Popular Post CharleyL Posted March 30, 2018 Popular Post Report Share Posted March 30, 2018 (edited) I'm experimenting with some new projects to make for this coming Christmas Season. One of these is the mailbox attached. The pattern is a slightly modified version of one by Dianne Thompson. I made a few small changes, but it's mostly the same as her's.. It is about 3 1/4" tall and was all cut from one piece of wood, but the flag and shaft were cut out separately from the same piece of wood and then attached with a small spot of glue. No other glue joints exist in it. The original pattern has the flag sticking out of the top center of the mailbox, which allows it to be cut as all as one piece., but it just didn't look right to me there This mailbox was cut from poplar, but I have made a few others from pine. The red flag and the leaf color was done with marking pens. I'll be trying to find a better way on future mailboxes. I used a Flying Dutchman #1R blade for this. I'm also trying different cut sequences and blades, hoping to be able to cut it faster and easier in the future. It took about 50 minutes to cut this one. Line following accuracy is absolutely necessary for this to look good. Making these is quite challenging. Charley Edited March 30, 2018 by CharleyL jbrowning, 3Dface, NC Scroller and 10 others 11 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fab4 Posted March 30, 2018 Report Share Posted March 30, 2018 Hi Charley: Looks really good - Good luck with the rest of them Fab4 OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockytime Posted March 30, 2018 Report Share Posted March 30, 2018 A really cute mailbox! OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCtoolguy Posted March 30, 2018 Report Share Posted March 30, 2018 Since I'm new to the hobby and don't know much, is this a compound cutting? I'm really like it but I'm trying to understand the method of making it. Ray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTTHECLOCKMAN Posted March 31, 2018 Report Share Posted March 31, 2018 Very nicely done. I have one of Wilkens patterns and it is a mailbox clock pattern. I have not made it but it is on the list. http://www.wilckenswoodworking.net/images/patterns/clocks_mini/0084_big.jpg OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveww1 Posted March 31, 2018 Report Share Posted March 31, 2018 very nice OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC Scroller Posted March 31, 2018 Report Share Posted March 31, 2018 Charley that came out great. The detail is amazing. OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC Scroller Posted March 31, 2018 Report Share Posted March 31, 2018 13 hours ago, octoolguy said: Since I'm new to the hobby and don't know much, is this a compound cutting? I'm really like it but I'm trying to understand the method of making it. Ray Ray basically the item is cut out of a single block of wood. Usually the blocks run 3/4" x 3/4" to 1.5" x 1.5" You apply the pattern on two sides. You cut one side then flip 90 degrees and cut the other side. The block then pulls apart and you are left with the finished piece in the middle. Check this: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=compound+cutting+scroll+saw+tutorial&view=detail&mid=5AB27F37E843625023E75AB27F37E843625023E7&FORM=VIRE OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharleyL Posted March 31, 2018 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2018 Same cutting technique that is used to cut the reindeer and other compound cut patterns. You have to cut from two sides while keeping all the pieces together, and in alignment with each other using a clamp, until both cuts are complete. Then it's kind of a chicken hatching out of it's shell. The loose pieces come off and the project comes out of the center of the block of wood. An advantage to compound cutting is that all of the pattern falls off with the scrap, so you never have to remove it from the finished piece. 2 hours ago, NC Scroller said: Charley that came out great. The detail is amazing. Thanks Scott, I'm impressed with the result too, but it's quite a challenge to cut this one. The need to follow the pattern lines perfectly is an absolute requirement when cutting this one. Since each side of the mailbox is cut separately and the handle of the door sticks up above the curved top on the mailbox I have had to sand this area on every mailbox that I've cut so far to blend the cuts together and make the top of the mailbox smooth and round. I'm using a fingernail file board for this. This curved area has been the most difficult part to get right. Dianna Thompson has published several books of compound cut scroll saw patterns that are all fun to cut, but I think the mailbox is one of her most challenging of them. The vine piece that sticks out at the bottom is extremely fragile, because of the narrow vine width and the cross grain condition there, so this piece breaks off very easily, sometimes even while being cut, but the missing piece isn't obvious, so I may just modify the pattern to eliminate it. The only other significant change that I've made so far was to remove the flag from the top of the mailbox and make it a separate piece to attach with glue after the pattern is cut out. I did this because I just didn't like the flag in it's original position. There is no way to do the cut and keep it all one piece of wood if the flag is located on the side where I put it. I did make it as part of the same block of wood though. It's located off to one side of the mailbox in the waste area on my pattern, so it's cut at the same time as the rest of the mailbox. Then it gets glued on later. Charley OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCtoolguy Posted April 1, 2018 Report Share Posted April 1, 2018 On 3/31/2018 at 5:48 AM, NC Scroller said: Ray basically the item is cut out of a single block of wood. Usually the blocks run 3/4" x 3/4" to 1.5" x 1.5" You apply the pattern on two sides. You cut one side then flip 90 degrees and cut the other side. The block then pulls apart and you are left with the finished piece in the middle. Check this: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=compound+cutting+scroll+saw+tutorial&view=detail&mid=5AB27F37E843625023E75AB27F37E843625023E7&FORM=VIRE Thanks for your explanation. If I'm not mistaken that is what folks here are calling a "compound" cut. I asked for an explanation on that a while back too. I will have to give this one a try. Ray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharleyL Posted April 2, 2018 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2018 Ray, If just starting in compound cutting, don't try this one first. Pick something easier, like the reindeer that I make. I have posted