roughcutting a fleur-de-lis sculpture with a Stihl MSE-140 electric chainsaw. A good electric chainsaw is one of the main tools in my ice sculpting toolbox.
significant update started 8/3/23 and has been continuing. This update is going to take a while as I’m going to add pics and update all the related posts that branch off of this post. For a bit, not all the links that should be here will be working, since I have to have a coherent post on the other end of the link and not all of them have been added to the site. There’s A LOT here as this post is about 5x longer than the average post on the site. Thanks for your patience!
my ice sculpting toolbox
Other ice sculptors and aspiring ones often ask me what kinds of tools that I use for my ice sculpting. I can totally relate to this, because I’ll do the same thing and I’ve even been guilty of taking pics of a carver’s tool set up when they’re at a competition. So it seemed to make sense to put together this entry. I’m not sure why I didn’t quite a while back, actually.
I can’t remember a time when all of my tools have been in the same box, not even when I’ve been traveling for a competition. (Think of the overweight charge some airline would have hit me with for that box!) So my ice sculpting toolbox is more of a virtual toolbox than an actual one. This entry is definitely subject to change. It’ll change as I add or take tools from the toolbox. So keep checking back!
ice tongs
You can’t do much ice sculpting if you can’t move your ice blocks around and you’ll need tongs at some point. I’ve had my old black ice tongs longer than I’ve had any tool in my ice sculpting toolbox. I’ve lost them a few times, but luckily always found them again. (I’m pretty sure it’s the same pair 🤔)
Incidentally, I have NEVER sharpened them in over 20 years but they hold better than any other tongs that I ever remember using. Ice tongs can actually be too sharp, and therefore bite too deeply into the ice, kind of like grasping ice picks. Obviously, though, they have to be sharp enough to grab and hold the ice firmly.
Also I think, like many other tools, that you have to get used to a pair of ice tongs and you certainly have to trust them, unless you don’t care too much about your toes and feet. If you ever do much stacking of ice blocks, like at a competition or for a large display, you generally need two pairs of reliable ice tongs, one for each person lifting.
All the tongs I have are the Boston-style tongs; I have a black pair and at least one red pair. I trust both, but I trust the black pair more. (Note: I NEVER let the tips hit anything but wood or ice and I remember being pretty upset at a friend who tossed them across a cement floor, thinking they were the ice house’s beat up ice tongs!)
nailboard
The nailboard is a vital tool that I use all the time, practically on every sculpture. It’s fantastic for quickly flattening a surface, which can then be perfected with aluminum plate (see later in the list). A while back, I posted an entry on nailboards and mine is a Brice nailboard which you should be able to get here.
small nailboard
I don’t use this tool a whole lot (partly since I’ve “temporarily misplaced” the one I have), but it’s great for clearing off a little snow from a sculpture during set up. (I’ll sometimes freeze a thin layer of snow over snowfilled pieces to protect them during transport to the event. It’s HOT 🔥 down here!) I haven’t used it a ton, but I like it enough that I expect that I’ll use it more in the future, especially if I can un-misplace it 😬 Either that, I’m going to buy another and I’m currently trying to figure out if I can get one from Icecrafters or Iceculture.
electric chainsaw: longer bar
Currently, I use a Makita electric saw as my main chainsaw. I used to say here that I was dedicated to Stihl chainsaws, and I was, until I had a trigger problem happen more than once. In itself, that wouldn’t have been a big deal, but the repair cost was too much to bear more than once, so I switched to Makita. I haven’t had much trouble with my current saw and I’ll post more about it soon.
Choosing a chainsaw can be a big deal for an ice sculptor. I’ve liked Makitas for a long time. I just usually liked Stihls better, but now that’s changed. (I still like Stihls though!)
electric chainsaw: shorter bar
For my light and little chainsaw, as of late, I’ve been using a Makita battery chainsaw. I’ll go look at it and get the model number and everything. For a little while, it was my primary saw. But I got sick of the shorter bar and switched back to a regular electric Makita chainsaw. (see above)
Alaskan mill
I use an old Stihl E20 that I got off of eBay with my Alaskan mill. I’ll have more info on this shortly. Probably a post soon too. Can be very important…
Makita GE0600 die grinder
This might the most widespread tool among ice sculptors, except I guess for chainsaws. Lightweight, generally reliable, and surprisingly powerful, many ice sculptors have more than one of these. I have about five or six. (I say “about” because one or two of them aren’t working.) For a while, Makita discontinued the GD0600, but they seem to have a new version of it now. Below, I’ve listed the bits that I typically use for ice sculpting in my die grinders.
actually, neither of these die grinders are the GE0600. The top one is the GD0601 and the bottom one is a GD0603. But I still do use GE0600s. Anyway, the bottom grinder has a 7 degree cone end mill and the top has a 1/2″ straight end mill. Both super useful!
