All pieces have been sawed out except the dragon or what ever he is called.

   So now I am trying to figure out how to go about carving the small pieces I turned this hunk of maple in to.

 

The object is to cut the pieces apart where by design the saw cracks will disappear. And you might know it I did flub up a few times and it is hard to adapt those places in to something presentable.

 

I never attempted a dragon before so I don't even know what color those things should be?

I'm showing where I'm at right now and there will be lots of shaping and grinding for a few more days.

I'm running out of time on the temporary glue for it don't take long for it will come un glued so to speak. 

The better brands will give a slow poke more time to do the sawing. 

  It will be more shop time when its over 100 so this might go faster than I had originally planned..

And for those who have never tried to scroll saw a piece of paper that is not sticking down is almost impossible to cut accurately.

Edited July 31, 20223 yr by Smallpatch

With your highly intricate cuttings, followed by a great deal of artistic Dremel work, an occasional wandering off the line is never noticed. You're the only one who'll know.

What adhesive do you use to affix your patterns?

Edited July 31, 20223 yr by Gene Howe

2 hours ago, Gene Howe said:

You're the only one who'll know.

 

A sage woodworker once said "I'm the only one who counts!". 

Gene I have used every brand thats sold in the world, I think.  The cheapest is good if you if you can finish sawing in a half day or so...This picture I'm working on will be finished removing the pattern at the end of the third day. Having a pattern coming off in places while you are sawing makes things screwed up. So I use the cheapest there is from wally world and a better brand like 3M.
 I have the wood ready then spray the wood with the stickum and not the pattern. A good reason for that. Most of the things I carve are larger than normal and it takes Bernadette helping to lay the pattern where it needs to go on the wood. I did start out spraying the pattern and I spray them outside and by the time I got to the wood a pattern  or more folded in to itself and ruined it so I had to go and print another.....Since I spray the wood only we haven't screwed up nothing....

 Also I only use Scotch brand clear packing or shipping tape for it does not leave sticky crap here and there like Duck tape did. Shipping tape is more heave duty and works better on large patterns...Every time I used Duck brand I then had to use lacquer thinner or paint thinner to remove the sticky residue. I have never had to use

anything extra to get the clear tape off since I switched brands some time ago.

   If you buy a gross at a time the blades are much cheaper than HD or Lowes and neither carry good blades.

 Gene if you will let the saw do the cutting and don't force the wood like wanting to get things done quicker you can follow the line just fine. 

  The most important thing is watch the blade and keep it straight up and I also think if it runs too slow its not removing the wood like it should do. Also make sure you can tell which way the blade is pointing so keep your good eye on where the blade points and position yourself accordingly. My left shoulder is usually in line with the middle of the saw.

I think I left out I cover the wood with clear packing tape then lay the pattern on.

Monday noon and this thing is going better and I'm still trying to make each piece match up height wise.

 Some of the pieces I have lowered at least 3 times and it looks like I still want more wild grinding, carving to look better.  

  Different angle this time.

Edited August 1, 20223 yr by Smallpatch

Great looking project!  The detail is very intricate.

This is the fifth day counting when we put the pattern on the wood. I am starting to see the finish line soon.

Edited August 3, 20223 yr by Smallpatch

That's a very nice piece, Jesse.

Very unusual Jess!  While I don't do much of anything with dragons I'd say that you sure done justice to this one.  Beautiful!

Cal, this was my first time to even be around a dragon. So yes my introduction to this guy started out with lots of doubts! 

 

And wings, was a big surprise also. Wife had to come in by my request to figure him out! He did finally start talking to us and said he would be happy to stay in the picture so to speak and would not be a distraction.

 

And if we didn't want to see him all the time to just hang him in the closet...........where some of his friends my be hanging around.