Vector01

Great cuts. I like the pieces cut in the burl.

Hey Guy: Welcome. No problem...The more you cut the more you learn.

Welcome and enjoy. Can't go wrong here.

Welcome mate! Jump right in. Spent some time in West Geraldton while serving in the U.S. Navy. Great country and people.

Hey Matt: Welcome...Lot of good info to be found. Jump right in and have fun.

Normally when I cut a piece I throw away the cutouts right away (saves clean up later). Today I decided to just toss them on the kitchen table. While cutting my last two pieces I ran into a problem. Because of the amount of material I was removing from the piece some areas became weak. There is normally some chatter or lifting of the wood during cutting, especially with reverse blades. Because of the lack of material in these areas this problem was greatly amplified. In these particular areas I had to apply so much pressure on the piece that it made it diffilcult to manuver the wood to cut. At this point I was worried that some of the finer cuts would snap from the vibration. I stopped and pondered the problem. My first thought was to apply some clear packing tape to the back of the piece for additional support. Then I happened to look on the table and checked out the pieces I removed. Ahaa...Why not put the cut outs back in. I replaced the pieces around the weak areas where I had some additional cutting to do. This helped in supporting those surrounding areas and I was able to finish the piece with no problems.

I thought these might be fun to try. These are two of the main characters in the "Twighlight" movies. I've never seen the movies but I understand that it's a romantic version of the "Underworld" movies. Vampires versus Werewolves kinda thing. [attachment=1]bella1.jpg[/attachment] [attachment=0]edward1.jpg[/attachment] The wood for Edward was a bit heavy grain for my liking. I revised the pattern for Bella...Less highlights in the hair. All in all wasn't too bad.

Oh yea! I got it down to a science (dust control). I usually have the misses over my shoulder to make sure things don't get out of hand

They look great. I like the "Goat" and the Jeep.

Great piece. Tight fit and wonderful shaping. Hats off to you!

I have not. But that's a good idea. You'd need a good weather proof finish.

Kool!!!! Congrats on the work.

My wife used to buy some nice stuff at the auctions. I prefer the yard sales, especially the spring clean outs and moving sales. The flea markets are also a good deal. Just stay away from the regular vendors. I look for the first timers. Better deals!

Go to clker.com and in the search box (upper right) type in "betty boop" and hit search. There's a bunch of em. This one was perfect. The woman is a retired nurse, loves betty boop and was a waitress when she was younger.

Was gonna throw out my small stuff (one inch or less) yesterday. Got my new issue of CW&C this morning with some cool 3-D xmas ornaments. Now I have a use for them

I finished this one for a friends birthday. I spent some time checking any issues with the graphic. According to clker.com's (terms of use) this graphic is in the public domain. http://www.clker.com/disclaimer.html [attachment=0]betty boop fnl.jpg[/attachment] The original graphic was designed by Ocal. Cut on 1/4" baltic birch plywood using FD-PSR5 blades.

Yep...Forgot the java. That's a must for those of us who partake of the bean.

Here's a few things I use when scrollen on a regular basis. These might be handy for the new scrollers out there. [attachment=0]scrollen stuff.jpg[/attachment] 1. Zero clearance insert...This is handy when you want to save small pieces. Also helps to keep scrap from dropping into and binding in the insert while cutting. I used a piece of 1/8" plastic to make mine (sized for my saw). 2. Swing arm magnifying lamp...Most lights that come with the saw are pretty much useless. If your working under flourescent lighting this doesn't help much either. I found the swing arm lamps provide the proper lighting and can be adjusted as needed. The magnifier comes in handy when cutting fine details. 3. Blade lube...This is great when you're cutting dense hardwoods. Extends the life of the blade, cuts easier by lubricating the blade. One stick will probably last you for quite a while. 4. Sponge sanding blocks...Come in various grits and are great for cleaning up the fuzz while cutting(even with reverse blades). I like to check the cuts while working on a pattern to see if they are wide enough and shaped the way I want. A lot of times the fuzz will block the cut (especially thin cuts) making it hard to see through the line. The sponge material compresses and helps in getting into the cuts to clean them up. 5. 2" Machinist square...A must when setting up a new blade or to periodically check your blade during a cut. This will ensure that your blade is square to your table before starting a project (table set to zero/flat cutting). 6. 1-1/2" Soft bristle paint brush. The saw dust tends to build up on the bottom of the wood during a cut. This comes in handy to brush off the buildup so your wood lays flat on the table. Also comes in handy to get the thin scraps of wood out of fine lines, etc. The soft bristles won't damage those thin cuts.

Beautiful work Wood and grain are perfect. Almost makes me want to try it again.

Those are nice Xmas is right aroung the corner...Trying to make some stuff myself.

Thanks for the encouragement. I think for the time being I'll stick to fretwork/portraits. I have plenty of patterns to work on.

My first attempt at intrasia. I did this one for my wife (requested) from a pattern in CW&C magazine. I had nothing but problems from the get go Shaping, fitting you name it I have to give kudos to all of you who have the patience and skill to do these Last one for me The pic got a bit washed out from the clear coat. [attachment=0]early1.jpg[/attachment]

Just perfect. The wood selection and cut are excellent.

Glad everything turned out ok. The strangest things happen when working with tools.

Anytime that dust is created during woodworking.