[Woodcarver] How to carve a deep , long , narrow , winding groove

[WorkingInWood]

Hi Robert,
Paul's advise of using a Trimmer is a good one.  You can get 1/4" to 1/8" 
collet adaptors so that you can use 1/8" shank bits in it - or - you can use 
your dremel in a router base - see
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Dremel_rotary_tools,_attachments/Precision_Router_Base.html

Stewart-MacDonald sells tools and equipment for the instrument making growd. 
The precision router base should do the job for you.  They also sell tapered 
1/8" shank bits (and the collet adaptor).  I do a little inlay work and use 
short mini-end mills used in the metal working trades.  They are available 
in many sizes in both metric and thousanths of an inch (I find the two flute 
cutters cut without loading up).  Any machinist supply catalog should have 
them in solid carbide.

Larry



>> I'd be grateful for advice on this : I want to carve into the outside of 

>> a

>> turned wooden bowl ( say 300mm or twelve inches in diameter )  the 

>> pattern of a

>> jigsaw puzzle . The figuring of the wood will then be the jigsaw's 

>> pattern .

>> In between the "pieces" of the jigsaw  will be the deep ,  long , narrow 

>> ,

>> winding groove that I''ll carve . I'll then fill the groove with a 

>> coloured resin

>> . The groove must not penetrate through to the bowl's inner surface , so 

>> I

>> can't use a saw . I want the groove to be narrow , say 3mm or an eighth 

>> of an

>> inch maximum . Depth of groove about 5mm or two tenths of an inch . The 

>> "pieces"

>> of the jigsaw will be about 25 by 40 mm or one by one and half inches in 

>> size

>> , so the groove between the pieces will be quite wiggly in order to form 

>> the

>> classic knobs and sockets of the "pieces" .

>>

>> Now for some questions - am I right in thinking that the only way to 

>> carve

>> this groove is using a router ? I don't think that hand tools could do 

>> this .

>>

>> I've tried it with a full-size router - the problem is in shifting  the

>> heavy beast  around with enough precision so that I can do the  fine 

>> detail of the

>> wiggly knobs and sockets .

>>

>> I've also tried it with a Dremel - here the problem is that the router is 

>> so

>> light that  ( with the bits I've tried  ) it tends to  get dragged 

>> off-course

>> and the groove has lots of little wobbles in it or places where the 

>> groove

>> has suddenly widened  . Keeping the tool at right angles to the surface 

>> ( this

>> is needed  - it's all part of a cunning plan  :>) which I'll unveil when 

>> I get

>> it to work ) is also difficult for me . Removing the wood in one pass 

>> along

>> this ( relatively ) deep and narrow groove seems like too much of a 

>> challenge

>> for Dremel bits , and the tool itself . It's hard enough to guide the bit 

>> in one

>> pass that I recoil at the thought of having to take two bites at the 

>> cherry

>> to get the necessary depth .

>>

>> So......what would you recommend ? And if the Dremel approach , which 

>> bits

>> would you suggest ( and where do you source yours - I'm in the UK )? If I 

>> botch

>> the groove , I'll just turn another bowl , so I'm prepared for a method 

>> which

>> has its failures  , but I want to produce a crisp and neat jigsaw effect 

>> .

>>

>> I'd be grateful for any advice on this , apart from the obvious one - to 

>> give

>> up ;>(

>>

>> Robert,

>> Poole,

>> Dorset,

>> England