16 replies to this topic

[boggiecarving]

I'm wanting a thicker piece of Boxwood that I ordered. It's 1x4x24 inch and I'm wanting to carve starting at least 2x2 inch. Can Boxwood be glued successfully to carve? What kind of glue? Thanks for your comments.

FYI searched for answers to my questions with no luck.

[Janel]

I do not have experience with that sort of gluing. Are you able to purchase the right dimension of boxwood for your carving purposes?

I do not recall if we have actually had this question asked on this forum.

What do you intend to carve from this glued boxwood? From my own experience, I have always begun with wood of the dimension that is needed to create a whole piece, or cut down from a larger piece. I would always be concerned of the joint, and I think that the joint would always show, and I would always wonder if the joint would fail someday.

Wood turners use a technique where they laminate many layers of differently colored woods, then when turned, an interesting pattern results on the turned vessels. I doubt that this is your intention, since you would use box to box for a thicker dimension for carving. I don't know what their glue of choice is, nor do I know how they prepare the surfaces for adjoining. (I still have a lot to learn!)

Good luck on your quest. I also suggest that you try to acquire the larger dimension wood so that you don't need to be concerned with joining pieces of wood to make a different dimension.

Janel

[Ed Twilbeck]

I have not glued boxwood but I have glued up many other kinds of wood . Most for box building. I have glued some other woods for carving and turning . The glue that I use is elmers wood glue. the yellow in color or the brown.
make your wood that you wish to glue together as smooth and free of any dust ,for good contact. Then spread a layer of glue on both pieces . Spread the glue as thin and as smooth as you can ,, then clamp them together and set them aside for at least 24 hrs. Then you will know that you have a very good strong joint. The wood will break before the glue join will.

[boggiecarving]

Janel, on Dec 15 2008, 10:44 AM, said:

I do not have experience with that sort of gluing. Are you able to purchase the right dimension of boxwood for your carving purposes?

I do not recall if we have actually had this question asked on this forum.

What do you intend to carve from this glued boxwood? From my own experience, I have always begun with wood of the dimension that is needed to create a whole piece, or cut down from a larger piece. I would always be concerned of the joint, and I think that the joint would always show, and I would always wonder if the joint would fail someday.

Wood turners use a technique where they laminate many layers of differently colored woods, then when turned, an interesting pattern results on the turned vessels. I doubt that this is your intention, since you would use box to box for a thicker dimension for carving. I don't know what their glue of choice is, nor do I know how they prepare the surfaces for adjoining. (I still have a lot to learn!)

Good luck on your quest. I also suggest that you try to acquire the larger dimension wood so that you don't need to be concerned with joining pieces of wood to make a different dimension.

Janel

Yes Janel. I would would like to have gotten a larger size piece of wood but I checked with the "contact" email of several recommended wood providers to no avail. I have glued wood to many times to mention but never Boxwood. I know it's a tight grain wood and very hard is the reason I ask. I would use a water proof glue. I was looking for 2inch thick Boxwood and gave it up for now with this purchase. What to carve? I though a three dimensional sculpture but if gluing is a problem maybe a relief. I've carved several things from Basswood and few Oak. I wanted to try Boxwood because of it's hardness. I thank you for your response. You've been told numerous times, I know, how nice your website is and I must follow suit and agree. It's is a very helpful site.

Firewood, I plan on doing just as you suggest with elmer and waterproof glue to see which is better if possible. I've used good old elmer's and after washing the piece the joint came loose right at the surface just enough to see a line so that's why I will try the waterproff variety.
Thanks for your input.

[Mike Ruslander]

Epoxy will hold the wood together just fine, permanently, but you'll see a line in your carving where they were joined together. To do it you must make sure that both glue surface pieces are perfectly flat where they will join. apply glue enough to cover the entire surface with a thin layer of already mixed epoxy. Quickly join pieces and clamp together until set and dried. Probably 24 hours. Then you should be able to carve away. obviously, if you made your seam in line with any wood grain it should be easy to camoflage.

