kmmcrafts

I first bought these from my local Michael's.. https://www.michaels.com/product/uni-posca-pc-3m-fine-tip-paint-marker-set-10603258?srsltid=AfmBOopmc5Rvi3J9VAK2irKQUbCWHP1QWT4pmf6PbNprI5rkGajU0OpYi4c Then at Sam's club I run across these. These have some nice color varieties but the tip is a bit too large for some of the fine details I need so i've been searching and looking at this same brand but in a fine tip marker. I think I might try the dual tip ones but can't seem to find any local and hate to order something I don't want too, LOL https://www.amazon.com/ArtSkills-Permanent-Paint-Markers-18-Count/dp/B08DKBDP4G Looking for a link I see Sams now has the dual tip only but are out of stock. I think they're different colors than what I have in my set too and I'd like to get the same thing just in a fine or dual tip. Also worth mentioning that you can unscrew ( usually left hand threads ) these markers and clean them out to refill with whatever bulk crafts paint you like.. You'll just need to figure out how much to dilute the paints. In some cases I've just dipped the marker tip into paint I wanted to use as well. I just get better details with painting with a marker than I do with a brush... maybe just the cheap crappy brushes that I buy? I don't know but I prefer the markers over brushing unless I'm doing a large area then I use brush or spray paint.

Nice work Paul, I also do not care for painting with a brush anyway.. however whoever invented paint markers has made painting for me enjoyable..

I have heard of doing this... I think my brother once told me this. I'd love to use timber rather than ply but the amount of production with ornaments I do it's not very productive to spend weeks trying to get boards to do what you want / need them to do. I bought a bandsaw to resaw thicker boards down and plane them etc as I use them right away to prevent this but that is also a lot of time investment. I realize many of you are not selling etc. I'm just stating why plywood works best for my situation.

Welcome to the Village! Do you happen to have any stores around that carry the Rikon brands.. I'm pretty certain that the Rikon is the same exact saw in blue instead of red,.. I was at my local lumber supply shop and they had the Rikon on display.. Looked like a decent starter / entry level saw. I don't think I would like the "locking mechanism" but if just starting back in the day I loved the DeWalt and my biggest complaint on it was having to hold the arm up so unless you get a arm lifter for the DW this is a nice feature with this saw.. just not sure I'd like having to reach back to unlock the arm each time.

Right, The BBply I get locally and get 10 60 x 60" sheets at a time for about $200.. $200 in these project panels doesn't get me half of the amount of material. I have the lumber yard cut the sheets in half for easier handling but i still have to break them down to about sheet of paper size. Even have to break down the project panels for the laser as it's not big enough. Might be a different outcome as most hobby sized lasers like the glowforge etc. are the exact size of these project panels so in that case I just think I need a bigger laser, .. To get a laser in that size is upwards of $2000 now days.. I could see where if i had one of these lasers I'd buy the project panels for convenience and less wear on saw blades etc to cut this stuff down.. I think this is why these project panels are pricey because the demand in the laser community for it.. most all the laser groups talk about using this stuff. Many of the laser users don't even have a shop, they just use a spare room and pipe the exhaust out a window. If I'd just go big though, I could just get a laser to put a 5 x 5 sheet of BBply in too.. that would be a $20,000 laser probably.. LOL

I wish the pricing was closer to the BBply I get because I actually like cutting it better than the BBply. Cuts like butter on my laser too. I bought 3 packs of the 5/32" stuff one Maple, Birch, and Walnut. I wanted to get some of the Cherry but it's been out of stock every time I look.. at least for the 5/32" Probably price wise for running it on the laser would equal out because the lase tube only last so many hours and those hours diminish the higher power level you run it at.. I have to crank up the power more and a bit slower speed for BBply and quite a lot less power and faster speed for those project panels.

Years ago I also struggled with this issue.. back then I didn't have my bandsaw, planer and many other helpful tools to work with so I switched from timber to cutting plywood.. Now before someone starts saying plywood warps too I'll say yes it can but it is way more stable than standard timber. Many will also say they don't like BBply as the grain is kind of just bland and also doesn't stain well.. I've been using all sorts of plywood from Cherry, Oak, and walnut etc. and I don't end up having to toss out too many because of voids etc.. and I've made 1000's of ornaments over the years.. I actually think I toss more bbply for the occasional football shaped interfering with the look of the ornament than I do with voids in the other plywood. I suppose it might be more issue with lots of fine details in a portrait type cutting but I've had very little issue with plywood. Especially plywood that is designed for use on lasers.. called project panels from Home Depot. That stuff has been good stuff for me but I haven't used a lot of it because some of them are not the same species on the back side.. so i just go to my local lumber supplier and buy full 4x8 sheets good on both sides.. There are good quality ply for laser use from other suppliers that is good on both sides.. bit pricey but better tossing out cupped boards.

