Thanks for the note Mike,

First let me ask, have you ever got a carving tool caught in a glove? I'm
wondering if you actually had this experience.?

Second, I wasn't praising their use, telling people it was the new "to
do" thing, or even recommending it, I was just noting that I thought I'd
give it a try and see, and wondered if others had experience.
Again, I'M NOT RECOMMENDING IT, JUST THOUGHT I'D GIVE IT A TRY!
I know I'm going to be sorry I even mentioned it. I shoulda just got the
gloves and used them quietly :)

I think you may have misunderstood the comment about ONE GLOVE. It goes of
the LEFT hand ( If you are right handed) so you are not controlling the tool
with a gloved hand. The tool is held in the ungloved hand. I ALWAYS
recommend to beginner carvers to have a "Link" between both hands, even if
touching one with your pinky, control goes WAY UP versus either holding the
tool with both hands( poor control) or one hand on tool and one ( gloved)
hand on the work but no contact between the two.
I do LOTS of carving and thouight about the snag issue before I purchased. I
finally decided that most things I use won't have that "snagability".
Perhaps I'm wrong, I shall experiment.
As for the peddles ala Foredoms peddle, I DON'T sell them ( I don't sell
Foredoms) and rarely use my own. When I first got it I installed a few
hangers around the overhead on my deck where I do most of my work. I just
don't like moving it around or having it hang there. I just prefer the die
grinder, each to his own. I know several people who prefer Foredom-like
carvers, but , have you ever seen one used in a convention workshop?? I
haven't. "Portability" causes my money to go to the die grinder over
Foredom. But, if you want TWO carving setups or stations, one at home and
one on-the-go and can leave your foredom setup where you usually work, then
you might want to go that way.
I can recommend getting a router bit speed control which your die grinder
just plugs into and speed is set with a knob. They are about $40ish dollars
at a good hardware store that sells power tools. But, again, I rarely use
it. Most of the serious carving tools , such as "Samurai" lose a lot of
effectiveness if speeds are too low. Fine-tune carving can be done with
burrs or Dremel-type carvers which have variable speeds also.
I REALLY recommend the DeWAlt carver over the Makita. It has that great
dead-man switch, a great shape with "sticky" snout and is a better quality
built machine, but, costs about $50ish more dollars. I sell both, I own a
Makita ( For YEEEAARRS) . If it burns up I'll either get the Heavy Duty
Makita w/ metal case or the DeWalt to Replace it.

Regards,
Dale

Original Message -----
From: "Michael Persiano"
Subject: [IBC] bonsai wood carving gloves


Friends:

I am not an advocate of wearing gloves while using high-speed carving
tools.
Even if the cutter does not have teeth, the exceedingly high spinning
attachments can easily connect with a glove and draw your hand or fingers
into the
cutting/spinning mechanism. The result can be quite painful and damaging.

Beyond the potential for injury that results from wearing gloves, I find
that
I simply lose the connection between myself and the tree. I need to feel
the
action of the carving tool to create the desired effect. Gloves seem to
construct a barrier for me in this sense.

Regardless, gloves will not eliminate the potential for injury. My
recommendation is that you ALWAYS use a power pedal to control the speed
of the tool.
If something happens, one can readily stop the power tool. You will find
that
virtually all power tools will work via a universal power pedal. Such a
pedal
can be ordered from Dale and numerous manufacturers.

Cordially,

Michael Persiano

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