Smallpatch

Dave I do want to make it clear for I use 2 different hose set ups for the auto shop working and wood working. Also I counter sink the screw holes to attach the backer board and the loose pieces back together. The drill bits I use are a hair smaller than the diameter of the sheet metal screws . To determine what size bits I hold the drill behind and only a very small amount of threads should show from both sides of the bit. I use sheet metal screws and not tapered screws because the sheet metal screws are the same diameter from top to bottom not counting the ends as they are tapered. Those are # 4 and # 6 bits by 1/2" and 1" are the size I use for the backer boards which determines the widths of the backer boards

Dave I never use an oil injector in the air line for wood working but I do have it on the mechanic type of my work tools. I only put two or three drops of 30 weight motor oil every three months or so but no more. And I do use a water trap. And no I don't drain the pressure tank but about once a year.. I have heard guys drains their tanks every week or so but if they was to think about it there is moisture on the entire insides and just draining what little water there is in the bottom sure ain't gonna stop the rusting from happening. The little straight die grinders are much harder to keep under control where the pistol grip model is shorter and the L shape makes it much easier on my muscles. I like to start with the course 1" round Saburr bit with the 1/4" shaft and it does take a lot to control but much easier than anything else I can think of. All of the pistol models have the 1/4"collet chuck so the bits won't go sailing across the shop.

Yes Gene, I like to leave the pattern on for its a guide for where to start carving then the depth is up to you....I have found the deeper you go the better it will look after you finish. But each part will get more carving as the other pieces are carved to match up the sides as to the amount of depth. Attach the backer board in all four corners and they need to be counter sunk for the board to slide around on the scroll saw. I also sand off any stray sticks so the wood slides easy. I start with the wood I prepared then put down some Scotch brand shipping tape. Scotch has lots of different tapes for different uses.. I prefer shipping tape for it seems to work better than the lighter weight stuff The other brand of tape leaves lots of glue on the wood to be removed with lacquer thinner so the reason I use Scotch brand.. I then spray the glue on to the tape...Then lay down the pattern... I have found if I put the glue on to the pattern it might end up sticking itself together before you ever get to install the pattern....I learned the hard way and had to go to the house and print out another pattern...I always print out 2 patterns for I have to have something to go by when most of the first pattern has been ground away... Actually I print out three patterns and file one away for later use if someone wants one like I already made. ..After the pattern has been installed now you can tell where the screws go to hold the center peice against the backer board...T These screws holding the backer board against the center piece of the most important thing of the whole project. I usually put 5 to 10 screws in the middle piece of wood for every thing will go back against the center piece after the carving and pieces finished. Then after all the carving has been finished and the coating is applied , the center piece will be glued to the backer board with the screws. Lots of times I put screws in to the outside pieces as well as I saw away from the outside of each piece. But I have found if I flood the areas with glue the pieces will stay where they are put around the center piece. I do like to use Aleene's glue in the brown bottle for it don't run all over the place. I counter sink all the screws with a drill bit just a hair smaller than the thread of the screw. Hold the drill bit up and just want a very small amount of threads on each side of the drill bit.

Then enlarged it with Rapid Resizer. Maple wood was used. Then started transferring the imagines in to the wood. It finally got to where it was turning in to something close to my picture. I never know what I will end up with I got the center piece of wood a little too much red so I toned the carving pieces with a little pink color which was powder and applied it with my fingers to the tops of the pieces mostly so it would all match up better to the NAKED eye. I never plan anything before I start a project so its like a soap opera kinda and it make me want to get out there in the shop so I can see what the next step will bring.... The Dremels did all the small areas and the little pistol grip angle air grinders did the ruffing in to start with. The last picture shows the angle air grinder.. And did you know none of the wood working sites has these types of grinders for sale. But ole Harbor Freight has them priced so it don't break the bank. I have been using the two I bought when I first started carving in 2016 but bought them in 2010 for use other than carving. And I used the scroll saw with blade # 5 to cut the pieces up small enough to hold in my hand while I let the tools do the work. This lets me sit back in my swivel chair and more or less be the conductor or the referee. I hope you enjoy looking as much as I did building them. I leave the pattern on so I can see what and where I need to carve, whups I meant grind.

Thanks guys for the info.. My track after I ground each side of the rails down so the track would fit in the area I had to work with... So after I tried to come up with a guage of size, nothing matches your pictures Lew?? I could only find just three lengths of this size track in sons older train sets and I cut them up like in the pictures. So I guess when I go to city that has a hobby shop I will take one of the pieces I ground the track down and made narrower. Gene I knew son had all this train stuff all set up in his bedroom but never knew what size anything was.

