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I recommend purchasing a professional grade power carver from the

Japanese company, Tokyo Automach.

Their tool looks like a Dremel, however,

the action point on a power carver doesn’t spin. Instead,

it moves forward and back at a high rate of speed.

The Automach comes with a set of interchangeable cutting blades.

The broadest U-gouge in the set is ideal for clearing away swaths of

wood, while the other two are suitable for reaching tighter spaces.

The shank on one is also slightly bent to dig deeper into the

wood. The set includes a large V-gouge,

which is good for carving broad lines.

The company sells individual cutting tips,

and I suggest ordering a narrower version.

That way you can carve fine lines.

The last blade type in the set is a standard flat gouge.

Based on your practice with hand tools, you should already be familiar.

To see what the Automach can do,

I will carve a piece of cherry plywood.

Always use a non-skid shelf liner to secure your wood and disconnect

the tool’s power source

before installing a cutting blade. Slide the tapered end of the

cutting tip into the Collette and tighten the nut with the provided wrench.

The Automach is deceptively quiet when you first turn it on.

It sounds like an electric toothbrush. However,

it gets louder when carving. For reference,

I’ll capture the sound on audio for a few moments.

The cutting tip only moves once it meets the wood.

This safety feature prevents the tool from engaging on your hand.

You’ll hear a loud buzz cutting sound when you lay the edge against the

surface.

Remove a few swaths and examine the cuts.

It is a good sign.

If the cuts are clean and you don’t feel any resistance through the

stroke, create greater depth

by doing multiple shallow passes.

Pushing hard will shorten the carver’s life, so move slower

if you hear the motor struggling or the tool’s body feels hot.

The Automach is hefty to hold over long periods,

but it also cuts quickly. Once you get a feel for the tool,

carving becomes fast and almost effortless.

There are a few other budget options out there,

but the build quality of the Automach is superior.

I’ve seen units that are 20 years old still in use.

Thank you for watching this video.

I hope you have an opportunity to try this tool for yourself.

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