How do you all work - pre set up or set up and cut?

[new2woodwrk]

I'm in the process of setting up a bunch of cuts for the wife and myself and was wondering how you all set yourself up for cutting?

I figured having a bunch of items taped and glued to appropriate sized wood, would allows us the benefit of being able to go to our stock when the mood hits us, pick up a pattern, put in the appropriate blade  and cut.

I have about half a dozen patterns stored up and was about to take the day and set up a few dozen.

From what I can tell, most will set up and cut rather than store up stock for cutting, correct?

Thoughts? Anything wrong with this method you can think of - glue won't hold long enough, tape sticks too much etc?

Thanks in advance

[Scrappile]

May depend on how you "set Up", i.e. if you cover the piece with blue painters tape, and it sits for a long time, it can become very difficult to remove.  I don't know how long that long time is.  I do have some patterns mounted and waiting to be cut, and they have been waiting for some months,,,,, guess if I ever cut them I will know.

I routinely have two or three projects going at once, so I can switch around, but my "active" projects don't sit long.  I am also using the shelf paper stuff now,  I don't think it gets hard to remove like painter's tape can.

Edited February 7, 2018 by Scrappile

[Dan]

One thing about taping and setting it aside, as tape ages you may find it either gets brittle and loosens from the wood or stick too well and can't be peeled off. I'm not sure how the shelf liner will hold if applied and stored for month but that would be interesting to know. 

Also, you may find yourself wanting to do something a bit different but all your wood is stored with patterns attached. 

These are just some thoughts. 

[rdatelle]

I don't see anything wrong doing it that way. I sometimes set up maybe a half dozen patterns. Put my painters tape on and glue the pattern on and drill the starter holes and set them aside until I'm ready to cut them. I try to cut them within a week. Sometimes the pattern will lift in spots but I just put some packing tape over it to hole it down with no problem. Good luck. 

[TripleJScroller]

Being from Florida myself, my current work area is not climate controlled (No A/C) so I find that I can't leave wood with tape or patterns attached or else the humidity causes them to just peel off.  I also have a lot of trouble with storing wood with the humidity.  My stock of Baltic Birch Ply I have to keep in the house or else it warps quickly.  I'm assuming you probably have a climate controlled area, but I saw your from Florida so thought I'd mention this just in case.

[fredfret]

I have 2 or 3 set up or in progress at any one time. I use shelf liner and blue tape then 3m 77 the pattern to the tape or liner. I drill any holes for the project when I set it up. then I cut them as I get time. I sometimes get side projects and those I prep, and cut the same day if possible they simply get moved to the front of the line. I have had a project with blue painters tape set for almost 6 years and the tape came off ok. My projects are in the house not stored in the garage or direct sunlight. The only thing I have set up are the little cars I make and give to kids they are direct marked on the wood with pencil and I can have a couple hundred ready for when I only have a few minutes or when the blade I have mounted is near new and i"m switching to a project that needs a different size/styoe blade then I cut some cars to use up the blade. All my cars are cut fron scrap wood and wood salvaged from work (not pallet wood).

Fredfret

[ike]

I don't set up more projects than I can get done that day. ben doing that for 30+ years I am now too old to change my ways.

IKE

Edited February 7, 2018 by ike

[WayneMahler]

I normally set and cut what I can do in a day or two.I also have one project as a fill in for work. These are normally something that takes a couple days to cut or the pattern is so detailed it wears the eyes out quickly. I'm always making progress that way in my shop. It does get a little difficult to remove the blue painters tape after a month or so. I think everyone has a system they work by and it all depends on is it just a hobby or do you do it sales and shows. My wife has us booked months in advance for shows so there is always work to be done. As you prgress in this you will get your own system that works for you which may not be good for someone else. 

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

As others have said if using tape under a pattern the longer you leave it on the harder it can be to take off. Being I do not scroll like I once did I now take one project on at a time. I also turn pens and other things so I have other projects going. But if I were scrolling a piece now it is from start to finish. Now if you are into production work then an assembly line mentality is a good idea. Good luck and have fun.

[MrsN]

I usually prepare as I go. I do print off patterns as I see them and think I might want to cut them (I have a stack in my shop of things I might want to cut) I find that if I have things prepared too far in advance I loose interest in the project and never want to complete it, or decide the wood would be better used for a different project. 

[new2woodwrk]

1 hour ago, TripleJScroller said:

Being from Florida myself, my current work area is not climate controlled (No A/C) so I find that I can't leave wood with tape or patterns attached or else the humidity causes them to just peel off.  I also have a lot of trouble with storing wood with the humidity.  My stock of Baltic Birch Ply I have to keep in the house or else it warps quickly.  I'm assuming you probably have a climate controlled area, but I saw your from Florida so thought I'd mention this just in case.

Thanks @TripleJScroller

Nope, like you my area is not climate controlled and in fact the summer is unbearable in the shop - so much so that I tend to not do much out there during late July and August

My wood is usually stored in a shed I have which also is not climate controlled so thanks for the heads up regarding the birch since I just ordered a batch of it - good thing I have an extra rom in the house!

[TripleJScroller]

1 hour ago, new2woodwrk said:

Thanks @TripleJScroller

Nope, like you my area is not climate controlled and in fact the summer is unbearable in the shop - so much so that I tend to not do much out there during late July and August

My wood is usually stored in a shed I have which also is not climate controlled so thanks for the heads up regarding the birch since I just ordered a batch of it - good thing I have an extra rom in the house!

I know exactly what you mean about not being able to be in the shop much in late summer.  I'm hoping to have a new area built with A/C by that time this year.

[new2woodwrk]

33 minutes ago, TripleJScroller said:

I know exactly what you mean about not being able to be in the shop much in late summer.  I'm hoping to have a new area built with A/C by that time this year.

Oh yeah that's it - make me jealous - now I hate you J?K!

[RangerJay]

Guess I'm old enough to have learned way too many times that it is sinfully easy to overdo pre-planning - and find yourself way out of sync with you ultimately find yourself doing.  My motto now?? - "One thing at a time" - and that one thing is usually a collaborative effort between my own wishes, my wifes wishes, the wood I've got, the wood I need to buy, the time I've got, the season of the year - and - of course - my astrological forecast (which usually brings me back to my own wishes ....) - the point being - and all humour aside - too much pre-planning and Murphy's Law go hand-in-hand .....

 

Jay

 

Edited February 7, 2018 by RangerJay

[meflick]

I will do a few of the animal puzzle patterns prepped up ahead but that is about it.  Like others, I have patterns printed as I find them and stacked up and wood stored so I just go find what I want to do right then which can vary depending upon my mood. 

[amazingkevin]

8 hours ago, RangerJay said:

Guess I'm old enough to have learned way too many times that it is sinfully easy to overdo pre-planning - and find yourself way out of sync with you ultimately find yourself doing.  My motto now?? - "One thing at a time" - and that one thing is usually a collaborative effort between my own wishes, my wifes wishes, the wood I've got, the wood I need to buy, the time I've got, the season of the year - and - of course - my astrological forecast (which usually brings me back to my own wishes ....) - the point being - and all humour aside - too much pre-planning and Murphy's Law go hand-in-hand .....

 

Jay

 

Well said Jay!!!!!!!!!!