# Carving jig for sticks.



## CV3

This is a jig I saw in a video on carving hiking /walking sticks. That one was part of a work bench. This is portable. It can be mounted to a bench. I have used on my B&D workmate. It holds the work steady and it is easy to turn the stick to the right, left or around as needed. It is 9" wide and 30" long. It will hole a stick up to 3" inches in diameter. There are a lot of jigs out there. This one is cheap and easy to make. And has worked well for me.


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## cobalt

That is something i have never seen .didnt know you could get jigs for this sort of thing? will look it up on the web

the only aid i use for holding my work is a carvers and standard vice (think you call it vise?) then i just usually carve toppers .If it works for you it must be okay.

Always interested how people work and what with , i hardly use knives just chisels and palm tools along with the rotary tool.


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## Rad

Good idea! Now, if it could make it so I could carve ............


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## Lewey

I like it. I see a new project coming on.


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## CV3

cobalt said:


> That is something i have never seen .didnt know you could get jigs for this sort of thing? will look it up on the web
> 
> the only aid i use for holding my work is a carvers and standard vice (think you call it vise?) then i just usually carve toppers .If it works for you it must be okay.
> Always interested how people work and what with , i hardly use knives just chisels and palm tools along with the rotary tool.


Iam not sure you can buy them. I made this jig. It is a simple project.


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## CV3

Sorry I did not show the bottom of the jig in the 1st post. I use bungee cored to hold down the bottom of a stick. I have 2 hooks on the back of the base. Some make this jig with a clamp like is used at the top.


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## cobalt

On the odd occasion i had to but the shank in the vice to steady it i just used a s20mm spade bit to drill a piece of wood cut in half and placed the shank between the two piecest to steady the shank ,but have never carved a shank yet?may get round to it? So could be handy for carving shanks its handy place to keep you work tools


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## CV3

I use mallet, palm tools and power. As I have gotten older I like having both hands on the tool when I can for better control. The jig holds work secure when some pressure is required. Another great vice is a Rockwell Jaw Horse. It holds your shank or stick very secure. It works best with shank that has a even diameter. You have to us a shim if the shank or stick is tapered. But the Jaw horse is one of those tool that I use for many things in the house, shop or outside.


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## cobalt

Totally agree you need control over tools your are useing,and the advantages of holding work firmly in place is a must


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## Fordj

I like how you cut the top of the jig at a slight angle, so it grips full width of the clamp. I'll be making one soon. Thanks!


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## dugbee

Hi,

I'm brand new to walking sticks (and carving in general) and this jig looked like a great idea - I'm not sure I want to build/store a full shaving horse yet. I'm using 1/2" 13 thread rod - although I haven't glued it into the jig yet. I can't seem to find the handle piece - it looks like a 1/2" nut welded to a piece of metal?

I thought about making my own out of wood, but 1/2" t-nuts aren't easily found. Is that handle something specific I should look for, or is it custom made?

Thanks for any tips!


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## CV3

dugbee said:


> Hi,
> 
> I'm brand new to walking sticks (and carving in general) and this jig looked like a great idea - I'm not sure I want to build/store a full shaving horse yet. I'm using 1/2" 13 thread rod - although I haven't glued it into the jig yet. I can't seem to find the handle piece - it looks like a 1/2" nut welded to a piece of metal?
> 
> I thought about making my own out of wood, but 1/2" t-nuts aren't easily found. Is that handle something specific I should look for, or is it custom made?
> 
> Thanks for any tips!


I C clamp this jig on may Black & Decker workmate. I have clamped it to pick nick tables. I sent you a IM. I will send jig plan.


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## dugbee

I was expecting that I'd be done and carving away with the new jig a few weeks ago. I'm almost done. The base is done, stained and finished. Still need to make the vise handle But I got so frustrated maneuvering around my little room, I decided to completely reorganize my workshop. I've moving to a French cleat system for storage, which will let me eliminate an entire stationary workbench and make more room for carving. Hopefully that will let me get back to my first stick within a couple of weeks! Happy New Year!


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## Rodney

Not sure how I missed this post before. Very clever setup. I like how you chained the spacer blocks to the jig so you wouldn't lose them.

Rodney


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## Gloops

Great Jig and again beautiful in its simplicity, looks like I have done things the hard way, on the two or three wood spirits I have done on poles I have hand held and used knife and Flexcut Scorps (one of the best tools for in hand carving), you can guess the amount of room require to hold in hand and turn thro all positions (usually done outside), will seriously consider making one of these.

Thanks for the info and pictures.

This is what this forum is about - sharing knowledge and posting tips and tricks to help all stick makers.


