Wooden Lace

My son used to help me with wine glass caddy orders when he was in his 20's.  Sure was nice to have help.  i've given up on those now...25 years later....since the new house doesn't have a shop that I can do finishing in.  Too bad, since we brought STACKS of nice planed hardwood with us.  Good thing ornaments in baltic birch just need lightly sanded, so I can keep cutting something to justify the new King 16" saw I added last week.  Great size for small projects.

Welcome back!  I have 2 DeWalts that are over 20 years old now.  They are so old that they were made in Canada by Sommerville!  I use them up to 6 hours a day.  Price at Home Depot and Amazon is $399, which is hundreds less than it was a while back.    I used to have a 16" Excalibur that I foolishly sold.  Now the company that makes those calls it King, and the one actually labeled Excalibur is a different company altogether.    I tried a Hegner, but didn't like the blade change or the tiny table.

I just made an adjustment to my DeWalt yesterday to correct this problem. It has the Pegas blade clamps, but the same thing can happen with any clamps.  After tightening the thumb screw about a million times, the set screw can get pushed back so it's not even sticking out past the edge into the space, much less in the middle of it.  So the blade is no longer even touching it when you tighten down the thumb screw.  Just loosen the nut and use an allen wrench to move the set screw back to where it's in the middle of the space.  Don't forget to relighten the nut!
Also, to help with blade slippage right from the start, EVERY time I change blades, I use a paper towel with some alcohol on it to wipe any oil from the ends of the blade. Some blade brands are worse than others.   I just keep a plastic pump dispenser by the saw....like the one in the Dr. office.  Ebay has lots of them, and some are really cute, since nail salons also use them.  Also make sure you keep your oily fingers off the ends of the blade so they don't contribute to the problem.

I just made an adjustment to my DeWalt yesterday to correct this problem. It has the Pegas blade clamps, but the same thing can happen with any clamps.  After tightening the thumb screw about a million times, the set screw can get pushed back so it's not even sticking out past the edge into the space, much less in the middle of it.  So the blade is no longer even touching it when you tighten down the thumb screw.  Just loosen the nut and use an allen wrench to move the set screw back to where it's in the middle of the space.  Don't forget to relighten the nut!
Also, to help with blade slippage right from the start, EVERY time I change blades, I use a paper towel with some alcohol on it to wipe any oil from the ends of the blade. Some blade brands are worse than others.   I just keep a plastic pump dispenser by the saw....like the one in the Dr. office.  Ebay has lots of them, and some are really cute, since nail salons also use them.  Also make sure you keep your oily fingers off the ends of the blade so they don't contribute to the problem.

I used to do large 5 day craft shows and sold almost nothing but ornaments.  I had several table with stacks of each ornaments, as well as a large table at the front with either 2 or 3 brass ornament carousels.  These each held 60 ornaments and revolved slowly.  This way people could see them hanging.  I never used any boxes, just small bags and no one seemed to care, so I didn't add the expense of the box.   
Sorry I don't have a picture of the carousels, but we've moved twice in 4 years and I'm lucky I even know where I am, let alone anything else!

I used to do large 5 day craft shows and sold almost nothing but ornaments.  I had several table with stacks of each ornaments, as well as a large table at the front with either 2 or 3 brass ornament carousels.  These each held 60 ornaments and revolved slowly.  This way people could see them hanging.  I never used any boxes, just small bags and no one seemed to care, so I didn't add the expense of the box.   
Sorry I don't have a picture of the carousels, but we've moved twice in 4 years and I'm lucky I even know where I am, let alone anything else!

I used to do large 5 day craft shows and sold almost nothing but ornaments.  I had several table with stacks of each ornaments, as well as a large table at the front with either 2 or 3 brass ornament carousels.  These each held 60 ornaments and revolved slowly.  This way people could see them hanging.  I never used any boxes, just small bags and no one seemed to care, so I didn't add the expense of the box.   
Sorry I don't have a picture of the carousels, but we've moved twice in 4 years and I'm lucky I even know where I am, let alone anything else!

I used to do large 5 day craft shows and sold almost nothing but ornaments.  I had several table with stacks of each ornaments, as well as a large table at the front with either 2 or 3 brass ornament carousels.  These each held 60 ornaments and revolved slowly.  This way people could see them hanging.  I never used any boxes, just small bags and no one seemed to care, so I didn't add the expense of the box.   
Sorry I don't have a picture of the carousels, but we've moved twice in 4 years and I'm lucky I even know where I am, let alone anything else!

I'm a 7.  Can't believe I turned 75 last month, and now I'm awaiting
cataract surgery, just like lots of you have had.  I had always heard that time marches on, but I didn't realize it was going to march right over me!

I'm a 7.  Can't believe I turned 75 last month, and now I'm awaiting
cataract surgery, just like lots of you have had.  I had always heard that time marches on, but I didn't realize it was going to march right over me!

I'm a 7.  Can't believe I turned 75 last month, and now I'm awaiting
cataract surgery, just like lots of you have had.  I had always heard that time marches on, but I didn't realize it was going to march right over me!

Prayers going up for her.  I have always admired her talent, even though I don't do any intarsia.

