My Biggest Scrolling Failure

[Scrappile]

Why did I put this in the "Bragging Rights" section?  Well we all have, I think, had a failure or two along the adventure of scrolling... I have had more than a few and always chalked it up to learning or "that's life" and gone on.. This is a total failure on my part, and bragging because it is my biggest so far in my life as a scrollperson....  I wrote "scroller" but could not decided if that was sexist, or not, so I changed it.

I started this project after seeing the completed ones Heppnerguy and rdatelle posted.  They were beautiful and well done.  I wanted to do one in prep for a finescrollsaw clock I have wanted to do for several years.  Smart guy me, decided that I would do it in Cherry Wood.  Long story, short, after around 8 weeks of hard work, I declared a failure and quit.  The scrolling part was not real difficult, and the type I love doing.  The putting it together was my down fall.  This is 1/4" and 1/8" cherry with detailed scrolling in it.  I never realized how fragile, (ha, every time I type the word "fragile" I think of  "The Christmas Story" on TV.) it would be.  Every time I tried to glue parts together, I would break a part somewhere... every time!! There are at least 15 repaired or re-cut parts on this clock.  The last one, the back leg, that I tried to put a screw through, that was pre-drilled and countersunk, split in half,,, I said, for the sake of my sanity , enough is enough, life, for me, is two short, I quit!   Oh, even when I ordered the clock movement of it,,,,, they sent the wrong one, seemed like an omen to me...  So, it sits on the floor in my family/computer/wife won't allow me in the livingroom, room.  Waiting for the spring wiener roast, I think, would be appropiate.

Ahh., thanks, I confessed, got it off my chest and can move on. 

 

 

[rjR]

My Sympathy!  

 

UNFORTUNATELY --all of us have "Been there-Done that!" too. one way or another. 

[Old Joe]

Bummer, but I can relate with you regarding the cherry.I did a Charles Dearing portrait of John Lennon in 1/4” cherry that was pretty hairy. I was removing the tape when John’s whole left eye and eyeglass broke off. I also tried to glue it, but it kept breaking in other locations. I still hope to find an artsy way to utilize it. I redid it in BB.

[Ron Johnson]

Been there like I'm sure many of us have but for me I have never done anything that intricate. And honestly I don't think I ever will. Regardless of the mishaps that do and will happen again you did a one AWESOME job Paul. Your next one will be PERFECT. 

Edited March 12, 2020 by Ron Johnson

[new2woodwrk]

Well I can't see any of what you are describing because the piece you posted looks incredible! Flaws and all.

It's way beyond my abilities and patience to even attempt such a fine work, and I would not even dare to compare my piddly little failures to yours with that incredible piece.

Is there no way to salvage the build?  If it were me, I would step away for a time and come back and try to repair it. Maybe recut a few pieces?

Anyway, I feel for you with all the time invested in that beautiful piece!

[trackman]

I can see were just looking at it would make a piece break off lol. I would set it aside an work on something else an try later. 

[daveww1]

I guess we all have those problems

[JimErn]

Been there done that

enjoy the scrolling, have the wife put it together, they (mine at least) has more patience and littler fingers

[Scrappile]

Thanks for the comments.  I am fine with it and it is sitting in case I want to go at again sometime down the road.  Already well into another project...

[Gordon 121]

Get a big hammer and smash it to bits teach it a lesson not to mess with you, when I make bad sawdust I take it personal like me versus the wood I can hear it saying "you think you can scroll me, but no chance" so out comes my hammer am getting quite good at destroying hrs of work in a few seconds lol

Gordon 

[Scrappile]

Yep. sometimes I am dumber than wood!!

[Gordster]

Paul ,all that work,I am certain you can rescue this piece.It is too nice for scrap pile to put in in the scrap pile.

[Jim Finn]

This is what I like about doing inlay and intarsia.  (I have not tried doing fretwork)  Much larger pieces and once one gets away from fretwork there are many other ways to use your scroll saw and your scroll saw skills.   Completing an inlay is MUCH quicker than doing  fretwork. I do it on box lids.   It is much easier to sell, also. (I use inlay to embellish small boxes) Intarsia is harder to sell though.  I have given up  on wall hung items except for a few crosses.

