I'm cutting a plaque that has a lot of small letters using a spiral blade

[Frank Pellow]

I have been away from this forum (as well as many other computer-based activities) for a long time.  I'm starting again, in a small way, with this thread.

There is a poem entitled 'I Long for the Northland 'that expresses the poet's (Cpl J Romanson) love of the Boreal Forrest in Northern Ontario.  I've designed a plaque to hang in a new building on Pellow's Island and that plaque features the poem. 

There are a lot of words (149) and this has resulted in a large pattern for me to cut.  The size is 43cm x 52cm (or 17in x 2in if you prefer Imperial measurements).  This large size makes the work difficult to manipulate when sawing.  I tried to cut the letters using small reverse-tooth blades but, with all the tuning of the piece, this proved to be very time -consuming.  So, I'm now cutting it using 2/0 Pegas spiral blades.  That's going much faster but it is very risky.  If I make one slip-up, I'm likely to ruin the letter that I'm working on and, probably, the whole thing - and it's very easy to go off track with a spiral blade.  I must concentrate at all times.  To this end, I'm limiting myself to a maximum of 10 letters each time I sit down at the saw.  After I've cut the letters, I go and do something quite different for at least half an hour. 

So far, I have not screwed up, but I'm only about 10% done.  WISH ME CONTINUED GOOD LUCK!  I'm starting this thread as an added incentive for me to do a good job.  I will post periodic updates on my progress, even if I do go off-track and ruin the plaque.

 

Edited September 30, 2024 by Frank Pellow
typos

[Scrappile]

You have taken on quite a large project.  Good to see you post again, you have been missed.

Edited September 30, 2024 by Scrappile

[don in brooklin on]

WOW quite the project. Looks great.

Good to see you back  on the forum and cutting again.

 

 

[Bill WIlson]

Welcome back Frank.

Sure looks like you picked a doozy of a challenge for your return to the hobby.  I will be watching for updates.  I've got a feeling you'll nail it.

Good luck.

[preprius]

Thank you for coming back on line and shareing your work.  I did miss your posts.

 

[Fab4]

Frank:
Welcome back
You fall into my INSANITY AT IT'S BEST category
It's not a bad thing though - more inspirational than anything else
Good Luck for sure and don't forget to breathe while cutting with spirals of all things
Fab4
 

[barb.j.enders]

Welcome back Frank.  As others have said, you have been missed.

It looks like a great project.  The poem is beautiful.

[Frank Pellow]

Thanks for your 'welcome backs' everyone.

Fab4, I like your INSANITY AT IT'S BEST category.  I think a few of the things that I attempt fall into that category and some (I hope not many) fall into the DUDIOUS INSANITY category. 

Barb, the poem captures almost exactly the way that I feel about the Northern Ontario Bushland where I was born and raised. 

I miss it a LOT when I am down here in Southern Ontario.  I will say a little bit more about the poem.  It was written by Corporal J. Romanson of the Canadian Army 'somewhere in Europe' during the second-world-war.  My Father, Christopher Pellow, also in the Canadian army in Europe, clipped the poem from an army publication and sent it home to my mother and me, having first underlined the parts that meant the most to him.  I changed a few of the words in order to better describe the part of the Boreal Forrest around Hearst Ontario.

[barb.j.enders]

Frank,  I summer on Lake of the Woods, in NW Ontario.  Can totally relate to the poem.

[Frank Pellow]

Update #1

I estimate that I've now completed about 20% of the sawing on this piece.  Thirty-one full words and a few part words plus one image are now behind me.  I'm gaining confidence (but, I hope, not over-confidence).

 

[rjweb]

That is looking great, looking forward to the completed project, RJ

[meflick]

Frank, first I wanted to join the chorus of others and say, welcome back. Good to see you back in the Village.
 

Second, I admit that any size lettering still makes me run the other way. I haven’t been able to use my saw in quite a while, but when I can I don’t think I will be as brave as you to try such small letters. I look forward to seeing your progress.

[Frank Pellow]

Update #2

I estimate that I've now completed slightly more than half sawing on this piece.  Seventy-five full words and a few part words plus three images are now behind me. 