Prayers going up for her.  I have always admired her talent, even though I don't do any intarsia.

I've dealt with Ocooch several times and always had great service.  I shipped through UPS for 11 years and wouldn't use anyone else.  I even sold my house to a UPS driver, and rented my condo to another one of their drivers.  Great people!

I've dealt with Ocooch several times and always had great service.  I shipped through UPS for 11 years and wouldn't use anyone else.  I even sold my house to a UPS driver, and rented my condo to another one of their drivers.  Great people!

I've dealt with Ocooch several times and always had great service.  I shipped through UPS for 11 years and wouldn't use anyone else.  I even sold my house to a UPS driver, and rented my condo to another one of their drivers.  Great people!

I've sold over 10,000 ornaments made of 1/16th inch Finnish  Birch from Aircraft Spruce.  I still use ones I made almost 20 years ago and they look perfect.  I used to stack cut 10 at a time, but didn't like having to use a blade large enough for that.  Now I usually do stack of 4 or 5, and use a Pegas modified geometry #1 blade.  No fuzzies on the back to worry about.
Some people don't think plywood looks nice enough, but I sell almost all of mine at high end wood galleries and their clients love them.  I use no finish at all.  Most are inset with 2mm gold beads to give extra sparkle.  The wood is thin enough that they show from both sides.  Simply drill a hole and press the bead in with a shaker peg.  Very high tech!
I've made some of hardwood, but they don't sell nearly as well.  Plus, it has to be light wood such as maple for the pattern to show on a dark green tree.

Sending up urgent prayers for your brother.
Nancy in Washington state

Sending up urgent prayers for your brother.
Nancy in Washington state

Sending up urgent prayers for your brother.
Nancy in Washington state

This year I treated myself to a new Jet 18 inch saw.  I still have 2 DeWalts, one upstairs in a backroom off the bonus room, and another in a spare bedroom downstairs.  I've had the Jet 22 inch before, but another scroller offered to buy it and I let it go.  Really wish the new 18 inch was only 16 inch, like an Excalibur I had, but also sold.  Most of my work is either ornaments or wine glass caddies, with some plaques thrown in, so a smaller saw is nice to have.
I'm to the age now where I struggle with tightening the thumb screws, so the Jet is an obvious choice.  The bottom blade holder does take a bit to get used to, but once you learn it's great, and the blade NEVER slips out.
Nancy

This year I treated myself to a new Jet 18 inch saw.  I still have 2 DeWalts, one upstairs in a backroom off the bonus room, and another in a spare bedroom downstairs.  I've had the Jet 22 inch before, but another scroller offered to buy it and I let it go.  Really wish the new 18 inch was only 16 inch, like an Excalibur I had, but also sold.  Most of my work is either ornaments or wine glass caddies, with some plaques thrown in, so a smaller saw is nice to have.
I'm to the age now where I struggle with tightening the thumb screws, so the Jet is an obvious choice.  The bottom blade holder does take a bit to get used to, but once you learn it's great, and the blade NEVER slips out.
Nancy

This year I treated myself to a new Jet 18 inch saw.  I still have 2 DeWalts, one upstairs in a backroom off the bonus room, and another in a spare bedroom downstairs.  I've had the Jet 22 inch before, but another scroller offered to buy it and I let it go.  Really wish the new 18 inch was only 16 inch, like an Excalibur I had, but also sold.  Most of my work is either ornaments or wine glass caddies, with some plaques thrown in, so a smaller saw is nice to have.
I'm to the age now where I struggle with tightening the thumb screws, so the Jet is an obvious choice.  The bottom blade holder does take a bit to get used to, but once you learn it's great, and the blade NEVER slips out.
Nancy

It's been several years since I purchased any of the 1/16th plywood, and all my records are "somewhere", since we've moved twice in 2 years.   I did a Google search for 1/16th aircraft ply, several names came up, and Aircraft Spruce sounded really familiar, and my husband agreed. They have 8 locations, including Canada and Alaska, so shipping is quite convenient.
You can find them at aircraftspruce.com.  Customer Service is 800-861-3192 and their Order line is 877-477-7823. Check their website for additional numbers for outside US and one for Canada as well.
It's Finnish birch, their quality was always great and shipping was really quick.   I also tried their 1/32nd.  The people who didn't like it thought it felt flimsy, and those that liked it described it as delicate.  You can't please everyone, but I've never had any complaints with the 1/16th.  Hope this helps.

It's been several years since I purchased any of the 1/16th plywood, and all my records are "somewhere", since we've moved twice in 2 years.   I did a Google search for 1/16th aircraft ply, several names came up, and Aircraft Spruce sounded really familiar, and my husband agreed. They have 8 locations, including Canada and Alaska, so shipping is quite convenient.
You can find them at aircraftspruce.com.  Customer Service is 800-861-3192 and their Order line is 877-477-7823. Check their website for additional numbers for outside US and one for Canada as well.
It's Finnish birch, their quality was always great and shipping was really quick.   I also tried their 1/32nd.  The people who didn't like it thought it felt flimsy, and those that liked it described it as delicate.  You can't please everyone, but I've never had any complaints with the 1/16th.  Hope this helps.