+- Woodnet Forums (https://www.forums.woodnet.net)
+-- Thread: Hotel Spoon Carving (/showthread.php?tid=7330966)
Hotel Spoon Carving - Bibliophile 13 - 06-14-2017
I travel for work once or twice a year. This summer it's a week-long stay in a hotel, and I have evenings pretty much to myself. In such situations, I never want to be without my spoon carving tools and a few blocks of wood. Here's my temporary work-station:
![[Image: Hotel%20Spoon%20Carving%202017%203_zpsm5khpqgj.jpg]](http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t315/bibliofile13/Spoon%20Carving/Hotel%20Spoon%20Carving%202017%203_zpsm5khpqgj.jpg)
The tools fit into a small bag. I bring along a couple sloyd knives, a couple other knives, a hook knife, a spokeshave, and card scrapers, along with an Arkansas stone and a strop. I also bring an old bed sheet to spread on the floor to catch shavings. It catches most of them. At the end of the night, I roll up the sheet and either take it outside and shake it (I find an area covered with wood mulch), or I carefully put them into the room's trash can.
Here are a few I've made recently:
![[Image: Hotel%20Spoon%20Carving%202017%201_zpspvftg3yt.jpg]](http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t315/bibliofile13/Spoon%20Carving/Hotel%20Spoon%20Carving%202017%201_zpspvftg3yt.jpg)
![[Image: Hotel%20Spoon%20Carving%202017%202_zpsccdohjpq.jpg]](http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t315/bibliofile13/Spoon%20Carving/Hotel%20Spoon%20Carving%202017%202_zpsccdohjpq.jpg)
I'm using mostly black walnut, which carves pretty easily even when dry. The lighter wood is the walnut sapwood, which actually is a little tougher than the heartwood. Softer hardwoods like poplar also carve pretty well while dry. I do prep my blanks beforehand, cutting them to length and shaping one face with the drawknife or hatchet. Everything else is knife work.
It sure beats watching TV all evening.
RE: Hotel Spoon Carving - Ohio Mike - 06-15-2017
Nice! That's way better than watching what passes for entertainment on cable TV.
Mike
RE: Hotel Spoon Carving - Cloudy - 06-15-2017
Great use of evenings away from home!
RE: Hotel Spoon Carving - Rob Young - 06-15-2017
Wow, these discount hotel chains are really taking it to the next level. Not even providing you with spoons, you have to make your own!!!
Nifty!
RE: Hotel Spoon Carving - AHill - 06-15-2017
The sheet is a great idea, Steve! When I moved for a temporary (2 year) assignment, I knew I wouldn't have access to most of my tools. I took up carving and learned to carve figures and all. But it does get messy. I had a shop apron I'd wear to catch the chips and shavings. I like the sheet idea a whole lot better!
RE: Hotel Spoon Carving - Admiral - 06-15-2017
I guess you drove or took ground transport, as I don't think airports would clear you through security with those tools in carry on, and I would hesitate to check them as such things have a tendency to get "lost" in baggage handling hell! Flying is getting to be such a chore, if I never get on another plane for the rest of my life, I'll be a happy man.
Nice job on the spoons.
RE: Hotel Spoon Carving - Bill_Houghton - 06-15-2017
Very nice, and I'm sure the cleaning staff appreciate your courtesy. Shavings like that would be hell to remove from the carpets.
And lovely spoons.
RE: Hotel Spoon Carving - AHill - 06-15-2017
(06-15-2017, 11:57 AM)Admiral Wrote: I guess you drove or took ground transport, as I don't think airports would clear you through security with those tools in carry on, and I would hesitate to check them as such things have a tendency to get "lost" in baggage handling hell! Flying is getting to be such a chore, if I never get on another plane for the rest of my life, I'll be a happy man.
Nice job on the spoons.
I have over 500,000 frequent flyer miles and have never lost a bag, and never had any contents damaged. Twice I had a bag misdirected, but in both cases it was delivered to my hotel room / destination by the end of the day. Now, broken zippers and lost luggage tags is another story. I think flying would be a whole lot less of a chore if more people checked their bags instead of carrying them on. It's insane these days what people try to stuff in the overhead bins. The airlines created this mess when they started to charge for checked bags.
RE: Hotel Spoon Carving - Harold O. - 06-15-2017
Jeez, I usually just bring a ukulele. Now I know to make spoons instead. Great way to beat the otherwise lost hours.