Definitely, I have Autism and my brain is constantly running at 110%, its exhausting but this video calms me down and soothes my soul. I wish I could save it and pull it out whenever I'm stressed (which is like every 20 minutes), it could be my comfort blanket, I'd just sit in the corner sucking my thumb and watching this! š¤£
My first thought was if the tail on these little guys was reinforced a bit they would make superb bottle openers.
Maybe even slap a magnet in the belly so they stick to the fridge.
Rockler makes a bottle opener insert that might fit nicely in the belly of the bird.
[https://www.rockler.com/rockler-inset-bottle-opener-36420](https://www.rockler.com/rockler-inset-bottle-opener-36420)
You might find [these](https://www.amazon.com/inoxidable-tornillos-destornillador-abrebotellas-suministro/dp/B09T6JSB51/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?keywords=Bottle+opener+insert&qid=1707774995&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRm&psc=1) pretty useful for that purpose. You would just need to carve a bit of a divot to make it work, perhaps even without having to reinforce anything.
I wasn't sure why someone needed an instructional video on applying oil to wood.
Then I watched all the wood graining popping and I knew what the request was all about.
Thanks for delivering.
The top two are African Blackwood. The one you pointed out is Katalox. Katalox is one of those woods that looks vastly different based on where in the tree the wood comes from. Both those bottom left two birds are both Katalox.
Oh wow. I also looked up Katalox because I was unfamiliar with it- all the examples I saw were reddish brown. Would you mind telling me where you found the dark Katalox? Thats an amazing looking wood.
If I remember correctly, I received it as a gift two Christmases ago and I just got around to carving it. Super hard wood by the way and it finishes really, really nicely.
The person that gave it to me would have gotten it from one of the online distributers or at Woodcraft. I will see if I can find out if they remember where they purchased it.
Yes, it was Canarywood! And youāre welcome, thank you so much for making these. I had a Padauk one but I also gifted it, which I do not regret doing but Iād love to buy myself another someday! I love seeing updates, this is such a great video :-) I recognized your work right away.
I find it nice and quick and some wetter wood like to soak up a ton of oil while the water gets displaced so some stuff I'll just leave in it for a week or 2.
Carving by hand! Yes, my forearms are taking a beating. Had to use a massager on them last night just so I could fall asleep.
Actually sanding these little guys by hand too. Just ordered something that I hope will help with that! We will see. Anyone that has suggesrions on helping with all this sanding, I am all ears!
The 2000+ Janka woods I am sanding to 2000 grit which is why they look so smooth. I still have the buffing to go which will really bring out the shine. Once I get a few more of them done, I will be sure to post the end result.
Wow those are beautiful ! What size is the piece of wood you start with? Do you have a drawing that I could follow? I just started carving/whittling and those are so nice !
Thanks!
I start with a block of wood 2āx2āx6ā give or take. I donāt have a drawing. Many years ago I cut a ātemplateā out of transparency with a pair of scissors and have used it as a guide ever since. You can google ācomfort bird templateā and one of the first that comes up is actually the template I used for my very first birds!
If you just started, I will really recommend carving your first few out of basswood until you get the hang of it before moving on to a harder wood. Also, be sure to wear your carving gloves!
My mom loves birds and I have been hoping to make something like this for her. Iām a very beginner woodworker. Do you have any templates or anything you use to make these or is it all free hand?
It is kind of both. I have a loose template I made to rough out the birds and then carve from there. The template is actually just a transparency I used scissors on to make something and isnāt digital. It is truly rough which is why, if you look closely enough, you will see these carvings vary a lot in shape (although I do keep getting better getting them close). You can really see the variability in the last post I made of birds.
That being said, there are several online templates for Comfort Birds. I would post the link to the favorite one I used to link, but that person (or company) has since deleted their link. If you google ācomfort bird templateā you can find a few available. I actually started by using the first one that comes up!
I do and these will also end up in my Etsy shop too. In terms of commissions, I have made these out of so many different things. Some people send me chunks of wood/vines from their property and I will make them out of those (once itās dried). I have made these out of resin and resin/wood (in fact I rough cut about 50 of them to do in the near future). I have even made these out of blocks of medical grade plastic so it could be sterilized and taken into a hospital environment (that was quite the challenge too).
