woodinhead62

Hey Sue, fantastic work! Truly top notch! I can see the hours that tiger took! I don't have near the patience a project like that would take. You're truly a scroll saw artisan; I've always been an "impatient artist" myself. Keep up the great work! -Kevin

Travis, I would love to see a picture of that very old sculpture! Any chance of that happening? I have been trying to locate some older versions, but no luck so far...Would love to see that one!

Thanx so much for the nice comments, all! I really appreciate it!

This piece was inspired by a very special little boy: namely, my grandson, Isaac. I have tried my hand at most scroll sawing projects(puzzles, inlay, relief, fretwork, etc.), but the satisfaction I get from creating these kind of pieces , leaves no comparison. It was crafted with walnut & black 1/8" acrylic. The base is cut in relief(bevel-cuts), and the border pieces, with a simple grooving. I would really like to know what you all think! -Kevin

Very impressive piece! Top shelf! You do excellent work! I've seen many Eagles done before, but this one is very original. I especially like the "wood color mixture". Is it an original pattern? I'm sure it was a lot of work, to say the least. -Kevin

I use a few different types of tables myself. A got a couple of really sturdy electronic tables from a company that was throwing them away! Also, a few fold-up tables that I bolted to the wall; they work great for my router tables & belt sanders. I also acquired a couple of square restaurant tables that were put on the sidewalk by the dumpster. One of them has wheels, so I keep my drill press on that one. One mans trash is this man's gold!

There's a company in my town that produces laminate top furniture, mostly the electronic industry; they throw away all kinds of laminate tops, shelving, and laminate all the time. (Their dumpsters are like treasures chests!) I walked in one day, and asked them for some scrapped laminate, after sharing with them a little about myself, and they gave me a full sheet! The laminate top is great for making templates(patterns), and also a "cover piece" for my scroll saw over the hole(where the blade goes thru), for cutting real small pieces. I just use double stick tape to adhere to the top. The material is very hard(and brittle), but also quite thin(maybe 1/32"). I also have gathered broken chairs, the kind that have the spindles(like kitchen chairs), I cut the spindles up, and use them for handles for hand-made tools+ the seat, I use for stock. They are generally made from oak. Also, we have a lot of old factory mill buildings around(Lowell is the "mill city"), where I have obtained oak slats measuring approx. 2"x 1/4" x 2' . They're perfect for making name chains/zipper pulls, etc. They came from some 100 year old production carts, with these 5 lb. cast iron wheels! Really cool, if you like old things. Also, I have gotten stacks of wood, mostly hardwood plywood strips(many sizes), and even some 1/2" maple boards(2'x2'), that were slightly marred, or stained, that they couldn't use! Furniture companies are an excellent resource for all kinds of cut-offs and throw aways; their stock has to perfect for production needs, so...there I am! I have always developed relationships with neighboring sawmills, furniture factories, and electronics companies, etc. and showed them what I do; the resources are all around us, it just requires a little snooping or detective work, as well as some personality! People are usually very accommodating...

I have been a scroll saw junkie since '99. Having tried nearly all of the scrolling concepts through many pattern books, and scroll sawing publications, I loved them all! It really is an amazing tool in terms of creativity. Now, having said that, I'm also crazy about pictures. yeah, the whole frozen in time thing. The love you can feel for the young grandchildren, for instance, how that same feeling comes back when you look at those pictures of them you took yesterday at the park. Or graduation day. Whatever. My point? Photo Sculptures, Cut-outs, Pop-Outs, Magnets, Puzzles(eh, not my favorite), etc. I see every picture/photograph differently. I see them in 3 dimension, characteristically. The bases are compound cut, for a dimensional look, from walnut/oak(routed), not acrylic. Obviously, the finish work brings it all to life. I have yet to actually meet anyone who is doing any of this(I know you're out there!). I really am addicted to creating photo centered crafts/gifts/products! Is there anyone else who is doing this? Would love to hear about it! Thanx. -Kevin http://www.photofiguresplus.com