aj43 Posted March 26, 2019 Report Share Posted March 26, 2019 I am curious how to efficiently make jig saw puzzles. I have made a few from action photos of grandkids. The problem was I had no patterns to follow - everything was free scrolling. They ended up like kid's big piece puzzles, not like a serious jig saw puzzle. Can anyone explain how to design the pattern AND overlay it to cut it out without destroying the photo image? Or does everyone just practice until they get the feel for the designs for pieces? How do you mount your puzzles? Mine have simply been dry mounted on hardboard ("masonite") or baltic birch, or mounted with spray glue (Elmer's or 3M). Is there a book or web page somewhere with good explanations? - Thanks / aj43 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCtoolguy Posted March 26, 2019 Report Share Posted March 26, 2019 I'm not into puzzles but Iggy here on the forum is the puzzle king. He may chime in. I'd do a search on Youtube for tutorials. Lots of folks here do puzzles so you will get a lot of info, I'm sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aj43 Posted March 26, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2019 Thanks in the meantime. /aj43 OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devin Wilson Posted March 26, 2019 Report Share Posted March 26, 2019 I second Iggy (Scott) is the man with the plan when it comes to puzzles. To give you some ideas check out this youtube video of his. If you're wanting to do puzzles from photos check out Steve Good's templates at this link http://www.stevedgood.com/puzzlebook.html OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meflick Posted March 26, 2019 Report Share Posted March 26, 2019 While they have pointed you to Iggy / Scott as King of the puzzles - his primary puzzle is animal puzzles that stand up and do not have a picture. It sounds like you are more wanting to do more of a traditional style jigsaw picture using pictures of yours adhered to a backing - is that correct? If so, I know it has been discussed here in the past, but I may have to do some digging to see if I can find some old threads on it. OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredfret Posted March 26, 2019 Report Share Posted March 26, 2019 If you are referring to picture puzzles Look at steve goods site he has several templates that have piece count and cutting diagrams for different size puzzles. I freehand cut myself and have made 11x17 with almost 700 pcs. Fox Chapel has a book about making picture puzzles avail but I can't remember the exact title My kids bought it for me a few years ago price was about $14. Good Luck OCtoolguy and jollyred 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmmcrafts Posted March 26, 2019 Report Share Posted March 26, 2019 I've seen a lot of topics on this.. and researched it quite a lot since I had interest in doing some.. Anyway.. one thing about making puzzles that had stuck with me was.. back then there wasn't a lot of templates.. and the recommendation was to draw on the back of the project sort of a grid of the size puzzle pieces you want to make.. most jigsaw puzzles have slightly different sized pieces.. so just draw the grid on the back and free hand the pieces.. as best you can.. Many said they started out doing this way but after making several puzzles they could do very well without the grid.. Many cut the pieces along color lines and different color shades to make the puzzle harder to see on the photo and harder to put together too.. As others have said.. Steve Good has a few templates too.. I done one puzzle where I used a pattern glued to another plywood board and pit the actual puzzle as the bottom piece and then put a soft paper towel and then the piece with the pattern on top and taped everything together.. Turned out fairly well but did have some light smudging where the two vibrated together.. I always glued the photo to the wood and once dry I'd spray the photo with triple thick clear glaze spray... another light coat covered the smudge marks.. the marks was just scratched clear top coat.. I think it'd have ruined the picture without the clear on it.. Iguanadon and OCtoolguy 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aj43 Posted March 26, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2019 (edited) I have no problem with non-picture pieces. I have done all sorts of projects with the following method. I just affix the pattern to the base layer with Elmer's, 3M glue, or a bonding material, then cover with clear packaging tape. Pattern comes off easily most times. If not, a wipe with mineral spirits loosens it and it peels off. I am most interested in figuring a good method for picture puzzles. I have tried mounting the pictures and then covering them with several layers of clear finish, flopping the piece, and drawing a pattern on the back. The problem has always been scratches resulting on the inverted face. I've tried cutting imaginary grids on the top - just haven't gotten the knack yet. Layering the puzzle beneath another piece of plywood or hard board just seems a total waste of good stock and $$. So, trying to figure how the "pros" do it cheaply and efficiently. PS - Thanks for all the ideas and references so far. Edited March 26, 2019 by aj43 OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmmcrafts Posted March 26, 2019 Report Share Posted March 26, 2019 All the pros I know of probably made a ton of scrap before they got to a point where they are considered pros.... The pros that I knew of was just free handing the puzzles and using the color tines of the picture to make their pieces.. I can't think of the couple of people that was doing these puzzles but they was making puzzle pieces that was all sorts of circle shapes and whatnot.. not really the " traditional " types with pieces that interlock.. I'll have to look them up.. some crazy difficult puzzles these guys was making.. Seem's like the one I'm thinking of passed away a few years ago.. Maybe someone else will chime in.. OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredfret Posted March 26, 2019 Report Share Posted March 26, 2019 Carter Johnson used the color line method and the scrollsaws woodworking forum has a tutorial by him. Stave puzzles, platinum puzzles are both very creative piece users. I am not a pro but have used at least a couple sheets of 1/4 inch bb for fire wood learning and making mistakes. Using a pattern attached to 1/8 inch bb is not that much. I buy 1/8 for about $15 a sheet of 5x5 . kmmcrafts and OCtoolguy 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dee Posted March 27, 2019 Report Share Posted March 27, 2019 Steve Good has step by step directions here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC Scroller Posted March 27, 2019 Report Share Posted March 27, 2019 I have cut a few picture puzzles in my day. I freehand it and I let the picture dictate where the cuts are. By that I mean I follow lines and shapes in the photo as much as I can. This is a picture of a Christmas Card I turned into a puzzle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmmcrafts Posted March 27, 2019 Report Share Posted March 27, 2019 16 hours ago, fredfret said: Carter Johnson used the color line method and the scrollsaws woodworking forum has a tutorial by him. Stave puzzles, platinum puzzles are both very creative piece users. I am not a pro but have used at least a couple sheets of 1/4 inch bb for fire wood learning and making mistakes. Using a pattern attached to 1/8 inch bb is not that much. I buy 1/8 for about $15 a sheet of 5x5 . That is who I was thinking of.. Sure miss him around on the other forum.. He was the "Original" puzzle king.. NC Scroller 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsN Posted March 27, 2019 Report Share Posted March 27, 2019 18 hours ago, aj43 said: Layering the puzzle beneath another piece of plywood or hard board just seems a total waste of good stock and $$. When I have done this method I put the waste puzzle together and spray paint it a solid color and call it an "impossible" puzzle. I usually freehand it. Somewhere I think that Carter Johnson did a tutorial on his method. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loftyhermes Posted March 27, 2019 Report Share Posted March 27, 2019 (edited) Here's one video. Steve Good also has a Carter write up on his blog from 2008. http://scrollsawworkshop.blogspot.com/2008/03/carter-johnson-puzzle-maker.html Edited March 27, 2019 by loftyhermes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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