Tap Dancing in the Rain -COMPLETED

[Frank Pellow]

(part 1 of 2)

 

I found the attached pattern by Sue Walker and thought that something like it would be appropriate for my granddaughter Brooke's 14th birthday.  Brooke is a serious tap dancer, so I searched the web for a tap dancer in drawn in profile and was successful in finding a profile that could, indeed be Brooke.  That drawing is also attached.

Edited January 16, 2016 by Frank Pellow

[Frank Pellow]

(part 2 of 2)

 

I realized that the hardest part of this project for me would be to saw out the smaller script.  So I expanded the size of that somewhat.  I also rearranged the layout in order to replace the original dancer.  The resulting design can be seen in the first photo below.  

 

The piece is quite large.  It's 45cm x 35cm (or about 18 inches by 14 inches) so I decided to make a larger table to temporarily replace the standard table on my scroll saw.  That can be seen in the second photo below.  It's much easier to handle the bigger piece on this table and it's really easy to switch tables.

 

But, as can be seen in the third photo below, I'm not doing a good job on the smaller script.  I've tried both Olson Crown Tooth 2/0 blades and Flying Dutchman New Spiral 3/0 blades and am having difficulty with both of them.  The word  "waiting" that I have sawn out is probably marginally acceptable but I am quite unhappy with it.    I might start all over again tomorrow using thinner and/or different type wood. Right now, I am using 6mm thick Baltic Birch plywood.

Edited January 9, 2016 by Frank Pellow

[Fab4]

Hi Frank:

I like what you're doing here

Is it the size of your project that is making difficult to cut the smaller script,

Or is it the script itself.

You may have to cut your 18 x 14 piece in four or in two so you can easily

work with each section then glue everything onto a backer

Make the sections look like they belong.

Router the edge of each section before putting it all back together

Especially if you're planning on starting over and going thinner on your wood

Just my nickel's worth, we don't have pennies

Fab4

[Dan]

Well Frank, that is a very cool project. You know your granddaughter will love it.i know what you are feeling, though. I love the font, too.

[Phantom Scroller]

Good work Frank I like the idea of the larger table top what's it made from?  Roly

[Fab4]

Good work Frank I like the idea of the larger table top what's it made from?  Roly

Table top looks like MDF. That's what I would have used.

Fab4

[Frank Pellow]

Paul (Fab4), thanks for the advice.  With the bigger table, I don't think its the longer or wider wood that is bother me, rather it is the thickness and the weight.   I thought of doing it in smaller sections but don't really want to do that.

 

The script is definitely difficult and so is the fact that I can't really follow a line, rather I need to follow an edge.  That's OK with intentionally fuzzy art such as the 'Old Mill' scene that I recently completed, but it's no so good with letters.

 

p.s. good riddance to the pennies.  We waited far to long to get rid of them.

[Phantom Scroller]

Table top looks like MDF. That's what I would have used.

Fab4

Could be hardboard??

[Frank Pellow]

Roly (Phamtom Scroller) and Paul (Fab4), the material that I used is the same as the material used for many road signs.  It's 11mm thick Crezon. 

 

By the way, the material is some that was left over after I built several winter lawn ornaments about 10 years ago.  A picture of some of the ornaments in front of our house is shown below. I used a jig-saw to cut out the parts. 

Edited January 9, 2016 by Frank Pellow

[Phantom Scroller]

Roly (Phamtom Scroller) and Paul (Fab4), the material that I used is the same as the material used for many road signs.  It's 11mm thick Crezon. 

 

By the way, the material is some that was left over after I built several winter lawn ornaments about 10 years ago.  A picture of some of the ornaments in front of our house is shown below. I used a jig-saw to cut out the parts. 

Love the Christmas garden ornaments Frank to be honest never here off CREZON until today where have I been. I had to google it, reminds me of the formica topped ply. Roly

[Fab4]

Love the Christmas garden ornaments Frank to be honest never here off CREZON until today where have I been. I had to google it, reminds me of the formica topped ply. Roly

I'm going to have to Google it also -

Roly, I was probably right behind you where ever we were.

[Fab4]

Roly (Phamtom Scroller) and Paul (Fab4), the material that I used is the same as the material used for many road signs.  It's 11mm thick Crezon. 

 

By the way, the material is some that was left over after I built several winter lawn ornaments about 10 years ago.  A picture of some of the ornaments in front of our house is shown below. I used a jig-saw to cut out the parts. 

Thanks Frank

Can't wait to see what you come up with

Nice ornaments by the way

[amazingkevin]

Nice work ,Frank!

 

(part 2 of 2)

 

I realized that the hardest part of this project for me would be to saw out the smaller script.  So I expanded the size of that somewhat.  I also rearranged the layout in order to replace the original dancer.  The resulting design can be seen in the first photo below.  

 

The piece is quite large.  It's 45cm x 35cm (or about 18 inches by 14 inches) so I decided to make a larger table to temporarily replace the standard table on my scroll saw.  That can be seen in the second photo below.  It's much easier to handle the bigger piece on this table and it's really easy to switch tables.

 

But, as can be seen in the third photo below, I'm not doing a good job on the smaller script.  I've tried both Olson Crown Tooth 2/0 blades and Flying Dutchman New Spiral 3/0 blades and am having difficulty with both of them.  The word  "waiting" that I have sawn out is probably marginally acceptable but I am quite unhappy with it.    I might start all over again tomorrow using thinner and/or different type wood. Right now, I am using 6mm thick Baltic Birch plywood.