Just went to the local wood supplier and purchased 10 5 x 5 sheets of 1/8 BBply.. $210 so the price came back down from my last purchase when the same 10 sheets was nearly $300.. I may have bought more had I known the price dropped some. Just a bit of heads up for anyone that may need some supplies like the plywood etc.. News isn't reporting too much on it but there may be a strike at the shipping ports that could make this stuff kind of scarce.. I've heard some supplies like where in shortage during covid could be a thing again and something like 1 week of strike would back up the ports until the new year.. If you're getting low on a certain thing and have the means to buy it now it might be a good idea to do so.. strike could happen Oct. 1st. Anyway the store had a Rikon brand scroll saw.. looking exactly like the HF one so I played around with the arm lift. I thought I read where you raise it up until it clicked and then it was locked into place.. then the same for lowering it down. I think that may have been misrepresented because I believe it doesn't "lock" in the lowered position, at least this Rikon display model didn't. The release button could stand to be more toward the front of the saw would make using it much easier..

The plus side to that is if one tool breaks you still have the other to get the job done.

I found a company online that was running a sale on the spray cans of Lacquer.. $50 for a case ( 6 cans ) so I bought 4 cases.. that should get me through this year.. I was paying $80+ per case.. I have a local source that IF they have it in stock it's just over $8 per can but they are 40 mile away and I don't go to that town often so it's usually a special trip and then hit or miss if they even have any.. last trip there they only had 1 can so that wasn't worth the trip. The sales guy claimed they were going to discontinue it in the spray can but I don't think he knew what he was talking about as he was trying to sell me onto a $17 per can different brand. That is when I chose to buy the one can left and a quart can since I was there. All other local sources ( big box ) Menards / Lowes etc is almost $14 a can.. The quart can cost me $14.. that quart once diluted will likely cover more area than those 6 cans.. that's quite a savings if I can find a reasonable method to spray without the hassle of cleanup every time. Currently spray all inventory even the production ones with spray cans.. so even if I get a sprayer for the "production" portion and then use spray cans for the 1-2 piece special order ones would save a ton of money over the course of a year. In an economy of 4 years ago I wouldn't even flinch at the $80 a case and the $35 per sheet of BBply.. but with a slowed economy and the $80 case vrs. $40 and $12.50 vrs $35 I'm not able to double the price of the end product.. Some say it's a tax write off and yes it is but still hurts the bottom line no matter how you put the numbers. With all the EPA regulations etc. going on and they are changing paints to water base. I don't mind change and have experimented with most of the water base poly spray cans out there.. they are decent IF the spray cans could spray consistent.. one can spits and spatters and the next is great.. The quart can sprayed through my spray gun works well however it does lift the wood grain some so you have to apply several coats to get it smooth or sand between coats so it makes the process more work and hassel. I do like that that stuff dries fast and hardly any smell.. Works great if you dip in Danish oil and then spray then there is no grain lifting issue.. Just can't dip the ones that I paint details with my paint markers as it melts and runs the paint colors together etc.

Another option I might have to try.. I was worried about the DA melting the paint markers though.. since the paint markers are alcohol markers it may interfere with my detail painting. Was worried Lacquer would too but it seems to work well. The one other downside to Shellac is most times I've used it it'll change the color of the wood and I also worried it'd change the colors of my paint too.. Another thing I want to look into is the water base Lacquer that JT mentioned.. Have never heard of that.. I like the water base poly IF it would spray better but 50% of the cans I get don't seem to atomize the paint very well.. I like that it doesn't stink too bad and also it dries very fast.. even in cold or hot weather. My spray area is upstairs in my loft and it gets pretty hot in the summer.. pretty cold in the winter since my heat is only on downstairs in the shop itself.

Maybe I'll give it a shot, I've always liked the idea of the mason jars and being able to have several stored fluids.. I found one on Ebay for like $30 that is new so I might try it..

Happens to the best of us, LOL.. The other day I was residing my well pump house. I was measuring with a T square and measured from the wrong side of it.. 1 side starts at number 1 and the other starts at 2"... needless to say my cut came out 2 inch too short.. LOL.. Then I had a piece that needed a cutout to go around the door.. not thinking I cut out on the wrong side so the piece fit perfect if I made the back of it the front, LOL.. Lucky those boo boos were small pieces and I didn't have to go pick up another sheet of siding.. I wouldn't of been too happy if that happened..

This came across my FB page.. I think some would make something similar if there were a pattern.. I found it funny.. I can see now many various versions of this in the bragging section in a few weeks, LOL.. My idea would be to make it a laser cut ornament and have a handsaw where I could personalize it with a name. Wish I was good at designing..

