Cutting Panel Thickness Choice

[FrankEV]

Here is another of my “Wondering Why” questions.

I’m wondering why many of you choose to cut patterns in thick wood that is greater than 1/4” thick and most often 3/4” thick?  This question does not apply to puzzles, sculptures, yard holiday cutouts, or the like.

I can understand, those of you who sculpture your work, would chose to use thick wood but, for patterns that are basically a simple image, why choose a thick material?

The reason I ask is that, I find, when viewing an image cut in thick material, unless viewed EXACTLY straight on, the vertical cut edges are so visible the images is distorted and often difficult to see.

As an example, I cut this very nice Image/pattern of a Dragon in 3/4”x10”x16” Walnut very early after getting into this Scrolling activity.   And, as you can see it was even difficult to get a good photo of it because I could not get a perfectly straight on view.

This was the first and last time I cut and Image like this in thick material.

Now, I can expect to get answers like: “I don’t have access to, or can’t afford to buy, thin material” or, “I only have access to thick wood, and I don’t own a planer”.   Such answers are understandable, but I think some who use thick material, actually prefer to do so.  The bottom line is “WHY”?  

I have viewed posts of very well-done cuttings herein, that I see have same viewing problem that my Dragon has.  Am I the only one who is bothered by this?

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Well Frank I agree with you to a point and most my cuttings are about 3/8" thick but also cut thinner layers when I am using a backard piece for color or contrast. So I have no set rules. I do have a shop full of tools where I can dimension my lumber to whatever I wish. I think the project itself calls out to what thickness to use. If doing intricate cuttings and using thick wood can be a harder challenge than needed. But I also make projects that 3/4" material is a must and the cuttings are not at all muted because of it. I will give you some examples because that is what you focused on. My shelves and magazine racks are some. I made hundreds of collapsible baskets and at some time I will be able to show these more because I just bought a film to digital converter. many of my earlier work is only on film. We all can tell what thin material cutting looks like. I have many more examples of projects cut in 3/4" material. But any thinner material used would not look good or be practical. i tried to show projects that were shot from the sides to show you that there is no definition loss at all. Maybe it is a size thing in your eye. The small the project the more concise the cuts are and jumbled together. As with these projects I shown they are larger and thus the fret work is larger and more open. Just trying to help explain what I am seeing. Maybe other can add to this.

[Scrappile]

Different tastes for different folks.  I looked at your dragon and thought that is really cool, looks like different layer of wood were used..  I cannot tell you why, but for portraits or scenery, the things most of us cut in baltic birch, I like quarter inch most, but do a lot in 1/8" if I need multiples like the Hendriks I did just a while back, I had a request for three.  So stack cut in 1/8" only had to cut it once.   There are other pictures just for me, for the satisfaction of cutting them I usually do 1/4" a little less fragile.  The other problem I am running into, I am really getting tired of cutting Baltic Birch.  Getting harder and harder, at least where I live to get good BB.  And l am just tired of it.. so I have been cutting more and more in hardwoods.   The problem there is if I get hardwood in anything less than 1/2" it cups beyond use.  If I have 1/2" that I paid for I am not going to plane half of it away to waste... So I am, more and more getting away of cutting pictures and going more and more into whatever stand alone upright things are called like this eagle.  I do not think it would look good in less than 1/2". The exception for me is I am getting more and more requests for the military emblems I like to give to veterans I meet.   I have to do them in BB if not, I could not keep up with the number or cost. There are other things I like to sroll or try to that I think call for thicker wood or they would not look as good.  Like thisFiona Kingdon tree.  I do not think it would look good in less than 1/2" or more hardwood.

[FrankEV]

2 hours ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

Well Frank I agree with you to a point and most my cuttings are about 3/8" thick but also cut thinner layers when I am using a backard piece for color or contrast. So I have no set rules. I do have a shop full of tools where I can dimension my lumber to whatever I wish. I think the project itself calls out to what thickness to use. If doing intricate cuttings and using thick wood can be a harder challenge than needed. But I also make projects that 3/4" material is a must and the cuttings are not at all muted because of it. I will give you some examples because that is what you focused on. My shelves and magazine racks are some. I made hundreds of collapsible baskets and at some time I will be able to show these more because I just bought a film to digital converter. many of my earlier work is only on film. We all can tell what thin material cutting looks like. I have many more examples of projects cut in 3/4" material. But any thinner material used would not look good or be practical. i tried to show projects that were shot from the sides to show you that there is no definition loss at all. Maybe it is a size thing in your eye. The small the project the more concise the cuts are and jumbled together. As with these projects I shown they are larger and thus the fret work is larger and more open. Just trying to help explain what I am seeing. Maybe other can add to this.

Your work is beautiful.  However, I would put them in the catagories I excluded in my question.  I was specificaly addressing pieces that are more of a scene, portrait, or similar.  The kind I would cut in 1/8 in thk material and attach to a backer.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

25 minutes ago, FrankEV said:

Your work is beautiful.  However, I would put them in the catagories I excluded in my question.  I was specificaly addressing pieces that are more of a scene, portrait, or similar.  The kind I would cut in 1/8 in thk material and attach to a backer.

And I understand that. I do not see on this forum people using 3/4" wood for detailed fret work such as portraits unless I missed it. Many here use BB and that would be expensive to use 3/4" BB. As I said it is the size of the fret holes that has your eye saying it is not right. Now if you took a portrait and scrolled in 3/4" and painted the inside cuts with a black or a off color from the wood I bet you would change your mind. It would give the portrait depth .

[barb.j.enders]

I did these two in thicker wood because I thought the wood enhanced the picture.  The eye has a backer of black poster board.  The hand has no backer.

[kmmcrafts]

I really think it depends on the project.. that said for the most part, I don't like portrait style cuttings done in thick wood.. I prefer 1/8" wood and back before I found BBply I did cut all my portraits out of 1/8" solid wood.. Some wood tends to cup more than others.. red oak was terrible but I also don't like wood with a lot of grain lines etc. for portrait work either so I stopped using red oak for that reason besides he cupping. Basswood is good but it also likes to cup when you get wider pieces.. I don't think there is a better choice than BBply for portrait work because it's grain isn't usually too terrible and it's strong..  

[Wichman]

If the intent is to have the item free standing on a shelf or other flat surface, then you need a thicker piece of wood for stability.

[rjweb]

Barb, those are beautiful pieces, RJ