7 degree cone end mill (on my GE0600)
The 7 degree cone end mill is featured in an entry and video on the site. The video is also on YouTube. Get one from Icecrafters. This is probably my goto bit when I want to add most of the detail for a sculpture. Except for the tiniest details, I’m almost always detailing with this bit.
10 degree cone end mill (on my GE0600)
The 10 degree cone end mill is featured in an entry and video on the site. The video is also on YouTube. Get one here. I REALLY like this bit for doing something you might not expect: removing paper templates that are frozen on. It’s also great for shaping.
1/2 inch straight end mill (on my GE0600)
Ok, this is one where I need to get you more info, but I use this all the time. You can see an example in the die grinder pic above.
1/4" straight end mill (on my GE0600)
I’ll get more info on this shortly.
Makita GD0800 die grinder
This is kind of a heavy duty version of the GE0600 mentioned above. As ice sculpting tools get more aggressive, the additional power that this tool offers is more often required. I primarily use a bullet burr on mine (see below). Get one here. (not yet working link 🤨)
bullet burr (on my GD0800)
Get a bullet burr here. (not yet working link 🤬)
DeWalt angle grinder
Angle grinders are great for quickly smoothing and rounding surfaces. I use a very aggressive disc on mine and the reason that I like the DeWalt grinder is that it has a paddle switch. My angle grinders is one of the scariest tools in my ice sculpting toolbox and I like the idea that this one will shut off (most of the time) if I let it go. A downside is that this grinder seems heavier than others and I think it puts more wear on my hands and wrists than other tools.
burr grinder disc (on my angle grinder)
More info would probably help here, right? Plus a link?
Dremel tool with ice needle
The Dremel tool with ice needle is featured in an entry (I think I may need to still work on that.) and video on the site. The video is also on YouTube. (The ice needle shows up near the end.) However, this tool is currently a little problematic because the ice needle supplier at Icecrafters changed. Once this is resolved, you’ll definitely want to get this set up if you don’t already have it because the ice needle is fantastic for doing small engraving. It’s like a very small end mill bit with a sharp tip at the end. It’s easy to break the tip off, unfortunately, but this usually doesn’t affect the bit’s cutting ability much.
I will frequently take my Dremel and ice needle with me to set ups, just in case something needs to be touched up somehow. (I have a frequent waking nightmare that I will have somehow engraved the wrong names or monogram into a sculpture, so the Dremel and ice needle are kind of my security blanket during set ups. At least I might be able to fix it if actually happened someday. So far it never has; knock on wood!)
cnc machine
Yeah, this one doesn’t fit in a toolbox. Ok fine, so it’s in a box, but it’s a really big box! This is a major tool in the modern ice sculpting toolbox. In fact, I have a whole section on this tool that I’m slowly expanding.
flat, gouge, and v-chisels
I like Japanese-made Misono or Hiryu chisels and I’ve collected a number of them over the years. But Japanese ice sculpting chisels aren’t the only game in town. Especially recently, I’ve seen some intriguing chisel sets. Regardless, I suck at sharpening them, so I’ll sometimes send them away to Michael Pizzuto for sharpening and fine tuning. And then when I get them back, they’re awesome! (Also, Ice Crafters sells a number of flat and v-chisels; take a look at some chisels here.) I’m slowly working on my sharpening set up and skills though; if I don’t fall off a cliff or something ☠️, I’ll likely detail my progress in an upcoming entry.
small flat chisels
These are the simple narrow wood chisels that you can get at any hardware store and are used to clear out small sections of ice while doing white-on-ice engraving or removing small amounts of ice from three dimensional pieces.
Junichi saw
Check out this entry featuring this extremely useful yet relatively inexpensive useful tool. I have several of these because I’m always using them. Get a small keyhole saw that can be converted into a Junichi saw here.
ice pick
Check the link for an entry featuring this useful tool. Get lots here. Don’t murder anyone with one! ☠️🤬😱
six prong ice pick (or PICKLE FORK!)
Ok, the six prong is a VERY old school ice sculpting tool. When I was first learning ice sculpting in New Mexico, it was one of the first tools I used. And it’s kind of terrible, especially if you get one with the super dull tips. If you get one that’s like 6 ice picks lined up in a row though, then it’s ok. That one is kinda useful, and it’s cheap! But watch out for your knuckles! My first ice sculpting teacher, Victor Rede, I think put a long handle on one and that solved the knuckles problem.
pickle fork or shear chisel
My thinking here is WRONG, but what I think of as the new and improved version of the six prong is the pickle fork! (Who comes up with these names?! 🤪) It’s awesome!
The pickle fork, or shear chisel, is much more closely related to chisels than six prongs. It’s actually a modified chisel, really. It also appears to be a tool unique to ice sculpting, like the nailboard, earlier in this post. I mean there are other tools and implements, like forks that you use to snag pickles, that have the same name, but none so far that seem to have related functions.
