91
Pattern Requests. / 1960 Austin-Healey 3000 BN7
« on: June 10, 2013, 09:40:48 pm »
This is a car from my past (not mine, but in the family). It was a pleasure to drive. If anyone is cutting cars, this is a classic.
News: Had a couple issues with the forum today. 1/19/2017. I believe I have them corrected now. Let me know if you have any trouble. Thanks.
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92
Brag Forum / Model A
« on: June 09, 2013, 03:56:50 pm »
I finally got to try cutting the Model A. This is on a piece of 1/4" poplar, 5.25" x 11". My nephew borrowed my heat gun to strip some paint at his house, so I put the cutting in the microwave to soften the glue & get the pattern off. The poplar actually burned in the microwave (both of those burn marks go right through the wood and show up on front and back). Never saw that before. I guess I'll call them "added detail".
Here's also a new gray & red copy of the pattern that might be a little easier to cut. The blade on black was hard to see.
Notice the reflection piece on the door. It is held on by a pretty slim bridge. Luckily the grain was running that direction or it might not have made it. I glued the back on pretty quick.
Here's also a new gray & red copy of the pattern that might be a little easier to cut. The blade on black was hard to see.
Notice the reflection piece on the door. It is held on by a pretty slim bridge. Luckily the grain was running that direction or it might not have made it. I glued the back on pretty quick.
93
Brag Forum / Not scrolling but...
« on: June 07, 2013, 03:58:25 pm »
This is my watercolor copy of an obscure Normal Rockwell painting called "The Mermaid". I'm showing it here because of the frameless, glassless mounting. This was a fairly large painting (18"x21") and adding a mat and frame would have increased it to about 26"x30" - too big for my house.
The backing is a shallow box structure using 1/4" BB Ply as the surface and 1/2"x1" red oak for the structure. The watercolor paper is glued to the BB Ply using Acrylic Gel, and the watercolor is varnished using Krylon Kamar - UV resistant varnish meant for surfacing paintings. I reduced it to 16"x19" by trimming some sky and earth around the edges.
This mounting saves a lot of space, weight, and cost. I have not tried it with any scroll cuts, but it might make a nice contrast mounting.
The backing is a shallow box structure using 1/4" BB Ply as the surface and 1/2"x1" red oak for the structure. The watercolor paper is glued to the BB Ply using Acrylic Gel, and the watercolor is varnished using Krylon Kamar - UV resistant varnish meant for surfacing paintings. I reduced it to 16"x19" by trimming some sky and earth around the edges.
This mounting saves a lot of space, weight, and cost. I have not tried it with any scroll cuts, but it might make a nice contrast mounting.
94
Brag Forum / Business card holder
« on: June 03, 2013, 06:55:49 pm »
Here's a simple business card holder from Steve's CD. I added the initials cut through both top and bottom surfaces. It's made from 3 layers of 1/8" BB Ply, about 2.25x3.75 outside. The middle layer has a rectangle cut out so it forms a U shape to take the business cards.
I gave out cards from this holder at the Lancaster Handmade Market while talking to potential customers about portrait work. I sold 4 of these. Each was customized after the market and sent to the buyers. It cost $0.66 to mail it 1st class in a plain envelope. Top, side, edge views (there is a black card stuck in it to show off the characters). "ZZ" is my trade mark (something to do with snoozing on the couch).
I gave out cards from this holder at the Lancaster Handmade Market while talking to potential customers about portrait work. I sold 4 of these. Each was customized after the market and sent to the buyers. It cost $0.66 to mail it 1st class in a plain envelope. Top, side, edge views (there is a black card stuck in it to show off the characters). "ZZ" is my trade mark (something to do with snoozing on the couch).
95
General Scroll Saw Talk / Banjo
« on: May 29, 2013, 12:20:05 pm »
I've been asked to scroll cut a banjo for someone. They want the ring (the round part that the skin sits on) from Black Walnut and the neck from Maple.
