Welcome to the new home of the

WoodCarver List

Welcome!

The WoodCarver List is the oldest and largest woodcarving-related mail list on the Internet. Started in 1996 by carver Bill Judt, and now is affiliated with The Carvers' Companion, the List has grown into a thriving and helpful community where ideas, resources and friendships are shared. Over 800 carvers subscribe to the List, with members ranging from seasoned pro carvers to newbies working on their first project. Discussions on the List cover the entire spectrum of carving-related topics, including types of carving, tools, materials, finishes, patterns and source material, tips, hints and much more. If you have a woodcarving question, the List is the place to ask.

This list also serves as the anchor for numerous sites that provide a wide range of woodcarving-related links across the internet, including Woodcarver Online Magazine (WOM) and the World Wide Woodcarver Exchange (W3E).

When you join the Woodcarver List

You will meet people from around the world who do a wide variety of carving, from relief to sculpture, from whittling to caricatures. Expect also to become part of a network of woodcarvers, each of whom has learned a set of skills and techniques, and gathered resources for tools and materials all of which will be useful to other list subscribers.

Our Woodcarving List will allow each of us to encourage others in the art and craft, share craft secrets, reveal sources, make important contacts. It will also generally promote woodcarving as one of the most pleasurable of pass-times.

A Moderated List - Sort Of

The Woodcarver List is moderated in a loose sense of the word. This means that the List Owner will periodically contribute advice and direction to help all list subscribers to attain the highest standard of communication between themselves.

By saying this list is MODERATED, it does not mean that the list owner will have to approve subscription requests or approve messages when subscribers wish to post them. If, however, we encounter a person who is using the list inappropriately, or harassing list subscribers, the list owner will intervene with appropriate remedial action.

The whole idea of "loose" moderation is to allow carvers to use and enjoy the list to the mutual benefit of all subscribers. I trust that moderation, self control and general politeness will abound where this list is concerned.

The "C" Word - Chat

A certain amount of casual "Chat" is allowed and even encouraged on the List because, as we have found, it serves to build fellowship among subscribers. Fellowship is just as important on this list as the exchange of woodcarving-related information.

If chat annoys you in the least, you might find this aspect of the List a bit of a bother, and perhaps the number of messages that are not strictly information-based may be more than you will to deal with. If this is the case, your stay on the List may be shortlived. Think of this list as a cross between a "newsgroup" and a "mailing list".

One rule with regard to chat. If you wish to send a message to the List that contains mostly "chat", then prefix the subject header of your message with the word "Chat". This will allow people who do not like chat to filter out these messages. It also allows those who enjoy chat to find it easily. Of course, the List is not meant to be primarily a chat line, so moderation in the use chat is appreciated.

Replying to the List

Want to respond to a message from the List? Please avoid automatically sending EVERY reply to the List. Consider before sending if everyone needs to hear your reply (especially the "...me too!" replies). If your reply is more in the nature of a personal reply, please change the List address in the REPLY TO area with the address of the person concerned. This is a matter of netiquette and common courtesy.

Commercial messages

Commercial messages are not permitted unless they show respect for the right of the subscribers to enjoy an advertizing-free environment. If you wish to advertize a new commercial product or service, please offer subscribers a clickable link which will direct readers to a web page where the advertizing information is available. This way subscribers can be informed of new commercial products and service, and still be allowed to choose whether they will take advantage of the information. You must forward all commercial announcements to the List Owner, who will post the message on your behalf, providing that it is useful and considerate in its content.

The posting of images...

...IS NOT PERMITTED - at this moment. The reason is that each image must go out to a large number of people, placing a significant burden on the list server, as well as those who do not wish to wait many minutes for a large image file to download. If you wish others to see an image of your carvings, your best option is to post the photo to the WOODCARVER LIST group on Facebook HERE. Alternatively, upload them to your website, or that of a friend, and send a message to the List containing an URL that points to the page where your image is to be found.

Who's Who On The List

The Woodcarver List has been in constant use since 1996, and some of the over 800 members have been on board since the early days. To help new members more quickly "meet" other members, a List Member Who's Who has been established. New members are encouraged to submit a brief biography and photo. Click the link in the index for more information.

Supporting The List

Like any activity, there is a real cost in running the List; ISP fees, network access, software and hardware, and time. For several years the List has been supported by voluntary contributions from List members. After considering several alternatives, including commoercial adversiting, and after consulting with the List Advisory Team, it has been decided to continue the tradition of voluntary contributions. Donations are NOT required and are NOT a subscription fee. The List is always available for you, whether you decide to make a donation or not. If you do wish to donate, click HERE

To view a list of those who have contributed support to the Woodcarver List this year, click HERE

Want to learn more or jump right in and subscribe? Click the links on the left to begin!