[boggiecarving]

Mike Ruslander, on Dec 16 2008, 12:48 PM, said:

Epoxy will hold the wood together just fine, permanently, but you'll see a line in your carving where they were joined together. To do it you must make sure that both glue surface pieces are perfectly flat where they will join. apply glue enough to cover the entire surface with a thin layer of already mixed epoxy. Quickly join pieces and clamp together until set and dried. Probably 24 hours. Then you should be able to carve away. obviously, if you made your seam in line with any wood grain it should be easy to camoflage.

Ok Mike. I will try epoxy. You would think I could match up grain when the cuts are out of the same board.

Thanks for the info.

[RUSS]

Cant help with the glueing aspect but regarding the lack of box wood .............A few years a go I came across....

.....Lemon Genero....

You can get this wood in quite thick pieces and it carves well and takes a great finish.......not the same as box but pretty close...hard too....

I live in the uk and purchased mine from ....http://www.craft-supplies.co.uk/

I was there recently and think they had some 5x5 inch pieces....

May be you can get this wood around the globe...

this piece was done from Lemon wood...


Good luck...................

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[edward_k]

I'd go for epoxy - something like West System slow cure works for me for other kind of projects.
For preparation of surfaces this is a mine field of differing opinions but a planed surface is what i go with. Some like to sandpaper the surface but from what I've read just a freshly planed surface is better.
For clamping be careful that you have even pressure over a large area - obviously if you heavily clamp the centre you will cause deflection at the ends.
have fun

[boggiecarving]

Russ. really a nice carving. I will do a search on the Lemon wood. I've been carving a lot of Basswood and been reading this forum for 3 years. I got stuck on the idea of Boxwood knowing that there are many other hardwoods out there. Still learning.

Ed, I been using fast setting epoxy but I think in gluing up Boxwood I'll try your suggestion. I'm familiar with West Systems as I used it to repair my sailboat years ago and was very happy with the results. Thanks

[Toothy]

Hi Boggiecarving
There is good advice in this thread!
A planed surface gives the best preperation for glueing. sandpapering raises 'fluff' which is supposed to form a key for the glue but at the same time tends to close the grain/pores preventing glue penetration. A planed surface leaves open pores for the glue to penetrate and if really close fitting can leave a glue line so faint that it is only seen when examining the grain. A sanded glue line is most often visible. Remember that PVA glues tend to move or allow movment over time.
Toothy

[boggiecarving]

I agree there is good advice on this thread and forum. I've not been much of a contributor but I often read most of the threads and learn a lot. Got ordered wood today and masonary nails to make a few tools. I plan on getting some drill rod adventually for tool making. Got to get my planer sharpened to enhance the glueing. I've relooked the snail pics several times and more I look at them the more I like it.

I thank you all for the advice that I intend to use.

[Toothy]

Hi boggiecarving
I hope the 'planer' you are referring to is a hand plane. A machine planer leaves a rippled surface caused by the rotation of the blades. The ripples consist of troughs of compressed wood followed by ridges of normal wood. If you do first machine plane, finish by hand planing before gluing. Ensure that your plane blade is sharp enough to shave with!!
Toothy

[boggiecarving]

Toothy, I haven't used that plane in years so I have yet more work to do. I'm a greenhorn at this boxwood so I'm taking all of the advice I getting and again thanks all.

I keep looking at that snail made from Lemon wood and getting the urge to look for some.

[boggiecarving]

Toothy, another question please. I assume rather than planing I could use a scraper instead. This would assume of course the wood surface is flat already, the scraper would just be removing the ridges you talk about.

[boggiecarving]

Toothy, another question please. I assume rather than planing I could use a scraper instead? This would assume of course the wood surface is flat already, the scraper would just be removing the ridges you talk about.

[Ed Twilbeck]

i am not toothy just ED,, but scraping with a good flat scraper will work. if you get the surface on both pieces so that they almost stick with out glue press the 2 pieces together and see if they will feel like a vacum hold when you pull them apert,, then you will have a good surface to glue.

[Toothy]

Hi boggiecarving and Ed

Good info, thanks Ed

boggiecarving, Just make sure when using the scraper that you scrape at an angle to the length of the wood ie diagonally across the ridges of any machining.
When carving Boxwood use a steeper sharpening angle than for soft woods like bass. If your bevel is polished, should be from honing, the chisel will leave a nice polished surface.

Toothy