First Try - compound Cutting

[meflick]

Ok, I finally got a chance today to sit down and give some compound cuts a try. I learned a lot from all of you who shared "how to information" in this thread (especially @CharleyL's detailed instructions and photos he provided in that threaded.): http://www.scrollsawvillage.com/forums/topic/24171-compound-cutting-wood/ Thanks Charley for all that great info.  Thanks also to @Bill WIlson, @dgman and everyone else who provided information and help in that thread as well.

I used Poplar wood.  I created a cutting jig from Steve Good's pattern and instructions found here: http://www.stevedgood.com/3djig.pdf

I cut the bird house pattern from Steve's blog found here: http://scrollsawworkshop.blogspot.com/2017/12/compound-cut-bird-house-and-stand.html (I still need to cut out the birds for them) and the "Love You" from Steve's site here: http://www.stevedgood.com/3dloveyou.pdf The snowman pattern was created by @smitty0312 it says back in 2012.  I thought I got it off the village here but now that I am looking for it to link to I am having trouble finding it!  - If anybody can point us to it please do.  Thanks Smitty for sharing it.  (The snowman was my first "official" 3D compound cut.)  Not perfect for sure, especially the words, but not too bad for a newbie.  I will try more again but probably not until after the holidays.  Too many other things I want/need to do. 

Thanks for looking and thanks again for all who shared information/help on cutting compound cuts.  I appreciate all of you here who share so freely with beginners like myself. 

Edited December 15, 2017 by meflick

[Lucky2]

Melanie, you did an outstanding job cutting these out, especially, considering it the first time you've ever compound cut. You should be pleased with these results, they turned out fine.

Len

[newfie]

Nice work thanks for sharing 

[Scrappile]

Looks like you have it well figured out.  Very nice work.

[CharleyL]

A great job Melanie. Those look like a pro did them, not a first timer.

Are you enjoying your new found way to use your scroll saw? 

Charley

 

[dgman]

Great work Melanie! Not as hard as you thought, huh? The Love You is a great seller. I usually make two or three a year, and they always sell out!

Again, great work!

[amazingkevin]

3 hours ago, meflick said:

Ok, I finally got a chance today to sit down and give some compound cuts a try. I learned a lot from all of you who shared "how to information" in this thread (especially @CharleyL's detailed instructions and photos he provided in that threaded.): http://www.scrollsawvillage.com/forums/topic/24171-compound-cutting-wood/ Thanks Charley for all that great info.  Thanks also to @Bill WIlson, @dgman and everyone else who provided information and help in that thread as well.

I used Poplar wood.  I created a cutting jig from Steve Good's pattern and instructions found here: http://www.stevedgood.com/3djig.pdf

I cut the bird house pattern from Steve's blog found here: http://scrollsawworkshop.blogspot.com/2017/12/compound-cut-bird-house-and-stand.html (I still need to cut out the birds for them) and the "Love You" from Steve's site here: http://www.stevedgood.com/3dloveyou.pdf The snowman pattern was created by @smitty0312 it says back in 2012.  I thought I got it off the village here but now that I am looking for it to link to I am having trouble finding it!  - If anybody can point us to it please do.  Thanks Smitty for sharing it.  (The snowman was my first "official" 3D compound cut.)  Not perfect for sure, especially the words, but not too bad for a newbie.  I will try more again but probably not until after the holidays.  Too many other things I want/need to do. 

Thanks for looking and thanks again for all who shared information/help on cutting compound cuts.  I appreciate all of you here who share so freely with beginners like myself. 

Perfect example of a well seasoned scroller,Very clean cut!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DWSUDEKUM]

Excellently done.  Thanks for sharing this with us.  Compound cutting is a lot of fun.  

 

DW

[wombatie]

We all have to start somewhere Melanie and it looks as if you are to a flying start.  Great work.

Marg

[daveww1]

very nice, great first attempt

[Bill WIlson]

Well done Melanie!  Glad you got the chance to try them.  They're fun to cut aren't they?  The cool thing is that most people will look at those in amazement, with no idea how you did it.  I tell them it isn't has complicated as it looks.

 

[bobscroll]

You did really well Melanie! Very neat scrolling,

Bob 

[Sycamore67]

Very well done especially as a first try.  We will be watching as you try new things with it.

[meflick]

Thanks everyone for the kind comments.  Wouldn't have been able to attempt or to have them look quite so good without CharleyL's detailed "how to" with photos I am sure.  Then, even when I first went to cut the first snowman, I was having a little issue and then remembered that several of you had noted to NOT use reverse tooth blades and remembered I had one in (that's my primary blade of choice for cutting most things.)  Not sure why I failed to remember that tiny tidbit since I had had to order new skip tooth blades to use for trying to cut - and they were laying just off to my side at the saw!   Once I remembered that and switched out it went a lot better.  Interesting the difference,  if someone can explain the "why" of the difference I would appreciate knowing it.

