orangeman

Buying Baltic Birch Plywood by the sheet (5' x 5') is always cheaper that smaller quantities at Big Box and hobby stores. I use 1/4" and 1/8" but I have to travel 100 miles RT to get the 1/8th. Around $15/sheet for the B/BB grade. Here is a list of the various grades out there: GRADING STANDARDSBaltic Birch Plywood is graded with a face and back grade designation. The following face/back veneer grades are available from our warehouse facilities: B/BB: Single piece face and back veneer. Face veneers are considered clear and free of defects with a light-uniform color. Back allows 3-6 color matched patches, which are oval in shape and egg sized. Inner cores are solid birch single piece veneers. BB/BB: Single piece face and back. Both face and back veneers allow 3-6 small color-matched patches on average and some light mineral streaks. Tight pin knots may be present. Inner cores are solid single piece veneers. BB/CP: Single piece face and back. The “CP†back veneers are downgraded from “BB†grade veneers, which allow for unlimited patches and sound knots, but does not allow for open defects. Inner cores are solid birch single piece veneers. CP/CP: Single piece face and back. Face and back grade veneers allow unlimited sound knots and repaired splits and unlimited patches. The panel is sound both sides and designed for laminating. C/C: Patches, open knots, and small veneer splits allowed. Veneer lap and small core voids permitted. This panel is not sanded and would be used for structural purposes. SHOP GRADES: Shop panels are offered in the full 60†X 60†format in all of the grades listed above. Panels allow for 1-3 splits on the face veneer along one edge of the panel in lengths no longer than 10†and no wider than ¼â€. Shop grades offered at a substantial discount to the “on grade†prices.

My advice is to look around for another image with reasonable fees. I recently bought an image of a triggerfish for $10. The license gives me the right to make all the triggerfish puzzles I want to for sale. Fox Chapel published a humminbird puzzle pattern some time ago. That might serve your purpose.

Good idea Travis. At a show I did in March I took some Menorah puzzles not knowing whether they would sell. Also took some cross puzzles. The cross puzzles did not sell well and I was surprised. I sold all the Menorah puzzles I took and got compliments on them. One lady said she was delighted to see something for Jewish folks and thanked me. She said it was rare to see Jewish themed anythings at shows. She asked me to make some "Star of David" puzzles in color for next year. A good winter project and I'll post when I finish the design. Shouldn't be too hard to do.

Hope you have better luck selling them than I did. bb

Ralph, I have a puzzle pattern in the shape of an apple; the kids could sign the puzzle pieces. The pattern appeared in ScrollSaw Woodworking and crafts a few years ago.

I tried the mop and didn't like it. I went with a 3M product instead. I put it in my lathe and use it to sand puzzles.

I had that problem years ago. Turned out it was a loose wire in the switch. Take the switch apart and inspect it for loose or disconnected wires. Then blow some compressed air to clean it out. If that isn't the problem you may need a new switch. Easy to replace yourself. bb

Or you could keep it real simple and just use the word Puzzles. I find that my sign attracts folks from afar.

Randy, Do you have any idea what the shipping cost is? I returned a Hawk scrollsaw maybe 7 years ago due to excessive vibration and the cost was $90 back then! It might be better to give it to the thrift store and take a tax deduction bb

Chris, I dip very very briefly; then immediately wipe all excess off with a paper towel. Yes, I use soft maple exclusively. But only if they meet my hardness test. I would not even consider poplar or pine for dying as they are too soft. bb

Travis, I buy concentrated food colors from Esco and LoRann Oils. Then I dilute with either water or alcohol. Alcohol dries faster but it absorbed more and I get more bleed out on softer maple. Diluting with water doesn't bleed out as much. The softer the wood, the more bleed out from the end grain. Then I seal the pieces with Sherwin Williams Cab-acrylic lacquer (gloss). I use a durometer to test the hardness of the soft maple before I buy. There are many varieties of maple classified as soft maple. Some softer than others. Also, diluting some colors with alcohol will affect the color. I have found NEVER to dilute purple with alcohol - you won't get purple. Same with black. As I said it has taken me several years to perfect the process. Hope this helps.

Chris, what went wrong with the food color thingy? It's taken me 5 years to perfect the technique and I get brilliant colors. Check this one out:

The Pegas #5 Modified Geometry blade is my "Go-TO" blade! The one I use the most for cutting 3/4" thick puzzles from walnut, cherry, padauk, locust, etc. I switched some time ago from Flying Dutchman blades (tried em all) because of the superiority of the Pegas blades for my application. For my colored puzzles which I dip in food coloring I will use the #7 MG Pegas blade because I want a bigger kerf due to the wood swelling. Here is where I order my Pegas blades: http://www.dndsawbladesonline.com/ bb

I use food colors for all my colored puzzles. Good selling point at craft shows, especially for the childrens' non-choking puzzles. I get brilliant colors. bb

Learn something new every day. Never heard of blue pine and I have lived in GA for 45 years! bb

Box Elder?

Does she do puzzle designs? How much did she charge you? bb

I used Flying Dutchman blades for 10 years and I am convinced they have deteriorated in quality. I recently switched to PEGAS Modified Geometry blades (#3-7) for cutting puzzles from hardwoods. I find the Pegas blades superior to the FD blades for that purpose. The PEGAS MG blade in more aggressive and cuts through cherry, locust, padauk, and purpleheart with ease. I still use the FD puzzle blade for Christmas Cards out of 1/4" Baltic Birch. bb

DeWalt has a repair policy in that they will replace any parts needed to get your saw running with a $250 max repair charge. I have done that on a couple saws. usually get another year out of it before something else goes haywire. I'll only do the $250 job once. After that it goes to the parts graveyard.

Denny, How does that consignment work re terms in your store? I had my puzzles in a local consignment store and they charged me $25/mo for renting 15 sq ft. plus 10% of sales for commission. There was an additional 3% charge if customers used a credit card. I was there for 3 years until they folded; lost their lease. There is a local hardware store that wanted to carry my puzzles but I thought it wasn't a good venue. bb

I recently received a gift from some friends in the UK which was purchased at a woodcraft store in Burford UK. The website for the store is http://www.burford-woodcraft.co.uk/home.html Looks like many woodworkers have their products on consignment at the store. I believe the business concept would work in an artsy/craftsy location in the USA.

Also, try safe food colors! I color ALL my colored puzzles with food coloring.

I just attended a class on finishing and the presenter was a big fan of milk paint. But he said it dries dull and needs a top coat of something.

Has anyone seen, bought, or tried out the new Jet 22" scroll saw. Seems to be priced in the Excalibur range. BUT it has a 5 year warranty! bb

Fantastic!!!! I like it.