Popular Post Joe W. Posted February 7, 2021 Popular Post Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 Saw this pattern and had to try it. Started out on quarter inch HD (baltic?) birch with a 2/0 blade and then tried a #5 for a couple of the ants. Got another lesson - a piece of the bottom ant head broke off. Guess I should have used solid wood? And maybe add a category on the forum called Oopsies! Lord knows I'll be making more of them! Ken Lotts, Dan, FrankEV and 7 others 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie E Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 Little pieces like that come flying off solid wood as well. Maybe even more so. Cool looking ants. danny and amazingkevin 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lotts Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 Really nice work with that 2/0 blade! Those ants look super to me! Joe W. and amazingkevin 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombatie Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 It looks great. Just remember that you are the only one that knows when a piece is broke or lost a small piece no one else will notice until you point it out. Marg Joe W., amazingkevin and FrankEV 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
preprius Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 I only see one ant carrying something. The bottom ant. Joe W. and amazingkevin 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveww1 Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 great job amazingkevin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe W. Posted February 7, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 10 hours ago, Charlie E said: Little pieces like that come flying off solid wood as well. Maybe even more so. Cool looking ants. So how do you keep that from happening? Photoshop it back on? Or do I have to just be more careful? amazingkevin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie E Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 Sometimes it's just bad luck. I'm no expert and I break stuff all the time, but there are a couple of things I do. If a pattern is drawn with something that seems unnecessarily flimsy I alter it to make it stronger. Add a bridge, widen a small bridge. If you're cutting something that's going to be very fragile there is usually a better side to cut first if that makes sense. An example would be this lower case e. If you start cutting with the inside line rather that the outside you stand a much better chance of not breaking the fragile part held by the tiny bridge. I'd probably also make the bridge a bit larger too. I'll sacrifice a little on looks to decrease my chances of breaking something. Especially as I get closer to finishing. Probably stuff you already know. danny and amazingkevin 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie E Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 13 minutes ago, Charlie E said: Sometimes it's just bad luck. I'm no expert and I break stuff all the time, but there are a couple of things I do. If a pattern is drawn with something that seems unnecessarily flimsy I alter it to make it stronger. Add a bridge, widen a small bridge. If you're cutting something that's going to be very fragile there is usually a better side to cut first if that makes sense. An example would be this lower case e. If you start cutting with the inside line rather that the outside you stand a much better chance of not breaking the fragile part held by the tiny bridge. I'd probably also make the bridge a bit larger too. I'll sacrifice a little on looks to decrease my chances of breaking something. Especially as I get closer to finishing. Probably stuff you already know. Also, not really on the same topic, but if you're not using a magnifying light I highly recommend one. I got a cheap one from Harbor Freight thinking I'd just use it for intricate stuff and now I don't cut anything without it. Differing opinions on this I'm sure but I love mine. amazingkevin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockytime Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 Darn nice job you did! danny 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
preprius Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 did you keep the cutouts so you can glue ants to other stuff? amazingkevin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe W. Posted February 8, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2021 On 2/7/2021 at 11:13 AM, Charlie E said: . . . but there are a couple of things I do. . . Thanks Charlie. Funny the tips like these you don't find in any of the books/reference material on scroll sawing. I'll add these to my "Book of Scroll Sawing Knowledge". And oh, yes, I just got YOCTOSUN Head Mount Magnifier with 2 Led Professional Jeweler's Loupe Light Bracket and Headband with 1 - 3.5 magnification power Interchangeable lens from Amazon for just under $20. A little odd - they go 1/1.5/2/2.5/3.5 - for some reason skipping the 3 power. I haven't tried cutting with them yet, but did experiment with the lens, settling on 2 and 2.5 as the most promising powers to use. I do wear glasses and I use the magnifier with the elastic headband and it fits comfortably. We are having a bit of cold snap here in Delaware and the garage is a little cold for any long stints at the scroll saw. So I'm doing other stuff. As I was cutting the ants out, I was having to get close to the work and wishing I had the magnifier. Just after I finished the piece, the magnifier came in the mail! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe W. Posted February 8, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2021 22 hours ago, preprius said: did you keep the cutouts so you can glue ants to other stuff? No, the pieces were too small to stay in one piece - even with using a 2/0 blade. But I have the pattern and can make another one. And probably will out of a hard wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danny Posted February 8, 2021 Report Share Posted February 8, 2021 Always Kind of Enjoyed cutting different type of Insects. Never got around to Ants though. You did a Outstanding job of cutting them. I would Love to Cut this Pattern. Where can I obtain it? Thanks.... Danny :+} Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie E Posted February 9, 2021 Report Share Posted February 9, 2021 4 hours ago, Joe W. said: Thanks Charlie. Funny the tips like these you don't find in any of the books/reference material on scroll sawing. I'll add these to my "Book of Scroll Sawing Knowledge". And oh, yes, I just got YOCTOSUN Head Mount Magnifier with 2 Led Professional Jeweler's Loupe Light Bracket and Headband with 1 - 3.5 magnification power Interchangeable lens from Amazon for just under $20. A little odd - they go 1/1.5/2/2.5/3.5 - for some reason skipping the 3 power. I haven't tried cutting with them yet, but did experiment with the lens, settling on 2 and 2.5 as the most promising powers to use. I do wear glasses and I use the magnifier with the elastic headband and it fits comfortably. We are having a bit of cold snap here in Delaware and the garage is a little cold for any long stints at the scroll saw. So I'm doing other stuff. As I was cutting the ants out, I was having to get close to the work and wishing I had the magnifier. Just after I finished the piece, the magnifier came in the mail! I have a magnifying light on a stand but seems like there would be advantages to a head mounted one. If your experience is anything like mine you'll love it. It's like night and day for me. I'm thankful to have an infrared gas heater in my shop. You don't move enough to stay warm at a scroll saw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe W. Posted February 9, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2021 Danny, I got the pattern from Steve Good's website. Along with a ba-zillion other ones I hope to cut out. Just got my order of blades in the mail today. Now, if life (Murphy's Law) will leave me alone, I can get to some of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amazingkevin Posted February 11, 2021 Report Share Posted February 11, 2021 On 2/8/2021 at 2:56 PM, Joe W. said: Thanks Charlie. Funny the tips like these you don't find in any of the books/reference material on scroll sawing. I'll add these to my "Book of Scroll Sawing Knowledge". And oh, yes, I just got YOCTOSUN Head Mount Magnifier with 2 Led Professional Jeweler's Loupe Light Bracket and Headband with 1 - 3.5 magnification power Interchangeable lens from Amazon for just under $20. A little odd - they go 1/1.5/2/2.5/3.5 - for some reason skipping the 3 power. I haven't tried cutting with them yet, but did experiment with the lens, settling on 2 and 2.5 as the most promising powers to use. I do wear glasses and I use the magnifier with the elastic headband and it fits comfortably. We are having a bit of cold snap here in Delaware and the garage is a little cold for any long stints at the scroll saw. So I'm doing other stuff. As I was cutting the ants out, I was having to get close to the work and wishing I had the magnifier. Just after I finished the piece, the magnifier came in the mail! Tips an tricks!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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