Scrappile

@octoolguy, I use free Photoscape for Mac. They also have it for WIndows, I like Windows version better, but have grown accustom to the Mac now. It is a photo editor, and it allows you to do all sorts of photo editing. I can not remember the steps with Windows but I have learned it on both platforms just by fooling around with if. There are good instructions on the internet also. Pretty, simple like on the Mac there is a "Insert" option which has options to insert text, arrows, lines. circles, etc. all of which you can select text fonts, size and color, same with the arrows, circles and such. You can resize, darken, brighten, improve clarity, add border, invert, make negative.. the list of on....great free software. http://www.photoscape.org/ps/main/index.php Believe me, my wife lets me know I am not perfect,,,, almost daily!! I don't normally point out my mistakes, but I guess last night I felt some one might benefit from my errors... Besides @Scrolling Steve knew I was cutting this and I knew he would catch my errors... so I confessed....

So glad to have you move into the neighborhood. I look forward to getting acquainted, and seeing some of your scrolling.

That may have been a good solution,,,, where were you before I put finish on it??!

The piece I put in has the grain running horizontal, and the rest of the piece the grain is vertical. I should have made the boo boo replacement piece with the grain going vertical. This is important especially on wood with pronounced grain. But even if the grain is not real prominent, the light will reflect off it differently, making it more noticeable. That is why the end of the branch that I glued in looks to be a different shade of brown although it is not.

I think I commented on this in some other thread, but with my brain, had for me to tell fact from fiction. I do remember thinking that way a great looking piece. Nice job.

Very will done. I didn't even know towns/citys had their own flags... If we have one I bet it has the atom emblem on it..

Ah, Steve, you really "one upped me" on this. Great job and I don't see any needed extra branches or off color glue ons. great job. I am pretty sure I will re-cut this pattern one of these days. The other question I have is what does one do now. Needs something to mount or hang on. I thought it might look neat if one had a slab of a tree with bark on. Carve/cut out an area this would fit snugly in so it gave the impression this guy was carved into the slab. When I go to the Oregon Coast this summer I am going to have a look for a piece of drift wood that might work. Very nice work, Steve. Which on are you going to do next?

Not too long. I worked on it over about a week and a half off and on.

Here's the scoop. I just finished, (yesterday being "just") cutting my first Fiona Kingdon's pattern. It will not be the last. I really enjoyed myself. I am not real ashamed of the result, but I have done better. Like some have done her patterns have said, she is not a great pattern maker. I agree, but not sure I would have enjoyed this cut as much if she was. Remember she does this stuff free hand, so her patterns are sorta free hand also. They are a challenge, at least for me. They keep you on your toes, because there a very fragile areas and there are some islands. I could not just follow the lines and listen to music... I had to really pay attention. And, I failed in a couple areas. Hence, I didn't put this in "Bragging Right". I made errors and I am going to point them out. I want to do this because I get the impression there are some here, that want to try more challenging pattern, but are, in my opinion, just two hesitant to get on with it. My second or third detailed fret work pattern was the Viking Warrior. I didn't really think I could finish it but, I did. Took me two tries, but I wanted to do it bad enough I would have continued trying until I made it through.. So if you are hesitant, just do it. It is only time and wood. If you fail a few times, so what, it will only increase the satisfaction and pride you feel when you do accomplish the task. Okay I got off on a tangent, back to my current project. Like I stated, I find Fiona's patterns a challenge and on this one, (my first one of hers, I have 3 more I want to do) I made some errors. One I think my save was pretty darn good, the second the save needs saving. If you look at the picture, I have circled the boo boos and will explain them and my save attempts. Maybe this will help some new comers. Error one and not numbered, I'm just throwing this in without a count. I definitely think I picked the wrong wood for this or any other scroll project I may try. This is the first time I have use what I think is quarter sawed red oak. I think it is quarter sawed, I have never had any sawed like this before. I liked cutting any other oak I have tried. If I look at the end wood the grain lines are vertical. It was the hardest most obstinate wood I have ever tried to cut. I would go along and all of a sudden, hit a "wall" like the blade had lost it's teeth, I'd apply some pressure and it would finally advance then take off like it had started cutting basswood. I use a lot of blades cutting this and I kept trying different one. I ended up having the best results with FD-PSR #1. Okay mistake #1 in the picture. The flower petal was an island. Attached to nothing and if I had scroll all the way around it it would have been sucked into my vac. My fix was to stop and leave it until I got around to cutting the tree branch next to it. When I did I, free hand scrolled another limb on the branch that grew over and the petal is attached to it. I felt like Fiona free handing a cut. I think this was a good save and not noticeable but to anyone that had not seen the pattern to compare. The mistake #2 was another me not looking ahead and paying attention. What is the dark brown end of a little limb, was very fragile where it connected. So fragile that (I can not type "fragile" with out thinking of "The Christmas Story), it broke off and did immediately get sucked into vac oblivion. Okay been there done that. Save some cut out pieces of scraps and when all through cutting make one to fit and glue it in. I have had to do this before and it is a good save. BUT, when I did make the piece I did NOT pay attention to the direction of the grain of the piece I made. Basic,,,,, pay attention to grain direction or it will holler dummy, dummy, dummy, at you when you get done and especially when you put some finish on it. At his point I will let it sit a few days and them decide whether to try to fix the limb end and finish the project or have even more fun and start over using some Cherry or other Oak. I like the look of this oak but I do not like cutting it. I love the pattern. There or here it is. Sorry, this turned out a little long. My intent was to help some. If so, great, if not just chalk it up to crazy old Scrappile and move on....

Does it give an amber color to the wood?

I didn't think the Ex tables were aluminum. Could it be the coating on the table top block the weak magnetism of a small piece. Or maybe the screw heads that hold the table top are enough. I just remember, the Ex I had, the table was too heavy to be aluminum.

Beautiful pieces.

Awesome!!

Cool! Great pieces.

All very nice work, Kris. Notice you haven't been here for a little while, nice to have you back. I always look forward to see your work.

Great pictures! Nice cutting.

So, do you saw with a nickle on your table??

@scrollingforsanity, next time you are going to go, let me know ahead of time so I can get there before you and get the best pick!! Last time I went,,,, you must have been there before me because I left mad and empty handed. There customer service is hit and miss also. I was the only customer, four workers at the counter yakking and laughing, they looked at me as I came in but not one spoke, offered to help, nothing..... didn't even say good-bye when I went past them to leave. Been there other times when they were fighting to help me!!!!

Great job! The grain in the wood really works for the sky. I think your Dad is going to love that.

I know of no way but to count them. Charles Hand's patterns tell you the number of cuts.

Saw @meflick's post on her little guitar pick boxes and decided to make on for my guitar playing son. Nice easy way to use up some little pieces of wood. The top and bottom are Black Limba wood, I do not know what the middle is.

He will be very proud of that gift.

Thanks, good info. Now I know you hate everything I have ever posted!! Yes, I do need to go to HF and get some of the brushes. I use to have a bunch and used them all up. The come in handy for many things.

I was just at Charles Hand's site and he has some patterns I have not seen before. Scroll down below the 3D Patterns. Pretty cool,,, and challenging. https://scrollsawart4u.weebly.com/specialty--ornate-patterns.html?fbclid=IwAR1hkRMWzb6UZyUSz8mr6UsUi8-HGDkyAElwh5djLUl2YYl8bIHLxsKUPTE

I would certainly love to. Not sure I will ever get there again.. My son lives in Memphis and it is a lot easier for him to travel than us old folks, plus he can arrange to fly for free.