Popular Post Smallpatch Posted May 17, 2019 Popular Post Report Share Posted May 17, 2019 (edited) Went to the big town this morning, got home about noon. Why not make more state puzzles. Only this time I printed out one pattern and made two puzzles...I nailed 2 1/4" bb plywoods together and cut them out in the same amount of time it takes to cut one out...I did use Scotch brand clear packing tape on the wood before I sprayed it with stickum. For the guys who uses Duck brand tape and you are getting all kinds of sticky stuff left on the wood that someone has to clean off then try Scotch Brand. A little more money but the clear tape is the reason I use it so I don't have to work to get the wood back clean again so I can continue with other things..There are a few different types of Scotch brand and the thinnest is not good for it will tear up while removing it off the wood... It is a good idea to remove the pattern pieces as soon as you get the sawing finished for the longer you wait the harder it is to remove. I used about 15 small brads in places around the pattern where the saw blade wouldn't hit to keep the 2 pieces of wood together while I cut out the states and I do pre drill some small holes smaller than the size of brads I used so it would be easier to pull the wood apart after I finished sawing.. The brads were .40 so I use a .37 drill bit for the pilot holes. I make sure all the pieces from the top board stays together and likewise the bottom board pieces stays together.. This is easiest enough to do for the top board will have the pattern attached.. Cutting out two puzzles on the scroll saw is the same amount of time as cutting one puzzle... Especially for a young scroll sawer, and say you are fixing to order a fancy pattern for a fret work clock maybe in the 25 to 40 dollar range it would be wise the take that pattern down to a printing supply and have at least two copies made of that one clock...Then file the original and use one you got printed to build the clock.... Then later when someone sees it and ask you to build them one you just saved some money for you still have the original and another for that next clock....I have never used any plans I've ordered from any of the scroll saw companies but I have made a few of most of the patterns I have bought... For these state puzzles I just find a picture on the computer then save that picture to my computer... then I send that picture to Rapid Resizer so that program can tell the printer what size pattern it wants the printer to make.... I use the cheapest printer Walmart had on sale when my other printer wore out.. Edited May 17, 2019 by Smallpatch DuckSoup, p_toad, Gunny and 5 others 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuckSoup Posted May 18, 2019 Report Share Posted May 18, 2019 15 hours ago, Smallpatch said: I have never used any plans I've ordered from any of the scroll saw companies but I have made a few of most of the patterns I have bought... Great tip on the stack cutting. I cut Xmas gift tags out of luan & let the kids paint them, I can do 6 at a time. I have done the same and created a master pattern folder. Just copy what you need. I've gone as far as marking the type of wood & the time it takes from start to finish. FlGatorwood, Cal and Harry Brink 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Howe Posted May 18, 2019 Report Share Posted May 18, 2019 Great idea, Bob. Cal and FlGatorwood 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Smallpatch Posted May 18, 2019 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted May 18, 2019 Bob, how did you come up with a name Duck Soup? A chef or something? You have made a good point for scroll sawers to think about...keep a journal of all the problems you encountered on each project... I bought a Dewalt 788 in 99 when I retired and now can't remember some of the problems I ran into in those early days. One bad thing was I listened to the so called veterans who had lots of advise using a scroll saw.... When I started sawing all the fretwork clocks I built I made two of the same at a time. These were the larger clocks with lots of individual pieces. I made 4 of the one on the left and 2 of the one on the right...I was convinced by the other professionals the only way to build these things was with solid hardwood and never use plywood.....So I bought every machine there is so I could buy solid hardwood and resaw it to the thickness the patterns called for...lots of work to get that wood thin and smooth ready for the patterns....we still have a clock of the one on the left but is a green stain. Nothing wrong with the color but all the ends of the wood sticking out past any of the braces is warped. The small clock of the right is warped also. Danl ask me to make him a set of the 12 Days of Christmas some time ago for his wife since he was tied up with some kind of splints and braces on his arm for some dumb reason and couldn't even comb his hair. I got the patterns and it was just as easy to make 2 sets as one so I sent him both sets. I wonder what he did with the other set....They must have liked what I sent for he sent about 10 times more cash than what I was expecting... I think I ordered most all the larger items Wildwood Designs use to sell. Some of