I cut my first reindeer in almost 2 years on Wednesday.

[CharleyL]

I'm finally getting back into my woodshop and making something again. Health issues had just about completely put an end to my woodworking two years ago. I lost almost total use of my right leg, and none of the doctors could figure out what was wrong with me. Then last January a mild, but large bruise formed on and around my right knee, and the pain started going away. By about April I was able to put weight on it, but then it took me until about June to walk on it without cane or crutches. The bruise gradually went away along with the pain. I still have some balance problems, but I'm walking again. Just not nearly as well as before all this.

I started going back out to the shop in the Fall, but at first I just stayed an hour or so, looking around, and then went back to the house. My son was doing the required maintenance for me when something absolutely needed to be done, but his idea of putting tools and supplies back when finished using them is in a pile just inside the shop door. I still have a significant pile to put away, but I was eager to see if I could make reindeer again. This one is the first in almost 2 years. I made 7 total Wednesday afternoon of the two larger sizes that I make. This is Mrs. Rudolf, slightly smaller than Rudy, the largest, who is almost 4" tall. She is about 3 1/4" tall. The next size down from the Mrs. is Trudy the teen daughter and then the smallest is ear ring size at about 7/8" tall and I call him Rudy Jr. I named the sizes years ago as a way of keeping track of the quantities and sizes that I was making. I've actually made smaller, at about 1/2" tall, but the average success rate of about 4 good in 10 made me quit.

I've been making reindeer every year since 2004, except for these last 2 years. Well, with these, this year now isn't a total bust, so only one year, last year, without making any. Every Christmas Season I've just been making and then giving them away to any woman who helps me in some way during the Christmas Season. Every sales clerk, waitress, nurse, etc. gets one if they want it. For some strange reason, the women and teen girls seem to love these things. Most men are insulted if offered one, but I do give them away to woodworkers who want them.

 

As I wish the women a "Very Merry Christmas" at the completion of my business with them, I hold my hand out palm down with a reindeer in it, then drop it in their hand when they reach out. Their excitement makes it worth doing. I've been hugged and even kissed on the cheek, but the smile Is all I'm after, and the chance to improve the "Christmas Spirit" in them. I lost exact count, but it's somewhere around 15,000 total reindeer that I've made since starting this. Reindeer are not the only thing that I make, but it usually keeps me busy from September on, when I'm in the shop and not working on a larger or more pressing project.

I took this photo immediately after cutting her out. No eyes or red nose yet, Not even de-fuzzed yet. The eyes and nose are put on with black and red marking pens after de-fuzzing. Then a coat of clear lacquer. These were completed yesterday, before we went shopping, and one has already been given away. I've been avoiding it as much as possible this year, but Suzanne wants to go to the big mall, and traffic is very likely to be a mess around there. She doesn't handle driving in heavy traffic well any more. I don't either, but she thinks I do better than her, but we are very likely to make this venture to the Concord Mills Mall today, so I doubt I'll be making any more reindeer before Christmas this year. Hopefully, I'll be able to get started early and make a bunch of them before the Christmas Season next year.

 

For those interested, that's the clamp that I used to hold the pieces of the reindeer blank together while I'm cutting it, and most 3D patterns, that the reindeer is sitting next to. It's about 6" long and made from 12 mm Baltic Birch plywood about 1" wide, two 6" long pieces of #8-32 stainless steel all thread, four hex nuts, two #8-32 wing nuts, six #8 flat washers. Only the all thread needs to be stainless. I use the stainless steel all thread because the mild steel version are too soft and stretch easily with many repeated uses. I don't have that trouble with the stainless all thread.  

Charley

 

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Edited December 23, 2021 by CharleyL

[OCtoolguy]

Charley, what did you find was the reason for your back/knee pain and bruising? Was it a clot or sciatic or ???. Just curious. Glad you're able to get back at it though. You have so much knowledge to offer, I miss it when you aren't as active. Merry Christmas to you and yours.

[spirithorse]

Great looking deer and I certainly hope and pray that you have no more health issues.

God Bless! Spirithorse

[John B]

Onya Charlie, It's a nice feeling to be able to get back into doing what you love.

Edited December 24, 2021 by John B

[wombatie]

Sorry to hear of your health problems, so glad that you are getting back to normal and it's even better to see that you are back doing what you love, cutting and making people smile. 

Marg 

[don watson]

Glad to see you are now coping with whatever it was that was ailing you. Many thanks for your story and a Merry Christmas to you and yours.

Don W

[dgman]

Hey Charlie, it’s good to see that you can get back into the shop! Your reindeer looks great!

[rjweb]

Welcome back Charlie, have a blessed holiday, RJ 

[Dave Monk]

What a kind gesture. Glad it hear you are doing better.

[Norm Fengstad]

Welcome back as Mom would say growing old is not for sissies. Like the deer

[NC Scroller]

Charley welcome back to the land of sawdust.

[meflick]

Glad to hear your back pain has cleared up and you are able to get back to your saw and cut some reindeer. Look forward to seeing more projects from you as you spend more time in the shop.

