Making a clay model and then cutting it?
Poplar is a fine grained hardwood that is not too hard and is available at most home centers and many hardware stores in the same bins in moderate sizes that have oak, maple, etcwhich are much harderBut unless you feel you need oversized tools for shoving large amounts of clay - which is usually done with the hands - there are so many choices of tool shape at ceramic supply places, some of which would qualify you as a master wood carver if you could make them, that it hardly seems worth itBut then, I am the guy who took a 2 square of 1/16 brass and cut the edges to make a handy tool for fine working that would not look threatening when taking on a plane a plastic container of clay with disk plaques for mounting.
