Emphasizing the tendon on the back of the hind leg.

186 Carving a hint of the dewclaws.

187 The tail looks like a fox tail. I’m cutting it down to size.

188 This gives me the space I need to round the insides of the hind legs.

189 A little more detail on the hooves.

190 SLOWLY THE ANIMAL IS SHAPING UP.

191 I add some anatomical detail to the large surfaces.

192 TO ADD EMPHASIS TO THE SPINE I FLATTEN THE SPINAL RIDGE SLIGHTLY.

193 It is now easy to see where the saw is still needed.

194 Rounding the second hind leg.

195 Don’t miss the details.

196 There’s a lot of excess wood on the belly, and the insides of the legs are still too thick.

197 I also raise the belly a little.

198 It is important that the line that begins with the breastbone at the front runs all the way to the back without interruption.

199 IN ORDER TO DO THAT, I FIRST WORK ON THE LEFT FRONT LEG, SHAPING IT TO MATCH THE OTHER LEG.

200 Looking pretty sleek.

201 A little touch-up here and there. You’re never really finished.

202 Careful! That’s a sensitive body part.

203 The head doesn’t yet match the rest of the body.

204 The area around the eye is a hemisphere extending well above and below the eye itself. Here I’ve marked the pupil with chalk as a point of reference.

205 Working both sides.

206 The brows are a double cut above the eye first from below ...

207 ... and then from above.

208 To avoid getting lost in details, and to ensure that the overall proportions fit together, I do some work on shaping the head as a whole, starting with the jawline.

209 I draw a line between the head and the throat.

210 Starting behind the eye and cutting almost to the ear, I narrow the side of the head. This cut emphasizes the whole area around the eye nicely.

211 Have to trim the ears a little.

212 ROUNDING EVERYTHING.

213 I cut a flat surface on the ear to point it in a specific direction.

214 That center line is again needed for proper orientation. I don’t want to cut off half the head.

215 Next I draw a line between the head and the throat on the second side as well.

216 The jaw runs almost to the ear.

217 Trimming the beard.

218 Downsizing this ear to match the size of the other one.

WORKING THE DETAIL

Working on the eyes, I demonstrate the use of sculptor’s gouges to work out the details. For this I use a large 7-iron, a 5-iron, a small 7-iron, a small 5-iron, a 3-iron and a V-parting tool. The curvature of a carving gouge is called a sweep; a 3-iron is only slightly curved, while an 11-iron is round. The V-parting tool, on the other hand, is not curved, but angular (a V-shape).

219 Using the large 7-iron, I deepen the area surrounding the arch of the eyeball.

220 On both sides.

221 WITH A 3-IRON GOUGE I SHAPE THE SURFACES AROUND THE MUZZLE.

222 I chalk in both eyeballs to make sure I have them at the same height.

223 Using the V-parting tool, I draw a line around the eyeballs.

224 The underside of the eyeball is more deeply recessed than the top. I’ll deepen it now.

225 Rounding.

226 On both sides.

227 I deepen the line between muzzle and beard.

228 Carving the nostrils.

229 Rounding again.

230 Freeing up the ears a bit more.

231 For now, I’m pleased with my work.

THE BASE

232 You can shape the base however you like. My choice is to put my goat on organic footing. After laying out the format ...

233 ... I CHALK IN THE SHAPE FREEHAND ...

234 ... and cut out the contour.

235 I make a point of emphasizing various heights and depths.

236 I work my way around the base.

237 A through-cut at the base lightens it up a bit.

THE HORNS

238 The characteristic we all associate with the steinbock is of course his proud headdress, which I now want to work on. The first thing I do is make a template ...

239 ... which I can try out for size. Just making sure.

240 Not too bad, I’d say.

241 I can cut it out ...

242 ... and double check.

243 I choose material for the horns, sections from the first two surfaces I cut from the trunk when I started the project. I position my template on the wood in such a way as to ensure the grain is as long as possible.

244 Cutting out the horns.

245 Correcting the surfaces.

246 The basic shape of the horn is a long curve, concave on one side, convex on the other.

247 With a carver’s screw ...

248 ... I fasten my blank onto a worksurface.