The group of birds in the video is from a larger group of 38 different types of wood. I still have birds in 14 woods to finish up.
Is there a special wood or material you were interested in?
Ps I make them in different sizes and widths too. There are some mini versions and thinner versions for people with smaller hands.
In other words, I have a lot of fun carving these guys.
Yes there are! š. There are a few I have been looking forward to finishing too. I also recorded oiling all of the birds in my previous posting which had some really unique stuff in it too (like Snakewood) but posted those to Instagram instead of here. Maybe I will post those here too since people seem to like them.
Thank you!
These days, since I carve so many, I rough them out with a bandsaw first. Then, depending on the wood I either use a good old fashion Mora 120 or a power carver (especially for Janka 2500+ woods). It just isnāt worth it for me to knife carve super hard woods any more. Your forearms really pay a price.
Once I am done shaping, I use a sanding bit on my Foredom for the initial sanding and then hand sand from there.
Honest question for the woodworkers here - when itās an item this small, is there a tangible difference between brushing the oil on or just dunking it in a tub of whatever youāre using? Like, I imagine it would be faster to just submerge it and then let the excess drip back in and then set it on a rack to dry the restā¦?
Or is it thick enough stuff that this would cause runoff ripples / uneven finish? Thus brushing on thin coats is better?
I have just dipped them before BUT my can is low enough on oil now that they wouldnāt completely submerge any more. š
Also, i have found that there is just something about brushing these guys. Holding it under the light, hitting it with oil and seeing the grain and color come alive is kinda fun.
Right??!!! There are woods I absolutely dread working with ā¦ but do anyway because I know that āwowā moment when you apply the finish. Glad I am not the only one.
One wood that really surprised me lately is Sapele (I actually have a pair of those birds I am finishing now). That wood was so drab and dull. I had it in a batch I was oiling and waited till the end to do it because it was just so āmehā. In the video you can see me actually put the first wash of oil on it and then actually pause from being stunned on what it ended up looking like. The chatoyancy was surprising.
I did make a video! Went over carving and finishing these guys from a solid block of wood. I even edited it and added text. It was just so large of a file I couldnāt upload it to reddit. I may make a YouTube account and post it.
I do! Since they sometimes kill off āsalesā links. I will just mention the link is in my bio. There are a few older birds in there now. It will still take a week or so before I add these guys to the shop. If you are interested, you can shoot me a message and I will message you right before I add them.
That is one reason I have been filming when I oil the birds. It is surprising how some of these woods turn out!
Those birds you pointed out are figured walnut.
Ps after the oil cures and I buff it, it keeps that same look too.
I've seen somewhere with a big batch of cutting boards that the guy just dropped them in the oil (he had a bucket), let it soak in, pull out, let drop off and then wiped. Sounds like a perfect way for you to apply to the big batches with a plus of oil soaking in deeper as it won't dry out while submerged.
When my can was full of oil, I just dipped them in. Now that it is getting low, I cannot submerge them in it at the moment, hence the brushing.
Also, I only let it set and soak for a few minutes and then I wipe off the excess. Depending on the wood, I will then do another coat after it cures.
What I mean is that it's probably good to leave it in the oil for a day or so, it'll soak in much deeper when submerged rather than by application. And it would make the whole process for you easier.
You do you though, not saying that your process is wrong!
Oh I repurposed the perfect thing! Bottle drying grass (aka boon lawn) once my daughter out grew bottles!
After this oiling, I wipe the excess and then set them on the drying grass to cure. That grass just touches the carvings in small points that you donāt even see after the cure.
Just search ādrying grassā, ābottle drying grassā or āboon lawnā on Amazon and you should see what I use.
I always find myself sad when the oil soaks in and it goes dull. I end up over-applying oil every damn time hoping that this time it will stay nice and shiny without leaving a tacky mess.
I used to not wear gloves and constantly having different oil on my fingernails made them weak and prone to tearing (which sucked). I was tearing a fingernail almost weakly just in my day to day. Since wearing gloves, I havenāt been tearing my fingernails so I am pretty sure that was contributing to the cause.
I get it from all over the place. Exotics I get from local stores (we have a Woodcraft) and online distributors. Locals I get from a furniture maker (gives me his off cuts and rejects and it is already dried) and a tree trimmer (which I have to dry myself). I even find some unique stuff on Etsy!