I did enjoy cutting these out but I am not near as fast as some of you noted you are with them but now that I have "learned" the basics, I am willing to try some more when I see them.  I won't be so intimidated by them anymore.  While they weren't as hard as I thought, having the right type of blade as I noted made it much easier once I changed that out.  All in all they were fun to cut and see the final product fall out of the piece.  I plan to make these into Christmas ornaments I think and give as gifts - probably to my children, who as college kids, won't yet fully appreciate them though (but at least for a while they will stay and hang on my tree. )  Thanks again for all who helped with the written directions, tips, patterns, and more!

[GPscroller]

Well done Melanie, they all look great.  I enjoy compound cutting, as you never know what the finished project will look like until you peel it open.

Jeff

[Bill WIlson]

4 hours ago, meflick said:

 Interesting the difference,  if someone can explain the "why" of the difference I would appreciate knowing it.

The simplest explanation is that skip tooth blades clear the kerf of sawdust better than reverse tooth blades.  There are deeper gullets between the teeth and generally fewer teeth per inch, so the teeth are spaced further apart.  This helps carry the saw dust away, preventing heat build up and allowing the blade to cut more aggressively.  Also, without reverse teeth on the bottom, the sawdust is more easily evacuated, instead of being trapped within the piece.

[Scrolling Steve]

Looking good !...Excellent work !

[don watson]

Those are excellent pieces. Well done.

 

Don W

 

[Canuck45]

Melanie, great work. I tried it and love doing it.

Edited December 16, 2017 by Canuck45
Apparently I could not spell the word "great".

[CharleyL]

Melanie, and all,

I'm glad to see that you have succeeded, but be careful. Making reindeer is a sickness that I never recovered from. This will be my 15th year of making them, and I have made over 5,000 total reindeer in 4 sizes down to the little guys at 1" tall in all those years. I've made and given them away every Christmas since 2003, but this year my health may keep me from making any more. Normally I start at roughly the beginning of September, but I haven't even been in my shop, except to get a tool every now and then, since January of this year. In the first few months I was converting a large spare bedroom (17 X 26') in my home into a photo/video studio (a bucket list item - I have been a photographer since high school, but never had a studio until now), but health problems have brought that to almost a complete stand still, and no significant woodworking or photo studio progress has been made by me at all in the last 3 months.

On this coming Wednesday October 9 I'll be having heart surgery. I was told that it will be 4-5 hours long. This isn't my first heart surgery. It will be my 7th, and I died on the table during the 5th, but they brought me back. I'm considering myself to be kind of bionic now, because I keep getting new replacement parts (not just heart parts) every year or two, and most of these parts have been made of metal or plastic. When going through the airport scanner for my last flight, I warned the scanner operator that I had quite a bit of metal in me. He smiled and waived me on. Then, as I went through, he yelled loud "Man, you twinkle like a Christmas tree". I have metal knees too and also survived cancer twice.

So if all goes well on Wednesday, you will all have to put up with me for a little longer, and I will have another few pieces of metal in me. I'm hoping to be able to make a few hundred more reindeer again this year, but if you don't hear from me in a week or so, at least you will know why. Please keep my reindeer making and giving tradition going for me. It's a very worthy cause.

I've made a lot of people very happy by giving them away during the Christmas Season (Thanksgiving to New Years). People who are stressed out light up with joy when they receive one. I have never sold them, just give them away to anyone who helps me in some way during Christmas. Anyone, a cashier, sales clerk, waitress, doctor, nurse, preacher, etc. can get one if they help me in some way. Most men don't appreciate them, so the women are the ones that I usually give them to. I usually hold out my hand palm down, but holding a reindeer in my palm, and I wish them a Merry Christmas. When they reach out toward me, I drop the little reindeer into their hand. I've had stressed out sales girls stop everything for a few minutes and tell me that "I made their day". I've  been hugged, and even kissed on the cheek many times during this, and for a 77 year old man to get this kind of attention, I consider it significant, and it has helped me get further into enjoying Christmas each year. 

Charley

 

[meflick]

@CharleyL I am afraid your post may be lost here in this “old” thread and feel that would be a shame. I want to let you know however that I will be praying for you and the medical staff before and on Wed. specifically As you undergo your most recent heart surgery. I pray that God will watch over and protect you and will guide your surgeon’s hands and those of the entire medical staff. I will pray that things go smoothly so you can heal and get back to the things you love, your family, your photography and your Scroll Saw and that you can soon be cutting more reindeer to gift to others and bring joy to their holiday season. While I have cut several compound cuts now, I have yet to try the reindeer but I will do so soon in honor and thanks for you and your sharing how here with us. I pray that you will be able to give us a positive update soon after your surgery and will look for it. God bless.

[Scrappile]

Wish you the best, @CharleyL,  you will be in my thoughts and prayers....  Just concentrate on getting back to here, worry about the reindeer next year.

[Ron Johnson]

Excellent compound cutting for the first time.