Deluxe Chainsaw Carving Boot Camp

When: Saturday and Sunday, October 17-18, 2009
Where: Bailey's, Woodland, California Headquarters

Join Steve Backus and his crew of seasoned, professional chainsaw carvers for two days of hands-on training this October. Steve will act as the Master of Ceremonies, as pro carvers Susan Miller, Mike McVay, Ken Tynan, Jeff Samudosky and Dennis Beach lead you and up to 5 other students in carving your own "Relief" Salmon and everyone's favorite, a Standing Bear. In order to achieve the best experience possible, we strongly suggest that you take advantage of the super-discounted price of Package #1 (see below) which includes our Tanaka Chainsaw Carving Kit. We'll supply the Redwood slabs and rounds, gas, bar oil, tools and finishing supplies necessary to complete your carvings. You’ll need to bring boots, eye protection, ear protection and Kevlar-lined chainsaw pants or chaps. Any necessary supplies can also be purchased ahead of time or on-site and delivered to you at the event. You'll take home with you: An experience you'll never forget, your Salmon relief carving, Standing Bear carving, Tanaka Chainsaw Carving Package (optional), step-by-step guides and two chainsaw carving DVDs.

Chainsaw Professors Include* (Over 200-Years combined Experience in Chainsaw Carving):

  • Susan Miller: Teacher, Professional Carver
  • Mike McVay: Professional Carver, Actor, Teacher, Clinton, WA
  • Ken Tynan: Professional Carver, Des Moines, IA
  • Jeff Samudosky: Professional Carver, Columbia, CT
  • Dennis Beach: Professional Carver, Performer, Wapwallopen, PA

*We reserve the right to modify or change curriculum or teachers without notice.

What you'll take home:

  • Two finished redwood chainsaw carvings
  • Chainsaw Carving Package (optional)
  • Salmon Relief Template
  • Bear Step-by-Step guide
  • Two Chainsaw Carving DVDs
Schedule,
 Day 1		 Salmon Relief Carving
Mike McVay leads you along with your individual group instructor on carving an Alaskan King Salmon to hang on the wall.
   
9:00 am Introduction of Instructors Opening Ceremonies, Poem by Steve Backus
  Safety, Setting Your Up Carving Area: Review eye and ear protection, chaps, the hard-hat and screen, foot wear, kick-back - its causes and how to avoid it, starting techniques
9:30 am Saw Tech Hands-On: oiling, fueling, starting, chain adjustment/tension, sharpening for carving
  Discussion: Bar oils burning and smoking, black oil and its causes (new bar, new chain, wrong gauge, hot tip, dull chain, improper sharpening or tooth conformity), avoiding purple dye, various vegetable alternatives, saw gas - the proper mix and proper oil
10:00 am Mike McVay leads you through roughing a King Salmon
  Discussion of template layout, grain effects, knots, the perils of short grain, swirls, circles, rings
Discussion of round chain, square chain, shaping the body for motion
10:30 am Start your Salmon relief carving
  Laying out the detail on the blank: Initial cuts, establishing the lines, rounding, vacating
12:00 Noon Lunch (on your own) - Bailey's will arrange for a catering truck and also supply a comprehensive list of local eating establishments within a short distance
   
1:00 pm Mike Mc Vay instructs the group on detailing the King Salmon
  Cutting out the shape: Wooden cribs, sawing straight up and down with the top of the bar, building a carving table
1:30 pm Detailing your King Salmon: Carving edges on fins and tail, carving the eye, the teeth, the inside of the mouth, the gills, fin and tail details
  Upside-down and top rail bar work
3:30 pm The Finish: Burn, brush and oil
  The hanging groove on the back, cove-chisel to do scales, dressing the surface
4:30 pm Alternate Finishing Technique demonstrated: Painting the Fish by Mike McVay
  Painting demo, flat coat, color - natural camouflage, top and bottom spray, spots, shading, overcoat gloss/matte, bubbles in the sun and kamikaze bugs
   
Schedule
  Day 2		 Chainsaw Carve a Standing Bear
The teaching style for day two will consist of the instructor demonstrating carving one aspect, i.e., cars, first, then students carving the same aspect based on what they observed and learned. Students will stop after they've finished each step and so on. Everyone will work within a small group with a 1/6 teacher ratio. Required viewing: Dennis Beach Chainsaw Carves a Bear DVD (to be supplied prior to the event).
   