the pattern sets I still haven't made yet like the big buffet and a large set of shelves from floor to the ceiling type all being made with fretwork... Wildwood use to have the greatest selection for any very advanced scroller but since they merged with Cherry Tree lots of the patterns have disappeared... Hey, anytime anyone thinks of things that helped them become better at scrolling bring it up for others to learn by....Just like using the right packing tape can save lots of labor removing it with the pattern after all the sawing has been done is very important to me..The only time the Scotch brand tape leaves any of the stickum on the wood is when a person sits in the same place a little too long while sawing the wood.. the extra heat the blade makes in that place will melt some of the stickum in the one area.. So remember, keep the blade moving forward of backwards at all times even when you are thinking what to do... p_toad, DuckSoup, Artie and 3 others 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Gene Howe Posted May 18, 2019 Popular Post Report Share Posted May 18, 2019 Jesse, you should write a book. You've probably got more knowledge, skill and experience than most authors in the field. FlGatorwood, Cal, Artie and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuckSoup Posted May 18, 2019 Report Share Posted May 18, 2019 Jess the clocks look great. I always wanted to do an Apostles clock that Wildwood has a pattern for. I purchased several books by Patrick Spielman, then my mother in-law told me I can just go to the library and get the books for free & copy the patterns I wanted. That's pretty much when I had the idea for a pattern book. I remember when you did the 12 days, its a nice pattern and yours came out great. As for Ducksoup, its a life long love of the Marx Brothers movies. Cal, FlGatorwood, p_toad and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunny Posted May 19, 2019 Report Share Posted May 19, 2019 Some beautiful clocks!! FlGatorwood and Cal 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Smallpatch Posted May 19, 2019 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted May 19, 2019 Bob your mother in law was right and wrong. Things like this I used a picture from one of the scroll saw magazines then enlarged it with Rapid Resizer to about 12" long up from about two or three inches long in the catalog.. I don't think the library would want you to cut out some of the pictures you are wanting to print. I have tried to lay a page of a book on the printer screen but it never did a good flat imagine to suit me so I visit the half price book stores in the Dallas, Fort Worth areas for pictures to enlarge for my projects. I think I have the Apostle pattern but never ordered the men who went with it for an extra price... I never made it or a few of the other large mantle clocks for I ran out of room to display any more. There are lots of pieces to the large fretwork clocks and the library would be no help. Like I mentioned before Baltic Birch plywood will keep its shape indoors forever where thin solid wood will warp with the seasons... I do my own thing when it comes to coloring my projects... Just what ever hits me at the time..and since these state maps are for younger kids, I want them to be interested enough to impress the older crowd so I try lots of different things to catch their eyes. These are larger than that last map I finished making by 1 1/4" wider....I had forgotten what size I put in on Rapid Resizer before I hit print. These are not to impress the Democrats or the Republicans but hopefully the young crowd will like them. Artie, DuckSoup, FlGatorwood and 3 others 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Gene Howe Posted May 19, 2019 Popular Post Report Share Posted May 19, 2019 There's one guy who might complain that you are 7 states short. Come to think of it, that guy was probably born in one of those missing seven. FlGatorwood, p_toad, Gunny and 3 others 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuckSoup Posted May 20, 2019 Report Share Posted May 20, 2019 Read a lot of positive reviews for the rapid resizer. I may have to try it out. I like you have found over time that solid material isn't always the best choice. Good tip on the second hand book stores I'll have to look for one in my area. As always Jess, great looking pieces. FlGatorwood and Cal 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smallpatch Posted May 20, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2019 Bob you will need a printer if you install Rapid Resizer and here while back my old printer hit the trash basket and I replaced it with the cheapest printer Walmart had on sale 20.00. This is what it does when making much larger pictures than what I stored of the computer... It does make the small dotted lines showing where to cut with scissors just like the most expensive printer does..then tape it together front and back to glue on to the clear Scotch brand packing tape I install over the prepared wood . I do spray the stickum on to the top of the clear packing tape. This way after cutting out the pieces all the pattern can be removed without leaving any sticky residue on the wood.....Duck brand will leave sticky residue on much of