Author Archives: Dave Fisher

Angel’s Head Gravestone

Posted on August 8, 2024 by Dave Fisher

Anybody that wants to get somewhere quickly doesn’t want to ride with me. One of the annoying things I do is pull the car over every half-hour or so to take a 10 minute stroll. This is difficult to do … Continue reading →

Posted in carving, Lettering, Persons, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 25 Comments

Gouge Thoughts: Sharpening, Sweep, Size

Posted on July 27, 2024 by Dave Fisher

In thirty years of teaching, I’ve learned (and sometimes failed to remember) the value of preparation beforehand and flexibility once things get started. I’ve been doing a lot of preparation for my upcoming class. Materials, logistics, and many other things. … Continue reading →

Posted in carving, patterns, sharpening, teaching, tools, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 14 Comments

Don’t Forget Your Compass

Posted on July 20, 2024 by Dave Fisher

Only three weeks until I head to Pete Galbert’s for our six-day bowl carving course. Among the various tools we’ll be using, the compass is an important one. I use mine on every bowl I make. It does a lot … Continue reading →

Posted in layout, tools, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 9 Comments

Bowl Redesign

Posted on July 18, 2024 by Dave Fisher

Greenwood carving calls for flexibility. I do my best to decipher clues about what will be found inside the log. Still, I’m often surprised. Sometimes, a total redesign is required. The cherry bowl in the photo above ended up very … Continue reading →

Posted in bowls, cherry, green woodworking, holding, paint, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 6 Comments

Apple Wood Bowl and Leaf Patterns

Posted on July 10, 2024 by Dave Fisher

I roughed this bowl out of a green apple log almost a year ago. It’s just under 5″ end-to-end; you can cradle it in one hand. Next time, I’ll make a bigger one. It will be a lot easier! This … Continue reading →

Posted in bowls, carving, layout, nature, patterns, sketch, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 11 Comments

Whale Bowl

Posted on June 29, 2024 by Dave Fisher

I’m not as obsessed as Captain Ahab, but this whale has been surfacing in my mind for a couple years. I think the idea for it came from carving bowls like this with the flutes on the end panels. They … Continue reading →

Posted in bowls, paint, patterns, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 24 Comments

Twist and Shout

Posted on June 18, 2024 by Dave Fisher

Yesterday, I was splitting a small straight cherry log for a potential bowl. I was planning on using the upper half above this chunk. As the log split apart, my plans changed. Just about every tree grows with at least … Continue reading →

Posted in finding wood, green woodworking, trees, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 14 Comments

Cherry Chicken

Posted on June 13, 2024 by Dave Fisher

It reminds me of that old joke- you know, a guy walks into a psychiatrist’s office and says, hey doc, my brother’s crazy! He thinks he’s a chicken. Then the doc says, why don’t you turn him in? Then the … Continue reading →

Posted in bird bowls, books, cherry, holding, layout, quotes and excerpts, tools, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 14 Comments

Sliding-Lid Boxes

Posted on June 2, 2024 by Dave Fisher

Box lids can pop off, swing out, hinge up, wedge in, slide over, and who knows what else. This post is about the sliding kind. The box above is one of a pair that I recently made at the request … Continue reading →

Posted in Lettering, other woodworking, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 15 Comments

May Leaves

Posted on May 19, 2024 by Dave Fisher

The Trees are coming into leaf Like something almost being said; — Philip Larkin, The Trees (1967) Over the last few weeks, the view from my workshop window has been transformed by the annual miracle occurring on every twig. Leaf … Continue reading →

Posted in cherry, nature, quotes and excerpts, trees, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 6 Comments