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## dugbee

At long last, my carving jig is done! This little project really was a catalyst to reorganize my workshop. I ended up:

- Making French cleats and little storage units for power tools, which let me get rid of a shelf and an entire workbench

- Buying a new toolbox for small parts storage

- Relocating/tossing a bunch of misc items from the basement to make room for plywood storage

- Building a cart that can hold a bench-top bandsaw, belt/disc sander, and spindle sander

- Getting rid of the old worn-out foam floor tiles and put down brand new ones

- Got a Dust Deputy and made room for it to improve the shop-vac dust collection

..so a "few days" for this project turned into weeks of reorganization. But it's so much better now, I have room on one bench for electronics stuff and more floor space for wood stuff!

Anyway I ended up making my own handle as I didn't have a carver's screw. I found some unique 1/2" nuts on eBay that worked well. Now I can finally get back to that first stick!


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## CV3

Well done, looks good!


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## cobalt

dugbee said:


> I was expecting that I'd be done and carving away with the new jig a few weeks ago. I'm almost done. The base is done, stained and finished. Still need to make the vise handle But I got so frustrated maneuvering around my little room, I decided to completely reorganize my workshop. I've moving to a French cleat system for storage, which will let me eliminate an entire stationary workbench and make more room for carving. Hopefully that will let me get back to my first stick within a couple of weeks! Happy New Year!


The French cleat system works very well for me.Its simple to reorganise in a few minutes have found it very versatile

Its something I did to organise my workshop, I also made a chisel holder which I find very useful it puts all my chisels at arms length and have since added a few more pieces to it so it holds my palm tools

Have not made a jig my shop to small


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## Gloops

Like the jig I have in the past fixed a board with a "V" groove to my carving vice and clamped a shank to it, the main problem is that it needs doing outside due to swing of shank when changing orientation.

As to the problem of holding tapered shanks or for any wedge shaped component I while ago I saw a piece of kit on the internet and made one - a amazing little aid and holds tapers solidly in a vice, attache pic's, can be made any sizte or a range of sizes.

The domed pin which allows pivot is a Domed Head Coach Bolt cut down and epoxy'd in. and for protection a strip of vynolay was glued to contact face. the last pic shows it in max pos'n should relieve corners/edges either side of dome for more clearance .


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## CV3

That is a good simple solution to firmly holding a tapering stick. Thanks for sharing Gloops.


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## cobalt

nice one gloops

it should be handy for holding a shank in a upright position as well and prevent a shank from slipping in the vice when drilling out a hole for the threaded bar


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## DougVL

A few years ago I made a double-sided jig for holding sticks for carving and for shaving, tapering or de-barking them. It is made of some scrap 2x4 lumber and one pipe clamp. One side has two vee blocks to support the stick and another block with a vee grove in it mounted on the fixed jaw of a pipe clamp. The adjustable jaw of the clamp is mounted on the opposite side of the 2x4 jig frame. The two vee blocks are made of short sections of 2x4 with a vee sawn in one end and the other end is screwed to the frame 2x4. Both vise jaws have 2 holes drilled through, near the end of the jaw, for the screws that hold the 2x4 to the jaw. The frame piece has two places I can mount the movable jaw of the clamp, one on each side of the frame. Both places are at the same distance from the end of the frame.

I hold the frame 2x4 clamped in a bench-mounted swivel vise. That way I can swing (swivel) the vise so that the stick and jig are not above the bench and can slant downward, toward the floor, for easy carving access. It can even hold the stick in a nearly vertical position.

I padded the groove in the fixed-jaw clamp 2x4 block with a piece of old bicycle inner tube stapled on, but I'm not sure that is is very important. The jaws could be padded with old carpet instead. Since the jaws are pine, they may be soft enough already and not even need padding.'

I have pictures taken from several angles for each of the two configurations of the clamping jig. They should provide enough detail to duplicate the system. I no longer have the jig - I had to leave it behind when I moved. By measurements I took on the picture, I believe the 2x4 frame piece is about 20 inches long.


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## brokenolmarine

I may give carving a try ... we have a lot of small growth hardwood here on our small (15 acre) farm. I should be able to find plenty of shanks to cut. We need to thin that anyway so the big stuff stays healthy.


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## cobalt

you will find by removing or should I say coppice a area the tree will benefit from it .

I know very little about hardwoods and over the pond you do have a good few varieties' which will make great sticks

I usually harvest all my own sticks which generally are fast growing like hazel .I like to keep about 30 + sticks in stock and cut each year sometime more so I always have seasoned shanks

It is difficult for people to get access to land for harvesting shanks if you cant get permission to harvest , but local stick clubs here always bring some sticks in for fellow stickmakers .so if possible join one

our local club just had there A.G.M and was given a bg full of horns ,rams and buffalo and cow horn which I use to make a variety of things from collars for stick dressing caving initials and horoscopes signs . In return I give about 20 shanks and drawings of water fowl etc.

More importantly I make new friends and get advice which improves my carving so any type of carving club is a good thing to go to if your lucky enough to have one.


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