249 Cutting material away from the outside of the horn turns the tip slightly inward.

250 Now I do some light rounding.

251 On the backside I also cut away some excess material.

252 Have to take care not to cut into the carver’s screw.

253 The carver’s screw has two different threads. Sculptors use it to fasten their workpiece to the work surface.

254 Slowly shaping up.

255 Cutting notches for the rings of the horn ...

256 ... which I then round on the inside into small beads.

257 On the outer side I extend the notches farther to the back of the horn.

258 Pretty well finished and ready to mount.

259 In preparation of mounting the horns, I have left plenty of hair on the head. Now, to make room for mounting the horns, our mountain goat gets a haircut.

260 BEHIND THE TUFT OF HAIR, I THEN CUT A FLAT SURFACE WHERE I WILL LATER FASTEN THE HORNS. THIS SURFACE LIES A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE HAIR, WHICH COVERS THE TRANSITION BETWEEN THE HEAD AND THE HORNS. IT ALSO PROVIDES A JOINTED SURFACE FOR GLUING.

261 A slanted cut towards the side and back allows for drainage.

262 Now let’s see if they fit. The more the horn turns outward, the more impressive our buck will look. The simplest method for now is just to screw it fast.

263 Now for horn number two.

264 A little touch-up.

AT SOME POINT YOU HAVE TO SAY “GOOD ENOUGH!”

APPENDIX

TIPS AND TRICKS

REPAIRING CRACKS AND OVERDONE SAW CUTS

1 Since chainsaw sculpting is basically done from a solid tree trunk, cracks from the wood drying cannot be avoided. And sooner or later we all make a misguided cut that goes too deep.

2 GENERALLY SPEAKING, CRACKS DON’T USUALLY BOTHER ME, BECAUSE CRACKING AND CHECKING ARE PART OF THE CHARACTER OF CHAINSAW SCULPTURES. BUT STILL, SOMETIMES THEY ARE DISTRACTING, FOR INSTANCE WHEN THEY OCCUR IN SOME IMPORTANT DETAIL OF THE PIECE. FOR REPAIRS, A FEW WEDGES AND SOME WOOD GLUE IS NEEDED.

3 I dip the wedges in the glue ...

4 ... and press one after the other into the crack until the crack is closed.

5 Then I tap them in firmly with a hammer or axe.

6 Cuts that went too deep can be closed the same way.

7 After the glue has set I rework the area, removing the excess.

THE CRACK IS ALMOST INVISIBLE. A LITTLE TOUCH-UP WITH PAINT OR STAIN AND THE CRACK WON’T MATTER ANY MORE.

A SCALE RULER

ONE CENTIMETER ON MY MODEL REPRESENTS ONE UNIT ON MY SCALE RULER. THIS SAVES A LOT OF MATH WORK.

A practical tool is a scale ruler. To make one myself, I take a bar, on which I record my magnification factor accordingly. If I want to magnify the model by a factor of six, I mark the scale bar in six-centimeter units.

THE FINISH

You have a variety of options when it comes to finishing. I find it important that chainsaw sculpture shows the characteristic marks of a chainsaw. But if you like, you can sand the surface with an angle grinder. The drawback there is that cracks will then be much more of an eyesore.

Beyond that, the sky’s the limit: charring, brushing, painting, spraying with varnish—I‘ve done it all. Whatever your choice, it should be done in an environmentally responsible fashion. A good question here is, “Would I put a piece treated with this finish in my living room?”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Helmut Tschiderer grew up in Tyrol, Austria, and now lives in the nearby canton of Grisons, Switzerland, near the tri-border region between Austria, Italy, and Switzerland.

While finishing occupational training for a day job, he pursued his passion for carving and sculpting in his spare time. After several years of gaining experience on his own, Tschiderer decided to put his wood artistry on solid footing; he enrolled in formal training as a sculptor. During his apprenticeship, he discovered an enthusiasm for chainsaw carving.

After graduation he became a workshop instructor, allowing him to share his knowledge of the chainsaw and to gain further experience with the versatile tool.

Now, after several years of instructing, he wants to pass on a few of the things he has learned in this book. Tschiderer shares practical tips and describes typical mistakes to ensure that chainsaw carving is fun and that, with a little effort, you can achieve a respectable result.