How to Carve Boxes
You can add custom detail to your next wooden box project by carving a design into it. To add embellishment, you can use a traditional carving technique called chip carving. Chip carving often has geometric designs that are cut into the wood. You may also choose to accent the box with a personalized design such as a name or a favorite flower.
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Things You'll Need
- Wooden box, unfinished
- Pencil
- Ruler
- Compass
- Protractor
- Chip carving knife
- Fine-grit sandpaper
- Wood finish
Instructions
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1
Draw a circle in the center of the box lid. Draw four intersecting lines through the center of the circle so it looks like a pie that has been cut into eight slices. Draw a cross-hatched pattern on the inside of each section of the circle. Shade the sections that are to be removed when carving.
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2
Cut along the pencil lines of the design with the chip carving knife to score the lines.
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3
Hold the knife at a slight angle inward and apply pressure to push the tip into the wood and pull it across the surface. Use smooth movements to complete a clean cut and remove the shaded elements of the design.
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4
Cut inwards on each side of the element to remove an entire chip. Follow the same procedure to remove the remaining shaded elements of the design.
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5
Sand the box lid lightly. Clean up any carving elements that still have small bits of wood in them. Sand off any splinters of wood by running the edge of the sandpaper across the element to produce a clean carving.
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6
Apply a wood finish to the box. Allow the finish to dry completely.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Practice carving the design on a scrap block of wood before carving the box.
Wear eye protection when carving wood.
Carve using movements in the opposite direction from your body to prevent the knife from hurting you if it slips while you work.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit wooden box (with clipping path) image by SBB from Fotolia.com