[spirithorse]

Hi, Frank,

You have done some wonderful projects so, I am a bit hesitant about making

any suggestions but, you can simply ignore them if you choose.

I think the Olsen blades are a better choice for this project but, do you

have skip tooth or reverse tooth rather than crown tooth blades?
I'd try a different straight blade (as opposed to spirals) on a piece of scrap

and then, you can even nibble on the word 'waiting' if you want to.

Good luck with your project and God Bless! Spirithorse

[Frank Pellow]

Bob (spirithorse), I really really appreciate your advice.  I just tried an Olson 2/0 Skip Tooth blade and it does a much better job.   I feel that I have better control over it than I do with the 2/0 Crown Tooth blades.

 

That begs the question:  Just what are 2/0 Crown Tooth blades useful for and why would I ever use them instead of the Skip Tooth variety?

[Frank Pellow]

Notes about larger alternative table top on my EX30 scroll-saw:

 

Just in case anyone plans to build a similar top for their saw, I should mention that I made two improvements to the saw since discussing it and showing a photo of it above.  Both of these improvements make it easier to move the piece being sawn.

 

The first change was to was to round over the top edge with a router.  Before I did this, a couple of pieces with slight protrusions caught on the 90 degree edge.

 

The second change was to wax the surface.

 

The attached picture, taken after I did the routing, shows the top being waxed.

[bobscroll]

Good advice there Frank! Your doing a great project!

Bob       

[Frank Pellow]

I started this project all over again and, this time, it is proceeding much better.

 

There are several differences that are helping me:

 

1) The letters of the small script that were causing me so much trouble are now somewhat bigger. This, in turn means that the entire panel is higher and wider but that does not appear to be a problem. The Baltic Birch panel is now 50cm x 40 cm (or approximately 20 inches by 16 inches).

 

2) The panel is thinner (3mm rather than 6mm) which makes it lighter and easier to maneuver.

 

3) I traced the perimeter of the smaller script because I find it much easier to follow a line than a dark/light boundary. I have some software that sort of does this, but I found that I obtained better results with old-fashioned tracing (see the first photo below).

 

4) I waxed the surface of the alternative scroll-saw table top and this makes it easier to manipulate the panel.

 

5) On the recommendation of Bob (spirithorse), I switched to using skip tooth blades and, with them, I have more control.

 

The second photo below shows my progress on the new panel.

Edited January 11, 2016 by Frank Pellow

[spirithorse]

Bob (spirithorse), I really really appreciate your advice.  I just tried an Olson 2/0 Skip Tooth blade and it does a much better job.   I feel that I have better control over it than I do with the 2/0 Crown Tooth blades.

 

That begs the question:  Just what are 2/0 Crown Tooth blades useful for and why would I ever use them instead of the Skip Tooth variety?

Thanks, Frank,

I'm glad that suggestion helped out.

I think the Crown tooth blades are advertised as being reversible. If it appears to be getting dull, you can turn the blade over.

Good luck with your project and God Bless! Spirithorse

[Frank Pellow]

Yes Bob, my crown tooth blades are reversible.  But, being able to for a longer time with a blade over which one has less control does not seem like a good thing to me.  

I'm glad that I only purchased one package of crown tooth blades.

Edited January 11, 2016 by Frank Pellow

[Fab4]

HI Frank:

I like what you're doing here

Taking us through this step by step.

Letting us know the good along with the not so good

You will be saving someone down the road a lot of headaches

Thanks

Fab4

[Frank Pellow]

Progress Report:

 

I managed to complete sawing the small script without any major screw-up.   That part of this piece was the most difficult and least enjoyable work I have ever done on the scroll saw.

 

I'm attaching a photo of the piece as it is right now.  The bottom right quadrant remains un-sawn and I expect to do it this evening.  The big letters will be a pleasure to cut.

 

I'm experimenting a bit with the dancer and had not yet decided upon the colours to be used..

[Frank Pellow]

COMPLETED

 

I used another 3mm thick Baltic Birch panel as the backer-board and painted the part of the background that shows through.

 

The frame is made out of walnut and is constructed using my normal "Pellow framing" style that I have talked about in other threads on this forum.

[LarryEA]

Frank, you're doing great. That is a challenging project and you will be pleased with it when it is finished.

And a little education with every post.... " Skip and Crown tooth " 

[heppnerguy]

Frank, here is my take. I would use a less aggressive blade, which is see you have done and it looks like you are doing better too. Personally I would have gone to a double tooth blade. But no one blade is best for anyone. Also the thinner the wood, the more aggressively the blade cuts it. So thicker wood and smaller tooth blade gives you the most control but because of the lessor aggressive. Blade, it takes longer to cut. Just what works for me.

One more shot to make cutting of any pattern easier to cut, for me. If you are using Inkscape, then put your pattern in Inkscape and !select' your item and do a ' trace bit map' of the pattern and drag the bit mapped item to the side and delete the original pattern. Now select a light shade of grey and click on the outline and select black. It is way easier to follow your pattern. If you need more detail on this PM me and I can help further

 

 

Dick

heppnerguy