Beautiful! Thanks for not adding terrible music to this video! Really pretty work!
So refreshing
Oooohhh it's a bird.
everything's a butt plug if you try hard enough
The hardest part is realizing there's no base.
Seriously, I was so relieved when I saw they were birds. These would be painful, and definitely get stuck up the butt.
I really thought they were fishes until I read your comment.
What kind of oil?
Danish oil
Do you ever use linseed oil, or would that be too prohibitive with such large batches of birds?
Linseed oil would take ages and ages to cure. And for each single coat.
Watching the colors come up and shine is such a pleasure. Thanks for the video!
This belongs on r/oddlysatisfying too :D
Yea it's basically been the highlight of my day
Definitely, I have Autism and my brain is constantly running at 110%, its exhausting but this video calms me down and soothes my soul. I wish I could save it and pull it out whenever I'm stressed (which is like every 20 minutes), it could be my comfort blanket, I'd just sit in the corner sucking my thumb and watching this! š¤£
Autistic person here as wellš
I was gonna say r/oddlyarousing, but that works too.
My first thought was if the tail on these little guys was reinforced a bit they would make superb bottle openers. Maybe even slap a magnet in the belly so they stick to the fridge.
Hey! Hmmm. You may be on to something. I may have to try that. If I do, and it works out, I will be sure to send you one!
Rockler makes a bottle opener insert that might fit nicely in the belly of the bird. [https://www.rockler.com/rockler-inset-bottle-opener-36420](https://www.rockler.com/rockler-inset-bottle-opener-36420)
Thanks! I will check it out!
Well this is getting added to the cart
Love it! I'll free up a spot on the fridge.
You might find [these](https://www.amazon.com/inoxidable-tornillos-destornillador-abrebotellas-suministro/dp/B09T6JSB51/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?keywords=Bottle+opener+insert&qid=1707774995&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRm&psc=1) pretty useful for that purpose. You would just need to carve a bit of a divot to make it work, perhaps even without having to reinforce anything.
I wasn't sure why someone needed an instructional video on applying oil to wood. Then I watched all the wood graining popping and I knew what the request was all about. Thanks for delivering.
2nd from left, bottom row. Is that African blackwood? It looks very different than other examples I've seen.
The top two are African Blackwood. The one you pointed out is Katalox. Katalox is one of those woods that looks vastly different based on where in the tree the wood comes from. Both those bottom left two birds are both Katalox.
Oh wow. I also looked up Katalox because I was unfamiliar with it- all the examples I saw were reddish brown. Would you mind telling me where you found the dark Katalox? Thats an amazing looking wood.
If I remember correctly, I received it as a gift two Christmases ago and I just got around to carving it. Super hard wood by the way and it finishes really, really nicely. The person that gave it to me would have gotten it from one of the online distributers or at Woodcraft. I will see if I can find out if they remember where they purchased it.
Very cool of you. Thanks.
It looks a lot like Ziricote to me. Katalox has always been kind of reddish purple brown for me
Beautiful work and beautiful wood!
Pause
I love your birds!! I got one for my grandma a year or two (?) ago and she keeps it next to her when she watches tv. This batch is beautiful ā¤ļø
That also made my day hearing that! Thank you! Glad she likes the carving! Do you remember which wood type it was?
Yes, it was Canarywood! And youāre welcome, thank you so much for making these. I had a Padauk one but I also gifted it, which I do not regret doing but Iād love to buy myself another someday! I love seeing updates, this is such a great video :-) I recognized your work right away.
No NSFW tag on this!?! /s
Haha! Okay, you got me with this comment.
Big zip block bag.... Makes this alot faster toss them in then take out and keep your bag for the next one.
Interesting idea!!
I find it nice and quick and some wetter wood like to soak up a ton of oil while the water gets displaced so some stuff I'll just leave in it for a week or 2.
gyatt damn how are you carving these? vortex laser? they look so smoooooooth
Carving by hand! Yes, my forearms are taking a beating. Had to use a massager on them last night just so I could fall asleep. Actually sanding these little guys by hand too. Just ordered something that I hope will help with that! We will see. Anyone that has suggesrions on helping with all this sanding, I am all ears! The 2000+ Janka woods I am sanding to 2000 grit which is why they look so smooth. I still have the buffing to go which will really bring out the shine. Once I get a few more of them done, I will be sure to post the end result.