9:00 am Safety First Review of Previous Day: Focus on KICKBACK and how to avoid it.
  Demonstrate boring with the tip of the bar, rolling the tip in, down-pressure feeding and driving the tip of the bar through the wood - sometimes called plunge cutting with students practicing technique one at a time
9:30 am See Your Carving: Sketching and blocking out a standing bear
  Discuss use of models and photos of real bears
Importance of keeping it all at 90 degrees.
Discussion of wood type (species), size, height and diameter, cracking, stress relief, grain strength and weaknesses before beginning - knots too!
Demonstrate securing the wood to keep it from moving while it's being carved
Inspection of each student set-up, confirm wood is secured
10:30 am Beginning Your Bear
  Carve a stress-relief cut in the back if heart is present
Block out bear, basic body, outline of ears, muzzle, etc...
12:00 Noon Lunch (on your own) - Bailey's will arrange for a catering truck and also supply a comprehensive list of local eating establishments within a short distance
   
1:00 pm The Face: Top of the head and muzzle
  Proceed in small steps until the entire body of the bear is carved
Teacher demonstration, student carves, teacher demonstration, student carves, etc...
When upright carving is finished, dismount the bear and lay it on its back, secure the bear
Draw in the eyes, ear holes, nostrils and claws, use of Dremel and drill for detail work
3:00 pm The Hair of the Bear: Demonstrate hair carving, including the drape and fall of animal hair
  Finish front carving, then roll it over and do the back
Hollow, angle and bevel the base
Learn to use the tip of the saw to clean up chips and slivers
4:00 pm Burn the bear, sanding back lighter areas, brush off
  Discussion: Use of finish oils to seal the bear
Discussion: Safe use of the torch, different types of wood burn differently
4:30 pm Bear Market Discussion
  Your first bear you should give to your mother, but eventually you'll want to sell your bears: Where to sell your bear, festivals, roadside chainsaw carving, websites, eBay, etc...
Quick tricks to taking good pictures (direction of light, time of day, shade versus light)
5:00 pm Graduation Ceremony: Diplomas, goodbyes, assistance with packaging and shipping of your salmon and bear (student pays actual shipping costs)
  Trade addresses, get autographs of famous chainsaw carvers

Details, details …

  • Age limit: 18 and older
  • Student to Teacher Ratio: 6 to 1
  • Group Gear to be Supplied: Redwood slab (King Salmon Relief) and blank (Standing Bear), gas, bar oil, finish oil, sanders, torch, Dremel, black spray paint, chisels, black marbles
  • Student to Bring: Boots, eye protection, ear protection, chainsaw safety chaps or pants
  • Any necessary supplies can also be purchased ahead of time or on-site and delivered to you at the event
  • Lodging is not included in the prices below, however clean comfortable motel and hotel rooms can be found in and around Woodland from $50 a night.
  • Lodging information can be found here.
  • The event cancellation policy can be found here.

Price

  • $1,995 - *Package #1: Includes Tanaka Chainsaw Carving Package, a $400 value
    *IMPORTANT NOTE: Shipping chainsaws and/or attempting to carry them on the airlines can be difficult and cumbersome. Additionally, it will be helpful for the learning experience and saw maintenance during the Boot Camp if most or all students are using the same equipment. For these reasons, we strongly urge students to take advantage of Package #1 which includes the Tanaka Chainsaw Carving Package (for only an additional $200, you will receive the Tanaka Package which normally sells for twice that price)

  • $1,795 - Package #2: Bring your own carving chainsaw, chain loops, files and any other additional maintenance supplies (excluding gas and oil)