Redwood Spiral - 2002

A few years ago we built a new redwood deck.  From the leftovers I salvaged several pieces of redwood figuring someday I'd like to carve something out of it.

It took a few years, but I finally picked it up again.  I had the vague idea that I wanted something "spirally" that would show off the grain of the wood.  So, I just started cutting.  I started with hand tools, but quickly discovered that what people say about redwood is really true.  It is possible but not pleasant to carve with hand tools -- it splits too easily.

Undaunted, I switched to my Foredom power carver and kept going.  After a while, this shape evolved.

I sanded it down to a very fine grit.  Sanding is another challenge with redwood -- the lighter wood is soft and the darker wood is hard.  If you're not careful, you end up with rolling hills rather than a smooth surface.

Although this was an easy and fast project, it turned out well.  People seem to really like this piece.  This carving won a third place ribbon in the advanced level at the Great Salt Lake Woodcarvers 2003 show.

Size:   about 12 inches high.

Wood: Redwood

Finish: acrylic sealer and wax

Pattern: original