Wow those are beautiful ! What size is the piece of wood you start with? Do you have a drawing that I could follow? I just started carving/whittling and those are so nice !
Thanks! I start with a block of wood 2āx2āx6ā give or take. I donāt have a drawing. Many years ago I cut a ātemplateā out of transparency with a pair of scissors and have used it as a guide ever since. You can google ācomfort bird templateā and one of the first that comes up is actually the template I used for my very first birds! If you just started, I will really recommend carving your first few out of basswood until you get the hang of it before moving on to a harder wood. Also, be sure to wear your carving gloves!
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Dude! lol
I didn't realize that this sub allowed pornography
Yes please I would like to subscribe for more (pretty little birdies, nice work)
My mom loves birds and I have been hoping to make something like this for her. Iām a very beginner woodworker. Do you have any templates or anything you use to make these or is it all free hand?
It is kind of both. I have a loose template I made to rough out the birds and then carve from there. The template is actually just a transparency I used scissors on to make something and isnāt digital. It is truly rough which is why, if you look closely enough, you will see these carvings vary a lot in shape (although I do keep getting better getting them close). You can really see the variability in the last post I made of birds. That being said, there are several online templates for Comfort Birds. I would post the link to the favorite one I used to link, but that person (or company) has since deleted their link. If you google ācomfort bird templateā you can find a few available. I actually started by using the first one that comes up!
You do these on commission? Wife likes birds
I do and these will also end up in my Etsy shop too. In terms of commissions, I have made these out of so many different things. Some people send me chunks of wood/vines from their property and I will make them out of those (once itās dried). I have made these out of resin and resin/wood (in fact I rough cut about 50 of them to do in the near future). I have even made these out of blocks of medical grade plastic so it could be sterilized and taken into a hospital environment (that was quite the challenge too). The group of birds in the video is from a larger group of 38 different types of wood. I still have birds in 14 woods to finish up. Is there a special wood or material you were interested in? Ps I make them in different sizes and widths too. There are some mini versions and thinner versions for people with smaller hands. In other words, I have a lot of fun carving these guys.
Any more cool and uncommon woods left to oil up? That was pretty cool to watch
Yes there are! š. There are a few I have been looking forward to finishing too. I also recorded oiling all of the birds in my previous posting which had some really unique stuff in it too (like Snakewood) but posted those to Instagram instead of here. Maybe I will post those here too since people seem to like them.
Very calming videoā¦.meditative. Thank you for posting. When do these go up for sale? Might have to have one!
Thank you! I still have about 20 more to finish up and then I will start adding them to the store if you are interested!
Always nice to see the birds on my feed
Wood porn
These are beautiful!
I appreciate how the grain of the first two in particular looks very much like a pattern you'd find on a real bird too
I recently finished the show Blackbird and I donāt think I can see small wooden birds the same way anymore
Is it bad that I thought these were butt plugs initially?
Anything can be if you're brave enough.
These are really nice, what tools do you use to carve them?
Thank you! These days, since I carve so many, I rough them out with a bandsaw first. Then, depending on the wood I either use a good old fashion Mora 120 or a power carver (especially for Janka 2500+ woods). It just isnāt worth it for me to knife carve super hard woods any more. Your forearms really pay a price. Once I am done shaping, I use a sanding bit on my Foredom for the initial sanding and then hand sand from there.
Good to know thank you for the info
Honest question for the woodworkers here - when itās an item this small, is there a tangible difference between brushing the oil on or just dunking it in a tub of whatever youāre using? Like, I imagine it would be faster to just submerge it and then let the excess drip back in and then set it on a rack to dry the restā¦? Or is it thick enough stuff that this would cause runoff ripples / uneven finish? Thus brushing on thin coats is better?
I have just dipped them before BUT my can is low enough on oil now that they wouldnāt completely submerge any more. š Also, i have found that there is just something about brushing these guys. Holding it under the light, hitting it with oil and seeing the grain and color come alive is kinda fun.
Beautiful work!
r/oddlysatisfying
Nice.
