Throw aways? Am I the only one?

[new2woodwrk]

I've had to throw away a few projects I've tried to make and came out terrible.

One was an Intarsia Seagull - which I tried to make a segmentation cut and just screwed up the whole thing - none of the pieces fit together - that told me I was nowhere near ready for those types of projects again.

Others were some patterns of cars I got here - I can't seem to get some of the lines cut without screwing up the whole thing.

So I was wondering if others ever had to throw away projects for whatever reason or this something I should feel "special" about - I sure do feel "special" about it because it's really de-motivating when it happens.

Thanks in advance

[Rolf]

That is how we learn! Don't let it get you down. The only thing I have thrown away was a bowl that exploded on the lathe. The scrolled things that had issues were repaired, super glue is the magic fixer

[stoney]

Jes what you are discribing is commonly refered to as designer firewood.  Now what designer firewood is will vary from person to person. I'm willing to bet most scrollers have made some.   It is just part of the learning process.   I have made some dandies.   Believe me this too will pass.  

Edited April 14, 2018 by stoney

[fredfret]

I haven't had to toss many but I lost a project when it fell and broke after about 30 hours and 800 plus cuts. There were pieces everywhere.  For your intarsia piece just re cut the piece not the project. If 2 Pieces Don't Fit In SEGMENTATION The blade is not at 90 degrees to the table or you are pushing to one side. Not sure what your car problem was but don't expect perfect cuts and relax. Slow down if you need to have fun.

Fredfret

[Frank Pellow]

I have thrown away a few scroll saw projects and have repaired many more with glue.  Most often, after I discard something, I start the same project over again (and with better knowledge) but sometimes I abandon it altogether.

In the above photo, I am cutting the outside of the side of the box and things are going well.  This is the back side of the box shown after I attempted to cut the inside of the side.  It wandered because I could not get the blade tight enough.  That was because my fingers would not fit properly into the space above the material and the upper blade clamp.

Attached are two photos of maple leaf shapes box that I was making a couple of weeks ago and gave up on:

               In the above photo, I am cutting the outside of the side of the box and things are going well.

This is the back side of the box shown after I attempted to cut the inside of the side.  It wandered because I could not get the blade tight enough.  That was because my fingers would not fit properly into the space above the material and the upper blade clamp.

Edited April 14, 2018 by Frank Pellow

[justdraftn]

A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.

- Albert Einstein

[lew]

All part of the game!...It doesn't matter what you engage in, there will always be rejects or ruins....In my case, if I screw up a piece, even if I have hours put into it, I just think to myself that it was a good practice and I probably learned something or improved a skill in the process!

In the art world I bet there are 10 duds for every good endeavor!

[kmmcrafts]

The Master is only the master because he has failed more times than the novice has tried.. I have that in my signature to remind myself that I need to keep working at it.. Doubt I will ever reach the Master status, LOL... but i keep trying.. You only fail when you quit trying..

[RangerJay]

I have a variety of scrolled and carved pieces that have never seen the light of day - but for me they represent a tangible (and humorous) record of my efforts to become a better woodworker - each one is a lesson learned - that collection was getting a little too large last year and I had to selectively cull it to make more room in the Shed - now I have a smaller collection that might be called: "The Best of the Worst" - the culled pieces did become firewood.

 

Jay

 

[Scrappile]

I have

[GrampaJim]

My family looks forward to camping trips to see what kind of interesting designer firewood I bring.  Watching your mistakes go up is smoke is kind of therapeutic. 

Edited April 14, 2018 by GrampaJim

[Fish]

49 minutes ago, GrampaJim said:

My family looks forward to camping trip to see what kind of interesting designer firewood I bring.  Watching your mistakes go up is smoke is kind of therapeutic. 

I keep my collection in a box on the back porch for my kids to use in the fire when they toast marshmallows and hotdogs.

[jerry1939]

So is it really true that people mess up some times?  Asking for a friend.

jerry

[Frank Pellow]

1 hour ago, GrampaJim said:

My family looks forward to camping trip to see what kind of interesting designer firewood I bring.  Watching your mistakes go up is smoke is kind of therapeutic. 

A perfect solution to the problem!   

[JustLarry]

I can rightfully say I have never made a mistake when scrolling.  I have however, made many unplanned modifications to the pattern I am cutting and from those unplanned modifications I have made a considerable donation to the world wide designer firewood collection.  I fix or reuse what I can - we are in a burn ban here. 

Larry

[OCtoolguy]

I thought I made a mistake one time but I was wrong! I'm perfect in every way! LOL.

Ray

 

[hippygirl]

I kept the first thing I scrolled (a simple 3x4 piece of 1/4" ply with a star cut out)...you wouldn't BELIEVE how crooked my "straight" cuts were!

NOT that they're orders of magnitude better NOW, mind you, but they "are" getting better.

[Rockytime]

My cuttings are too bad to give away and too good to throw away. I've been practicing with different blades. Have not yet found my go to blade. So far things are just stacking up on a shelf. Too bad about Frank's box. Looked like it would be a beauty.

[Woodmaster1]

I just throw the wood in a plastic bucket for use later. Any wood not used later is kindling.

[new2woodwrk]

26 minutes ago, Woodmaster1 said:

I just throw the wood in a plastic bucket for use later. Any wood not used later is kindling.

I do similar though I don't have a fireplace to burn kindling

[hippygirl]

1 hour ago, Rockytime said:

My cuttings are too bad to give away and too good to throw away. I've been practicing with different blades. Have not yet found my go to blade. So far things are just stacking up on a shelf. Too bad about Frank's box. Looked like it would be a beauty.

The blades I have are Olsen's (all I've tried so far), but based on a few recommendations I read online, I ordered a pack of #3 Flying Dutchman Ultra Reverse to try last night...we'll see if they're any better!

Edited April 14, 2018 by hippygirl

[WayneMahler]

This is all part of the learning process. Still make designer firewood to this day. Keep the faith and practice and it will all come together .

[hotshot]

Depending on what I'm working on, I sometime continue with a trashed project to completion because I've already spend the money on materials, so it is free practice to increase my skills.  I have a totaled fretwork piece in the shop right now that I can practice on to get warmed up, and get my feel for the saw, before starting anything new.

[wombatie]

I have had some doozies but one thing I have learnt over the years is not to drill all of the holes before I start cutting, I drill a few at a time, that way if there is an unfixable break I have not wasted all the wood.  On saying that I recently broke a portrait x 2 that I was cutting and forgot my own rule, so there was nothing worth saving.    Just keep practicing the firewood will get less.  Steve Good had some practice sheets once have a look and see if he still has them and give them a try.

Marg

[lawson56]

Throw away's? Boy have I had Throw away's.I have a wooden crate beside my work bench where I trow all my scrap.I can't tell you how many times I have thrown a Plaque in that crate.But that is how We learn. And become better Scrollers