A comfort bird is a great gift for someone who means a lot to you. I made one for my Mum as a show of affection and to give her something to hold while watching TV or being a passenger while Dad drives.
According to a variety of sources (1, 2), a comfort bird is a “small wood carving that can fit in the palm of one’s hand” and they “are often made as a token of affection and support for a loved one in need”.
I recently decided to make one for my Mum as a gift, using templates I found in Woodcarving Illustrated (not sponsored). My first step after printing out the template – a top and side view – was to make templates out of mdf. I make a lot of mdf templates as they are a lot stronger than a simple paper template and mean I can make the item again if I want in future.
I cut the templates out using my new scroll saw setup and then hand sanded up to the lines using some 40 grit sandpaper to quickly remove the spare mdf material. I always wear a dust mask when cutting or sanding mdf (and any wood) to avoid inhaling the dust – “…when MDF is cut, sanded, shaped or machined in any way, it releases clouds of dust particles coated with formaldehyde…” (Guardian UK, Sept 1997).
Once I had my template completed, I selected a piece of oak and cut the piece into a rough block shape using my mitre saw. I drew the template out using a marker so it was easier to see for carving.
I used my Dremel and a combination of different cutting and wood grinding/carving bits to remove the bulk of the material down to a rough bird shape. I always recall the quote by Michelangelo (3) when starting carving projects:
“The sculpture is already complete within the marble block, before I start my work. It is already there, I just have to chisel away the superfluous material”
In this case, once I had the bird taking shape, it was simply a matter of removing all the bits that made it look less bird-like!
Once I had the shape complete, I switched to a sanding bit and spent another chunk of time refining the shape and smoothing out the curves. I then switched to hand sanding up to 180 grit, using water to raise the grain and then sanding again, to leave a super smooth finish.
I love the grain pattern on this piece and the position of the knot right on the top of the head (clearly deliberately!) means the grain radiates out down the bird’s back. I used some mineral oil to provide a protective safe-to-handle coating to the comfort bird as well as to highlight the grain further.
The final bird has a wonderful smooth texture, with a very decorative grain pattern.
Mum really liked the gift and it was a really fun project to make – definitely something I shall have to try again at some point, possibly to make one of my own! 🔨
The Woodworking Scientist 