Creative Woodworks & crafts 2005-08, страница 28
continued from page 27 an entry hole in the wrong place. Also, when working on challenging patterns, try to start as close to the center cs possible, always working center out into solid wood. I like to go even one step further Ihar, thct whenever possible and star' in the area I am the most conccrned with breaking. "Why wculd I do that?," you ask. Simple - if it breaks and bccornes "designer firewood," it does so early, before I have invested a major amounl of time. (If also helps eliminate a lot cf four letter words when I do break one, something my wife is quite thankful for!) As wilh all patterns, remember this is simply a guide, not a hard and fast rule. Fee! free to adapt the pattern in any way you feel necessary. Want a bit more support? Thicken the area. Want a few less cuts? Don't drill them. Make your cutting fil your style, talent, and saw. I frequently change patterns oncc I get I hem lo I he saw, arid I have designed them myself! I prefer to use as much tension as 1 can get into the blade, generally setting my DeWalt to 4 or 4-1/2. I like the blade to rcact to the slightest touch. A common mistake is using too little tension, making the blade cutting sloppy and hard to control. Another common mistake is to try lo scroll wilh a spiral as you would with a regular blade. A spiral blade is designed lo out a full 360°. Use thct to your advantage, and instead of always feeding the wood into the front of the blade, feed it in the direction the line goes, meaning if you need to pull the wood to you to follow the line, do it. The back of I he blade cuts just cs well as the front does; It's just a little harder to see. Trace Ihe line as if you were using a pencil, following all the curves and turns by feeding 1he wood in thct direction instead of turning it around the blade. II takes some getting used to, but I promise it will be worth the effort. Another lechnique I often use is to change directions when I cut. Often if you follow the line all the way crourid, you will end up with a long piccc thai hangs way back into the cut-out without enough support to keep it from breaking off. You won't lose these fragile pieces if you change direction. Cul across the waste area to the hanger when you get to it and cut i1 firsl, Ihen fesurne cutting the outline. Once you have completed your cutting, unpack the stack by peeling the tape from the back, of the stack back up lo the pattern side. While the pattern is still attached, use an air compressor to blow the dust off both the front and back. Note: Be sure to place something solid behind the piece for support when blowing the dust from if. Also, be sure to turn your pressure down to about 40 PSI. Finishing To deal with the fuzzies thct a spiral will inevitably leave, I use a bernzonatic plumber's torch [yes, you read that right!) to bum off Ihe fuzzies. If works much the same way cs when they used to burn off the pin feclhers from a plucked chicken. Nofe: If, for any reason, you hove applied any solvent to the wood up to this point (such as the paint thinner used in the following step) DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS TECHNIQUE! Those solvents are very flammable, end the results could be disastrous! Slarl by standing the cutting, bcck side facing you, against a picce of scrap wood that is big enough to completely cover the piece. Then use the torch lo bum off the fuzzies. There are a few very important things to keep in mind. First, turn the torch way down. Second, make sure the scrap wood lotclly covers the piece. Having all the cut-outs with something solid behind them will greatly eliminate scorch marks. Finally, keep the torch moving quickly. Make several passes, being careful not to hold the torch in one place or ycu will burn through. Once you have finished Ihis, use a compressor tc blow off the charred fuzzies and repeat as necessary. In the evenl you moved the torch a bit too slowly end find a few scorch marks on the front of the piece, very lightly sand with 220-grit sandpapci, which will remove almost all traces of the mistake. Alsc, adding a black backer tc tiie piece will help hide any scorches that you just can't get rid of. If you choose net to use the torch, or if you plan to dis ploy bolh sides of the cutting, you may want to try removing the fuzzies using a sander, u dremel Icol, any number cf files, or even an X-Acte knife. Remember earlier when we sprayed that fcirly heavy coal of adhesive on the pattern? Well, now it's time to pay the piper and remove it. I promise il won't be as difficult as you think. Fill a pump-trigger spray bottle with mineral spirits; I prefer the low odor kind. (Guys, a tip for you here; emptying your wife's brand new bottle of Windex down the sink, so you can have I fie boltle is, generally speaking, riot a good idea, and may possibly lead lo you sleeping in your shop.) Using the spray boltle, mist the pattern thoroughly with a heavy coat of mineral spirits and allow it to soak in for several minutes. The area where the eleer tape covers the seam will be the most difficull lo remove, so keep that in mind. If the pattern doesn't lift easily after about five minutes, spray again and let it scak for another five minutes. By this tine, you should be able to peel the pattern off in almost one piece. Remove the tape from the edges and then mist the entire piece one more lirne. This time, tub gently with the balls of yeur fingers to remove any stubborn glue or paper lhal remains. I know you are thinking that mineral spirits will discolor your wood, but that's not true. Let if dry thoroughly (overnight is best) before you apply your finish, and you won't be cble to tell the picco you used the mineral spirils on from one you didn't after they are finished. Note: Mineral spirils aie flammable! DO NOT use the torch to remove any additional fuzzies once you have applied a flammable solvent. For a final finish, spray Ihe front and back of the piece with two coats of lacquer. Backing and framing When selecting a backing for my cuttings, I prefer the contrast and texture of black felt, but any material that is darker than your wood will work, just fine. Cut the felt to size, then carefully glue it to the back of the wood. I use Aleene's Tacky glue in the clear bottle, but just about any adhesive will work. Finally, select c frame that suitably showcases your work. Far too often 1 see scrollers spend hours end hours of their vcluable time scrolling a piece that is truly a work of art. only to stick it in c frame they gol at the Dollar Store. Choose a frame that will accent the wood and show off the talent and time you invested in creating this piccc. I hope you enjoy culling "Spirit" as much as I did designing her. I would love to see your finished cuttings of it. Remember to enjoy the experience. Good luck and happy scrolling! Jeff has been scrolling for uboui /wo years and designing for a little over a year and o half. He is an accompfehecf aifist with scroll saw works hanging in galleries and muse urns nationwide. Jeff says that he owes a great deal to Gary Browning and Tern Mullane for their guidance and teachings. To see more of Jeff's work, or if you have questions or comments, contact him directly at: scrfsavvpor traitcMncl.curn 28 • Creative Woodworks & Ci-arm August £C05 |
