he Cottage Clock-Cutting the Fretwork

Sometimes you change your mind mid-hole.  I was going counter-clockwise, but decided to change my mind.  The pictures below tell the story.

Some of the reasons I changed direction are:
  • The blade was doing better going clockwise
  • Sharp corners are harder to finish at, since you have to be more careful with the side pressure at the end of the cut as opposed to meeting at a right angle. (BTW, the hardest way to end a cut is to meet a kerf head on--imagine a circle or oval...)
  • I just felt like it :-)!

Backing the blade is no problem; pushing it forward through a kerf is a little tricky. It's easy with the saw running, but you take a change of the blade catching the good wood and leaving a mark.  Pushing with the saw off is doable, but the kerf may be a little tight.  If not careful, you may bend the blade.  For this one I left the saw on, but kept pressure towards the waste so if the blade did bite wood it wouldn't hurt the fretwork.  Another option is to make another cut to the corner through the waste.  I should have done that, as I needed to make the relief cut in the corner anyway!

cut8-1.jpg (132049 bytes) cut8-2.jpg (126559 bytes)
Here we're making the relief cut, and turning the blade.

cut8-3.jpg (115773 bytes) cut8-4.jpg (134659 bytes)

cut8-5.jpg (123729 bytes) cut8-6.jpg (129487 bytes)

 Now we've cut to the next corner and made the relief cut.  Sometimes you end up with a sliver of wood like here.  Most of the time that just falls through or stays put.  However, I've had it fall through partially and catch on the edge of the hole in the table. You don't see anything, but suddenly the blank won't move no matter how hard you force it.  If this happens, try lifting the blank (with the saw off, of course!) and checking for that sliver.
Cocoa Puff decided that he was being ignored.  Let's take a break while I attend to The Balinese.  We'll get back to the hole on the next page!

copuff.jpg (96793 bytes)

 

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