| After petting Mackenzie, the I start by
printing out the pattern. When I purchase plans, I scan them into
the computer so that I can print copies for personal use. I print
out the copies on an old HP 4si network printer I got for $100, or
Magicolor 2300 color laser. For consistency I print out all the
patterns for one printer on the same printer.
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Guard
removed for clarity, and for the fact it is hard to re-saw wood with the
thing in place! Not responsible for missing digits, etc! |
Wide patterns like the crest will not fit
on a 6" wide board. 6-3/8" is the limit of what I can
re-saw on the tablesaw. Usually I'll measure the pattern first and
then edge-glue a board about 1/2" wider than the pattern. The
wider the board, the more likely it is to warp.
In this case I had a board already glued up that was
wide enough. (Short version: This was going to be the front/back but I
forgot the thickness was supposed to be 3/16"; I had planed it to
1/4" and didn't have the heart to waste the effort. Thankfully
I remembered I needed some 1/4" wide wood for the
crest!). After making sure it would fit, I squared the end of
the board using the miter gauge. |
| With the end square and the pattern cut
out, the next step is to cut the blanks for the crest. I first set
the the rip fence and check with the pattern to make sure I got it
right. Next I clamp the stop block to the fence, re-adjusting the
fence to account for its width. (I have a standard sized block, so it's
just a matter of adding 1/2" to the guide.) Be sure the stop
block is set where it won't pinch the cut-off piece into the blade.
Kick-back is not fun, even if the piece misses your head and simply ruins
$15 worth of exotic wood!
Twice through the saw, and the blanks are cut.
Placing the plan on the blanks re-assures you that you really did cut it
large enough. There is nothing much worse than edge-gluing a board,
planing it to within 0.01", carefully cutting out the blanks and THEN
realizing you forgot to add in the width of the stop block and have just
wasted a couple of bdft of wood... |
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It's now time to finish off the
blanks. I do an initial sanding with a cheap 3M sanding block from
wally-world. To attach the pattern to the top I use spray
adhesive. My current favorite is the 3M spray. Cost is about
$7, but the tops don't clog as quickly as with the cheap stuff. I also use
it permanent adhesive for my scroll-saw puzzles; for patterns a cheaper
non-permanent adhesive may actually be better. Especially when it's
time to remove that pattern.
I use packing tape to stack the two blanks
together. It's important to keep the two taped tightly
together. Even though the boards are quarter-sawn, they tend to have
a little warp. If there is a gap between the boards, the cut will be
rough and the blade will be hard to control. I will try to keep the tape
off where the fretwork will be to ease removal later, but it's more
important to have a tight stack. After the stack is taped together, I
cover the pattern itself with tape to help prevent burning. |
| The next step is to drill the entry
holes. I use #57 drill bits I purchased from Enco. The holes
are drilled with a cheap small drill press I picked up from Harbor Freight
for about $40. It came with a chuck that is good down past #71 drill bits
(what I use for veining & 00 blades). It's not the highest
quality tool, but it gets the job done and has been reliable. Be
sure to use a backer board to reduce tear out on the bottom of the
blank. After all the holes are done, a pass from the sanding block
will knock down the ridges and tear out on the front and back. We're
now ready for the scroll-saw! |
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