Round Or Square Clock Backer ?

[kmmcrafts]

Something I hate doing is making a clock round with a round backer.. for one thing.. it's hard enough to cut two circles and get pretty much perfect circles with a scroll saw... then to try to glue them both together perfectly.. usually ends up being a little less than my standards outcome.. while I suppose not horrible as I done and seen worse LOL.. 

So what do you all think if I glued the clocks to a square backer board?  Personally I like to use a decorative design for the outer edge of the clocks like the last picture shows... however that isn't always fitting for the design at hand..

[OCtoolguy]

10 minutes ago, kmmcrafts said:

Something I hate doing is making a clock round with a round backer.. for one thing.. it's hard enough to cut two circles and get pretty much perfect circles with a scroll saw... then to try to glue them both together perfectly.. usually ends up being a little less than my standards outcome.. while I suppose not horrible as I done and seen worse LOL.. 

So what do you all think if I glued the clocks to a square backer board?  Personally I like to use a decorative design for the outer edge of the clocks like the last picture shows... however that isn't always fitting for the design at hand..

Do you have a bandsaw? If so, why not do round backers on it? Much easier, faster and more accurate. 

R

 

[kmmcrafts]

2 minutes ago, octoolguy said:

Do you have a bandsaw? If so, why not do round backers on it? Much easier, faster and more accurate. 

R

 

Yeah I have a bandsaw.. but I need practice using it to cut a circle, LOL..  I can get decent results stack cutting the backers and clock pieces out at the same time.. but. I also like to enlarge the backer a little bit 1/4" or so larger than the clock face.. just think it gives a nicer look.. that is if i can cut them and glue them nice and even LOL...  

[rjweb]

The way I do things like that, with using a backer, I do all the fret work first but not the outer cut, then tape the 2 together (the fret and backer ) and cut them both out together this way they are both perfect to each other, RJ 

[OCtoolguy]

13 minutes ago, kmmcrafts said:

Yeah I have a bandsaw.. but I need practice using it to cut a circle, LOL..  I can get decent results stack cutting the backers and clock pieces out at the same time.. but. I also like to enlarge the backer a little bit 1/4" or so larger than the clock face.. just think it gives a nicer look.. that is if i can cut them and glue them nice and even LOL...  

A circle cutting jig is very simple to make and use. Do a youtube search and you'll see what I mean. Not much involved at all.

 

[bobscroll]

Hi Kevin...A square backer with ornamental pieces in the corners maybe?

Great looking clocks by the way!!!

Bob 

[Rockytime]

I personally like a round backer but bobscroll's idea may be the best of all.

[OCtoolguy]

Kevin, check out this youtube video. It looks like a pretty good circle jig and should do everything you need. I'm going to make one like this and toss my old one.

R

 

[Roberta Moreton]

Option 3 is my favorite. Also square with corner trim.

[heppnerguy]

how about using the small washer and pencil tracing the outside of the face of your item. This gives you an overhang if about `1/8 to 1/4 inch and then you don't need to worry about being so perfect for a match up. I personal, think this also helps emphasize your piece with that  little extra bit of contrast.  That is how I did the outside of this plaque. I used a little large washer because I wanted a little larger boarder on this one. This is pretty goof proof.

Dick

heppnerguy

[WayneMahler]

If I need two circles to match up perfectly, I stack cut them, when I separate I mark them at the top for alignment for glue up . Has worked for me many times. Also like the pattern border for #3 photo and what Dick said above. Using a washer to trace and then cut works well also. 

[oldhudson]

I really prefer the circle.

It should be pretty straight forward to make a circle cutting jig for use on the scroll saw. I guess it depends on the radius of the cut and the size of the table. I pretty sure years ago I made Christmas ornaments and made a circle cutting jig. I can't quite remember. Senior moment......

[dgman]

5 hours ago, rjweb said:

The way I do things like that, with using a backer, I do all the fret work first but not the outer cut, then tape the 2 together (the fret and backer ) and cut them both out together this way they are both perfect to each other, RJ 

I do this too. If the backer is to be painted, I paint first then wait till the paint is cured, or if I’m using a hardwood or a hardwood plywood, I’ll go ahead and glue the overlay to the backer, then cut the outer circle together, then sand to finish. 

[Brianr24]

I don't like the square background. As far as stack cutting I think he wants the backer about a 1/4 larger. I would build a circle sanding jig. Instead of using band saw use disc sanded. This way you can cut the pattern a hair big use circle sand jig to perfect circle then just change center point on jig to sand backer a 1/4 larger. They should match perfect.

[kmmcrafts]

2 hours ago, heppnerguy said:

how about using the small washer and pencil tracing the outside of the face of your item. This gives you an overhang if about `1/8 to 1/4 inch and then you don't need to worry about being so perfect for a match up. I personal, think this also helps emphasize your piece with that  little extra bit of contrast.  That is how I did the outside of this plaque. I used a little large washer because I wanted a little larger boarder on this one. This is pretty goof proof.

Dick

heppnerguy

This is what I’ve been doing. But two free handed circles on a scroll saw many times come out different. Then try to center the cutting to the backer when neither one is a perfect circle gets kind of tough to do. Though that is how I’ve been doing it. Just kind of looking for a easier / better way. The two finished clocks above I used the washer method, love doing that but not so much when working with circles. 

