128 Square Inch Disaster

[Rockytime]

Three PM and I'm disgusted. At myself, who else. I made a rookie mistake. Probably because I am a rookie. My first mistake was MDF. It cuts beautifully but it is messy. I won't cut any longer. I do have dust collection at the bottom of the saw but not on top. The whole one end of my shop is a mess. Everything has to be individually dusted. The dust is pervasive and very unhealthy. Rookie mistake was not having my blade perpendicular to the table. I was so used to using my 16" saw I never bothered checking my new saw. As a result some parts fit from the bottom and some from the top. The last piece partially fits from the top and partially from the bottom, therefore not fitting at all. Tomorrow I'll be picking up some Poplar and start over. I may do it in Pine. That would make it thicker.

[kmmcrafts]

I been there and done that too.. which is why when doing puzzles.. I check the fit as I cut the pieces because no sense in continuing the cut... unless you really want that detail in the ornamental firewood 

[Scrappile]

We all have made the same or similar mistakes and I still just keep making more.  Part of the trip through life.  Smile and move on.

[OCtoolguy]

I thought I made a mistake one time but I was wrong.

 

[Rockytime]

You bet Ray. My wife says the same thing.

[oldhudson]

We all make mistakes. It's how we improve our craft.

[tgiro]

Mistakes can be prevented by experience. Experience is what we gain from making mistakes.

I find that I never make the same mistake twice - I'm too busy making new ones

Edited May 26, 2018 by tgiro

[Rockytime]

7 minutes ago, tgiro said:

Mistakes can be prevented by experience. Experience is what we gain from making mistakes.

I find that I never make the same mistake twice - I'm too busy making new ones

True. Very true.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

See other discussion about mdf here. Not a good choice for scrolling material. Solid woods is a better choice and poplar is a fine choice. learn as you go. 

[OCtoolguy]

6 hours ago, Rockytime said:

You bet Ray. My wife says the same thing.

So, I'm in good company?

 

[lawson56]

Sorry to here that,That stuff is not very forgiving.I used it once.Just once. 

[NC Scroller]

Cutting puzzles also requires frequent blades changes.  Most rookies and even non rookies, myself included, tend to over use blades.  As the blades dull we naturally tend to push which causes the blades to flex and thus not cutting perpendicular.   This is especially turn in tight turns which your project has many of.  Looking at that puzzle I would expect you to use at least two blades if not three.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

2 hours ago, NC Scroller said:

Cutting puzzles also requires frequent blades changes.  Most rookies and even non rookies, myself included, tend to over use blades.  As the blades dull we naturally tend to push which causes the blades to flex and thus not cutting perpendicular.   This is especially turn in tight turns which your project has many of.  Looking at that puzzle I would expect you to use at least two blades if not three.

This is a very true statement. You can get away with the overuse of a blade in most projects but puzzles the cuts need to be true. 

[rjweb]

If it wasn’t for mistakes I won’t have anything to do, RJ 

[Sambo19]

19 hours ago, Rockytime said:

Three PM and I'm disgusted. At myself, who else. I made a rookie mistake. Probably because I am a rookie. My first mistake was MDF. It cuts beautifully but it is messy. I won't cut any longer. I do have dust collection at the bottom of the saw but not on top. The whole one end of my shop is a mess. Everything has to be individually dusted. The dust is pervasive and very unhealthy. Rookie mistake was not having my blade perpendicular to the table. I was so used to using my 16" saw I never bothered checking my new saw. As a result some parts fit from the bottom and some from the top. The last piece partially fits from the top and partially from the bottom, therefore not fitting at all. Tomorrow I'll be picking up some Poplar and start over. I may do it in Pine. That would make it thicker.

Beautiful cutting and puzzle!  I have made that mistake on intricate cuts too.  Fortunately I was able to hand sand the piece that stuck until it fit, albiet tightly.

[Rockytime]

I started over in pine. Table square with blade. Don't be economical with blades.

[Sambo19]

13 minutes ago, Rockytime said:

I started over in pine. Table square with blade. Don't be economical with blades.

That is one of my biggest problems, I'll have to set a timer or something to remind my cheap butt, not like they are pricey.

[crupiea]

Just give it to the grand kid you dont like. lol

[Rockytime]

HaHa! I could never be that cruel.