According to Johnathan Harvey Russell of Iceman Tools, “The ice carving pickle fork or “Shear Chisel” is believed to have first been crafted by Mongolian carvers. Who put old, worn-out sheep shear razors on a chisel handle and gave them a chisel bevel. The spacing and cutting geometry of the teeth lend to greatly reduced effort, I’d say almost half, compared to a standard chisel. The downside is the texture left behind, unless this is something desired. These tools are meant for heavy stock removal and greatly reduce carver fatigue.”
now this is not the same pickle fork that I have; this one is bigger and designed to have a detachable head for travel. Mine is smaller but works great!
t-scribes or other layout jigs or whatever you call them
Ok, this is an Iceculture tool. You can even see “Iceculture” on the shiny part. I use it all the time, even with my CNC. I’ll get into that later and see if I can also find out where you can currently get them, if you can. In the meantime, you can check out the DIY score stick.
medium aluminum plate
(listed as a large aluminum plate at Icecrafters.com)
Here’s an important blog entry featuring this unusual ice sculpting tool. Aluminum plate is a crucial part of the modern ice sculpting toolbox. Get the right size plate here.
small aluminum plate
Again, here’s the article on using aluminum plate to weld ice. Get the plate I’m talking about here.
an iron
This is evidently one of the most surprising additions to an ice sculpting toolbox. I get more comments about using an iron at set up than anything else. I also have an article on the site about it here.
Makita electric blower
Super useful, especially now with a CNC! Check the link for a post featuring this awesome tool.
foam
Not like shaving foam! Give me a minute and I’ll explain…
handsaw
Also awesome for protection late at night in a dark alley…
propane torch
Do not mix with the butane stuff later down the list. Embarrassing story to be revealed later!
yes, I know the one on the left isn’t a torch. But I use a heat gun for some of the same things.
magic marker
Markers are only useful when you’re cutting in the freezer because they won’t really write on melting ice. I use them to mark cut lines, designate certain blocks for certain sculptures, and even write reminder notes to myself to keep me from making mistakes. For example, I might write “Don’t cut this!” at a crucial support spot. Or I might use different colored markers for different cut depths.
Not all markers write well on ice, however, so it’s important to pick the right ones. Office supply stores might have markers that are specially designed for use in the cold, but sometimes you can tell by the way they’re generally marked. Often, they’ll be marked with lines on the barrel of the marker. (Sharpie and other manufacturers, however, seem to have recently changed these markers and now they’re not as effective. I believe they removed xylene from the markers.)
But if you don’t want to go through the hassle of trying to find the right kind, then just get a special Japanese marker here. (not yet working link 🤮) (In this case, you can get any color you want, as long as it’s red.)
butane (or gum freeze)
Here’s a post about this widely available refrigerant/fire hazard. Plus it touches on a couple of others.
brushes
Brushes for brushing snow and ice off of your ice, your work area, yourself, and then your tools. And then also little brushes for ice painting, which I don’t use so much to “paint” as I do to corral and redirect wayward bits of colored sand.
syringes (water squirters? I don't like "syringe.")
These are larger syringes than the ones that are used, say, when you get a shot at the doctor. By the way, we need a better word than “syringe,” since that one makes you think of doctor visits and drug habits. Plus, some of the larger ones look more like air pumps or water guns than syringes actually. But they’re primarily used during welding to direct the flow of water. Especially when your ice is colder than about 15 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s very important to control the amount and direction of your weld water.
Excess water (and therefore heat) can cause thermal fractures on cold ice, and using a syringe to lessen the amount of weld water that you need can help to prevent this. It also controls the mess, as whatever water you apply is going to freeze if you’re working in a freezer.
A “water delivery system” like one of these can help you get water to all parts of a weld and is also useful when you’re freezing snow into engraved ice. Get a smaller syringe at Wal Mart in the kitchen tools section, a bigger water gun in the summer toys section, or get a specialty version just for ice sculpting.
Brice bubble bits
Check the link for an entry featuring these innovative bits. Get them here. Note that you will probably need an adapter to use these bits to “bubble up?” your sculptures. That’s because these bits are generally made from wood-drilling spade bits and they don’t have a 1/4″ shaft like many other die grinder bits. (But a lot of die grinder bits for ice sculpting need adapters anyway, so get used to it!)
links and stuff
Yes, I get that this post is probably still a relatively small trash can fire 🔥 of dead links. But I’m WORKING on it and most of them actually work now. Anyway, despite that, this post is listed on the ice sculpting techniques page, the ice sculpting tools page, and you could also find photos and info from this entry on the ice sculpting secrets Instagram account or the facebook page. You can comment there as well as below. And if it won’t LET you comment below, then definitely comment on fb and/or IG. Thanks!
