How to Carve Wood with a Dremel Tool
Find a space to work., Get acquainted with a Dremel and the attachments., Select wood to be carved., Make a design for your carving., Select a cutting head., Transfer design onto the wood to be carved., Cut an outline around the desired area., Start...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Find a space to work.
Carving wood is very messy, loud, and requires lots of lighting.
A workbench is preferable because you might need to clamp your wood down if necessary. -
Step 2: Get acquainted with a Dremel and the attachments.
To change the attachment, hold the blue lock button located at the cutting end and turn the head lock counterclockwise to loosen, and clockwise to tighten.
This can be done either with the wrench that comes with the Dremel, or any other wrench as long as it doesn't strip the lock. , Pine is very easy to cut and is an example of a soft wood, and is more difficult to detail than a hard wood, such as mahogany.
Your choice will also vary based on the project you are working on. , Make sure to measure the area to avoid running out of space or any other design constraints. , Dremel cutting heads and tools are sold individually or in kits.
The cutting heads generally are very small and have round heads with cutting grooves.
A basic carving kit will contain 11 cutting and smoothing heads and costs around $15 in any hardware store. , You can create a stencil and trace an image, or draw it by hand depending on your artistic ability. , Holding your Dremel just like a pencil, start cutting around the image.
To prevent any bite when carving, keep the speed setting on a higher speed.
It's also a good idea to start with a small cutting head first and work your way up as needed. , Cutting away the negative space is generally the way to carve, and will create an image that contrasts against the background, and how deep you want to go is entirely up to you.
With enough experience, you will be able to shape objects three-dimensionally from the wood. , Make sure to clean away any sawdust often to see what you have carved.
Piles of sawdust can build up and appear like areas yet to be cut and mistakes can be made, such as cutting something you didn't want to. , Depending on how rough or smooth you want your image to appear, sand or buff any unwanted areas or ruts and gouges from carving. , Make sure any lines that need to be straight are straight.
It's better to wait until the end of the carving to address any imperfections than at the beginning, and can be done with either the sanding heads or the smallest cutting heads. , Sealing or painting your cut really finishes off your work by giving it something extra, and it protects it for longer than natural wood would be protected. -
Step 3: Select wood to be carved.
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Step 4: Make a design for your carving.
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Step 5: Select a cutting head.
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Step 6: Transfer design onto the wood to be carved.
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Step 7: Cut an outline around the desired area.
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Step 8: Start carving away the unwanted space.
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Step 9: Remove sawdust frequently.
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Step 10: Remove any rough spots.
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Step 11: Retouch any areas as needed.
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Step 12: Paint or varnish final carving if needed.
Detailed Guide
Carving wood is very messy, loud, and requires lots of lighting.
A workbench is preferable because you might need to clamp your wood down if necessary.
To change the attachment, hold the blue lock button located at the cutting end and turn the head lock counterclockwise to loosen, and clockwise to tighten.
This can be done either with the wrench that comes with the Dremel, or any other wrench as long as it doesn't strip the lock. , Pine is very easy to cut and is an example of a soft wood, and is more difficult to detail than a hard wood, such as mahogany.
Your choice will also vary based on the project you are working on. , Make sure to measure the area to avoid running out of space or any other design constraints. , Dremel cutting heads and tools are sold individually or in kits.
The cutting heads generally are very small and have round heads with cutting grooves.
A basic carving kit will contain 11 cutting and smoothing heads and costs around $15 in any hardware store. , You can create a stencil and trace an image, or draw it by hand depending on your artistic ability. , Holding your Dremel just like a pencil, start cutting around the image.
To prevent any bite when carving, keep the speed setting on a higher speed.
It's also a good idea to start with a small cutting head first and work your way up as needed. , Cutting away the negative space is generally the way to carve, and will create an image that contrasts against the background, and how deep you want to go is entirely up to you.
With enough experience, you will be able to shape objects three-dimensionally from the wood. , Make sure to clean away any sawdust often to see what you have carved.
Piles of sawdust can build up and appear like areas yet to be cut and mistakes can be made, such as cutting something you didn't want to. , Depending on how rough or smooth you want your image to appear, sand or buff any unwanted areas or ruts and gouges from carving. , Make sure any lines that need to be straight are straight.
It's better to wait until the end of the carving to address any imperfections than at the beginning, and can be done with either the sanding heads or the smallest cutting heads. , Sealing or painting your cut really finishes off your work by giving it something extra, and it protects it for longer than natural wood would be protected.
About the Author
Edward Myers
Specializes in breaking down complex pet care topics into simple steps.
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