Success at last

Still working out the last little tweaks, but I've finally got this one figured out. It's really a neat little design, and not too fidgety. I'm learning to tolerate the frustration of projects taking longer than I've expected. Gotta keep moving on!

A new project, finally!

I've been having a really frustrating string of projects fall apart at various stages. My standards are pretty high--the project has to be attractive, different, easy to replicate, and not require extraordinary skills or unusual equipment.

This one looks hopeful, so I'm moving it out of the prototype stage. It's a box with a hinged lid, where the hinges and lid are from the same piece of wood. The prototype posted is a simple version, but I plan to use a "jazzier" lid, and fix some problems I had with the prototype.

I'm overdue for a success!

End of box saga

Looking for a home for my newest flower box, I submitted the project to the new German scroll saw magazine, Feinschnitt kreativ, where it was accepted and previewed in the current issue.  I only wish I were fluent in German, since there are limits to Google translate!

Completed box

Here's how the box turned out.  I am really pleased with the delicacy of the flowers, and the use of two types of stamens.  There are still a number of petal designs yet to try before I start on another "series".

This type of project is not too demanding, once you get used to handling the fidgety little pieces, and the compound cuts, even with demanding wood like purpleheart, are not difficult.  To play it safe, I always draw my petal patterns extra thick to allow plenty of wood for shaping and for removing the "uglies".

Designing by trial and error

Sometimes the only way to visualize a new project is to play with the pieces to see what works.

This project will be an oval box with flowers.  I am working out the final arrangement by using replicas of the petals and seeing how they fit together.  Loops of masking tape hold them in place and I can change things around until I get the look I want.

The leaves and petals at this stage are cut but otherwise still unfinished, and the larger flower will be purpleheart, not poplar.  The components are similar enough to the finished versions to give me an idea of what it will look like.

Now that I have finalized the patterns, what remains is to prefinish the box, complete and prefinish the leaves and petals, then glue the flower components into place.  Stamens will be added, and then the project can be given several coats of lacquer to finish it off.

The Bonus Box instructions

If you make the open petal bowl featured in the Spring, 2015 issue of SSWC, you might want to use the centers left over from cutting the middle and upper rings to make this cute little box.  Since it is made almost completely from scrap, I call it a "bonus box".

The pattern and instructions are too long to post directly on the blog, but if you're interested, email me at scrollsawbowls@yahoo.com and I'll set you a set of instructions with process photos, and a pattern for the lid.

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!