the wood is the reason I use Scotch Brand. They do make many different types of packing tape and I do use the heavy duty shipping tape for it comes off with out tearing to pieces like the thinnest Scotch does... Also after finding a picture on the internet always make that picture as large as possible before sending it to you computer...ensuring clearer lines to follow after you have Rapid Resizer enlarge the picture up to the preferred size. Some of the carving pictures I save gets real fuzzy when I enlarge them but when carving things no one but you knows if it was cut out following the lines with a scroll saw before you started carving the pieces or not.... I never use anything but Baltic Birch plywood . Only one place in Abilene, Tx carries BB and only in 1/2 and 3/8". I do use 1/8" and 1/4" a lot and have to order it from Woodworkers Source in Arizona and I have my choice of cut up sizes they have to cut up those 5 by 5' pieces before they can ship them so I have them cut all the pieces in to 20 x 30" pieces. Freight is terrible so I wait till I can afford a train load at a time. The next shipment will be in Nov. 2028. My daughter lives in Austin, tx and she found a cabinet shop who had lots of cut offs for a bargain. She called me and asked if I could use pieces that are about 15 x 30" ,, lots of them and she said she ask if they were Baltic Birch and the owner said that is all they use..... I hate to tell my daughter she was another victim. FlGatorwood and Cal 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Howe Posted May 20, 2019 Report Share Posted May 20, 2019 Good Lord. That is pure crap. That guy needs a world map! Vietnam is a long ways from the Baltic. Out of curiosity, I checked Woodworkers source in Tucson. 20 ea. 20" X30" sheets weighs 40 lbs and shipping (I used Waco TX) is $48.35 and the total with shipping is $118.53. Is that any help? FlGatorwood, Cal and Artie 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cal Posted May 21, 2019 Report Share Posted May 21, 2019 19 hours ago, Smallpatch said: I hate to tell my daughter she was another victim. She is not the only victim here Jess... FlGatorwood 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smallpatch Posted May 21, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2019 Gene occasionally they pay the freight if enough is ordered. This was the most important part of my story and I left it out. The last free freight shipment I got was when we were staying the three months in a Fun Valley, Colo. RV park... This lumber yard in Abilene, tx that stocks 1/2 and 3/8" BB will order the 1/8 and 1/4" free shipping to their store if I can wait till they make a regular order of BB if I order 10 sheets at a time... Thanks for the Waco tip. I can drive the pickup for a load cheaper that what they charge for freight and visit my kids in Austin while going that direction... Also I need to check all the lumber yards in the Dallas, Fort Worth area some one probably stocks all the BB sizes. Abilene only stocks the 5 x 5' sheets. When we lived in Odessa, tx and was going to Las Vegas every Super Bowl weekend Tucson and Phoenix was on our way. Then after moving to Breckenridge, tx we go a different route.. We also miss the beautiful scenery between Phoenix and Kingman. Somebody sure took a long time to stack all those small river rocks up like that....on a couple of years in a row they were installing some big electric transmission lines on top of those boulders... I thought how many guys changed their jobs after the first week of climbing over those rocks and there was always a few Helicopters floating around somewhere. Cal and FlGatorwood 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smallpatch Posted May 21, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2019 Wow how time do pass.. I just now checked back to my records and its been over ten years ago on the free freight and I'll bet things were cheaper then... FlGatorwood, Gene Howe and Cal 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Howe Posted May 21, 2019 Report Share Posted May 21, 2019 Yep. Much cheaper. The site I mentioned has the 20X30 pieces at $6.79 for 5 plus. They might deal on a large order. But, $6.79 seems pretty pricey, to me. BTW, I only used Waco to figure shipping because I didn't know your zip code. Cal and FlGatorwood 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smallpatch Posted May 21, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2019 Gene you forgot to mention what thickness plywood are you talking about. woodworkers source has a deal if you buy 5 total sheets of 5 x5' at a time. They will cut them 20x30 or any number of sizes..If you pick them up at one of their stores either in Tucson or Phoenix. 1/8" is 2.40 a sheet of 20 x 30" You would be getting 30 sheets of 20 x 30" to get this price. 1/4" = 3. 25 3/8" = 4.25 1/2" = 5.09 3/4" = 8.07 FlGatorwood and Cal 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Howe Posted May 21, 2019 Report Share Posted May 21, 2019 My bad. I was always referring to 1/8" BB. Sounds like you got their good prices. Shipping would be a killer, I'd imagine. Cal and FlGatorwood 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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