I have a piece of 2" thick x 8" wide black walnut, but the ring needs to be 12" diameter. So I can join boards to get to the width, but then scroll cutting will pass through the joint. I was concerned about the strength of the joint. I will need to stack 2 rings to get the desired depth.
Does anyone have a good suggestion for the side-by-side joint? Maybe finger joints, biskets in the circumference, angle cut the joint at 45 degrees, etc. Or is just a square glued joint strong enough? Should the boards be opposite in grain to minimize warping? How about the stack - should they line up grain-wise, or one be rotated 90 degrees before gluing?
Any thoughts will be appreciated.
I have a piece of 2" thick x 8" wide black walnut, but the ring needs to be 12" diameter. So I can join boards to get to the width, but then scroll cutting will pass through the joint. I was concerned about the strength of the joint. I will need to stack 2 rings to get the desired depth.
Does anyone have a good suggestion for the side-by-side joint? Maybe finger joints, biskets in the circumference, angle cut the joint at 45 degrees, etc. Or is just a square glued joint strong enough? Should the boards be opposite in grain to minimize warping? How about the stack - should they line up grain-wise, or one be rotated 90 degrees before gluing?
Any thoughts will be appreciated.
96
Brag Forum / Nephew's Wedding Part 2
« on: May 27, 2013, 04:36:09 pm »
When I cut the portrait of my nephew and his fiance, I cut a stack of 3. The top and center cuts are mounted on black painted BB Ply. The 3rd cut I used as a stencil to spray fabric paint on 2 t-shirts for the bride and groom. I wanted to paint on pillow cases but the wife nixed that idea.
Anyway, here's how they came out. I used midnight black fabric spray paint from Hobby Lobby, but it came out more like a charcoal gray. I may go back and cut in some text, but my sister wanted the framed version w/o any wording, so that's the stencil so far.
Anyway, here's how they came out. I used midnight black fabric spray paint from Hobby Lobby, but it came out more like a charcoal gray. I may go back and cut in some text, but my sister wanted the framed version w/o any wording, so that's the stencil so far.
97
Brag Forum / Nephew's Wedding
« on: May 27, 2013, 11:21:51 am »
My sister asked for a portrait of my nephew and his fiance for their November wedding. I stack cut 3 of this pattern in 1/8" BB Ply and mounted two on 1/4" BB Ply painted black - one for the couple and the other for my sister. The 3rd cut will be used as a stencil for spray painting some t-shirts. I'll post some pics of the t-shirts later today.
The frame is cut from 3/4" black walnut, with 1/8" maple splines in the corners, treated with BLO+Mineral Spirits and dried overnight. Portrait and frame have 2 coats of spray lacquer.
FYI - I cut the slots for the corner splines on a 10" table saw with 1/8" kerf blade. If you set the top of the 10" blade to 4 1/32" above the table surface, it will put the 45 degree saw cut at about 1/2" above the table surface. Set the fence 1/4" from the blade. With the frame on end and the outside surface against the fence, push the corner 1" into the blade to get a diagonal cut 1" deep on each side of the corner. The oversized 1/8" splines, cut so the grain runs diagonally through the corner, can be glued into the corners, dried, then trimmed with the table or scroll saw and sanded flat. It makes a strong corner joint and is a nice detail on the frame.
The frame is cut from 3/4" black walnut, with 1/8" maple splines in the corners, treated with BLO+Mineral Spirits and dried overnight. Portrait and frame have 2 coats of spray lacquer.
FYI - I cut the slots for the corner splines on a 10" table saw with 1/8" kerf blade. If you set the top of the 10" blade to 4 1/32" above the table surface, it will put the 45 degree saw cut at about 1/2" above the table surface. Set the fence 1/4" from the blade. With the frame on end and the outside surface against the fence, push the corner 1" into the blade to get a diagonal cut 1" deep on each side of the corner. The oversized 1/8" splines, cut so the grain runs diagonally through the corner, can be glued into the corners, dried, then trimmed with the table or scroll saw and sanded flat. It makes a strong corner joint and is a nice detail on the frame.
