rafairchild2

For me I like the Flying Dutchman Ultra Reverse Blades, they are not super aggressive but the finish on the cut edge is so smooth no need to sand. Pegas is more aggressive but lasts longer I have to sand the edges after. I always cut (95%) with the waste wood to the right of the blade, this way I account for the drift the same way. I am very accurate in my line cuts as I preach the philosophy, practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect. Everything I do I try and make repeatable. I will say... go... slow... do not rush your cuts like some of the videos you see on YT. Either they have been doing it a long time, or their cuts suck and they depend on sanding to the finish line. I try to make my cuts look like it was laser cut regarding accuracy. I do have YT videos you can see. Check the link in my sig. I try to do live shows on Sundays, bu have been inconsistent lately during the summer.

I built a small router table out of parts from TEMU. It worked, but there was zero flexibility as the motor was single-speed fast, the table was small, and I couldn't build out a decent vacuum system on it. Bit changes were a nightmare as I would practically have to remove the motor from its base, and it was not easily height adjustable. I was trying to modify it but realized I would be spending a lot more $$$ to have more of the same. Decided to go with a Skil router table. I got it set up and did a few test pieces. I like that I can raise and lower the router (removable BTW), with a crank. The table is bigger and it has built-in vacuum ports. Yes, there are two flaws in their design. There is a small vac port on the router itself, but the way it faces you cannot get a hose on it because the front power strip is in the way. I'll have to figure out how to do a 90-degree turn that is small enough to fit. Also, the shaft lock button for bit changes is behind a plastic shroud. So I have to use a screw driver from the top to keep the shaft from moving when I tighten/loosen the bit. I have to figure out how to build a detachable hood that can give me more vacuum coverage from the top when I have to flip back the plastic cover. It works great when it is down, but on some toys, I have to flip that cover up.. Overall not too bad for the price. I like that it is red and black like my Pegas.

I grew up working one large horse ranch in our town in exchange for horse back riding lessons and riding any time I wanted. My sister did the same thing. Alas, the property got so valuable, it was eventually sold off to a Mosque and also housing developments where the homes are over $1 mil now.We also boarded horses at a local farm near our home. I would work during hay season, taking hay bails putting them on the tractor wagon, then getting them in the hay loft. Hard work!

Next redesign, I am going to add a tractor hitch to the back and add some kind of pull-behind wagon. I might try and make a couple of variants of that too. Eventually, I might build a whole farm set around it.

This tractor is one of my favorite toys to make in my production line. The "Barnyard Buddy Tractor". It is simple to cut out. Yes, a little tricky to Forstner the "Little People" hole, but between that, the different size/style wheels and the smoke stack. You get a cute toy. I have started to glue the little person in so it is not removable. First, for child safety (choke hazard), and also loss prevention. I go back and forth, but I am concerned about complying with the CPSC regs. This is cut from 3/4 walnut. Now, to speed the production process up, I use beeswax/coconut oil, aka cutting board wax to finish the body, (food/child safe) this way it is ready to assemble/glue in minutes. The dark walnut color just pops right out, against the blond color of the wheels, smoke stack, and little person.

I am wrapping up my 125 toy donation project and needed to do some 'toys' for the older kids. I wanted something that could be played alone or with someone else. So here we go! I made two variations, the first is drilled for pegs, and the second is drilled for marbles. You can play 3 games on these boards. And yes, I use my scroll saw to cut the straight lines. What I am displaying right now is "Fox and Hens". The goal is for the fox (black peg/big marble) to take 8 hens off the board to win. For the hens, they have to corner the fox. Fox can move in any direction and jump hens to take them off the board. Hens can only move forward or sideways, no jumping. Play alone or with another person. The 2nd game is a take-off of the old triangle peg game. Fill all the holes with pegs (or marbles for my variant) except for the center hole, then jump pieces to remove them. The goal is to only have one piece left. Very challenging. 3rd, I noticed you can play tick-tack-toe. You can even try to play 2 T-T-T games at once! Larger games 3/4" Walnut finished in Old Masters Gel. Triangles are made with 3/4" ash, unfinished. Edges are routered so they are smooth on both sides. I also did a couple of laser-burned baseball dice/pegs games out of 3/4" mahogany. I cut the shape of the game on my scrollsaw.

