Wood carving is very flexible when it comes to what tools to use. For example Chainsaw carving. And after you are how do you seal a chainsaw carving to preserve it?
If this question is what’s on your mind, then you are in for a treat. Preserving your wood after carving is very important to prevent your piece from shrinking and keep it in good condition for a long time.
The best way to seal your chainsaw carving is by applying Danish oil or decking oil, where you apply multiple coats of the sealer with intervals between each coat. Re-apply the sealant regularly for a year and after, apply the sealant once a year.
Before sealing a chainsaw carving, there are a lot of factors that determine how long your chainsaw carving will last and these factors will also determine the method you use
Factors Affecting How You Seal a Chainsaw Carving
As the question, “How do you seal a chainsaw carving?” arises, these are the factors that will affect what method you will use to seal your chainsaw carving;
- Is the wood still rooted to the ground?
- How dry is the stump?
- Is your wood carving painted?
- Complete log, or cut in half?
- The climate of your region
Finishing your chainsaw carving will prevent potential cracking and splintering extending the rate the wood dries.
Don’t lie to yourself that your chainsaw carving won’t need sealing because you maybe think that the wood is tough. Doesn’t matter how hard your wood is, a lot of large cracks will form as the wood dries quickly.
How Do You Seal A Chainsaw Carving
Clean the Carving
Before sealing your chainsaw carving, you need to clean it by removing the sawdust and fuzzies that are on the carving.
Smoothen the carving and give it a uniform surface by sanding the full carving. This makes it easy to apply the sealant on a uniform surface.
Make sure your chainsaw carving is dry before applying the sealant.
Apply the Sealant
There are two ways you can apply sealant on your chainsaw carving, which are spraying and using a brush.
When using the spray method, make sure that your sprayer is 0.21″ or bigger if you want the spray to be effective.
When using a paintbrush, it is better to use thin coats and apply another after it dries. You can apply like 4 coats for better preservation
Let the wood dry
After applying the sealant to your wood, store it in a cool dry place. The best way to store your chainsaw carving after sealing is to store it in an elevated state so that you can check up on the wood till it is completely dry.
Is Chainsaw Carving Hard?
Most people view chainsaw carving as hard and nearly impossible. Anyone can start chainsaw carving but remember the tool itself is extremely dangerous and must be handled with care.
If you are not careful, the chainsaw will injure you and there have been many cases of people injuring themselves. So when dealing with a chainsaw, you need to have patience and practice.
What Is The Right Chainsaw To Use In Wood Carving
The good thing about chainsaw carving is that you can use almost all types of chainsaw models. Different sizes of chainsaws can be used at different levels. You can use a big saw as a blocking saw, and a smaller saw for details.
When choosing a chainsaw to use, I prefer you find a chainsaw light enough for you. invest in a dime bar or carving bar it will make all the difference. Make sure that before putting your chainsaw to work, it is correctly tensioned for carving with fully functional anti-kickback faculties.
The other thing to remember is that a blunt chainsaw is more dangerous than a sharp one. So make sure that before you start carving that the chainsaw is sharp and if you have no idea of how to sharpen it, you can take it to a professional.
Conclusion
Chainsaw carving is a very interesting way to carve large pieces but if you are not used to the chainsaw, make sure that you get to learn the safety and how to use it to avoid accidents. Make sure that before you begin carving the chainsaw is in good condition and the chain blades are sharp.