Author Topic: Cutting inside letters  (Read 1572 times)

Janis

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Cutting inside letters
« on: April 13, 2014, 04:44:54 pm »
Steve I was so happy to see your pattern Rescue a Greyhound feel the love.  I have started to cut it out but I am having trouble with the letters.  Do you have a video that shows how to cut out those letters?  I am using a #3 Flying Dutchman ultra reverse blade and my saw is at its slowest speed but the blade is going everywhere on the corners. Your videos have been so helpful for me in learning new cuts but I can not find one for this cut.  Thanks for everything you do.

Janis

Offline dirtrider73068

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Re: Cutting inside letters
« Reply #1 on: April 13, 2014, 05:22:24 pm »
What do you mean going everywhere in the corners? Is the tension set right on the blade? When I do corners I go into the corner, back out a little then cut the kerf about a blade and half size bigger in the waste make my turn go in the corner then cut again this gives me good 90 degree corners. Or once you go to your corner pull slightly to the back of the blade and in once swift motion as you are keeping slight pressure on back of blade make your turn. I would suggest making some practice cuts on a scrap, make some marks at 90 degree using a square and practice, once you get the hang of it its easy, I still like doing my first suggestion in  cutting out the waste to make the kerf wider then turn and slide my blade into the corner.

If your blade is wondering your tension might be too loose, on my craftsman saw I like to to tension the blade as tight as I could without breaking it, on the excalibur I can't really make it tight it tensions with a flip of the lever so tension is perfect everytime.

Janis

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Re: Cutting inside letters
« Reply #2 on: April 17, 2014, 04:33:52 pm »
Thanks for the help.  I am doing better but I think the wood I am using is causing a lot of my problems.  Any suggestions for a wood that would work for this pattern?

Janis

Offline EIEIO

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Re: Cutting inside letters
« Reply #3 on: April 17, 2014, 04:45:23 pm »
A tight blade helps a lot in controlling the cut. Those letters are mostly square corners so should be not bad to cut into, back out, then come around the other side for a good square cut.

You didn't say what wood you're using. Ordinary plywood will be a bear with those thin bridges in the characters. Baltic Birch ply should hold up - it has a better core material. I would not even try cedar - it crumbles.

You could substitute a font you like better if that one is giving you trouble. I like Scroll  beach Italic.
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Offline Russ C

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Re: Cutting inside letters
« Reply #4 on: April 21, 2014, 06:45:40 am »
Steve has a regular full time job and tries to have a personal life. Add to that his heavy workload in taking care of his blog, making patterns and videos, answering e-mail.

Unfortunately that does not leave him a lot of time to visit the forum and answer questions here. You might get a faster response e-mailing him.

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dansnow

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Re: Cutting inside letters
« Reply #5 on: May 14, 2014, 03:56:09 pm »
Hi Janis, another thing to try when cutting thin stock is to use a backing sheet. I usually find some inexpensive 1/4" ply and use that as a backing sheet. The extra thickness gives me more control over the blade.

 

SMF

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