[kmmcrafts]

I always stack cut if I want them the same and match up. But what I’m doing is making the backer slightly larger to enhance the piece with some accents so to speak. And free hand scrolling two circles almost never matches up.  The last photo has a decorative outline and isn’t noticeable so much if I scroll off the line a little... but a circle smooth outline is a different story. 

[spirithorse]

Hi, Kevin,

You seem to have gotten a few different ideas but, in my honest opinion, I think all you
really have to do is slow your scroll saw speed down, then slow your feed rate down accordingly
and just follow the line of your circle to get the 1/4" or so lip that you like around your finished piece.

Since you asked, I will state that I do not care too much for the square backer for a round clock.

God Bless! Spirithorse

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

To get perfect circles on both the clock face and the backer is to use a circle cutting jig on a bandsaw. Once set up you can knock them out very quickly and accurately, especially if all your clocks are the same size. You could even stack cut them if you like with double sided tape and stack them as high as your blade guard allows. But as always need to allow the blade to do the cutting and not force the turns.  They have kits or so easy to make I make my own. I do this all the time with my round mirrors. Just measure the clock pattern and that is the size circle to cut. If you want a 1/4 reveal then add 1/2" to the clock size. Cut the wood and attach the pattern. You will have the center hole already. I spin the wood on a nail but you can use dowels. The one with the spikes then I would do as suggested and just use a bearing or washer to make the backer piece and cut individually. I do not like the square idea. 

[heppnerguy]

then you can always  paint and glue them together with the backer board a little larger all the way around and use the router bit that copies the one above. It has a roller bearing and a straight bit that cuts thing identical to the one above. Sorry I can not remember the  name of the bit. but if someone else sees this, I bet they can tell you

Dick

heppnerguy

[lawson56]

I like the idea of a Square Backer,then a Ornamental design on each corner.Sounds great to me.I bet it will look Fantastic!

[Paul hd]

13 hours ago, rjweb said:

The way I do things like that, with using a backer, I do all the fret work first but not the outer cut, then tape the 2 together (the fret and backer ) and cut them both out together this way they are both perfect to each other, RJ 

I would do it just as RJ explains in his post, but I would cut just outside of the circle line. I then go down to the line on the vertical sander. Great finish all the time.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

9 hours ago, heppnerguy said:

then you can always  paint and glue them together with the backer board a little larger all the way around and use the router bit that copies the one above. It has a roller bearing and a straight bit that cuts thing identical to the one above. Sorry I can not remember the  name of the bit. but if someone else sees this, I bet they can tell you

Dick

heppnerguy

flush trim template router bit. But as said the easiest and fastest way is with a circle cutting jig on a bandsaw and being he has a bandsaw half the problem goes away. The only thing that can derail this idea is if the pattern is like the first one shown where the elk antler sticks outside the ring. You could always just cut that small part flush which is what I would do if it were me. 

[new2woodwrk]

Circle jig is the way to go IMO

You can use a bandsaw, jig saw  or even a router.

[kmmcrafts]

23 hours ago, spirithorse said:

Hi, Kevin,

You seem to have gotten a few different ideas but, in my honest opinion, I think all you
really have to do is slow your scroll saw speed down, then slow your feed rate down accordingly
and just follow the line of your circle to get the 1/4" or so lip that you like around your finished piece.

Since you asked, I will state that I do not care too much for the square backer for a round clock.

God Bless! Spirithorse

Actually I think in my case just the opposite... I cut these on my Hawk which isn't all that aggressive cutting like my DeWalt is.. and I typically am trying to cut faster than the saw / blade is wanting to allow me to cut.. ( something I'm trying to get patient with and doing much better than a few month ago until I'm cutting 1" stacks of backers LOL. )  But that said.. I'd like to see anyone make two perfect circles with a scroll saw ( backer one slightly larger ) and glue them up to be perfect looking.. I get them pretty darn close.. but I am also my own critic.. Guess I get that from being in the auto body profession for several years..    

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

1 hour ago, kmmcrafts said:

Actually I think in my case just the opposite... I cut these on my Hawk which isn't all that aggressive cutting like my DeWalt is.. and I typically am trying to cut faster than the saw / blade is wanting to allow me to cut.. ( something I'm trying to get patient with and doing much better than a few month ago until I'm cutting 1" stacks of backers LOL. )  But that said.. I'd like to see anyone make two perfect circles with a scroll saw ( backer one slightly larger ) and glue them up to be perfect looking.. I get them pretty darn close.. but I am also my own critic.. Guess I get that from being in the auto body profession for several years..    

I can do it and have done it. Its all is about your skill of scrolling. The little tricks you teach yourself when learning to scroll such as let the blade cut and apply just enough force to cut. Look ahead of the pattern line anticipating the move and so on. I know the photos I am showing are not circles but the same idea is with patterns to get them right so they line up well. These are older photos and I have no way to blow them up but if you can enlarge you will see some pretty tight accuracy. This technique is very important when doing those fold out baskets or trivets as they were called. That is 10 maybe 12  circles next to each other constantly getting smaller. I always checked peoples work when I see those and that tells me what kind of scroller they are. Bad cuts jump up and out at you easily. That is where I learned to cut accurately because I made a ton of those trivets over the years when they were popular. have no web photos because that was before I even owned a computer. Have plenty of still photos.