considerable into about how to make the reindeer on this forum, and the pattern for them is available free on Mathias Wandell's website www.woodgears.ca Dianna Thompson has published several books of compound cut patterns and the mailbox pattern is in one of them. All of her patterns that I've cut are good and most are much easier to make than the mailbox. Do yourself a favor and cut a few of the simpler patterns before trying her mailbox pattern. Even with as much experience as I have doing this, the mailbox has been one of my toughest to cut well so far. I'm totally hooked on doing compound cutting, and rarely do any 2 dimension work any more. Charley OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill WIlson Posted April 2, 2018 Report Share Posted April 2, 2018 1 hour ago, CharleyL said: Ray, Dianna Thompson has published several books of compound cut patterns and the mailbox pattern is in one of them. Charley I love the look of the mailbox. Nice job. I've had an idea in my head, for several years, for a mailbox Christmas ornament, but have never seen a pattern that suited me. Can you tell me which Dianna Thompson book has this pattern? Thanks! OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCtoolguy Posted April 2, 2018 Report Share Posted April 2, 2018 4 hours ago, CharleyL said: Ray, If just starting in compound cutting, don't try this one first. Pick something easier, like the reindeer that I make. I have posted considerable into about how to make the reindeer on this forum, and the pattern for them is available free on Mathias Wandell's website www.woodgears.ca Dianna Thompson has published several books of compound cut patterns and the mailbox pattern is in one of them. All of her patterns that I've cut are good and most are much easier to make than the mailbox. Do yourself a favor and cut a few of the simpler patterns before trying her mailbox pattern. Even with as much experience as I have doing this, the mailbox has been one of my toughest to cut well so far. I'm totally hooked on doing compound cutting, and rarely do any 2 dimension work any more. Charley Charley, I will take your advice to heart and do some others first. At this point, anything that is too challenging will be put on the back burner. So to speak. Ray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharleyL Posted April 3, 2018 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2018 (edited) 19 hours ago, Bill WIlson said: I love the look of the mailbox. Nice job. I've had an idea in my head, for several years, for a mailbox Christmas ornament, but have never seen a pattern that suited me. Can you tell me which Dianna Thompson book has this pattern? Thanks! This one. There's even a picture of the mailbox on the cover and a bunch of easier to make patterns for other projects n it too. I had to turn the photo sideways to get it to post the whole image. SSV kept cutting the top of the image off when I tried several times to post it upright, even though I had reduced the resolution, size, etc. The title is " 3-D Patterns For The Scroll Saw" by Diana Thompson. The picture should make it easier to spot in the book store. Charley Edited April 3, 2018 by CharleyL photo posting problem OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbrowning Posted April 3, 2018 Report Share Posted April 3, 2018 Winner Winner Chicken Dinner right there Charlie. The mailbox looks awesome. OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill WIlson Posted April 3, 2018 Report Share Posted April 3, 2018 Thanks Charley. I'll keep my eyes open. If I don't see it locally, there's always Amazon. OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharleyL Posted April 4, 2018 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2018 (edited) Diana has published three books, that I know of, on compound cutting with a scroll saw. They are the best that I've found and I have bought every book that I could find on the subject. I have one book by Frank Pozsgai and I don't think he ever cut most of what is in the book, because they are full of errors. Everything that I've made from Diana's books worked out perfectly, with no design errors. I have two more of her books, but no time tonight to scan the covers. One is "Compound Scroll Saw Creations" and the other is "Compound Christmas Ornaments For The Scroll Saw". Fox Chapel is the Publisher, so you might find copies by contacting them if you don't find them elsewhere. In the front of each of her books is a tutorial on compound cutting. I have my own unique way that I've developed myself, but it's close to how she teaches it. Her way is fine for most. You can develop your own short cuts as you go. Charley Edited April 4, 2018 by CharleyL OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky2 Posted April 5, 2018 Report Share Posted April 5, 2018 On 4/2/2018 at 11:23 AM, CharleyL said: Ray, If just starting in compound cutting, don't try this one first. Pick something easier, like the reindeer that I make. I have posted considerable into about how to make the reindeer on this forum, and the pattern for them is available free on Mathias Wandell's website www.woodgears.ca Dianna Thompson has published several books of compound cut patterns and the mailbox pattern is in one of them. All of her patterns that I've cut are good and most are much easier to make than the mailbox. Do yourself a favor and cut a few of the simpler patterns before trying her mailbox pattern. Even with as much experience as I have doing this, the mailbox has been one of my toughest to cut well so far. I'm totally hooked on doing compound cutting, and rarely do any 2 dimension work any more. Charley Charley, I would like to know, what you found so difficult to cut about this mailbox pattern? I've cut several of them out, and I haven't found anything difficult with the cutting of them. I enjoy compound cutting also, I have two or three books of patterns on the subject. |Len Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharleyL Posted April 6, 2018 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2018 Getting the top of the mailbox to turn out round and smooth. Every one that I've made so far has required sanding. The door handle and the flag (if left in the original position) prevent a single round cut. You are approaching this area from three different directions and the cuts need to line up perfectly, or significant sanding is necessary. The rest is quite easy, if you can cut straight lines with your saw. Charley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lawson56 Posted April 6, 2018 Report Share Posted April 6, 2018 Now that is 1 Awesome Mailbox.Fantastic job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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