JOE_M

Thanks. I was hoping there was something more recent than 2009. It drives me crazy to be following along in a video and they tell me to click a button that doesn't exist anymore, or was moved to a different menu 17 versions ago.

OK, thanks. I had read the pinned note about the upgrade, just figured it meant the site might suddenly go down. I didn't know it might mean individual pages might get flaky. Today the entire Articles page is gone. I hope it comes back - I finally made just the slightest bit of progress with inkscape yesterday and was hoping to find some decent tutorials to learn more.

Top menu between Pattern Library and Chat Room (Chat room??) says Articles. I hovered my mouse over that and saw GIMP tutorials and Inkscape tutorials listed, but when I clicked on either one of them it looks like I just killed the internet because everything goes white and all I get is this error message: Fatal error: Incompatible file format: The encoded file has format major ID 3, whereas the Loader expects 7 in /home1/rayzir/public_html/hostedsites/ssv/1274/sources/template_plugins/tp_advertisement.php on line 0 I tried just clicking Articles, or any of the other items underneath it, and they all give me the same error. Ad-Blocker is disabled on SSV. ?? Joe

Are you a native Livonian? I graduated from HS there 33 years ago.

Thanks for all the replies. I don't have any trouble with the paper/glue - I've been using contact cement and it sticks pretty good. I've tried it with regular photos, and postcard thickness prints. I glue it to the oversized plywood blank and then trim the edges to size. But if I try to cut a puzzle with the picture facing up, I have no way to sketch a pattern and I do need a pattern - I'd like the pieces to look at least something like a real jigsaw piece and without a pattern I can't seem to visualize it and I end up with a bunch of funky shapes that just barely interlock. If I cut them with the photo facing down I can sketch out a pattern on the bottom, but then it ends up getting fine scratches on the paper from all the turning, and fuzzies from the blade. I bought a roll of that low-tack clear film from hobby lobby but haven't tried to cut a sheet and print a pattern on it yet. I might try that, worst that happens is that I destroy the printer when it jams. I am happy with the technique of cutting the blank in half, and then each half in half and continuing that way until they're down to a decent size. They all end up roughly the same size that way. My saw is the Dewalt. It's no Excaliber, but it's not a $2 garage sale toy either so I'm assuming most of my problems are operator error.

I'm looking for a decent tutorial on puzzle cutting - thin and thick. I checked the tutorials and did a keyword search on "puzzles" but didn't find anything. I've made a few jigsaw puzzles using family photos glued to 1/4" plywood. I used a puzzle blade and for the most part they came out fine but I found the cut was super aggressive and it was hard to control the cut. I do have a book "Making Wooden Jigsaw Puzzles" by Charles Ross, but I'm looking or any/all tips I can get. My problems with the jigsaw puzzles are: fuzzy edges, controlling the cuts, visualizing the puzzle shape to cut (right now I'm just freehanding them with no pattern). I'd also like to try some thicker animal puzzles for my young cousin. I see Iguanadon is making some great stuff and he mentioned in a recent post that he uses a #3 blade. I try with a #3 blade and the gap is too big, so they are very loose. Any tips for keeping a better fit on the thicker puzzles? And last, I'd also love to know how to get that consistent rounded edge on all the pieces like on the thick puzzles or the intarisa. I've tried so many types of sanding, filing, routing but haven't found the perfect look yet. Any/all help would be appreciated. thanks