98
Pattern Requests. / wooden knife sheath?
« on: May 21, 2013, 09:51:55 pm »
Have any of you seen a method for design and build of a fixed-blade knife sheath in wood? I've seen methods with leather and the thermoplastic materials, but they generally include forming the material to the blade/handle. Lots of sheaths are made from rigid plastics, so maybe a rigid wood structure would work as well? Maybe a wood that matches the handle material?
Thanks for the help.
Thanks for the help.
99
General Scroll Saw Talk / Beating a dead horse?
« on: May 13, 2013, 06:52:33 pm »
At the risk of sounding dumb, I have a question about food-safe finishing (yes, again). I've seen several posts that talk about BLO plus Mineral Spirits to bring out the color in a piece. Then I've seen posts saying that Mineral Oil is food safe.
Is BLO a mineral oil?
Is the BLO+MS followed by wax a food-safe finish?
How about BLO+MS followed by lacquer?
How about BLO+MS followed by shellac?
I've heard on this site that hard finishes like lacquer, shellac, or urethane are food-safe once they have lost their odor, but if you dig your fork into the salad bowl and scratch that hard surface, will the underlying BLO+MS be any issue? If so, what is an acceptable substitute?
Is BLO a mineral oil?
Is the BLO+MS followed by wax a food-safe finish?
How about BLO+MS followed by lacquer?
How about BLO+MS followed by shellac?
I've heard on this site that hard finishes like lacquer, shellac, or urethane are food-safe once they have lost their odor, but if you dig your fork into the salad bowl and scratch that hard surface, will the underlying BLO+MS be any issue? If so, what is an acceptable substitute?
100
Brag Forum / Knife #3
« on: May 11, 2013, 11:22:18 pm »
OK - last knife posting for a while. This is #3 for the June 1 market. It is a longer drop point with a heavier blade and stainless trim rather than brass, finished with Purple heart scales. It has a guard, but not the protective finger guard like #1 and #2 had. The stainless tube in the lanyard hole is a lot harder to finish than the brass on #1 and #2. Grinding it down, it gets hot enough to burn the wood.
I shaped this handle, then buffed with red rouge - it makes a nice finish, but it looks less purple than when I started.
Comments or recommendations are welcome.
I shaped this handle, then buffed with red rouge - it makes a nice finish, but it looks less purple than when I started.
Comments or recommendations are welcome.
101
General Scroll Saw Talk / Dollar puzzle
« on: May 10, 2013, 10:27:34 pm »
One of Steve's catalog patterns is a Dollar Bill Jigsaw Puzzle. He glues a dollar bill to a piece of 1/4" BB Ply then cuts it into a bunch of pieces.
Does anyone know if there is any legal issue with doing this? I know you cannot deface currency for the purpose of changing its denomination (e.g. can't change a $1 to a $10) but this project would not do that (although you'd hope it is worth more than $1 when you're done!)
Any thoughts?
Does anyone know if there is any legal issue with doing this? I know you cannot deface currency for the purpose of changing its denomination (e.g. can't change a $1 to a $10) but this project would not do that (although you'd hope it is worth more than $1 when you're done!)
Any thoughts?
102
The Coffee Shop / Fire Walk
« on: May 10, 2013, 12:14:54 am »
My son recently landed the job of his dreams at Roaring Camp, a site in Santa Cruz County, CA, that features steam locomotive trips up into an old growth Redwood forest in open train passenger cars. The site was a logging camp back in the 1800s and quite famous. He switches off as switch man, brakeman, conductor, and fireman on this train.
Last week they had a wedding party on his train. They brought the party to the top of the mountain where they were married in the majestic Redwood forest. As they were getting ready to return to the station for the reception, they got a radio call that there was a forest fire below them. They were at the end of their track, and could not wait it out since the fire would come up the mountain to them. They hustled the wedding party on board and got them all laying under the benches in the cars. They then ran full speed down the mountain through the fire. He was told that they passed through temperatures as high as 800 degrees.
