RangerJay

Got to admit that I've never been a big fan of mitred frames - but after seeing some of the pictures posted above I might have to rethink that - some really great looking work here. Having said that here area some frames that I've kinda gravitated to in my effort to avoid mitred frames. .

One strength of the traditional type of sanding mop is that it's individualized pieces of sandpaper do a good job of getting into the inside of fretwork to remove the hard edge - not sure this product would do that but it sure looks intriguing and I'd look forward to your review once you've tried it. The other thing I'd wonder about is longevity - the material in this product looks very similar to that found in abrasive buffs that can also be purchased off of Amazon ( https://www.amazon.ca/Yasumai-Abrasive-Polishing-Buffing-Tools-2-35mm/dp/B0722Y69NJ/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1519332337&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=abrasive+buffs&psc=1 ). I do use these buffs on fretwork and like them for that purpose - but I treat them as disposable - they really don't last a long time. The sanding mop - on the other hand - is amazingly long lived - I don't think I'd be exaggerating if I said I get close to a year out of a refill before having to change it - by the way - $72.95 seems way too high - I believe there is an initial add-on charge for the mandrel but even so this seems too much. If you do decide to get this product please keep us posted on how it works. Thanks, Jay

Beautiful job.

Most of my work tends to be one-of-a-kind projects which I think makes it easier to take the time for a great finish - in fact I kinda enjoy it. Finishing includes a custom frame or base (if needed), sanding (lots), an application of tung oil (brushed and wiped), multiple coats of polyurethane (Minwax only) and finally a coat of paste wax that is applied with 0000 steel wool then polished or buffed. On occasion - if I want a portion of the piece to be buffed to a veryhigh gloss I will also polishing compound before waxing. Jay

The only things you haven't mentioned that I use on a reasonably regular basis are below - I've added an asterisk to the ones I use a real lot. - magnifying lens for the saw (*) - 1" belt sander (*) - sanding mop (*) - abrasive buffs for the dremel tool - carving burrs for the dremel tool - various sized drum sanders for both the dremel tool and the drill press - assortment of router bits for the dremel tool and trim router - trim router - range of carving tools - cordless drill (*) - range of wood clamps - planer - jointer - mitre saw (*) Think that is about it .... Jay

Elm has a particularly unique grain that is easily identifiable - the wood can be a bit tough and stringy (if you have to split Elm firewood by hand you don't like it) - but it is great for furniture and I like to use it for frames - it works well for use anywhere you want to show off a heavier grain. Here are a couple clocks I made of Elm quite a few years ago - to this day, of all the clocks I've made, they remain my favourite - mainly because of the wood. Jay

That is looking great. I love these kinds of projects - (the when it's over part) - but don't have the courage to measure how much time I spend on them ..... Jay

Guess I'm old enough to have learned way too many times that it is sinfully easy to overdo pre-planning - and find yourself way out of sync with you ultimately find yourself doing. My motto now?? - "One thing at a time" - and that one thing is usually a collaborative effort between my own wishes, my wifes wishes, the wood I've got, the wood I need to buy, the time I've got, the season of the year - and - of course - my astrological forecast (which usually brings me back to my own wishes ....) - the point being - and all humour aside - too much pre-planning and Murphy's Law go hand-in-hand ..... Jay

You have quite a team rooting for you - let me join the rest of your Scrolling Prayer Warriors in their prayers for a complete and speedy recovery for both yourself and your bride. Jay

Thanks everyone for the kind comments. DW: Yes - found a need to sip on the occasional beer while doing these ...... Thanks, Jay

Took a while - but these are finally done ..... This is my second "batch" of these guys - this time around I departed from the original pattern to better fit our towns theme as the Canoe Capital of Canada. So instead of a kayak there is a canoe, instead of a kayaking double blade paddle there is a traditional single blade paddle. Neither did I include the hanger for the Christmas tree - they are made to sit flat and be displayed (hopefully) year round. They are a pain to make - but their desirability makes the effort worthwhile ..... kinda ..... sorta ...... every couple years or so ...... maybe .... Thanks to Ruth Chopp for the original design - hope she doesn't mind the changes I've made. Jay

Guess my head is pretty thick - a statement my wife would attest too ...... and now that you point it out I can definitely see the Northern Lights!! - sorry .... We've been in Atikokan for almost 31 years - we love everything about Atikokan but both kids settled into careers in TBay - and - with 1st granddaughter now on the way - we'll be biting the bullet and moving there ourselves sometime within the next few years. Thanks, Jay

Hi Wayne - this is a really neat pattern, the cutting is great and the wood is perfect - the whole piece has been well done - so I hope you don't get upset if I make a minor suggestion - had the grain of the wood been turned the other way - then the grain itself becomes a part of the landscape image - very likely taking the whole piece from "great" to "stunning". Just a thought - it's a beautiful job as is. Thanks, Jay

