OutoftheWoodwork

Thank you Francisco and Thomas

Beautiful cutting, Don! I just did a search on Google for it... Nice bridge! Have you considered putting the backing as water? Print out a photo of water, and put behind it to see how it looks. If that doesn't look right, then I would go with a darker blue or black. Black is always used, and I don't like to take the beaten path, per say. But the blue you used is too bright, and should be darker, if you go with that one. just my opinion, of course. Barb

Love the design! And the coloring is exquisite.

Wow... what amazing work! Very nicely done!

Thanks, Kevin. Beastie has been a great little workshop, but I have to make sure I keep things picked up in there, since out of the 25 feet, the entire back is stock room and storage of some sort lol We actually found an acrylic house that someone had used as a model for some air cleaner-turned Barbie doll house,-turned drying house, now. That's been put in a small area in the back for drying, without the worry of getting sawdust on them while the poly dries. As for pictures, I put some up under the Bragging Rights Thread, if you're interested.

Thanks, Marg. He serves his purpose, and is quite the conversation piece, that's for sure. As for the break in, yeah, no one was there; just the timing was the complete pits. I had just gotten a contract with a local wine shoppe to make about 20 wine bottle holders, when this happened. Luckily, a friend from my router forum who lives locally assisted me in getting those cut and out in a decent timely manner. Barb

Thank you everyone for the kind words. I do love my woodworking, and thinking about doing some cork boards again, now that I utilize the router. It will definitely make for easier going for the cork portion lol When I last made them, I was using the rotary tool to clean out the area for the cork. That was not easy. I also use a different technique for the lettering than I did back then, as well. The Home Sweet Home clock's Hummingbird is removable, and needs to be redone, as my mother in-law (the person I made it for) has knocked him out numerous times and broken off the outter cuts from his wings and his beak (and thrown away the pieces) making it so I can't fix him. No idea how I'll get that coloring again. I colored him with Rit Dye. (Yup, in the bottle, liquid form lol) Barb

Mahendra, with all (or 90% at least) of my signs I route, I use my scroll saw to cut out the shape. Scroll saw cuts are much cleaner, in my book, and enhance the shape. If you have any of your name plates posted, I'll have to look at them and see what you're talking about.

Here are some of the projects I've done along with a couple from my router, as well. Even when I'm routing, I use my scroll saw. It's added so much to my signs/projects. I'd be lost without it... Barb

Les, keep contacting the manufacturer.. when I had my Delta, the little square holding washers bent on me, and the screw striped on mine as well, to where my tightening wrench was useless. And this was after my warranty, if I remember correctly. Keep calling back till you get a rep that's understanding to your dilemma. If you don't get a customer rep that's willing to help you, ask for a supervisor, and put on your dueling gloves if you have to. I've only had to do that on a rarity.... maybe because I'm a female. Hey... that's an idea. If you're married, have a girlfriend, etc., have them call and put on the charm. Sometimes, being a female in a field that is usually male-dominated, (tools) gets a better reception. I know it sounds crappy, and shouldn't matter, but hey; when it comes to getting a car looked at, you're better off having a guy to take it in; (referring to (I think the program is) "Lookout" where the women take in their cars to mechanics to see what will happen) Anyway, hope that helps. Barb

Thank you everyone for the warm welcome. While my main work of late has been with my routers creating custom signs, I still love my scroll saw, and have many patterns; so many, in fact, that every time I pull them out, the other half groans lol. (I have a case of paper box top full, with an additional two 4" binders full of patterns from my last scroll saw group) Scroll saw patterns make amazing patterns as well for my router, with slight modifications. If I can find the pictures of my scroll projects I've done, I'll try and get them posted. And Bob, my name is Barb. Some people call me Barbie; especially since my husbands' name is Ken

Hi everyone. I can try and give you the "Readers Digest Version" of my start in woodworking (but don't hold your breath... I get windy lol)... When I couldn't afford $100 for a campsite sign, my husband purchased a B&D rotary tool for me. I took my computer creative skills to wood at that point, and designed a sign, transferred it to wood, and used the rotary tool and cut it. I went from there to making memo boards, when I found the scroll saw. I found a chat room "Free Scroll Saw Patterns" where I met my first group of really great scrollers, like Arpop, and Blade. There were many more, but their nicknames escape me. My first scroll saw was a Delta 16", that served me well, and had it until a break-in on my shop this past fall, where the no-good, lousy, (oh never mind, I'll just get nasty & vulgar in my name calling...) took my beloved scroll saw, and approximately another $3000.00 in tools and equipment. Luckily, I had insurance that took care of most of my loss, and with the policy I had, I was able to replace my Delta with the Excalibur scroll saw. (Living the saying "make a positive out of a negative") and I'm still on the learning curve with this great machine. Cutting with this one is almost like cutting with a spiral blade for me; not sure why, but it is. I've done clocks, shelves, portraits, and the like with my scroll saw, when a few years ago I decided to try my hand at routing, where I found another love. I cut custom wood signs, freehand. I have three routers, (two full size, one trim) and use my scroll saw for cutting the shape of the sign, and for fancy cutting; like my Michigan-shaped wine bottle holders. My workshop is a gutted out motorhome someone had been using to cart artwork, so there was no seats, beds, sinks, not even a potty in this bad boy. Just two shelves, and open space. We took it and made it into a workshop. My husband built all the stands and work table (with a return), with the exception of the collapsible miter saw table, which was a team build, and ended up using it as my sanding station, since it's right behind my work table. In the back, he built me a stock room, drying room, and a broom closet (which holds all the "maintenance" items for the camper), put up a cupboard for my stains and such, and put in peg board all over the walls to hold all the little gizmos and gadgets I'm forever needing. I call my workshop "Beastie" because he looks like something only the Addams Family would own, and looks like something out of a demon movie when he's goin' down the road. Completely all black; I'm still undecided if Beastie will get a facelift or not. Being in such quarters, I utilize my shop vac to help keep sawdust down by attaching it to whatever tool I'm using, or a dust collector, and of course use a mask with filters when I work, as well as good ear protectors, although, if you come in, the first thing you notice (especially in the cold) there's more air flow in that thing than you realize in the warm weather. Living in an apartment, this was the best I could do for a work space. I've made it work, and plan on using him on the road for craft shows when we get him running properly. And since we were able to get an awning put on him, weather permitting, I can work up under the awning.