Sign Builder Illustrated columnist Jim Hingst writes: “Flexible shaft carving systems are not a necessity for woodcarving, but they sure are nice to have for several reasons.
“Carving with gouges or knives is generally a slow, thoughtful process. To save time I often will use my high \-speed flexible shaft tool to rough out a carving. With a coarse carbide burr you can chew through wood faster than a school of piranha in a feeding frenzy.”
Jim continues, “A second advantage is that a flex shaft carver allows me to carve in places that are impossible to reach with either a gouge or knife.
“Finally, if you want to add textures, such as feathers or hair, no tool is better, in my opinion, for creating these realistic details.”
To read more about Jim’s take on this subject matter, visit his “Hingst’s Sign Post” blog.
