Parana pine ?

I'm no carver, just a furniture maker. I'm about to make a small
chest, in a medieval reproduction style. This will be decorated with
some simple carving, either chip carved roundels or gothic arcading
(like a row of church windows). My timber choice could go either way
at the moment, either oak or parana pine. The parana is there because
I've got some just the right size, it's less brittle than the oak
(English Q. robur), and it's a reasonable simulation of the old-growth
pines that an original chest might have been made from.

Now I'm not really familiar with parana pine, but I know that's it's
rather hard going to hand plane, yet close grained and seems to take a
good surface finish. What's it like as a carving medium, for a novice
carver ? Should I go with the oak instead, because the oak will be
easier to work (now there's a novelty).

--
Die Gotterspammerung - Junkmail of the Gods

Why not try on a practice piece of each timber and then make your
selection?

I suspect you'll find the oak is the harder of the two to work unless
it's green, but I have no personal experience with parana pine. I
would guess it would carve OK as long as your tools are very sharp and
you don't leave too much unsupported end grain.

--
Geoff Beale
Extract digit to email.


"Andy Dingley" wrote in message
...
I'm no carver, just a furniture maker. I'm about to make a small
chest, in a medieval reproduction style. This will be decorated with
some simple carving, either chip carved roundels or gothic arcading
(like a row of church windows). My timber choice could go either way
at the moment, either oak or parana pine. The parana is there because
I've got some just the right size, it's less brittle than the oak
(English Q. robur), and it's a reasonable simulation of the old-growth
pines that an original chest might have been made from.

Now I'm not really familiar with parana pine, but I know that's it's
rather hard going to hand plane, yet close grained and seems to take a
good surface finish. What's it like as a carving medium, for a novice
carver ? Should I go with the oak instead, because the oak will be
easier to work (now there's a novelty).

--
Die Gotterspammerung - Junkmail of the Gods

After some experimentation, I'm beginning to favour the parana pine.
It's not the greatest carving wood in the world, but it's probably the
best carvable pine. Not too hard to work either. Biggest problem is
likely to be short-grain pieces breaking off, but it's nothing like as
bad as other pines.

--
Smert' spamionam