Last box variation for a while

I can't wait to get some version of these boxes out there.  They are so much fun to make, and I've tweaked the pattern to making sanding a snap.  Well, maybe not quite a snap, but certainly not a problem for anyone willing to take a little time and care.  Butterfly was fun, and not as fidgety as I thought it would be.  Nexabond is fabulous for this type of gluing.

New source for veneer

I've been working on some new projects that require colors that don't occur in nature, or tend to fade over time.  I could not find them at Constantine's, my usual source, so I tried to find a place that carried them.

I'm pleased to report that my search located a site that sells dyed veneer  in colors that are absolutely eye-popping, like pink, plum, and two gorgeous shades of blue.  I've already used the blue for a holiday project that should be appearing in Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts, but also have some laminations planned out that will combine yellowheart and purpleheart with some of the new dyed veneer for a project I can't wait to start.

The pricing, customer service, and packaging were all first-rate, and I'm happy to recommend B&B Rare Woods as a good source to consider.

More about blades

It never hurts to try out different blades on the same piece of wood. Sometimes a smaller blade will cut more effectively than a larger one, or a particular tooth configuration will really make a difference, as with the Flying Dutchman polar blades.

When faced with a really dense piece of wood, like jatoba or ipé, or a thick piece of cherry, on a project that doesn't require tight turns, my go-to blade is the Flying Dutchman #12 reverse tooth (FD 12R).  Add some tape (clear or blue) over the wood or pattern to help with the cutting and reduce burning, and you should be able to handle almost any piece of wood.