Tools and machines for wood carving: types and functions

Wood carving is a fairly popular activity. There are many enterprises and small firms specializing in engraving and making all kinds of patterns on wood. Schoolchildren are also interested in this. You don’t need to look far for an example. What can we say, you open one of the many thematic forums on the Internet and see how fathers proudly tell that their sons are cutting out something with interest. Very often they ask advice from professionals, which machine or tool is better to choose ? Well, let's try to help.

There are more than enough types of tools and machines for figure cutting. There are both traditional and ultra-modern: manual, semi-automatic and automatic. There is not enough space to talk about everyone. Therefore, we will limit ourselves to the main types of electrical equipment. Firstly, it is universal. Secondly, it has a very wide range in terms of difficulty of mastering: from the simplest to the highly accurate. Thirdly, a wide price level can satisfy any requirements.

Cutting with a jigsaw

the most popular tool today . Professionals and home craftsmen value it, first of all, for its universalism. Having low weight and small dimensions, it copes well with shaped, transverse and longitudinal cutting of sheet wood. Can make curved and straight cuts, rectangular holes and round holes of various diameters.

There are household and professional jigsaws. Home models are low-power, but for domestic use their resources and functionality are quite sufficient. They can cut wooden pieces up to 70 mm thick. The total time of use is no more than 20 hours per month. They are produced mainly in Poland and China, but there is also a compromise Hungarian version - the inexpensive, functional BOSCH PST 700 E Compact .

The requirements for professional models are more serious. Therefore, these instruments are usually produced by brand companies in Japan, Sweden and Germany. They are highly productive and can withstand heavy loads, cutting wood up to 135 mm thick.

Saw blades or jigsaw files differ in size, teeth, color, tail shape and, of course, the material from which they are made. When working with wood, blades made of HCS (carbon steel) are used.

Household ornament and “kitchen” cutting

The kitchen is the most popular place in the house. The whole family often gathers here, friends come here, and the interior of the kitchen should always be at its best. A kitchen tool is important for a good housewife, and its quality should be better than others.

To decorate a shelf, rack or cutting board, there is no need to perform figured cutting. Household ornaments should be beautiful, simple and easy to clean quickly. Here it is necessary and sufficient to have a simple set of wood carving tools.

As a rule, a set of chisels will be enough to give a unique look to any wooden item for use in the kitchen. Any surface in the kitchen must be clean. From this point of view, it is more convenient to use an electric tool for wood carving - this will allow you to get straight and smooth lines, an easily cleaned ornament and avoid grooves and recesses in which dirt can accumulate.

The choice between manual work and the use of a machine is up to the master, but the cleanliness and “cleanability” of the product should be in the foreground.

Cutting with an electric chisel

This power tool has become indispensable for every wood carver. Essentially, it combines an ordinary hand chisel and a mini-machine for processing wood. In a professional environment, it is also called a pneumatic or mechanized scraper .

An electric chisel works on the principle of a jackhammer. Nozzles are attached to the electric handle with a motor. They come in three types: straight, semicircular and angular.

The tool is used for processing soft and hard wood, as well as wood growths (burls, burls). An electric chisel allows you to remove a large amount of material without much physical effort, so it is excellent for roughing. At the same time, there are also very compact models. For example, a tool from Proxxon fits in your hand and can be used to work with small objects. But even tree trunks are processed with large models to create real sculptures.

Main tool

A kitchen knife can easily cut out a whistle, a simple toy or a spoon. Many people start with a pocket knife for the purpose of carving a spoon. This is not woodworking or creativity - this is a memorable beginning. Tools for wood carving need special and, most importantly, sharp ones.

A beginner can start his practice only with this instrument. This is a blunt knife. If you want to cut out simple designs or give the desired shape to a wooden surface, this knife will help you do it perfectly. You don't need to specially learn to work with it. Once in your hand, this knife “will show you” how and what to do. There are only two conditions for the first tool:

• very sharp made of high quality steel;
• fits very comfortably in the hand.

There is no need to think about what tools are needed for wood carving and spend money on beautiful sets at the very beginning of practice - they will all be waiting in the wings. One sharp corner knife with a straight blade is enough.

Cutting on a CNC milling and engraving machine

If the devices described above can be classified as both household and professional categories, then CNC milling machines definitely belong to the latter. This is high quality equipment with very wide functionality.