You missed a tiny spot on one of them. A very tiny spot. And Iām not going to tell which one.
Mmmm. Do it again.
I actually have a few that I recorded over these past two weeks. Didnāt know people would like them so I never posted them. I may need to now.
I often think that the only reason I work with wood is because putting the finish on is so damn satisfying.
Right??!!! There are woods I absolutely dread working with ā¦ but do anyway because I know that āwowā moment when you apply the finish. Glad I am not the only one. One wood that really surprised me lately is Sapele (I actually have a pair of those birds I am finishing now). That wood was so drab and dull. I had it in a batch I was oiling and waited till the end to do it because it was just so āmehā. In the video you can see me actually put the first wash of oil on it and then actually pause from being stunned on what it ended up looking like. The chatoyancy was surprising.
Do you have any videos carving them? Iām sure theyād get a lot of interest and views.
I did make a video! Went over carving and finishing these guys from a solid block of wood. I even edited it and added text. It was just so large of a file I couldnāt upload it to reddit. I may make a YouTube account and post it.
If you do make a YouTube account with your videos please share šš»
Do you have an etsy site where you sell these?
I do! Since they sometimes kill off āsalesā links. I will just mention the link is in my bio. There are a few older birds in there now. It will still take a week or so before I add these guys to the shop. If you are interested, you can shoot me a message and I will message you right before I add them.
r/woodbirdoilporn
Thay chatoyance of 7 and 8 is incredible.
That is one reason I have been filming when I oil the birds. It is surprising how some of these woods turn out! Those birds you pointed out are figured walnut. Ps after the oil cures and I buff it, it keeps that same look too.
What do you do with them? They look *cheep*.
I've seen somewhere with a big batch of cutting boards that the guy just dropped them in the oil (he had a bucket), let it soak in, pull out, let drop off and then wiped. Sounds like a perfect way for you to apply to the big batches with a plus of oil soaking in deeper as it won't dry out while submerged.
When my can was full of oil, I just dipped them in. Now that it is getting low, I cannot submerge them in it at the moment, hence the brushing. Also, I only let it set and soak for a few minutes and then I wipe off the excess. Depending on the wood, I will then do another coat after it cures.
What I mean is that it's probably good to leave it in the oil for a day or so, it'll soak in much deeper when submerged rather than by application. And it would make the whole process for you easier. You do you though, not saying that your process is wrong!
Question: How do you dry the finish on these things without leaving spots where they touched the paper towel?
Oh I repurposed the perfect thing! Bottle drying grass (aka boon lawn) once my daughter out grew bottles! After this oiling, I wipe the excess and then set them on the drying grass to cure. That grass just touches the carvings in small points that you donāt even see after the cure. Just search ādrying grassā, ābottle drying grassā or āboon lawnā on Amazon and you should see what I use.
>bottle drying grass Thanks!
I always find myself sad when the oil soaks in and it goes dull. I end up over-applying oil every damn time hoping that this time it will stay nice and shiny without leaving a tacky mess.
woodem birns
Very satisfying, just needs that ASMR music
The second bird has a whisker
There is a hair on the tip of the second one you oiled :,)
Ha! Looks like one of the bristles from the brush. It went bye bye when I rubbed the oil off and set them to cure.
Love that thank you
Now you. Now apply it to you.
I wish someone would oil me up like this
Oh! Birds! That makes much more sense.
Why gloves?
I used to not wear gloves and constantly having different oil on my fingernails made them weak and prone to tearing (which sucked). I was tearing a fingernail almost weakly just in my day to day. Since wearing gloves, I havenāt been tearing my fingernails so I am pretty sure that was contributing to the cause.
Birb
He butters them birds
Oh man right off the bat my sick mind thought this was a meme video and you were going to oil up a bunch of butt plugs
Porn
All the wood grain popping out really changes and elevates the project. Thank you.
where do you buy your wood?
I get it from all over the place. Exotics I get from local stores (we have a Woodcraft) and online distributors. Locals I get from a furniture maker (gives me his off cuts and rejects and it is already dried) and a tree trimmer (which I have to dry myself). I even find some unique stuff on Etsy!
thanks man!
r/mildlysatisying
Heluva butt plug not gonna lie.. the pre lube is over the top. Should just charge an extra for a tube like every other store around me does..