puzzle

[Ken Lotts]

I have cut a bunch of puzzles for gifts lately .. many for the grandkids and many for family and friends
This is the largest I have attempted to date.  It is 16" x 20" using 1/4" BB (285 pieces cut out on Hegner using FD PSR #2/0)
I just used a cell phone snapshot that I had enlarged.  Lol!
Anyhow..  

I used the divide and conquer technique (cut it out in sections...)

[Foxfold]

Oh Wow, that looks amazing !! 

[Tomanydogs]

That’s great Ken. I’m assuming that the picture is of people you know, which makes the puzzle even more special. 

[daveww1]

great job

[barb.j.enders]

Great work.  I haven't attempted to "free hand" puzzles yet.  Just been using templates.

[dragonkort2]

simpley beautiful!!  Iv tried making a few puzzles with pictures but usuly the corners of the cut out peaces  tend to peal....I use modpodge to put the picture on the wood. could you tell me how you keep the pictures from pealig off the wood?  Iv thought about putting the picture on the wood with the modpodge and then putting expoyreisn over that before cutting out the puzzle and see if that works... not sure how well the saw will cut through the wood with the  expoy resin on it

[amazingkevin]

Man oh man!!!! When you do things you go all the way!!!!! I'm very impressed!!!!

[wombatie]

That looks great Ken.  Is the jig saw template yours?

Marg

[lawson56]

WOW!!! Now that is just So Cool. Awesome job

[Charlie E]

Very nice! I need to make one for the grandkids. 

[young ned]

Cracking puzzle, very well done Ken

[Ken Lotts]

On 4/1/2021 at 4:04 AM, Tomanydogs said:

That’s great Ken. I’m assuming that the picture is of people you know, which makes the puzzle even more special. 

Thanks!  Yes it is of Sharon (my wife)

[Ken Lotts]

On 4/1/2021 at 6:34 AM, dragonkort2 said:

simpley beautiful!!  Iv tried making a few puzzles with pictures but usuly the corners of the cut out peaces  tend to peal....I use modpodge to put the picture on the wood. could you tell me how you keep the pictures from pealig off the wood?  Iv thought about putting the picture on the wood with the modpodge and then putting expoyreisn over that before cutting out the puzzle and see if that works... not sure how well the saw will cut through the wood with the  expoy resin on it

Thanks
Yes.  I use spray adhesive and I spray both the wood and the back of the picture.
I am still experimenting to find stronger and better ways but in general spray adhesive works ok for me.  
I put the pattern on a dollar tree poster board and tape it over the picture.
There is a bunch of little gotchas I learned after doing so many puzzles..  One is taping rows back together as you go.

BTW,
I have found that the FD PSR 2/0 blade cuts best giving excellent control.  I tried the MG 2/0 but immediately went back to the FD PSR.
I think that if you try to get too many cuts with the same blade, the crisp picture edge suffers slightly.  
 

[Ken Lotts]

19 hours ago, wombatie said:

That looks great Ken.  Is the jig saw template yours?

Marg

Interesting that you asked that because the jigsaw pattern is a big deal even in the commercial world of puzzles.
I got my pattern by doing an online puzzle with my own image which was solid white.
The trick is do not complete the puzzle by adding the final piece because it will erase all your lines.
Once you get to the last piece, do a screen capture.
Here is what a screen shot of that would look like with the missing piece:

 I am going to eventually try my hand at using inkscape to make a better pattern with better variations similar to puzzles that I buy but that will take some time to master.
 

[Rockytime]

That is really dynamite work. I am so impressed. I appreciate the description you give on how you accomplished it. I think I'll have to give it a go sometime.

[wombatie]

3 hours ago, Ken Lotts said:

Interesting that you asked that because the jigsaw pattern is a big deal even in the commercial world of puzzles.
I got my pattern by doing an online puzzle with my own image which was solid white.
The trick is do not complete the puzzle by adding the final piece because it will erase all your lines.
Once you get to the last piece, do a screen capture.
Here is what a screen shot of that would look like with the missing piece:

 I am going to eventually try my hand at using inkscape to make a better pattern with better variations similar to puzzles that I buy but that will take some time to master.
 

As my Mother used to say, "Up there for thinking, down there for dancing".  What a terrific idea to get a puzzle pattern, I take my hat off to you.

Marg