That is a beautiful piece of work - and you might already be aware - with some very minor modifications (or not) - you have yourself a very impressive wood-carvers lap-table: http://sundaywoodcarver.blogspot.ca/2010/11/improved-carvers-lap-table-tutorial.html The perfect choice - pasta or carving ..... Life just doesn't get any better ...... Jay

Funny how the simplest of things - overlooked - can get us into trouble. I'd agree that it is very fixable without a lot of extra effort - and can still come out looking great! Jay

Wow - looks like there is a bunch of us that keep pretty good company ..... I've always had lower back issues but in recent years have developed mid-back pain that gets aggravated when sitting too long at the scrollsaw. To keep it to a minimum I try to rotate between workstations every 1/2 hour or so - the point being not to stay hunched in any one position for very long. Seems to work unless I forget - and if I do my back will soon remind me ..... I also do the Tylenol/Ibuprofen thing (which helps) and, on a long day in the workshop, take longer breaks outside of the workshop (i.e. take the dog for a walk, cut the grass, throw darts at pictures of my favourite politician .... anything to break the cycle of being hunched over). All seems to work - but it is a conscious effort to make it work. Jay

Not sure why - but I have a ridiculous collection of hand drills - 3 corded and 3 cordless ..... my favourite is an ancient Makita 7.2 volt cordless that my wife bought me 30 some years ago - now on the 3rd battery. It is great for small jobs and perfect for use with the sanding mop on fretwork projects that need a little gentler touch than the drill press will give. Jay

Welcome from the wilds of Northwestern Ontario ..... Jay

Ouch - hope you get well soon - and come back better and stronger then ever!! I'm in week 5 now after 2nd knee replacement - getting out into the shed every day for a couple hours at a time - riding the bike and walking the treadmill in the basement - still some difficulty sleeping at night but otherwise life is quickly returning back to normal ..... feels good ..... hope things go just as well for you. Jay

Time and practice mean a lot - with both you will find yourself becoming more relaxed at the saw (a big deal), you will become adept at picking the right blade for the job, you will know what issues to look for if you're not getting the outcome you want, you will recognize there is a moving sweet spot between saw speed and project feed - you will ultimately find a comfortable flow to your cutting that will give you what you want - I know there is more - lots more - but the point is that you are in a learning curve - we've all been through it .... I'd also agree that you'd find a dremel tool handy - no matter how great you get - you will always find imperfections that you need to deal with - the dremel sanding drums and small carving burrs are always at the ready on my bench - they will do quick work of the imperfections you have shown in your photos. Jay

Beautiful work. Jay

Is this going to work into a searchable list of end products? i.e. if I wanted to check out available fretwork patterns of hummingbirds across all pattern makers - would that be doable? Thanks, Jay

Got my second knee replaced just before Christmas so I've also been in a waiting game before making more sawdust - recovery going well but I'm getting tired of sittin' in front of the TV watching old dusters - decided to got out to the Shed just before noon today and fire it up (despite the cold) - projects-in-waiting that I am kinda excited about are: finishing up a fleet of Paddling Moose (all parts made for 15 Moose - just waiting for assembly and finishing); refinishing an antique desk (thinking its about 80% done) and; making a swinging cradle for our 1st grandchild (expected to make her appearance in late April). Have a lengthy list of other projects on my wish list but these are the three that will be done before anything else is started. Gonna be a busy and fun year. Jay

I've had a workshop of some kind all of my married life. With the exception of some short-lived experiments in the basement all the others have been outbuildings that have had to deal with Canadian winters. There are a few things I've kinda come to believe: - focusing your need for a comfortable "bubble" of heat around your bench or main workstation is the main goal - if you achieve that the rest of the workshop will probably be just fine for the shorter stints away. - A small baseboard or oil-filled radiator type heater under the bench and against the wall sets up a nice air circulation around the bench. An additional ceramic type heater on the floor and blowing warm air across the front of the bench (and your legs) can become important as the winter temperatures deepen. - insulation in the workshop is really important - this is a big deal - my first workshop was a larger aluminum backyard utility shed (10X14??) insulated with one inch styrofoam and heated with a single 1500 watt plug-in baseboard type heater. This set-up worked well for me over 2 winters (course - I was younger then .......) - if you are sitting at a scrollsaw a small foot rest to get your feet off of the cold floor goes a real long way to keeping your feet and legs comfortable. - firing your heaters up an hour or so ahead of your work period gets the bench and your tools warmed up. My current shop is well insulated with a ceiling mounted propane furnace - but I still use an oil-filled radiator type heater under the scrollsaw bench on the coldest days - it makes a heck of a difference. Jay

Ditto. But one thing that doesn't work well for me by going straight to the "Unread Content" button is that - once read - the thread disappears - meaning - that if I want to revisit a particular thread I need to go searching for it in the forum that it was produced - sometimes a bit of a chore when I don't pay attention to what forum it came from. Jay