(Bill Bissonnette)
Use popsicle sticks or tongue depressers and sharpen 1 end to a point. Glue on different grits of sandpaper to these for great sanding sticks for small places. (Bill Bissonnette).
Save the little silica pouches that come with things you buy and throw them in your tool box to help prevent moisture and therefore rust. (Cindy)
How to calculate board feet (Ed Gosselin)
WIDTH x THICKNESS x LENGTH / 144 = board feet
For example: 8" x 14" x 4" = 448 / 144 = 3.11 board feet
6" x 4" x 12" / 144 = 2 board feet
Always use the biggest tool you can to get best results. (Les)
use corks or buy plastic tubing to cover the ends of your tools - it protects both your tools and you.
Rachel's hint for enlarging a drawing or photo to create a carving pattern:
Desired size / photo size (part you want to use) x 100
e.g. want your carving pattern to be 14" and the person in the photo is 4 1/2" tall (measure the actual person part not the whole photo)
14 / 4.5 X 100 = 311%
So go to the photocopy shop and enlarge your original photo by 311% or use you computer scanner if it has that ability
To reduce a picture do the same calculation but divide by 100
Some woods such are walnut and oak are very tough, even some areas of basswood can be tough. You can soften it up by spritzing some denatured alcohol on it. The alcohol will not raise the grain and will evaporate away.