Creative Woodworks & crafts 2003-04, страница 22

continued from page 20

One good thing about not having much between my ears is that il gives a lot of room for ideas to bounce around. In a previous issue of this magazine, I reviewed a software product called Woodtrax. While trying it out, I took a pattern for a name i^:d drawn out to my shop and glued it to a scrap piece I had laying around. [ had been working on some compound cutting designs so I bad plenty of cutoffs handy. That's when the idea occurred to me—"Hey! Why not saw out the name as a compound cut!" I wish I'd thought of it back when I was still doing craft shows; everybody I've shown it to wants one!

If you don't have a computer, you can still make patterns with the lettering template included in this issue (found in Full Size Pattern Scction Mo. 2). but it is much easier with the Woodtrax program. The letters for the face of the nameplatc are solid. In other words, you cut around the outside of the letters. Trace the first letter, then position the second letter so it touches the first, etc. The letters for the top arc open letters, meaning you cut away the inside of the letters. Trace these so they don't touch each other.

order to be sawn out correctly. Use a ruler (or a scroll saw blade) to mark the break lines.

If the name has the letters A, B, D, O, P, Q or R in it, you'll need to make a break in them to be able to cut them as open letters. I stood my ruler on edge where I wanted the break in the letter, then traced both sides of the ruler. Oh man, another idea just bounced around in my cave... I mean head. I just thought of a way which is easier than using a ruler: use the end of a scroll saw blade! Just lay-that 011 the letter and trace the blade (where there arc no teeth of course) to make the break.

name is longer than the last, a series of periods on each side of the name will solve the problem.

Center the patterns on the two faces of the stock and to each other. Cut the open letters, saving the pieces as you go. When all the open letters are cut, put the pieces back in place and clamp scrap wood to the sides to hold them in place. Then make the inside cuts on the face with the solid letters. This will provide support as you finish cutting the nameplate. Once the inside cuts are made, cut around the outsides of the letters. The nameplate for Brooks shows how to solve the problem when the first name is longer than the last name. A series of periods on either end provide the extra length needed for the open letters so they need not be cut off.

hor the base, glue the nameplate to 1/4" stock of a contrasting color. Leave enough room around it to trace the edges of the base using a washer. Cut the base and finish as desired.

holes as

to prepare for sawing. Cut the open letters first.

Reassemble the pieces from the open letters and ciamp strips of scrap wood to the sides. Make the remaining interior cuts on the face with the solid letters.

fl4 • Creative Woodworks & Crafts April 2003

The software product named Woodtrax that I mentioned in this article is advertised in this magazine. Two computer programmers who are also scrollers have created a SIMI'LE program that those who don 'I 'love'messing with computers can use. It was not created to compete with raster based or vector based graphics programs or the ability to move letters closer or farther apart in a word processor using the kerning settings. Il was created for people who don t care or don't want to have to learn what raster, vector and kerning is. Don and Michelle created it so even an idiot could easily make 'word 'patterns, then had me try it to prove an idiot COULD do it! If you want a fast and easy way to make patterns for cutting names and word related projects like the compound cut nameplates, Woodtrax is for you. This product will easily pay for itself at one craft show. It's worth checking out! ji'-g

¥

U6e a washer to trace around the names for the base.