Despite the high cost of such equipment, it is in great demand among woodworking enterprises, furniture makers and advertising and production companies. The machines can process any wood (hard and soft wood), chipboard (chipboard), MDF (MDF), etc. They are used in the manufacture of furniture, signs, complex engraving and 3D carving.

One of the best models in the range of CNC milling and engraving machines is Beaver 1212 AT3 . Designed for high-quality milling and engraving of surfaces of parts and workpieces on a plane (2D software) and in 3-dimensional space (3D milling). It can be used to cut wood of any species, as well as composite materials (chipboard, fiberboard, MDF, plywood, etc.).

Types of wood carving machines

There is a wide range of wood carving machines that are designed to perform different types of work. They expand the range of operations performed:

• treat different surfaces at any angle;
• drill recesses, grooves and grooves;
• carry out milling of corners and bevels;
• do the carving.

Machines are divided depending on the design features of certain parts.

• According to the structure of the table. In this case, the difference between the models lies in the methods of moving the surface: Console machines have a work table that moves in a plane due to a rigid body part. These types of devices are quite popular. They are mainly used in small and medium-sized production.
• In non-console mechanisms, the table moves using a fixed frame in the longitudinal and transverse directions. Because of this, the device is difficult to move, but the workpieces are securely fixed.
• In large-scale production, continuous machines are used. These are non-console products with a rotating round table. They have two mechanisms - drum and carousel - and are designed for finishing and rough processing of workpieces.

Manual machines

Manual woodworking machines are divided into three main groups:

• Upper. They are distinguished by a fixed or movable design. The tool includes a powerful electric motor, which is connected by elements of a kinematic circuit to a chuck designed to fix the unit used.
• Craftsmen use an edge router to process the edges of wooden products. Additionally, the tool is equipped with additional attachments of various types.
• A plunge router is the most convenient. Its drive motor is installed on special guides, due to which it can move freely along with the working attachment during operation. Such models are equipped with a special spring that provides the volume of the working nozzle after the required area has been processed.

When choosing a manual machine, it is recommended to follow some recommendations that can help you avoid common mistakes:

• The speed control switch must be located in the housing to prevent special switching due to careless hand movement.
• There is no need to purchase an expensive instrument for home use. There is no need to overpay if the equipment will not be overloaded.
• The correct choice of machine depends on the clamps and clamps. The movement of all mechanisms should be smooth and easy.
• You should choose a device with a long power cord and a comfortable handle; this will allow you to process workpieces efficiently.

Milling and engraving machines

Such equipment is capable of performing work of any complexity in cutting and processing different types of materials.

Help: Blanks can have different sizes and hardness.

Milling and engraving machines can be used both in production and at home. The machines are classified as follows:

• Tabletop. Well suited for home use or small-scale production.
• CNC device. The device operates according to a specially launched program, where all the necessary parameters are specified.
• 3D devices. Their peculiarity is that they can process workpieces in two and three dimensions.

Reference: The equipment is also divided into longitudinal milling, cantilever milling, vertical milling and wide-universal. The latter is the most acceptable if you are seriously involved in the production of parts of different sizes.

When choosing a milling and engraving machine, you must consider the following parameters:

• The material to be worked with. The type of countertop depends on it.
• Height of the equipment along the Z axis.
• Table size. This value limits the size of the workpiece.
• Table rigidity. The more supports, the less vibration during operation.
• Engine power. It all depends on how many workpieces will have to be processed.
• Spindle. He is responsible for the speed of rotation of the cutter.
• Type of cooling system.

Laser machines

Wood cutting using a laser machine is a highly precise process, as the cut thickness is 0.2 mm. If you need to process small parts, then this option is perfect.

Important! Laser processing of wood is only possible if the thickness of the material is not higher than 20 mm. And sometimes this figure is even less, so this option is not suitable for processing thick workpieces.

The choice of laser equipment depends on its power:

• Desktop. Used at home or in a small workshop with compact workpieces. The power of such a device is up to 80 W.
• Professional. It is used in small businesses in the manufacture of designer jewelry and for engraving. Power is up to 195 W.
• Industrial. It is used on production lines with increased requirements for quality and precision of work. Power from 300 W.

Before you buy laser wood carving equipment, it is important to know how well it is made. Using low-quality devices can be dangerous, so it’s better not to skimp.

