READ N TRY

Roman's website about chip carving, whittling, and woodturning

Hello, my name is Roman. Welcome to READ N TRY where you may find my chip carving patterns, woodcarving articles, and photos of woodturning projects.

  • Embellishment Technique

    Embellishment Technique

    My favorite embellishment technique involves using a wood-burning tool to outline patterns before coloring. This method emphasizes the borders and prevents diluted paint from bleeding across the borders. The process includes freehand drawing, burning, and painting, requiring precision and…

  • Free Chip Carving Patterns

    Free Chip Carving Patterns

    Free chip carving patterns are suitable for making small ornaments as they combine only 10-15 chips each. Easy to scale, print, and transfer. Fast to carve.

  • Carving Flower Magnets: Rainbow Magic

    Carving Flower Magnets: Rainbow Magic

    I enjoy carving and painting wooden flowers inspired by Valentin Katayev’s tale “Rainbow Flower.” I use a knife for shaping and chisels and gouges for detailing. Here’s my process: I transfer the pattern, cut it out with a scroll saw, carve the details, and paint with diluted acrylics. These finished flowers make perfect…

  • Chip Carving Practice Board

    Chip Carving Practice Board

    Ways to sketch a chip carving practice board with traditional border patterns and rosette designs. Share tips and tricks for chip carving 3- and 4-corner chips.

Scroll down to read more articles below such as Carving Shoes, Woodturning a Lighthouse, Burning a Celtic Nut Pattern, etc.

  • Mike Mahoney’s Woodturning Demo

    Mike Mahoney’s Woodturning Demo

    I wrote an article for a local woodturning club about a recent Mike Mahoney’s woodturning demo. I included many pictures, notes, and links to resources…

  • Hobo and Tramp Art Intro

    Hobo and Tramp Art Intro

    Overview of the unique Tramp Art carving style. The article features a picture frame as an example of the layered design of wooden boards with carved notches…

  • Air Quality PM2.5 Sensors

    Air Quality PM2.5 Sensors

    Concerned about air quality while sanding wood? Particulate matter measurements help to quantify air quality and reduce exposure to harmful air pollutants

  • Board Warping (Cupping and Twisting)

    Board Warping (Cupping and Twisting)

    Wood moves if moisture content changes unevenly. Chip carving thin boards releases internal stress and it leads to board warping. Review tips to prevent warping

  • Geometric Coloring Book

    Geometric Coloring Book

    A free coloring book with geometric designs inspired by chip carving. The PDF file includes coloring patterns of trees, flowers, nature scenes, and mandalas.

  • Turning Little Things

    Turning Little Things

    My collection of small woodturning projects and ornaments. Some with additional carving, some with embellishments, some are off-center…

  • Chip Carving Coaster Patterns

    Chip Carving Coaster Patterns

    I designed several chip carving patterns to carve on coasters. These are very unique patterns as I challenged myself to use only certain type of chips to design recognizable scenes…

  • Carving Shoes

    Carving Shoes

    Carving shoes was a challenging and interesting project. I am sure I became a better carver after carving the shoe rack. I plan to carve more boots and shoes…

  • Woodturning a Lighthouse

    Woodturning a Lighthouse

    I turned and carved several lighthouses using the pattern I had designed. Let me share my “Woodturning a Lighthouse” pattern and all the details…

  • Whittling Projects

    Whittling Projects

    Whittling is a type of wood carving that uses only one knife, often a pocket knife. I will show several simple whittling projects

  • What is the Best Wood to Carve?

    What is the Best Wood to Carve?

    Trimmed branches or dying trees can get a new life if carved. Any wood can be carved. Let me share my thoughts on wood that…

  • Lazy Susan DIY

    Lazy Susan DIY

    I DIY a Lazy Susan in 2016 by using an ESP2866 and a stepper motor. I used my woodturning lathe to turn the base out of a maple board…

  • Celtic Knot Pattern

    Celtic Knot Pattern

    Celtic knots puzzled me when I was a kid. I could not imagine how an endless knot could…

  • Natural Edge Wood Turning

    Natural Edge Wood Turning

    This bottle stopper is an example of natural edge wood turning. I made it from a highly figured, lightly spalted, beautiful piece of maple burl.

  • Chip Carving Coaster Design: Forest

    Chip Carving Coaster Design: Forest

    The Forest is a chip carving coaster design that is easy to carve on a basswood board 4″ wide. A coaster with the Forest pattern is appealing and fun to use.

  • Chip Carving Coaster Set – Winter Theme

    Chip Carving Coaster Set – Winter Theme

    Every skier would appreciate this coaster set. Popular ski resorts depicted on the chip carved coasters remind the snowy slopes. These coasters were carved to ease long summer months…

  • Woodturned Snowman Bottle Stopper

    Woodturned Snowman Bottle Stopper

    I turned these colorful bottle stoppers for a New Year celebration. It is a nice and useful woodturning project…

  • Shack Birdhouse

    Shack Birdhouse

    It was a challenge to build that birdhouse without any power tools. Want to see how it supposed to be used?

  • Molar In Cowboy Hat

    Molar In Cowboy Hat

    This woodcarving project is a gift to my dentist, Dr. Cooper. A tooth in a cowboy hat is a symbol of a dental crown…

  • Chip Carved Coasters

    Chip Carved Coasters

    A handmade coaster set is an ideal project for any beginner wood carver. Chip carved coasters look great with any glassware as the geometric design is appealing

  • No Friends On Powder Days

    No Friends On Powder Days

    “No Friends On Powder Days” is a unique woodcarving project. The caricature depicts a skier in an impossible position with a big smile on a happy face…

  • Chip Carved Cutting Board

    Chip Carved Cutting Board

    Functional items were traditionally decorated with chip carving. Making a chip carved cutting board with a pattern on one side is simple, useful, and rewarding.

  • My First Chip Carving Project

    My First Chip Carving Project

    I started woodcarving in Oct 2013. Here is my first chip carving project that I designed and carved after watching a recent movie. Guess which movie has inspired this project. I wanted to use basic chip carving techniques and carve something that goes beyond repetitive geometrical patterns. By combining classic chip carving elements, a little…