Jointed wooden doll

[ShortNCuddlyAm]

My first thought is still that it's a bad bit of basswood. I know in general wood can be affected by being dried too quickly or being stored for too long in the wrong conditions. If it was mislabeled I honestly think it would have been an accidental mislabelling somewhere along the line.

Love the mental image of you fighting boy scouts for the pine blocks Can't see your pics embedded though (but I can open them in a different tab to see them)

Oh, and I didn't mean to imply I thought you were cutting hard against the grain - I was trying to suggest I thought that was actually unlikely! And also sorry as I wasn't meaning to suggest you should know what basswood is like to carve - was just trying to let you know it shouldn't be the struggle yours has been.

[DollyKim]

I didn't take it like that. I've honestly never worked with basswood and it's been forever since I used pine. The pieces I chose for printing were picked for their texture so I sought out funky ones. This is my first time doing any sort of wood carving so I appreciate any advice I can get.

The pine is going much easier. I'm going to look in to a good knife, hopefully before I do her face. The sanding drums on the Dremel have been a big help too. If I had the proper set up I can see these little darlings being mostly done in a weekend.

[ShortNCuddlyAm]

Glad it didn't come across like that - I re-read it and panicked a little!

Good to hear the pine is going better

Knife wise these little beasties are good, and affordable (in this case, price is no indication of quality - they are surprisingly good knives). I've heard good things about the regular sloyd knife sold here too. I suspect, but don't know, your wood cut tools and the smaller carving knives would be useful for the finer details on her face etc, but it's also possible to do fine work with a larger wood carving knife! And, stating the bleeding obvious, keep the knives sharp - it makes it easier and is safer.

You can even do a basic face with a normal knife (it's got the same sort of blade as the two linked above though) - the other half likes carving little trolls and leaving them places when we go for walks in wooded areas. No idea what the wood was, birch I think - it was from a bit on the wood floor!

[DollyKim]

Took a look at the basswood pieces again to see what could be done, especially now that I've been doing the pine so I have an idea of what carving should feel like. The big block and the new lower arms feel about the same as the pine. Thin curly strips come off well enough, I have to fight the urge to dig in to them and take chunks out, I didn't get shop at school. The big basswood block did well with the Dremel.



And a new lower arm in the works. Got to remember I'm not going to get lovely bjd hands, just enough of a form to suggest one.

[DollyKim]

To update there isn't much to update. I got some carbide tips for the Dremel and it's been slow, it's suggested to use the low setting for them, progress roughing out the forms and joints. They do make pretty quick work for cutting up soft wood.

The tips are making good work in both wood, slightly better with the pine. The basswood makes a very fine very soft sawdust. I've only used the Dremel on the big body block so far. I need to finish roughing out the pine limbs then I'll drill the joint holes before final shaping. If a piece cracks I don't want to be out too much work.

[ShortNCuddlyAm]

Looking forward to seeing more progress pics when there's more to show But glad to hear it's going OK!

[DollyKim]

To update on these ladies- I am physically not going to be able to finish them. Somewhere between age, injury, and gremlins my body won't allow me.

As the general goal was to make an 1830s style doll with the distinct hair style I will be using the pattern from the book to make a soft body version. No figure is waisted as long as you are learning something, someone else said, and I have. I encourage anyone with an interest to try and make their own Penny Wooden. The pine blocks sold for derby racing cars are easy enough to find and work with.