Bill WIlson

I do that too. I make several animal & dinosaur puzzles every year for Toys for Tots and I'm always trying to find the best combination of size & grain direction to fit as many on a board as possible.

Steve Good's site has a few relatively simple religious themed patterns. Worth a look, if not for this time, perhaps once you've gotten a little more practice under your belt. https://www.stevedgood.com/catalog/

I have a book of dinosaur puzzles for the scroll saw. I recognized it by sight, but would not have been able to recall the name. In the pantheon of dinosaur pop culture, I think this one is fairly obscure. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lambeosaurus

I bought a Grizzly 14" bandsaw many years ago and started getting the catalog regularly. I've since ordered some smaller things from them, but nothing on any kind of regular basis. I haven't ordered anything from them in years. As for the catalogs, they still show up occasionally, even, it seems, if it's been several years since I've placed an order. Haven't received one lately, but it wouldn't surprise me of one showed up, out of the blue. I actually like catalogs like this. I guess I'm of that generation when catalogs were a big deal. They are scarcer than hen's teeth these days, so it's kind of a nice, nostalgic trip down memory lane for me if & when I do get one.

I've never used gel stain on fretwork, but my gut tells me that it isn't necessarily the best option in your case. If there are a lot of inside cuts, then blotchiness is less of an issue, because theoretically, you don't have large surface areas where the blotchiness would be noticeable. Gel stain is still an oil based product and the reason it blotches less is because the pigment doesn't absorb into the grain as deeply as regular stain. I would think it would have the same tendency to bleed, if not more so. In either case it's best to topcoat with a clear finish. Have you considered trying a dye rather than a stain?

I routinely cut 4 layers of 1/8" BB ply with a #1 FD Ultra Reverse blade when making Christmas ornaments. It certainly does dull the blade faster, but nothing like "cutting cement". How do the same blades cut other hardwoods of similar thickness? Is the difference just noticeable or is it dramatic?

I get it, I was just razzin' ya a little Ray.

Looking forward to a full report as to how it worked.

I vaguely remember seeing something like this several years ago. While the idea is conceptually interesting, I can't ever see myself trying it. In the big picture, finishes are a fairly small percentage of material cost for most of us hobbyists. At least for me they are. The potential risks of trying this method really outweigh any theoretical benefits.

Very nice. I too like the frame. I've never seen that method of reinforcing miter joints before. I've used splines on the surface and on the edge before, but nothing quite like that. I'll likely steal that idea on a future project.

I've done something similar with wood glue on a piece of acrylic or vinyl laminated particle board. The wood glue won't stick well to either of those. I suspect that CA glue would be a different story though.

Could be. I never fill mine much past 1/2 way either.

I agree with Jim. Short blade life is a technique problem, not a saw problem. Presuming these saws are going to see a much higher level of abuse than what the average hobbiest saw would see, I would probably look into the 14" Hegner that was mentioned above. The double parallel link saws like Dewalt, Pegas, Seyco, Excelsior/King, Jet, etc. are good saws, but will likely need a lot more maintenance with continuous rough use. I've never owned a Hegner, but from everything I've heard and read about them, they are basically indestructible. The 14" should be plenty big enough for kids to learn on and hopefully priced such that you could afford multiple units.

I've got tools from just about every major brand that is available. I've always bought tools based on what I felt served my purpose & fit my budget, regardless of brand. When I started buying power tools, Sears was about the only local place that you could get any sort of selection. I bought several Craftsman power tools from an era when they weren't all that highly regarded by woodworkers and tradesmen. But they were cheap(er) and the Sears store at the mall had everything I could want, so it was convenient. I've upgraded and replaced many of those old Craftsman tools, but I still have some and a couple still get regular use, despite being several decades old These days I don't really have a strong opinion on HF vs other brands. By the time HF built a store in our town, I had acquired most of what I needed. If HF had existed here 45 years ago, I would likely have been a regular customer. That said, I do like a good quality tool and HF's age old reputation has kept me from looking at their offerings, even out of simple curiosity. They are making a decided effort to up their game though and I think they have a place in the market, if for no other purpose than to offer some competition to the Big Box stores. As for internet reviews, those that focus on tools aren't a whole lot different than ones for any number of other products. I've spent a lot of time reading and watching reviews for hand guns as I'm a relative newcomer to that arena and am trying to learn as much as I can and make sound buying decisions. Unfortunately, like tool reviews there are a lot of them that aren't worth the time to read/watch. One still needs to be a discerning consumer and learn how to tell the good from the bad. There is good info to be had out there, but you have to wade through a lot of fluff and useless blather to get to it, sometimes.

Thanks for the update. So often on these kinds of forums, someone presents a problem, gets lots of suggestions, but we never hear how or if the issue was resolved. Glad you found your answer.

Don't think that would work for me. I'd always be grabbing the decoy and wondering why it wouldn't unlock the door.

Rolf, your ornaments are so detailed and delicate that I think maybe customers appreciate the boxes, if for no other reason than to ensure that they survive the trip home. The boxes really do enhance the display. Like I said before, I've never seen ornaments presented in boxes like that, but I've never seen ornaments as nice as yours at any of the craft shows I've been to.

I've been to a lot of craft shows over the years (as a customer/observer, not a vendor). I've seen a lot of ornaments and bought a few. I've never seen any displayed in boxes. I have no idea what that might mean or if the boxes would hurt or help sales, I've just never seen them displayed that way.

Some background on tips; A quick history lesson Tipping became the norm in the 1900s. Rumor has it that the practice drifted over from Europe thanks to the aristocracy. After their European visits, where tipping was part of the culture, they wanted to seem more cultured and in-the-know than their peers. Perhaps they were a bit too enthusiastic about the whole thing, because Americans were subsequently criticized for over tipping by Europeans and continue to be to this day. But there’s actually a legitimate reason why Americans continue to tip more than Europeans. In the 1960s, the U.S. Congress decided to a so-called “tipping credit,” which meant that the employer could pay the employee under the minimum wage if they earn tips. Still active in many states, this means that employees walk home with a slim paycheck and rely on tips to get by. This true in the food industry. However, not everyone who is tipped lives off them. Some professions include tipping as a bonus, but you should be aware of the unwritten rules there and tip accordingly. 10 things no one tells you about tipping in the US

The older I get, the fewer muscles I have.

I use a cheap trigger sprayer I probably got at Walmart. Don't recall it being anything special. I've had it for years and keep mineral spirits in it all the time. Never had a problem.

Thanks. Very pleasant day. Went out to dinner with kids & grandkids and back to my daughter's place for dessert. This was a big one - 65! Retirement here I come!

I like the concept of battery powered tools much more than I like the cost of entry and relatively short lifespan. I have cordless drills & drivers and a couple pieces of cordless OPE, but by & large, I still prefer corded electric, or gasoline powered tools. I don't mind paying up for a good tool, but don't like being a slave to a battery platform that will need replaced or be obsolete within a few years. A good electric router or gasoline powered weed eater will last the rest of my lifetime.

Yea, I heard that the other day. Bob, Jeff Jewitt & Steve Mickley have provided some of the best finishing information to woodworkers that is available. RIP Bob.

That's always good practice. I really don't know how much we spend on eating out, probably somewhere around $100/month or so. I know people who spend much more and some who rarely eat out. It's a matter of personal preference. If you are already thinking that your spending is too high, then re-evaluating and prioritizing your funds is a wise choice.