Author Archives: Dave Fisher

Souped-Up Sharpening Shelf

Posted on September 15, 2024 by Dave Fisher

A couple months ago, I wrote a post that included an explanation of a honing method using a board secured vertically in a vise as an aid to honing gouges and chisels. I don’t know what to call it. Honing … Continue reading →

Posted in sharpening, Uncategorized | 15 Comments

Silly Putty Cherry Bowl… and Three Spoons

Posted on September 12, 2024 by Dave Fisher

What I make is usually dependent on what bits of tree become available. Responding to each piece is a fun challenge. When I checked out a small cherry tree that had fallen over in a yard, it had already been … Continue reading →

Posted in bowls, cherry, patterns, proportions, sketch, spoons, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Venus-and-the-Moon Bowl

Posted on September 5, 2024 by Dave Fisher

A friend alerted me to an old fruit-bearing pear tree that had fallen in a windstorm, just a couple minutes down the road. When I went to check it out, I wasn’t optimistic about its prospects. Most of the tree … Continue reading →

Posted in bowls, figure, finding wood, sketch, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 16 Comments

A Week at Pete’s

Posted on August 26, 2024 by Dave Fisher

It’s been a week since my bowl class at Peter Galbert Workshops ended. While I’ve settled back in and have returned to some projects that were underway, my time at Pete’s is still fresh on my mind. What a pleasure … Continue reading →

Posted in classes, teaching, Uncategorized | Tagged | 10 Comments

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