When choosing a laser device, consider the following:

• The power of the laser itself. The speed of wood processing depends on it. Usually they produce a whole line of similar equipment with different characteristics.
• The size of the table is also important, because when working with large sheets they must be on the work surface.

Help: For small jobs, it is better to buy small equipment that can be installed in any room.

CNC machines

Their versatility lies in the fact that they are suitable for cross planing and the creation of complex surfaces.

When choosing such equipment, you need to proceed from the extent to which it corresponds to its purpose. Highlight:

• CNC automatic machines with high speed, which cut and cut, process cardboard and wood.
• Devices that work with sheets.
• Engravers from 2D modeling to 4D.
• Narrow-profile devices that operate with a single material.
• Small CNC models.

Help: The line of equipment for professionals includes vertical and horizontal machining centers with program control.

There are several tips for wisely choosing such equipment:

• Before purchasing, consult with the seller regarding the functionality of the device and the range of tasks performed. The best option is to sign up for CNC machine demonstrations.
• When the required model is selected, you need to check the purchased device for components. The kit must include a machine program control unit, cords and disks with software. Usually the latter is installed by specialists who sell the equipment.

CNC plasma cutting

Plasma machines are the latest generation of CNC milling and engraving technology. Equipment of this type is intended for plasma arc cutting and milling of wood.

The machine looks like this: a supporting frame, including connecting elements and two drawers for water. Cutting is carried out with a milling spindle to a thickness of up to 16 mm. The maximum operating speed is 2.5 m per minute.

The units have a very stable design, allowing processing to be carried out with high precision. One of the best models of this type is the German machine High-Z PlasCUT-1350 . In addition to working with wood, he excels at cutting, milling and engraving metal, plastic and other materials.

Laser cutting

Today this is the fastest and most economical way to cut wood material. It is carried out with a gas CO2 laser, that is, without mechanical contact with the workpiece. This allows cutting along the most complex contours and with the smallest detail. It is impossible to achieve such precision with any other tools or machines. And the use of computer programs makes it possible to turn work into the most waste-free production possible.

Any wood material can be cut by laser. Even the veneer is only 0.6 mm thick. In general, technology opens up very great opportunities, allowing you to cut out original stories. The work of decorators and furniture makers cannot do without this installation.

True, the principle of operation requires high qualifications. Wood is a flammable material and therefore requires constant cooling. To do this, the machine blows into the cutting zone, which is controlled by the operator. In this way, maximum purity of processing is achieved (no carbon deposits are formed) and at the same time heat treatment of the part is carried out (it looks more contrasting and lasts longer).

Different types of wood are cut with a certain beam power and blowing force. And, if the workpiece is knotty, then this complicates the process even more. “Aerobatics” requires cutting plywood, because... glue layers burn hotter than wood. Yueming CMA series machine is perfect .

Lessons from a recognized master

Meeting an experienced carver is a rare success. Just one visit to a professional carver’s workshop leaves a lasting impression on a beginner. The workshop has everything: from the smell of wood to a clear understanding of what tools are needed for wood carving. The first impression falls on the subconscious, and the beginning carver “already knows” what and when he should purchase or make.

A professional does not use standard sets of tools. He prefers to make his own instruments. This point is important to keep in mind. No manufacturer will make what you need. Any tool on the market is a tribute to established traditions, the shape of blades, handles, and accessories.

If you have a chance to become an apprentice to an experienced carver, this is a rare success. You can learn not only the technique of wood carving, but also the logic of making a tool, and master important rules for sharpening and using it.

Waterjet cutting

The unique technology “TECHTRAN” , developed by Soviet scientists for the defense industry, and only relatively recently became available to the general public.

The principle of operation is to cut any sheet materials with an ultra-fine jet of water. Mixed with abrasive, it is fed under very high pressure to the cutting head, where it turns into the finest hair. The jet output speed allows you to cut even metal, not to mention wood.

Nowadays, a CNC system has been introduced into the technology, which makes it possible not only to cut, but to program the processing of material according to any sketch. Cutting accuracy – 0.1 mm. At a speed of up to 100 m/hour, the cut of wooden material is cold, the part does not heat up and does not deform. The cut edges are clean and do not need any finishing.

Vladislav Permin, specially for Equipnet.ru