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Another post I have to keep from my wife...... Nice work! Bruce

Beautiful work, John with a great array of interests - something for everybody. They should be very successful, Bruce

Eplfan2011: " I mostly kept to the line (but they are only a suggestion right) but the s has a few flatspots on it ( I'm presuming I'm turning without feeding?) " I do a lot of word art. I have discovered that we - the "cutters" see the micro-departures. Those who look at our work see the macro outcome. Minor departures become nearly invisible to those who view the whole. My motto has become "Cut with care and trust the pattern. Don't sweat the small stuff." Your work is hand-crafted and minor departures are a signature of "hand made." Great job and keep making sawdust. Bruce

Welcome to the Village, Colin. That was a great find and value. I look forward to seeing some of your work here. Bruce

Welcome to the Village, Jerry. Always a pleasure to welcome another veteran to this great forum and even more so one from the military aviation community. Bruce

So glad you are making sawdust and rolling out masterpieces, Kevin. You are on a roll!! Well done! Bruce

That is the kind of gift that surpasses all expectations. He will truly treasure it. Well done! Bruce

So glad to see you are back at it, Kevin! Bruce

Let us know how that works for you. I have read that the best shellac solvent is Everclear alcohol (95% pure grain alcohol aka 190 proof). This is not sold in Minnesota. A "close at hand" diversion if your project doesn't work out okay!

Greetings, Tabetha. Welcome to the Village! Bruce

I think you may have put your finger on the problem. Spray lacquer is thinned (25% or more) to permit spraying. It could be that the spongy areas of the wood have a grain structure that prevents the thinned lacquer from "bridging across the cells". The shellac based sanding sealer goes on with a relatively thicker coat and since shellac is dissolved in alcohol the lacquer thinner does not disturb the seal coat. I will have to do some additional searching to test this guess. In any event, for me, a shellac seal is saving a lot of time and effort. For hang-on-the-wall plaques its durability should be more than adequate.

Beautiful. What epoxy do you use? Bruce

I have done a number of the patterns found on Sheila's website sheilalandrydesigns.com. They are beautifully designed and a delight to cut. You did this one PROUD! Well done! Bruce

Hi Dave: I have heard that advice for Watco Danish oil or other oil-based finishes. I have searched the archives of Fine Woodworking Magazine and the web site Lumberjocks. The longest cure time recommended there for Seal Coat (unwaxed) shellac is 1 to 4 hours depending on humidity (high humidity takes longer). Bruce

I have hit a run of finishing problems that threatens to ruin several plaques. Years ago a relative gave me a 36"x4"x4" piece of Cherry. I estimate this to be 40 years of air drying and it had a crack that I had to work around. Going from this stock to a plaque that was ready for its final finished involved a lot of work as only we scrollers can appreciate. Upon finishing I discovered this cherry had areas that absorbed lacquer like a sponge. In short I was never able to get a coat of lacquer across the entire surface. Here's a sample to show the issue: The picture shows 2 scrap pieces of this cherry which are "book cut" to provide identical surfaces for finishing. You can see the piece on the right with 4 heavy flow-coats of lacquer has a sizeable area where the lacquer has been fully absorbed. The piece on the left had 1 coat of sanding sealer shellac and 3 coats of lacquer. The difference shown in the picture doesn't do justice to the actual difference. I could do a light surface sand the piece on the left and apply the final coat of lacquer and it would be ready for the final hand rubbed finish. The piece on the right would take many more coats of lacquer which might defeat the spongy areas. Only a scroller can appreciate the frustration this causes. The sanding sealer shellac (a wax free shellac) eliminated the absorption issue. I applied a coat of sanding sealer shellac (which dries in 30 minutes) to the plaques I thought were ruined and then applied lacquer. I think I can salvage them. Going forward this will be my finishing routine. The shellac works equally well over properly dried "danish oil" as a sealer as well as on bare wood before the final finish. I love scrolling. I don't love finishing. Hopefully this will help others who are similarly challenged.

Nice. After taking care of so many very young grandkids, I visualized a different variety of "Pot Chair". Bruce

Nice. Hopefully it was an LP of Punk Rock! Bruce

Welcome to the village! Bruce

I just made the Elephant and baby model. I used a sanding mop to relieve the edges but your versions show even more rounding of the edges and it enhances the item. How are you getting the rounded edges? Bruce

I really like these. They are simple but elegant! Well done. Bruce

Jim, that is first rate workmanship. I have cut a number of the Sheila Landry patterns and found them to be very well designed and balanced. I really like this one and you did it proud!!! Bruce

Welcome to the Village, John!

I ordered this on Amazon about a month ago. It just arrived and here are the results: I hold the brass portion in front of a propane torch for 1min 15-30 seconds - set it on the wood for 5 seconds or less and this is the result. I am pleased with it.

Love them! I am trying to guess what the wood is. Birch?

I find that if I set small goals to do things that bring joy to others I am more motivated. A small, random act of kindness is fuel for tomorrow.