At the bottom of the mountain there is a wooden trestle with a sharp curve just outside the station. The train could not take that curve at speed, so as they neared the curve the brakes were slammed. The party and crew were all slid along the flood to the front of the cars and to the side as they hit the curve. They managed to get the bunch safely to the station, with the bride, groom, wedding party, and guests covered in floor dirt, gum from under the benches, and soot from the fire. They all adjourned to the dance hall and had the greatest reception in the history of train weddings, and added a heck of a story to the tour portfolio at Roaring Camp.
The crew is now required to make an end-of-day fire walk from the mountain top to the station. The picture below is my son on that curved wooden trestle, making the Fire Walk with a shovel over his shoulder. If you look closely, he is grinning ear to ear, but not for the photographer. He just loves his job.
Last week they had a wedding party on his train. They brought the party to the top of the mountain where they were married in the majestic Redwood forest. As they were getting ready to return to the station for the reception, they got a radio call that there was a forest fire below them. They were at the end of their track, and could not wait it out since the fire would come up the mountain to them. They hustled the wedding party on board and got them all laying under the benches in the cars. They then ran full speed down the mountain through the fire. He was told that they passed through temperatures as high as 800 degrees.
At the bottom of the mountain there is a wooden trestle with a sharp curve just outside the station. The train could not take that curve at speed, so as they neared the curve the brakes were slammed. The party and crew were all slid along the flood to the front of the cars and to the side as they hit the curve. They managed to get the bunch safely to the station, with the bride, groom, wedding party, and guests covered in floor dirt, gum from under the benches, and soot from the fire. They all adjourned to the dance hall and had the greatest reception in the history of train weddings, and added a heck of a story to the tour portfolio at Roaring Camp.
The crew is now required to make an end-of-day fire walk from the mountain top to the station. The picture below is my son on that curved wooden trestle, making the Fire Walk with a shovel over his shoulder. If you look closely, he is grinning ear to ear, but not for the photographer. He just loves his job.
103
Brag Forum / Cherry Basket
« on: May 09, 2013, 11:40:43 pm »
This basket is for the June 1 handmade market in Lancaster Ohio. It is 10" diameter, 4" tall, finished with Howard's Butcher Block Conditioner. It's cut from a piece of 3/4+" cherry scrapped out by our local cabinet shop - nice color and grain. I'm trying to finish 2 items per day through May to have for sale.
My niece tells me I need some smaller baskets that will fit a Liberty Candle (need to figure out what that is) but this one should make a nice bread basket for a big family dinner.
Any idea of a reasonable price to set on it?
My niece tells me I need some smaller baskets that will fit a Liberty Candle (need to figure out what that is) but this one should make a nice bread basket for a big family dinner.
Any idea of a reasonable price to set on it?
104
Brag Forum / Knife#2 for the June 1 sale
« on: May 09, 2013, 02:54:02 pm »
Here's the 2nd of 3 knives in the works for June 1. This one has an Indonesian Longan Berry (Rambutan) handle with brass accents. The scale were ripped from a pen blank I had in the drawer.
105
Brag Forum / Kit Knife
« on: May 08, 2013, 04:12:08 pm »
This knife is from KnifeKits.com. Thanks Tommy for the lead. It is a Drop Point Cub with brass guard. http://www.knifekits.com/vcom/product_info.php?cPath=2_389&products_id=4090.
Overall length is 6 5/8"; hollow ground blade length is 2 3/4". The handle is 1/4" Yucatan Rosewood finished with Feed-N-Wax. It has a brass lanyard hole. I skipped the handle pins; used epoxy to connect the handle.
The knife costs $11.95 each if you buy 2; the sheath is $6.95 ea. This is the 1st knife kit I've built. Can it sell for $40? I guess we'll see June 1st.
