COVID-19 project

I recently acquired a set of 4" Corian sample tiles.  Each had a small hole at the top, which screamed out "fretwork"!  So, I got to work, created a bunch of patterns, and started cutting.  I grouped the tiles in coordinated sets of four so they could be used as a trivet, or individually as coasters.  Still have three sets to go, and I must say that I'm getting to be a very skilled cutter!

Bending Corian

I never would have thought of doing this until I was introduced to the process known as "thermoforming".  Usually done commercially, it can be done at home, using a 325˚ oven, with timing based on the thickness of the piece.

My first effort was shaped by hand, using oven mitts.  I'm in the process of making a mold to hold the shape until the piece cools.  This process certainly adds an extra dimension to what can be done with Corian, a material that looks like marble, yet can be cut and shaped like wood.

Making dovetails with the scroll saw

Among the less well-known capabilities of the scroll saw is the ability to do a large part of the cutting for dovetails.  The result is often much neater than can be done with a handsaw and chisels.

There is one important limitation: while all components of the tailboard and the sides of the pinboard can be cut with the scroll saw, the portion of the pinboard between the pins must be cut out with a chisel because the scroll saw cannot make the angled cut that is needed.

Here's a photo of a tailboard that will become one side of a small drawer.  I tried my best to keep the cutting as regular as possible, and am quite satisfied with the results.

Woodworker's Journal now has a scroll saw department

It's very encouraging when a high quality, mainstream woodworking magazine like Woodworker's Journal decides to add a scroll saw department to its lineup.

All too often, woodworking magazines are quick to assume that their readers don't regard the scroll saw, or projects made with the scroll saw, as something worthy of notice.  By contrast, Woodworker's Journal has long been receptive to projects made with the scroll saw, and recently confirmed the interest of their readers in a survey taken by publisher Rob Johnstone.

Ironically, when I've shown highly skilled, professional woodworkers some of my work, the response is often amazement, and the comment, "how did you do that?" is typical.

The first article of the new department, which I was pleased to be asked to write, included some of the less well-known uses of the scroll saw, as a way of saying, "Hey, folks, maybe it's time for a second look at that dust-covered tool hiding in a corner of your workshop".

I'm hopeful that this new department will translate into more interest in the scroll saw and its uses, and help provide years of pleasurable woodworking for a larger audience.

Some Christmas cheer

While holiday ornaments are not my usual type of project, I fell into these quite by accident, and am delighted with the results. All are made from rings or discs cut at an angle, then glued and sanded as though they were bowls.

Some of the orbs contain a large jingle bell, others are just decorative. The insides of the orbs can be made into shaped ornaments, or the shaped ornaments can be made as a separate project.

Instructions for the orbs, with and without bells, are available in the November/December 2018 issue of Woodworker's Journal, and instructions for the shaped ornaments are in the Holiday 2018 issue of Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts.  They are both great ways to make maximum use of colorful scraps of hardwood and veneer.

Another use for the Wixey DRO

I decided to get more precise and use the DRO for cutting a very basic bowl.  I usually add on an additional degree to compensate for imprecise angle settings.  For this bowl, it would mean cutting at a 28˚ angle instead of the more correct 27˚ angle.

This time, using the Wixey, I set the table to a precise 27˚, after making sure that the blade and table were square to each other before I adjusted the angle.

The results were amazing.  I cut two simple bowls, and this is the way they looked when I stacked the rings.  Now there's no going back to using the under-table angle gauge when precision is needed.

New display case

Like most people who love trying out new ideas and techniques, I keep running out of display room.  Joe kindly offered to build a display case, so we looked at all sorts of plans until we found one that was room but not overly large or overwhelming.

It's made from sapele, which blends in well with the dining room furniture, and is a pleasure to work with.  The glass shelves and absence of a back and sides keep the look light, so it's just perfect for our needs.

And of course it was a lot more work than we expected, down to the half-lap miter joints for the shelves, but the results were certainly worth it.

Of course I don't know what I'll do with future projects, but I'll deal with that when I have to!

Revisiting an old project

A while back, Woodworker's Journal published an article of mine which gave instructions for making a small cherry jewelry box.  It was one of the projects that had been intended for the box book, but there was no room in the book for all the projects I had planned, and this one was sufficiently different from the others so that it didn't fit conveniently into any chapter.  I was sorry not to be able to include it, because I liked it a lot, but there really was no way to do it.

Fortunately, it found a home with Woodworker's Journal, whose editors did a very good job with it.  I just happened to get a copy of their eZine today, and noticed that they were offering the full article at no charge on on their website.

If you missed the original publication, you might enjoy making this unique little box that is quite easy to do with the scroll saw.

To find it, just click on this link: Cherry Jewelry Box

The Blooming Petal Bowl

Just in case you were wondering, here's the project whose leftovers are used for the bonus box.  It's not "quick and easy", but if you take your time, you should be able to produce a bowl that will be the envy of your wood-turning friends!

The Rainbow Cupcake Box

For all cupcake variations, use the instructions that appear in the Spring, 2015 issue of SSWC for the base and lid, then add the decorations.

The first of the variations I'll be posting is the rainbow cupcake.  Here's a picture of the real thing, and my version in wood.

I used ½” thick purple heart for the lid, and a ½” thick lamination of veneer and colored wood for the rainbow which was cut into a 2” diameter half-circle.  For the cloud, I used 3/8” thick aspen with this pattern.

Stay tuned for the rest of the cupcake toppers, or just forge ahead and create your own!

New sander coming

I've been working on a "bonus" project, made with wood left over from a new bowl, and I needed something different for a lid.  So, I took the lid I had made, which looked kind of ordinary, and cut it into segments.