The set screws were FUBAR. Still, though the tensioning knob loosens fairly easily. Need to get that fixed.

Que the theme to the "Good, the Bad, and the Ugly"... Ohhahhh ooohhh ahhh,, waaa waaaa waaa....

Better check before she brings that wood in her backpack. In particular since it is not kiln dried. I know some states restrict bringing in firewood from other states (some have a 10 mile rule too) and there are some hefty fines. Unsure if this applies, as there could be beetles or some other insect they are trying to prevent from going over state lines. But she should peel the bark off as bark Beatles live just under the bark and feed on the cambium layer.

Thanks Dick. I can never put a price on some of my more intricate work, so I tend to give those away as well. However, when I do receive financial gifts so I can make more toys to give away, I usually send a thank you gift, like a Welsh Love Spoon, or just recently one of my Christmas tree nativities. I get more satisfaction from giving things away. I have no need, nor desire to sell things. Though people do come along and inquire about buying something, I just ask them to donate to my para-charity and I'll send it as a gift to them. Below is one I am working on now. I am just at the dry fit and testing the lighting. Still need to do the final glue up and dip in linseed oil to bring out all the colors. I had an idea and ran with it, and from the initial design to having all the layers cut was about 2 - 2.5 hours. It's cut from Mahogany and Wenge. This will most likely go to the young man in which the cancer organization was founded by his mother. She calls him "King David", and David and Goliath is one of my favorite Biblical stories. I have a sermon I give on that story "Goliath couldn't buy his sneakers at Walmart".

Just some quickies to add to the 125 toys I am making for a local children's cancer organization. I figured I needed some things for the little-little ones too! The teethers are finished in beeswax and coconut oil. The balls and rings on the rattles are quite large. They do not fit in my "Choke Hazzard" tester. I like these quick little projects.

Nice! I would agree it looks like spalted maple, I would love to get my hands on some 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 for some projects! Hopefully your daughter has more of that for you!

What an awesome job on that pattern. NO words are needed to explain that one. It speaks volumes on its own.

You just have to make sure you cut the rockers properly so they will not over-rotate and flip head over. You could put stops on the front and back too to limit the rocking range. And yes, you are so right if you use hardwoods, they can be really expensive in the hundreds of dollars just for the wood.

I know you are looking for magazines, but S.A. has its own scroll saw pattern artist. Sue Mey. I really like her patterns. Challenging for sure. Local for you, but she delivers electronically. https://scrollsawartist.com/ This is one of her designs I cut last year. 3 layer.

Ouch! Pattern makers need to digitize more, and get them through email or some other online delivery system. Postage is only going to go higher.

I have to say though. That Rocking "Enterprise" is really cool!

There is a free pattern floating about called the Band Saw Dump Truck. I've made a few before but made a few modifications from the plan. The main change is extending the front of the dump section, as it moves more weight to the front so the hopper does not flop. I used Black Limba for the sides of the hopper, so it adds a nice contrast.

My 21" Excal failed on me too, for some reason I could not cut and stay on the line anymore. There's a whole thread here of my troubleshooting.I bought a 30" Pegas. I still have the Excal, and I finally got it working, but it sits on a cart in the corner. Perhaps when I get another table, I'll set it up again and use it for some rough cutting.

Although made during and for those lost during Covid, it is apropos for the news regarding Judy. This is one of my favorite hymns.

I just posted in another thread. Judy passed away earlier today.

When I was born the people laughed and I cried. May I live a life where when I die, the people cry and I laugh. I imagine as she looks down upon us, Judy is smiling and laughing as we cry, she touched so many people in so many ways with her gifts and generosity.

This was just posted... Judy was the Intarsia Queen. She will be missed. Pray for her Husband, family, and her staff.

Nice job.

Love those cat pieces! I have two black American Bombay short hairs. They are great boys. Well except at 2 am when 'my' cat "Atticus" comes into my room and plops all 20 lbs of his fat arse on my chest, that and his drool... This has been a good weekend to get work done that's for sure! Good luck in building up that show inventory. My cat "Atticus" also known as Fat Man... The other is a little smaller "Atlas", also known as Little Boy.