It's likely the plan to just stay with spray cans.. nothing wrong with trying and experimenting with different methods to remind myself why I use spray cans. The cans are always ready to go and that is what I like.. I feel like an airbrush would need filled way too often and too much fussing with it. My HVLP gun I use for auto painting I can dial the pressure down to about 7psi and still get a awesome spray pattern for small items like these ornaments.. The issue is I can't just leave Lacquer in it 24 / 7 and not have it dry up somewhere in the gun etc. so it's not just ready to go like a spray can. The Critter sprayer would be better option because you can keep various jars filled with various sprays and cleaners.. However I'm guessing you'd need at least 40 PSI to make it work well.. which probably too much for spraying ornaments. As for the refillable can, Maybe I misunderstood the description but I swear it said you can change the nozzles.. I guess I assumed it would come with various nozzles so that part of it is kinda what sold me on it. I didn't get any other nozzles with it.. If I can find better nozzles made for the can I think the concept would be great option.. I did find a spraypaint can that had a nozzle that fit on this can but it wasn't a tight fit and leaked around the stem but did spray better. It is working as is but I have to hold the can back 20 inches and it still floods.. it is spraying way too much fluid and isn't atomizing it as well as it could or as much as a normal can. I believe it just has a universal type nozzle that probably work poorly for all fluids people might use it for. IF they made some specific nozzles for this I believe this could work very well.. Maybe I'll do a search for some nozzles for it. It's really pretty well make and the safety is really just common sense stuff as far as I can tell.. I can see it being a danger too as many lack in the common sense area, LOL

What kind of air pressure is needed to use the Critter? I'm spraying small lightweight Christmas ornaments and under higher pressure they may just blow away, LOL I've had them wiggle around some with just a spray can.

Watco Lacquer.. I spray most all the ornaments that I cut on the laser.. The scrolled ones I just dip in Danish oil.. But since I paint details on the laser cut ones I cannot dip those.. tried it on one and the chemicals in the Danish oil melted the paint and made it run all over.. but lacquer works great.. Many of these ornament are personalized so I can't really do big batches.. mostly just 1 - 10 at a time..

Well, I finally put some Lacquer into the can to give it a try.. it does work good as far as pressurizing etc.. I experimented with different pressures starting at only like 10psi and worked my way up to around 60psi.. at 10psi up through around 30 it mostly just wanted to shoot a stream rather that a mist.. Getting up to 60psi it started spraying much better but I'm not to comfortable going to the 100psi. Read the reviews about how the thing will spray at you when trying to charge it up.. That only happens if you have fluid in the system.. ie tip the can upside down to release the fluid out of the suction straw and it doesn't do that. I think it'd work good if I could put a different nozzle on it.. removed several nozzles from various paint cans I had but nothing that I had would fit into the can.. so my conclusion is in my opinion it's not very good for paint.. I kinda figured when I read the reviews but thought I'd give it a try. I do think it'll be great for penatrents such as WD40 or PB blaster.. I've been buying that stuff in gallon cans and just using a pump sprayer over the years but I think this will work better for that so likely what I'll be putting into it. Guess I'm going to run airline to my paint room and just get a sprayer or maybe just continue with the spray cans.

I totally agree with the spray gun idea and that a cup thinned will go way farther than a spray can.. My issue is what do I do with the excess mix if I don't use it all? Leaving it in the spray gun will likely dry out and ruin the spray gun. I seem to remember someone using something like the "critter" sprayer and when they was done they could seal the jar back up with a canning jar style lid.. I sometimes go a week without spraying anything.. sometimes I'm only spraying one ornament that I preconized for a order.. I was just trying to find a more practical way of doing things to where I could buy quart cans of Lacquer.. Maybe I'll have to keep on using spray cans..

Congrats on the new saw, I hope you get many hours of trouble free sawing with it. Thank you for sharing the experience so far. Maybe update us again after you get several hours of time on it.

Is that the sprayer that looks like it has a glass mason type jar? Do those spray decent? I see some of these are up there in price close to my HVLP spray gun that is used for my autobody paint repair.. I'm pretty picky with that gun and will only use it with automotive type paints.. thought about a cheap Harbor Freight gun.. but I worried about the quality of spray.. many of the autobody guys I know that have tried them say stay away.. as the spray sucks on them so I was a little worried about trying one.. Though I don't need a 12" spray pattern for ornaments and they probably work better than the spray cans I've been using, LOL.. I found some of those sprayers you mentioned and they're upwards of $200 or more for some.. I did find a New open box one for $52.. it's tempting to give it a try.

I've been considering something similar that I haven't really seen anyone do.. and that is... lasering designs for kids to color with markers and then they can frame or gift them to someone.. Was going to give it a try with a couple small ornaments that can be colored.. I hand paint most all my laser cut ornaments and thought maybe kids would like to make mom / dad colored ornaments that they color. Probably a dumb idea but thought it might take off or might not..LOL

Congrats on the new toy.... Yeah they are big and bulky saws and do take up a bit of space.. A 220VS Ultra popped up on marketplace at a pretty decent deal.. I've always wanted a smaller Ultra style Hawk.. It's got the marbles in my head rolling around so much I can't sleep very well, I don't need another saw.. nor do I want it take up yet more space in the shop on something that would probably be used very little..

A shed would be the best option probably.. that said there are several ( myself included ) that have scrolled inside the house.. If you have a spare room where you could set up a saw.. get a box fan and a good quality furnace filter attached to the back of the fan that you run while you saw can get a good amount of the fine dust. Maybe get a door sock thing to lay on the floor in front of the door while working to keep any of the dust from going under the door and out into the rest of the house.

Very nice work! I've had times this year where I didn't scroll at all for 5-6 weeks and it sure felt good to get back in that seat..