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How to Carve With an Angle Grinder

Angle grinders are very effective tools that can help you create large sculptures with relative ease. It makes short work of carvings that would traditionally have been shaped using chisels, saws and knives. There are many different types of disks available for angle grinders, all specialized for a particular task. Stone, metal and wood can all be carved with angle grinders. Wood is a great material to start with and to test how the grinder behaves when used as a sculpting tool. A simple design, like a fish in relief would be a good starter project.

Things You'll Need

Angle grinder with wood-removal disks
Seasoned wood
Reference images

Instructions

- 1
  Draw the outline of the fish you want to carve on the block of wood with a marker. Calculate how thick you want the carving to be and make sure that you have enough thickness left after you carve out the background. Outline the fins of the fish as well. Use crisscross lines to shade in areas around the fish which will be removed.
- 2
  Firmly secure the wood slab on your workbench using clamps. If the wood moves while you are grinding, it may cause personal injury. Attach a good wood-removing disk to your angle grinder. Hold the grinder firmly in your hands, with one hand on the side handle and the other on the main grip.
- 3
  Gently pull the grinder along the outline of the fish in short controlled strokes. Keep a good firm grip on the grinder, and lift it away from the wood if it starts to vibrate or kick back. Remove thin layers at a time to prevent this. Work your way around the fish until you have its shape clearly outlined. The area around the fish should be carved to an even depth all around as a background.
- 4
  Grind away the wood using lighter strokes to smooth the background. Also use it gently when cutting away details areas, such as around the fins and to create gently curves on the body of the fish.
- 5
  Sand the carving using the rubber attachment to which you can adhere different grits of sandpaper. Start with a coarse grit (such as 100 grit) and work your way up to ever finer grits until you achieve the desired smoothness on your carving. Use the grinder to carve all the detail you can, and use a smaller hand-piece type grinder with smaller bits for the eyes and the parallel lines indicating rays in the fins.
- 6
  Finish the carving with a natural look using only varnish or stain, or paint it using acrylic colors. Even after painting, it is best to protect the carving from moisture using a good good wood varnish.

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