Somebody tell me what size track I am using for I need more. The rails are 3/4" wide and I did grind away some of the cross ties to make them fit the area available...I'm using some track my son used about 40 years ago and I'm wondering if its still available. I can find lots of track for sale but it only says O or N gage or something else and not the size in inches. Only the top one has been clear coated so far.

Dave the forecast through the 17th is a few degrees over 100 each day and its been this way for about a month or more. all over 100. I have air conditioning in my shop but I about pass out trying to get in the door. Are you doing any wood working or what is it that keeps you busy? I played me first game last week. Lots of rules but nothing like regular dominoes. First time I ever seen a double 12 domino.

Glad you liked it and now I'm trying to find the size of those tracks. These were Tony's and he had two sizes of train sets and the larger of the two sizes is what I cut up and they have a track width of 3/4". The other size is 1/2" wide tracks, too small for the trains to sit down in between the cross ties. But first I had to narrow these cross ties to fit in the area to look like I think is supposed to look? Can't find just tracks to buy but still looking. I"m also thinking of removing every other sign to give more room to remove the trains when needed. But still don't have any sign glued down yet.

Daughters brought me a piece of this Mexican double 12 domino set and its the train station which is a thin flat piece of plastic that is called the train station. I don't care what it looks like just so it is better than this piece of plastic... Here is my version and it might not fit in that nice little carrying case after I added a few extras but hey one hand can carry the box and the other hand can carry the train station.. They tell me every one in Texas plays this game all the time????? The top piece of plastic is the train station that came with the game! It does suit me but no telling what kids of today wants. The white area starts with the double 12 laying in there and as the game progresses the dominoes changes their dots. The train tracks are 3/4" wide from track to track so someone tell me what gage this is so I can get more tracks to cut down to make it purty. I also have some smaller tracks that are 1/2" wide and no telling what that gage is either. Those belonged to the youngest member of the family! I hope no one is drinking beer when they play this game for these signs might disappear before the first game is over. There was lots of scroll sawing making this project sawing maple and sawing the metal tracks to fit that area but no carving. smallpatch

The ferris wheel that is 55 stories tall is something to behold but now they have added SPHERE.. If anyone likes lots of strange moving lights then this is a must see also... A person don't need to spend a penny on gambling but just walking from one end of Las Vegas Blvd to the other will have to be done. Once you get to the end cross over to the other side and go back where you started . The unbelievable sites are inside the casinos so one has to go from one end of the building to the other end and a camera is a just for there are so many strange things to see it makes a persons head spin.... So about 3 or 4 days and nights just walking and you will need some liniment for your neck for that will be the first thing that starts hurting. This building is not on the strip but if you are there this is amazing and you aught to see it while there. Aso We stay at Circus Circus when there and the rates are unbelievablely priced. But you can spend thousands of dollars a night if you just want to.We never spent much time in a bed while there cause ther are too many things to see and beside I can sleep at night at home in the bed! Also I don't think Sphere is on the Las Vegas Blvd. but probably close by.

Leaves looks like some species of willow..

I think its a new breed and this is the first one I have seen around here

Well, I'm finally going around the last curve and headed for the finish line. People tell me they always get blotching when using pine. But my concern is pine ruins the sand paper on my machines. But this time I already had the wood ready to glue together. I think I need a crash course on how to make feathers look like feathers?

First time I have used PINE to carve.. We got this picture many years ago as a gift? Wife can remember who from? I glued 2 3/4" boards together for the many different heights and the band saw cut the pieces up so all I had to do was to start carving with the power tools.. I guess you might call it reverse engineering So after I got the ducks cut out with the scroll saw and back in to their slots I proceeded to saw each piece the right height I guessed each duck would end up with... It does sound easier than it was . So anyway I ended up with this so far. I decided to run the grain sideways for that is where the ducks was headed and they requested the change?? It was going like I wanted it to go until I sawed down to the bottom board the grain was too dark for the feathers of some wings and things so I told those ducks I won't listen to them any more so don't say nothing from now on!!! This has been the easiest part of this project for the fine tuning begins. I glued the pattern on the board Saturday morning so I am moving along much faster than I thought I would..as like next month or so to get this far.. I never messed with ducks in my woodworking ever so this has been a nice change... I had to learn a few new tricks to get this far along..

This is the first time I used something other than Ash and Maple just to see the difference. My project always starts with the scroll saw. smallpatch