As I was sanding the segments, it occurred to me that I really needed a larger inflatable drum than the one from the Guinevere system.  I asked around on the forum to see what's used, and found that I could get one that would chuck into my SandFlee or drill press.  I found a small set at Klingspor that looked like a good place to start, and I should have it next week.

When I needed some small carving burrs, I found that I could use my Dremel and flex shaft, which cut costs tremendously.  I don't mind spending if I have to, but it's nice to be able to work with what I have.

New projects should be appearing in the next few issues of Scrollsaw Woodworking & Crafts, so you can see the results of my new efforts. And I must admit that I'm having a really good time!

Work in process

I've been working on some new projects using a texturing compound that dries hard like wood, but can be applied with a piping bag and tip.  Before doing an actual project, I experimented with the compound, and also with fabric paints, to see what the limitations were.

Here's a picture of some of the preliminary effects I played with, and some wood that's been prepped for an actual project.  When I start off in this way, I never know where I'll end up, and I already have quite a punch list of things to try.  Those that work will probably end up as published articles for everyone to enjoy, and those that don't are still a learning experience!

Blade update

Continuing my experiment with larger and smaller blades, I added the Flying Dutchman Ultra Reverse #5 (FD-UR #5) to see how it compared with the Polar #5.  It actually gave a smoother cut, and sliced through a little more easily, but couldn't clear out the sawdust sufficiently to prevent burning.

However, I am now convinced that the rule I've been following, to use larger blades with thicker wood, needs to be reassessed.  The importance of this for my work is that the smaller the blade, the smaller the entry hole, and the less sanding away of drill marks.

The lessons learned are that if your favorite blade isn't working, don't be afraid to try other options, and don't be afraid to go smaller if, like me, you've been leaning towards the larger blades.

Flying Dutchman #5 Polar blade

My latest project required cutting 1-1/2" thick hard maple.  My usual go-to blade, Flying Dutchman UR-9, left burn marks all over the place and cut with difficulty.  I knew that many people use small blades successfully with thick wood, so I decided try out the only Polar blade I have, a #5.

The picture shows the cut with the UR-9 on the right, and the one made with the Polar blade on the left.  What a difference!!  The cutting was slow, but dead-on accurate, and left no burn or blade marks.  I've since found out that this blade has become quite popular, and comes in many sizes.  I've used it for corian and acrylic, but never thought of using it for wood.

Hope my discovery inspires you to give this blade a try.  It was a wonderful and unexpected discovery for me.

New bowl shape in the works

For the past week, I've been working on a new bowl shape that I've been wanting to try for some time. It's been an exercise in frustration, but I think it's going to work out.  First try, I discovered that my pattern was lopsided.  Of course I didn't notice this until I had cut a full set of rings.  It was not lopsided enough to be interesting--just looked weird!  Designer firewood for sure!

Second attempt ended when the first ring for the bottom half of the bowl split just after it was cut.  I was using Philippine mahogany, which is very porous, for the prototype, and there was a defect in the wood.  I was afraid that even if I glued it together, it would break under the pressure of the bowl press.  More designer firewood!

So, I gave it a third attempt. Unfortunately, the only remaining wood I had was not a good match for the top set of rings, but I was desperate.  So far, so good, but I've gone through just about every sander I own to get the shape I wanted.  I'm now looking into some small power carving tools, since my sanders are not small enough and take too long to remove the wood.

Once the bowl is finished, I'll post it, along with some process pictures.  It's been a challenge, but points to some interesting possibilities for scrollers looking for some new ideas to play with.

Re-sizing a lid

If you've made scrolled boxes with conventional lids, you know that an ideal fit can sometimes be difficult to obtain.  I accidentally cut this box just a bit too small for the lid, and to fix the problem, decided to cut a new lid.  For a custom fit, I traced the outside of the box onto the lid pattern, and used this as my cutting line for the inside of the lid.

After cutting, I checked the size before I glued the lower piece to the top of the box.  Next time, I'll just cut the box a little proud and save myself some trouble!

The completed acrylic box

Not exactly a quick and easy project, but we solved the problem of using acrylic when you can't cut factory-perfect edges.  The base has a raised plywood insert to hold the top in place. The upper part of the molding, which hides the plywood edges, is offset slightly to facilitate the removal of the top.

Next time we'd do things a little differently, but this one worked out quite well for a first attempt.

 

Sanding with SuperMax

Finally gave my new SuperMax Drum sander a proper workout, and it really met all my expectations. Nice when that happens!

Second project from new shop

I'm determined to use as much of my stored wood as possible before buying or re-sawing more lumber. This bowl used part of a piece of teak I've been storing for several years.  Teak cuts very nicely, even though the silica it contains is hard on blades.  The oiliness is controlled by sanding just before gluing, and I used spray lacquer which I find to be pretty problem-free.

In addition to the teak, I used cherry and purpleheart for the decorative rings, and maple and mahogany veneers and thin wood.

The sanding and shaping was demanding and took a long time.  Even then, it wasn't perfect, but I know my limits!

Mini round inflatable in action!

I finally had a chance to try out the new mini round inflatable, the latest in King Arthur's Tools  Guinevere line-up.  It looked so tiny chucked into the drill press, but worked just fine.  I had a little trouble inflating it, until I realized that I needed to tighten the nut on top with a wrench, not just with my fingers.

I had one specific use in mind--to sand the inside of a tight curve without sanding wood off the gluing edge.  Since the new project I'm working on curves inward, I sanded the rings in stages for easier access.  This left gluing edges susceptible to damage, and demanded real care.  I'm pleased to say that the mini came through with flying colors.  I have some other uses in mind, but those will just have to wait their turn.  It's fairly pricey for such a small sander, but the curved lower edge makes it unique, and invaluable.