Wood carved sculptures and Chainsaw Carvings quality finished

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Log Info & Carving Care

	What kind of wood do you use?
	I carve many species of wood. Currently, I mainly carve softwoods(evergreen trees such as Pine), but I also carve hardwoods(i.e. Oak, Maple, etc.) One of my favorite local softwoods to carve is White Pine. It is more durable than all the other pines in the area. No matter what species I carve for a particular sculpture, however, you can be assured it is a top quality log.

	Where do you get your wood to carve?
	I get my logs from many sources, but have never cutdown a live tree to make a chainsaw carving. Much of my wood is from naturally downed trees or standing dead trees.

Do all logs check (crack)?

Yes. Cracks(or checks) are a natural part of all logs. All logs have them, even if they are only hairline cracks. The next time you see a log house, or some log furniture, check it out. You will see random cracks in every log. They are usually not noticed because they are just a normal part of the log. The cracks do not weaken the structural integrity of the logs, and they will not fall apart. Logs from certain trees tend to crack more than others. There are also many different variables and factors that influence the cracking in a log, such as what time of year the log was cut, how it was dried, and the climate, just to name a few.

Why do logs check(crack)?

First of all, it should be noted that just because every log cracks, it does not mean that every sculpture will crack. The reasons for this, and the steps I have taken to help keep my sculptures from cracking will be explained in further detail in the next question and answer. Now to answer why logs crack: Every tree has moisture (sap and water) in it. This is how the tree stays alive. And since logs are from trees, they have moisture as well. The majority of cracking occurs as the log dries out. The outside of the log (sapwood) shrinks as moisture leaves the wood fibers. The outside of the log dries much faster than the inside (heartwood). If both the inside and the outside of the log dried as one unit, at the same speed, it wood shrink evenly and no cracking would occur. Therefore as the outside dries out faster and shrinks it cracks around the log. Also, wood expands and contracts with the changes in humidity in the air. If it is very humid, wood can swell slightly, and if it is dry it can shrink. This constant movement can cause some cracks to form. That is why I place a stress cut(explained in next answer) where applicable in some of my sculptures, and is also one of the reasons I coat my carvings with a few coats of a high quality finish. This finish acts as a barrier between the surrounding humidity in the air and the wood and helps to minimize any extreme swelling and shrinking.

Will your Carvings crack?

This answer is referring to my sculpures carved from whole logs from trees. After the countless hours I put into my work, my number one concern is that my sculptures will not develop any cracking problems. First of all, most people realize that some small checking and cracks are normal in all logs and actually add to the character and rustic natural beauty of the wood. What is not wanted is large cracks developing after the carving is purchased. The reason many other chainsaw carvings do this because they are carved from logs with a high moisture content. The logs I use have already dried out and most of the normal cracking has occurred before I ever touch the log. I then can carve the log in a manner to carve out most cracks, and blend any remaining ones into the piece or hide them towards the back. Besides using dry logs, I also where applicable on some carvings make a stress-release cut (usually in the back). In other carvings, I use a half log, or carve enough of the wood away to naturally help relief the stresses in the wood, and in these circumstances a stress cut is not needed. This way, if the log swells and shrinks, most of this movement or expansion will be absorbed by this cut. Although some random small cracking can occur, most of the cracking problems have been eliminated. In the rare instance you may want to hide or blend in a crack, it is easy to do. The easiest way to help bend in and hide a crack is to use masking tape around the surrounding area to protect from overspray and use simple cans of spray paint with as close a color match as possible. Black works great on dark burned or colored areas. If just painting is not satisfactory, you can choose to fill in the cracks with a wood filler or putty to help hide the crack. There are different colors available at many hardware stores to match the color of the area that has the crack. After the filler/putty is dry, you can then use a spray can of spar urethane or varnish to coat the filler/putty it until it has a matching sheen to the surrounding finish on the sculpture. One great tip on hiding small blemishes on dark colored areas of a carving is to use a black magic marker.

Can your carvings be placed directly on the floor or ground?

To keep moisture from getting trapped under the sculpture, and to let the wood breathe out the bottom, your carving should be kept from direct contact with the floor or ground. I have already included furniture glides with the medium to larger sculptures, to keep the bottom off of the floor or ground, and small pads with the smaller sculptures to keep them from scratching the surfaces of tables, desks, etc. If kept outside, you may still want to raise the carving even a little more depending on the location and landscaping material that it is placed in or near(i.e. placing in dirt, the furniture glides will sink and the bottom of the carving will be on the ground). You can use small strips of wood, rocks, or something so air can still get beneath it to keep moisture from rotting the wood over time. Dirt has moisture. Even if you choose to keep your carving on cement or a wood deck, you still need to have it off of the surface a little bit, as moisture would otherwise get trapped under sculpture, but the included furniture glides would work great for this.

Is there any care or maintenance for the finish?

With minimal maintenance your carving will last for many years. I prepare the wood with a couple coats of a penetrating oil-base finish, and then hand brush on several coats of a top quality U.V. resistant Spar Urethane with a "Satin" sheen to protect and preserve the wood. "Satin" sheen is a flatter more matte look and is the least shiny look that most top coating finishes come in. The reason I use "satin" is because many people do not like the shiny look, and not everyone is going to keep their carving all the time in the direct sunlight. One of the downsides with using "satin" sheen finish however, is the fading effects of the U.V. rays of the sun. This is not a problem if kept away from sunny windows or direct sunlight outside. My carvings will still last a quite a while looking great in direct sunlight, but if not recoated, will fade slowly over time like anything kept in the direct sunlight. If you coated with a few more coats of "satin" finish before putting in the direct sunlight your carving should last for many years looking great. The best place outside to keep a chainsaw sculpture is in the shade or semi-shade. If kept in the sun, some recoating may be needed over time. By taking some precaution and checking your carving periodically and recoating if any fading or other problems occur your carving will last for a lifetime and maintain it's beauty. Once a year or every other year is usually good. Recoating is very easy. You just brush it on. Spar Urethane can be purchased at most hardware stores. Do not sand in between coats as mentioned on most cans of finish. You can wipe the carving down with mineral spirits(paint thinner) to help soften the existing finish to help the new finish adhere better, but if it is warm enough out, according to the manufacturer it should adhere by itself. Otherwise, follow the instructions on the can. "Semi-gloss" sheen is even better, and "gloss" is the absolute best for keeping your carving in direct sunlight. The more "gloss" in a finish the more it will reflect the U.V. rays from the sun and keep the color from fading and the wood from turning gray over the years. "Gloss" is much shinier looking, however, so you may want to test a few coats on a scrap piece of wood to see if it is satisfactory to you. As far as rain, no concern is needed, as the carving is completely sealed and protected.