I've even relaxed the quidelines as to the maximum number of letters I will cut during one sitting - I've upped the number from 10 to 20.

[Frank Pellow]

Update #3

The sawing is complete and I did not make any mistakes.  That's a BIG relief.

This panel is 3mm thick Baltic Birch plywood.  If I ever attempt anything like this again, I will use 6mm thick plywood because it will provide more resistance and more difficult to go off-track.

I've cut bigger pieces, the biggest being 'Massey Ferguson 65' which measures 72mm x 46mm (or 28" x 18"):

but when you make a mistake with a spiral blade on a scene such as this, it is usually possible to cover it up your mistake so that either will not be noticed or it looks like it was intended.  Mistakes when cutting letters will be noticed.

 

[don in brooklin on]

Amazing.  You have more patience that I have.  

I did not realize that you where using 1/8 that make it even more fantastic.  When ever I do that thin I stack cut 2 at a time and have one to give away or scrap as sometimes the back pieces brake out.

Great job.

 

[barb.j.enders]

Looks great Frank. 

As Don said, I can't believe it was only one layer of 1/8".  I always do at least 2.

Can't wait to see how you finish and frame it.

[Bill WIlson]

Well done Frank!  Looks like you nailed it.

[rjweb]

Frank, excellent cutting and craftsmanship, RJ

[Scrappile]

You certainly are brave and both pictures turn out wonderful. That is a great poem, I can feel it!  I can not imagine doing the lettering with a spiral.  And I get along pretty well with spirals.  

Edited October 10, 2024 by Scrappile

[Frank Pellow]

Barb, I've been thinking about just how to finish the piece, and have produced this simulation:

The rough-sawn Cherry frame gives it a rustic look. 

The words that are backed in red are the ones that my father underlined in the copy of the poem that he clipped and sent back to Canada from France.  

I printed the pattern on two sheets of paper and I see that I did not align them properly when gluing them to the panel.  Thus, the bottom lines are, obviously, crooked.  I think I can make this a little less obvious but, short of cutting the panel in two (which I won't do) there is no way to hide the flaw.

 

[Frank Pellow]

Update #4

The poem has now been cut, backed and framed:

I changed my mind about the framing material and opted for rough-sawn Pine rather than rough-sawn Cherry.  The Pine that I had in stock looks more rustic and that's the look that I want.

I still need to make and attach a small 'nameplate' giving credit to the author.

I'm probably going to be scrolling a companion piece in a few months.  I'm composing a poem entitled 'Return to the Northland' but, I expect it will be a while before I am happy with that poem.  I need five verses and, so far, have written only two that I like.  There are about half a dozen other partial verses that are rolling around in the back of my head.

 

Edited October 12, 2024 by Frank Pellow

[barb.j.enders]

10 minutes ago, Frank Pellow said:

Update #4

The poem has not been cut, backed and framed:

I changed my mind about the framing material and opted for rough-sawn Pine rather than rough-sawn Cherry.  The Pine that I had in stock looks more rustic and that's the look that I want.

I'm probably going to be scrolling a companion piece in a few months.  I'm composing a poem entitled 'Return to the Northland' but, I expect it will be a while before I am happy with that poem.  I need five verses and, so far, have written only two that I like.  There are about half a dozen other partial verses that are rolling around in the back of my head.

 

That looks great Frank.

[don in brooklin on]

Frank love the framing and the colours behind certain phrases.  I think the rough pine really represents the Northland.

 

 

 

[Jim McDonald]

I have been quietly watching this project and I have to give @Frank Pellow a very hearty "well done" on this piece.

There doesn't seem to be any loss of prowess during his absence. Just like before, Frank doesn't just jump in with a simple geometric pattern. Go big or go home.

[Frank Pellow]

A new poem:

The remaining verses of the poem came to me sooner than I expected and, thus, I will be cutting the promised companion piece sooner than I had anticipated.   

The title is "Return to the Northland".  Here is photo of the poem glued to 6mm Baltic Birch plywood and ready to cut: