Sign Carver

[T.R.MacMunn]

Hi. Just found this board a couple of days ago. Not sure if I'll fit in or not, but here goes.
I'm a dimensional sign maker in eastern Ontario. I do a lot of sandblasting, but like to combine carving & sandblasting on the same signs, the carving usually in the form of an applique.
This area is fairly rugged so nature plays a big part in my work. Below is a Great Gray that is part of my sign on my shop.



Since all my work is generally seen from some distance I don't get carried away with details but I'm in awe of anyone who has the time & patience to do award winning realism .
I don't use wood much anymore. I used to use Alaska Yellow Cedar for my carved stuff, but a few years back switched to high-density urethane. This owl was carved from 15lb density Corafoam & is 3" thick & about 50" wide. I was about 10 hours carving it ( I rough-out with a grinder) & a former employee painted it. I paint some myself, but usually I'm too busy with the heavier work ( I do the "woodwork" for several other shops) & hire that part out.
Rodger

[hi ho sliver]

Welcome!

[Nancy Goff]

Roger -- that is a breath stopper !!
Wow oh wow!!
3" x 50" when it looks like it's flying in front of the building??!?!
And I don't understand a bit. high-density urethane ? 15lb density Corafoam ? What is that stuff? Where do you get it?
Is it dangerous to work with? What tools? And my big questions ..........

How much do you get for something like that?

[T.R.MacMunn]

Thank you Nancy.
HDU is available at most sign supply places.....probably 90% of all "wooden" signs now are made from HDU. It works easily with woodworking tools & almost anything you can do with wood you can do with HDU, except structural. It's cellular so it has no beam strength.
It's no more hazardous than cedar or pine, but you should wear a dust mask & googles.
It's also a cryogenic insulation.........this is the stuff that falls off & damages the space shuttle during launch.
There are several manufacturers in the US & it comes in densities from 2lb/cu.' to 40lb/cu.'. The 15, 18, & 20 are the most commonly used. A 4' x 8' sheet averages about $400.
This owl is on my own storefront sign, but if I were selling it it would be around $500 likely. I don't do that many of them because it's hard to get the $$$ you need for them. I use them as a loss-leader......they attract, but then the customer will balk at the price & usually buy something with better margins.

[Nancy Goff]

Roger -- Thank you for the information which I think is valuable for use by some of the carvers reading this. Just incredible use of 3". Wow!

It's sure above MY head.
I would love to be able to buy something like that some day. I just can't get over how beautiful it is.

[T.R.MacMunn]

Nancy, I just looked at your pics & I'm 100% sure you can do this yourself......you have way more patience than I do.
The foam (HDU) carves very easily. The texture would be similar to almost frozen butter, & there's no grain to deal with. Some of the earlier HDU's weren't as nice with a texture more like a sugar cube.
I'm still a big fan of wood, but for what I do the Corafoam is the answer. I'll post another couple of pics later.

[Nancy Goff]

How kind you are .... But I am strictly a small hand tool carver.

I USED to own a Foredom and simply gave it away because I was too scared of it.
I do own a charming little NSK that I (blush blush) use for drilling the tiny holes needed for the pegs I use to hold small things to large things. You know - pegs are expensive!!
I have a Ryobi and Automach and such and use them for roughing out big (big? I mean 6 to 13" tall) Santas.
Thanks, but I just can't imagine me ever being a power carving person.