[Woodcarver] Thanks for tool Help and more questions!!

[Chris]

Hi everyone,
Thanks for all the responses to my request for help with selecting tools, it 
has definitely given me something to look into. There was so many ideas for 
tools and or tool sets.  You folks are great!!!
Now for my actual carving, I did get some advice from Gord P. about the 
layering.  I do know carving from a single block is always better then 
muliple pieces laminated together. Now, I ask only because I am new.  But is 
it not easier to do laminate especially animals with tails as in the 
patterns I have from the book "A Woodcarvers Workbook - Carving Animals by 
Mary Duke Guldan(Fox Chapel Publishing).  All the patterns call for layering 
of 3/4" boards.  And the centre layer having a notch cut out to glue in a 
separately carved tail for which ever animal you carve.  Otherwise how would 
I do a project like this out of one piece of wood? Transpose side view of 
pattern to a piece of wood, then cut the blank?  If this is the case I am 
going to need a help from some kind person to cut a blank as my saw just 
went down(very nearly got hurt badly from jigsaw blade flying off while in 
use as blade holder won't tighten--that my friends scared me to death when 
blade comes whizzing by face). Jan is it possible I could send you a pattern 
I would like to do and have you cut the blank for me? If it is email me let 
me know cost?  I can at least do some of project with the wonderful Ron 
Wells bench knife I have.
    So again any help you folks can give me would be awesome and if any of 
you folks know the book I'm talking about above you will see what I ma 
talking about an hopefully steer me to the proper path of carving 
enlightenment.
See ya folks later
Chris Huggins
Collingwood, Canada