Creative Woodworks & crafts 2005-06, страница 20
continued irom psge IS always live on. Without him, this project would never have been possible. Instructions If ycu haven't taken the time to read the story behind this cutting, I wish you would dc that now. It will give you a little insight into my life and the inspiration behind the cutting. Becausc I have no intention of offering it for sale, I was able to approach this piece differently. This is a difficult cutting that will require a gentle touch, a steady hand, and patience, but you can dc it. Preparing the wood I recommerd using a wood stcck of ct lecst 3/8" ir thickness for this project, as the number cf little cuts and long thin pieces will rcclly need the thickness to slow down the aggressiveness cf the blade and offer support. I stack cut tour pieces of l/8"-thick Bcltic birch and have a special recipient iri rnind fcr each. I started by "paddinc/' my wocd together. I applied 2"-widc, blue pointer's tape along each edge of the stack and a couple of spring clamps to hold the stack tight while I taped them together. Given the number of thin pieces, like the sparks corning off the arivil al the bottom of this piece, I decided I was going to have to apply a very heavy coat of spray adhesive to make the pattern stick. It turned out I was right. After applying a good heavy coct of adhesive, I laid the pattern on the pad of wood ar id stuck it down'. Cutting In sludyinc Ihe patlern, t decided I was going to start the cutting with the sparks at the bottom, figuring if the piece was going to break it would do so early, and I could try to refine the design if needed. I drilled the bottom half of the piece using c No. 68 bit and took a deep breath. My cutting began with Dad's hand holding the hammer. From there, I moved out to the head of the hammer itself one; eventually into the sparks. I worked from the center to the left, then down tc the bottom and across to the right, ending with the cut that makes up the forge. Several times. I applied tape over the thin "hangers" that were left to odd some support and strength. I have a bad hubit of grabbing the piece off the saw and not really paying attention to where I hud grubbed it. The tape helps keep me from breaking delicate areas if I happen to grab them. Usually I would cpt for eleer tape so I could see the pattern below, but I was concerned with its stickiness and the fact that paint Ihiriner couldr't penetrate the plastic tape. So I chose to use the blue pointer's tape I had user! on the edges of my stocks. I had to be careful not to cover any of the pattern that hadn't been cut yet, but I think overall it was the best choicc. After carefully reinforcing the bottom of the cutting with blue tape, I went beck to the drill press and drilled the top half of the pattern, again using a No. 68 bit, as I knew I was going to continue using a No. 2/0 Flying Dutchman spiral for the rest of the cutting. I started the second round of cutting with the space above Dad's arm holding the hammer, then worked into the folds of his shirt and up into his face. Once I completed the small cuts, I moved tc the large one that forms the line of his back. II "s a tricky cut, so watch where you start and end it. All thct was lett to cut ct this point was the fcrge and the chimney behind it. I chose to make oil the small cuts first, end then go back to the large one. That decision almost proved very costly, as I really had to use care ct the top right corner where I had cut the support cway. In hindsight, I should have left those cuts until after the big one. Luckily, it all worked out in the end. 20 • Creative Woodworks & Crofts Jure 2005 Finishing I had assumed the cutting was going to be the hard part, but it turned out that it was slightly easier than the finishing! I began by blowing the dust out of the stack, thinking four pieces would hold up to the air pressure better than a single piece. After 10 minutes of coughing ond my eyes wctering, I decided a dust mask would have been a gcod idea (there goes that hindsight again). Once the cloud of dust settled a bit, I turned my attention to unstackirg the four pieces I had cut. Peeling the tope off the bcck turned out to be a job that required much patience and some fingernails. All Ihe little slivers thct hung back into the cutting had tape still firmly stuck to them, and it would heve lo be removed in order to give the 4th portrait away. The process of removing those unsightly fuzzies left behind by 1he spiral was u bit more challenging than it usually is. Those of you who have read my previous crticlc know I have a method that is generally quick, painless, and effective (involving a plumber's torch!), it is also dangerous if not done properly and lias the potenliul lo ruin your cutting. The thin slivers of this piece would rot hold up to that method, so I find to try something else. I chose to spray the back with c coat of lacquer and sand those little fuzzies off. A few pieces of sendpaper. c stack cf files, and an almost burned-out Dremel tool later; I had finished it. If you use this method to remove the fuz/ies be EXTREMELY careful; those little slivers don't just look incredibly fragile...they arc. Pattern removal turned cut to be difficult as well. I sprayed the surtace with mineral spirits ard let it scak. About five minutes later I began peeling. Each liny piece of paper seemed to somehow fall into cne of the tiny cuts, and I struggled with tweezers to get them all out. Once that was completed, I blew out the remaining dust (and was careful tc use a mask this time). ! was finally ready to spray the finish ard frame this cutting, and I was getting anxious. I like using Deft spray lacquer because it dries incredibly fest and provides a lasting tlnlsh. After applying two coats, front and back, I was ready for the fined stages. People often ask why I finish the backs if I am going to cover them with felt. It is because finishing both sides of the wood will totally seal out any moisture, and it also helps to trap any dust that may still be clinging to the wood. I chosc lo use block felt lo back this piece, which is how I back all of my cuttings. I really tike the contrast cf the Baltic birch with the black, and I like the bit of texture that felt offers. To showcase my piece, I selected a frame that was worthy of both li e time I had spert creating it and the man I was paying tribute to. Far too often scrollcrs stick their art into frames from the dollar store. Simply put. that makes me crazy. Please remember that just like cny other pattern you find and choose to cut, this pattern Is c guideline, not a hard and fast set of rules. Feel free to edit the pattern however you see fit; it is your cutting, rot mine. If you ore worried about all the fine slivers at the bottom, try enlarging the pattern to 11 x 14 size, which will Ihicken the connections to almost double what they are now. The techniques I have shared with you in this article are what work for me. If you heve a method thct works for you, please feel free to use it. I hope you get as much pride from completing the cutting of 'The Village Smithy" as I did. I also hope when people ask cbeut it you will tell them about Dad. Please share photos of your finished cuttings with us. We always love to see readers' work. Jeff has only been scrolling for about two years end designing for a little over a year and a half. He is an accompfehed artist with scroll .saw works hanging in galleries and museunss nationwide. Jeff scys that he owes a great deal to Gary Browning ond Tom Mu/tane for their guidance and teachings. To see more of Jeff's work or to contact him wiih questions/comments, e-mail him at: scrlsawportraits@aol.com |