[Scrappile]

12 minutes ago, Jim Finn said:

This is what I like about doing inlay and intarsia.  (I have not tried doing fretwork)  Much larger pieces and once one gets away from fretwork there are many other ways to use your scroll saw and your scroll saw skills.   Completing an inlay is MUCH quicker than doing  fretwork. I do it on box lids.   It is much easier to sell, also. (I use inlay to embellish small boxes) Intarsia is harder to sell though.  I have given up  on wall hung items except for a few crosses.

Jim , I am very familiar, with your beautiful work.  I think I have learned fretwork,,, which doesn't sell, one of these day I will try inlay.  Been saying that for two years now....

[amazingkevin]

Paul ,what you consider bad is the height of my day good if I could do what you do.!!! Your one amazing scroller for sure!!!! Know the dust off your shoes and continue to doing what you do so nice!!!

[wombatie]

Oh Paul, commiserations.  At least you gave it a try that's more that I've ever done, those big fancy clocks scare the hell out of me.

Marg

[heppnerguy]

 Paul, we have talked about this clock many times over the phone. I guess I will not have to burn the one I made, as long as you are calling it quits. It had to be all in the wood choice, it sounds like to me, as you are one of the best scrollers I know of, anywhere. I can't wait to come visit you again in July. You did a fabulous job on the clock and I know I do not come even a little close to your skills. But I have to say, because of you, I think I have improved and try harder to put out some decent projects, (most of the time). Sorry you gave up on it but I think you have alerted all of us to not use Cherry for 1/8th inch fret work. We all feel your pain, and to think it was over something you would have surpassed anything I could ever had done if you would not have chosen the Cherry wood to do it in. See you in about 3 months, my friend.

Dick

heppnerguy

[Rolf]

Super glue the fretwork scrollers best friend. We have all had one of those projects.  Wood selection is critical.  At one of Fox Chapels last open house events I did a presentation on woods and wood movement, I asked Bob Duncan if he had any samples I could use. He had a magnificent basket (large) cut from red Oak, A wood that I never use for fretwork. this piece was so twisted and parts were literally falling off due to the humidity and temp changes. You could not move it without something breaking. It was a heartbreaking thing to see.

[lawson56]

I have made 2 clocks,they both took me several weeks.Like you and all of us I have had my share of Failures,oh boy have I.

[Dragonkort]

we all have our failures , but before you toss that clock out think about this....to me it looked GREAT !!!!  most people...espicaly people who don' t know anything about scrolling or woodworking that  piece would be beautiful!!!  If you can't put a clock in it with out it breaking perhaps you could make a small figure of some kind to put in it where the clock would have gone...and if you don't think you could put a small shelf inside where the hole for the clock is perhaps you could make or get a small bell  or angle to put inside it....if your careful and could put a hook on the inside of the clock so it would hang down. To those of us who are to scaird to even try such a project and espically to those who have no idea what scrolling let alone fret work it is a beautiful work of art.  Now if you feel you could not sell it because to you its not a great piece of work,,,,perhaps you could give it away to someone who would apparicate its beauty and all your hard work.   I made a wooden barn and animals for some one and the first one didn't work out.  the sides not all being perfect thus the reason spike got me a table saw lol so I chucjed it into my tear it apart and reuse the wood for something else box wel last time my grandson was over he saw it in the box and asked what it was when I told him it was barn I h ad tried to make but didn't comeout  right so it  was in that box to be taken apart and the wood used for something else he asked if he could have I have never seen a boy so happy!!! lol you woud have thought id had given something made out of gold.  he spent the rest of t hat day painting it and going through my chunkys box to find people and animals to put in it!!! he loved that thing I think better then any of the other stuff we had done together. lol  if im speaking out of turn please don't yell just tell me kindly to mind my own busness……   one persons trash is another persons treasure!!! and now my food is done so i'll go eat it lol 

[dgman]

No speech’s Paul, put it in a box, put it up on a shelf within eyesight. After a while you’ll come back to it. DAMHIKT!!!

[Dragonkort]

lol sorry about the speech.....my kids get after me about that too every now and then I guess iv just been a mom so long I cant help but give a speech or lecture 

[Scrappile]

I've been a husband so darn long, I can't help but being use to being lectured!

[Tomanydogs]

All that work Paul. If you are not going to continue with the clock perhaps you could incorporate some of the pieces in other projects. 

[OCtoolguy]

On 3/14/2020 at 11:36 AM, Scrappile said:

I've been a husband so darn long, I can't help but being use to being lectured!

Amen Brother, Why is it a man can get his point across in a few words but it takes a woman all day and even then they may not be finished.