Easily Learn to Draw and Cut for Wooden Gifts

In this post we'll guide you through how to use a saw and cut wood when making wooden gifts, making it easy to get started with step-by-step instructions and accompanying motion pictures.

Step 1: Selection of tools

When making wooden gifts, we need to use two saws, namely the jigsaw and the carpentry handsaw.

Start by attaching the drawing to the wood and then use the miter saw to cut out the wood we want to keep. We recommend reserving a centimeter or so when cutting.

Next, we modify the thickness of the wood. For example, if we have a piece of wood that is 5 centimeters thick, but the thickness of the wooden figurine we want to make is 3 centimeters, then we can use the carpentry hand saw to cut out this extra 2 centimeters.

A carpenter's hand saw is recommended for this step because it cuts straight and sharp. For thin wood we can use a jigsaw to cut it. Beginners are advised to prepare an extra vise for clamping the wood and then cutting it with the saw to prevent the hand from shaking and to avoid sawing crookedly.

Step 2: Remove excess wood

This step is to saw off the useless wood according to the edge of the drawing. Wood carving novice has a high probability of sawing crooked, so we can reserve 1 to 2 millimeters along the edge of the drawing, convenient to later go to trimming. If we encounter smaller parts, such as the foot part in the drawing, we can reserve more distance for it. If you don't leave extra space when sawing, there is a good chance that you will overcut the wood when carving, and you won't be able to make the shape we want.

When removing excess wood, we use a jigsaw because the jigsaw has a narrow blade that is easy to turn. Ideally, we would only use the jigsaw to follow the contours of the drawing to get the shape out in one pass. However, the turning angle of a jigsaw is not as big as you might think, it works like a car, it has a turning radius. As you can see in the picture, we can't use the jigsaw to make a turn when the angle of this section suddenly flips.

Of course, we have a solution for this situation, since we can't saw the whole shape at once, we'll just break it up into sections and saw it one at a time. Where each section meets, make an opening with the hand saw. Make all the cuts first, then use the jigsaw to saw one section at a time. After sawing a section, the wood is ready to be broken off by hand. It is easier to adjust the angle of the saw after breaking off the unused wood. After completing the entire profile in the same way, it is time to move on to the subsequent stage of finishing with the carving knife.

Summary

We have instructed novices how to saw the wood to the shape of the drawing when making wooden gifts. By understanding the principles and use of different tools, drawing auxiliary lines on the drawing, and cutting in sections, you will successfully saw out the shape of a wooden figurine. In the next post we will continue to share tips in hand carving.