Thinking in terms of techniques, not categories

In case you're puzzled by the title of this post, here's what it means. A lot of scroll saw projects are viewed as categories of projects--intarsia, puzzles, inlay, and so forth. Although there's nothing wrong with projects that fit neatly into these categories, I find it much more exciting when they can be used as elements of a larger project.

For example, intarsia can be used to make a different and exciting lid for a box, as can inlay. The hamsa box in a previous post is an illustration of the use of inlay for a box cover. I've just created a bread board that looks like a braided challah, whose pieces were cut with attention to the grain, as you would do with intarsia, even though the edges were only rounded, not deeply shaped. Several of the box projects in my new book use stacked rings as a technique to create lips for lids, thus avoiding the need for a router.

As I continue to develop new projects, I'm finding that the more techniques I am familiar with, the more options I have available to me. Best of all, the projects defy categorization, and present themselves primarily as attractive projects that make people ask "how did you do that?"

Powerful little magnets

Some time ago, I picked up a few 1/4" diameter magnets at Michael's to use as closures for boxes. I finally got around to trying them out on a box with a pivoting lid, and they work really well. I just drilled a hole 1/8" deep for each magnet and glued them into place using a new (to me) glue, Liquid Fusion. It's a clear, non-foaming urethane glue that's supposed to work with metal, and I wanted an easier alternative to epoxy.

So far, so good--the glue was easy to apply and seems to hold well. The magnets are so powerful they hold even without actually touching each other, although I would not use them with objects meant for small children, in the event they come loose. The only thing to be careful about is to put the magnets in correctly, or they will repel instead of attract!

Back in action, finally!

Well, whatever it was that had me laid low decided to leave, and I was able to get in a full hour and a half sanding, finally, without breaking a sweat.

Thought I'd post some of my prototype Judaica projects, two "hamsa boxes". I tried two different styles, using inlay and InLace, and think I'll combine the two so I have an inlaid box lid with Inlace instead of wood for parts of the eye. This was my first serious inlay attempt, and I did pretty well at hiding the entry holes, using advice given by inlay "guru" Jim Collins, who does some incredible scroll saw inlay.

Still have several other projects up my sleeve, and am trying to incorporate different techniques into them, or create different versions. It's fun to get back to creating new stuff!

Bummer!

So just as our power was restored, I came down with some sort of a bug that has had me out of commission again. I have this neat puzzle box on my work table, just waiting to be sanded, and a new menorah design in the works. Oh well, at least I have a hot shower! (And of course we're a lot better off than many folks.)