A wee bit of advice, please

[Gene Howe]

I just finished cutting a Nativity scene puzzle, not too involved. Mostly straight cuts. Used 3/4 oak and a #5 skip tooth. Next up is a relatively simple clock pattern...just a few holes and, few tight outside turns which can be made by cutting into the waste... cut in 3/4 poplar. I thought another #5 or #7 skip tooth would work well. Possibly a #3 in places. It's a golf scene. The ball's dimples, for instance, look a bit tight. My question is are my choices of blades about right?

 

[Sycamore67]

Your choices sound god to me.  The dimples could be difficult.  Van you drill holes the size of the dimples instead of cutting them.

[Gene Howe]

7 minutes ago, Sycamore67 said:

Your choices sound god to me.  The dimples could be difficult.  Van you drill holes the size of the dimples instead of cutting them.

Thanks! Can't drill total design. They're curved to simulate their appearance on a curved surface.

[FrankEV]

I don't cut a lot of thick wood. I have done a few sculptures using 3/4" thk Maple and Walnout. Ive also done a few compound cutings in Poplar.

Oak is quite hard and Poplar, in comparison is much softer.   But wood hardness really only deals with how fast or slow you can advance the blade through the wood.  The harder the wood the slower you go.

Here is my answer.  Note "MY" answer,   I always use the smallest blade I can comfortably control and won't quickly overheat and break  The smaller the blade the better quality of detail I can get.

Now, I'm not a Puzzle maker, so I dont know if you use a large blade to get a wide kerf.  If that is the case you are probably right on with your choices.  However, if kerf width is not tne reason for your choices, I would probably be using Pegas #1 or #3MGT R blades for much of the cutting like you describe.  For very long straight cuts I might use a #5.   

I have some #5 skip tooth blades and personally do not see much advantage over a reg #5 blade.   Possibly for some of the more exotic wood there may be an advantage, but I don't use them often enough to tell.

OK, Just my 2cents

Edit:  After reading the previous responces, let me say I would be using a spiral blade if I was cutting round or nearly round holes.   Much easier than using a straight cutting blade. "No spinning da wood!".

 

 

Edited July 31, 2023 by FrankEV

[Wichman]

Gene, I have used #1 polar blades in 3/4 poplar many times.

[Gene Howe]

49 minutes ago, Wichman said:

Gene, I have used #1 polar blades in 3/4 poplar many times.

Carol Rothman, the bowl lady, swears by polars.

[OCtoolguy]

If this were me asking for advice, I think the first thing I would do is post a picture of what you are making. For the dummies like me who have no imagination. I'm just a simple person who has to be shown a picture. DUH!

 

[barb.j.enders]

I would like to see pictures too!  Especially the Nativity puzzle.  I have a pattern and would like to see what you have done.  For the puzzle, it is generally suggested to use the smallest blade possible to keep the kerf small.  Unless you are doing one for a kid, then you want a larger kerf to make it easier for the kidlettes.

[rafairchild2]

I agree with drilling the dimples, rather than cutting.  Drill just a hair down. Most drills will give you a bit of a pointy end, but some sandpaper on a dowl the right size with the end rounded could be your answer. Experiment with some scrap wood.

Note these bits, no more than a 1/16 or 1/8th inch should do the trick.

[Gene Howe]

OK, folks. Here's the Nativity puzzle, followed by the golfing pattern. Apologies for the crappy pics. I'm not too hot with a camera. 

 

[OCtoolguy]

Those pics are just great. Actually, taking pics is my sole reason for carrying my phone. Nobody ever calls me. Well with the exception of every political party on Earth wanting my money.

 

[rafairchild2]

9 hours ago, OCtoolguy said:

Those pics are just great. Actually, taking pics is my sole reason for carrying my phone. Nobody ever calls me. Well with the exception of every political party on Earth wanting my money.

 

Man... the only calls I seem to get are from the "IRS", the local "Sheriff", and the "FBI". I lose track how often they keep calling me!!  I still wonder why they hang up, when I threaten to do things to their mothers and sisters.

I actually just bought a cheap lighted Tabletop Light box with 4 different color backgrounds to photograph my finished pieces. Pretty much the only thing I use my cellphone for now-a-days.  My old digital Canon SLR has been in the closet since 2009.

[rafairchild2]

11 hours ago, Gene Howe said:

OK, folks. Here's the Nativity puzzle, followed by the golfing pattern. Apologies for the crappy pics. I'm not too hot with a camera. 

 

Ahhh.. now I see how the divots are done.  Not what I was thinking when I suggested the drill.  In this case a spiral blade might be a good option, or a #3 or smaller depending on what you can control best.

[BadBob]

For the puzzle, I would use a Pegas #3MGT blade for everything. I use this for all my puzzles.

For the clock, I would do the same. Except for the golf ball, for those dimples, I would use the smallest blade I have and drill entry holes with the smallest bit I could get away with. I highly recommend drilling the clock hole with a fastener bit before cutting the clock to ensure it fits well before you cut anything else. You can cut the clock hole with a scroll saw but if it is too small you have to do a lot of sanding to fix it and if it is too large the clock will not fit. I learned this the hard way.

Drill or cut the clock hole before you cut anything else.

[Dan]

Do you have a Dremel? Maybe etch or carve the dimples. 

[clocks and more]

On 7/31/2023 at 4:49 PM, OCtoolguy said:

If this were me asking for advice, I think the first thing I would do is post a picture of what you are making. For the dummies like me who have no imagination. I'm just a simple person who has to be shown a picture. DUH!

 

I like pictures also.  we just like to gather more information, that you et from them .

[Gene Howe]

Got the golf ball dimpled with a dremel.  Cutting now.

[Dan]

On 7/31/2023 at 9:07 PM, OCtoolguy said:

Those pics are just great. Actually, taking pics is my sole reason for carrying my phone. Nobody ever calls me. Well with the exception of every political party on Earth wanting my money.

 

I never get political calls. But I also don't have money.

[OCtoolguy]

4 hours ago, Dan said:

I never get political calls. But I also don't have money.

I don't either. We donated one time, 10 years ago. Big mistake.

[Gene Howe]

11 minutes ago, OCtoolguy said:

I don't either. We donated one time, 10 years ago. Big mistake.

I don't give $$ to untrustworthy causes. So, politicians are out.