[Woodmaster1]

Glad you were able to get back to the shop. I can't imagine going that long. I went nuts and I only missed using the shop for six weeks after hand surgery.

[Rolf]

Glad to see that you are on the mend! I could not imagine being out of my shop for that long.

I lovemaking the reindeer, not as many as you. Giving them as gifts like that is a wonderful idea!

I usually cut the small ones at our wood working show it is fun to watch the reactions people have when the little guy falls out of the middle.

I usually use Cherry when I make the real small ones or any tight grained wood.

 

[OCtoolguy]

6 hours ago, Rolf said:

Glad to see that you are on the mend! I could not imagine being out of my shop for that long.

I lovemaking the reindeer, not as many as you. Giving them as gifts like that is a wonderful idea!

I usually cut the small ones at our wood working show it is fun to watch the reactions people have when the little guy falls out of the middle.

I usually use Cherry when I make the real small ones or any tight grained wood.

 

Rolf, what size is the starting block for that egret? I'd like to get the pattern too.

 

[Rolf]

17 hours ago, OCtoolguy said:

Rolf, what size is the starting block for that egret? I'd like to get the pattern too.

 

Ray it is 1-1/2 x 3/4 x 3" and the pattern was in one of last years SSWWC issues. It is in the Spring 2021 issue of SSWWC. It is a Diana Thompson design.

Edited December 29, 2021 by Rolf

[CharleyL]

On 12/28/2021 at 10:12 AM, Rolf said:

Glad to see that you are on the mend! I could not imagine being out of my shop for that long.

I lovemaking the reindeer, not as many as you. Giving them as gifts like that is a wonderful idea!

I usually cut the small ones at our wood working show it is fun to watch the reactions people have when the little guy falls out of the middle.

I usually use Cherry when I make the real small ones or any tight grained wood.

 

 

Rolf,

I use pine selected for minimum and light growth rings for the larger sizes to keep them from looking like Zebras after cutting and to keep the cost down since I make so many. A carpenter friend was dropping off 2 X Shorts of SPF for me that I was cutting down to 3/4 thickness, but the growth ring problem had increased to the point that 2 years ago I had told him to stop.  The smaller reindeer usually don't survive cutting, let alone handling if cut from pine. For me, cherry burns too easily when cut, so I've gone to using hard maple, especially for the ear ring 7/8" tall size. I was using the same maple when cutting the 1/2", but at that size their legs become so thin during cutting that they are just way too delicate, if they even survive the cutting. Two and three legged reindeer live in my scrap bin. 

The stork and reindeer in your photo look very nice.

 

Diana Thompson's pattern books for 3-D characters are about the best available.

Have you made the mailbox yet? It's in the same book. I modified her pattern because her mailbox flag comes out of the top center of the mailbox. The change that I made makes a separate piece for the flag, but within the block of wood being cut for the mailbox. Then I glue the flag on after I finish the cutting. It's the only pattern from her books that I have modified.

Charley

 

 

 

 

Edited December 29, 2021 by CharleyL

[OCtoolguy]

3 hours ago, Rolf said:

Ray it is 1-1/2 x 3/4 x 3" and the pattern was in one of last years SSWWC issues. It is in the Spring 2021 issue of SSWWC. It is a Diana Thompson design.

Thanks Rolf. I'll dig it out. I've got all the mags but I'm behind on reading them.

[Rolf]

The issue has the aardvark ramp walkers on the cover

[OCtoolguy]

2 hours ago, Rolf said:

The issue has the aardvark ramp walkers on the cover

I think the last couple of issues are still in plastic. Lol. Time to get back to reading. Something besides "legal thrillers" that is. 

[Greatgrandpawrichard]

On 12/23/2021 at 7:53 AM, CharleyL said:

I'm finally getting back into my woodshop and making something again. Health issues had just about completely put an end to my woodworking two years ago. I lost almost total use of my right leg, and none of the doctors could figure out what was wrong with me. Then last January a mild, but large bruise formed on and around my right knee, and the pain started going away. By about April I was able to put weight on it, but then it took me until about June to walk on it without cane or crutches. The bruise gradually went away along with the pain. I still have some balance problems, but I'm walking again. Just not nearly as well as before all this.

I started going back out to the shop in the Fall, but at first I just stayed an hour or so, looking around, and then went back to the house. My son was doing the required maintenance for me when something absolutely needed to be done, but his idea of putting tools and supplies back when finished using them is in a pile just inside the shop door. I still have a significant pile to put away, but I was eager to see if I could make reindeer again. This one is the first in almost 2 years. I made 7 total Wednesday afternoon of the two larger sizes that I make. This is Mrs. Rudolf, slightly smaller than Rudy, the largest, who is almost 4" tall. She is about 3 1/4" tall. The next size down from the Mrs. is Trudy the teen daughter and then the smallest is ear ring size at about 7/8" tall and I call him Rudy Jr. I named the sizes years ago as a way of keeping track of the quantities and sizes that I was making. I've actually made smaller, at about 1/2" tall, but the average success rate of about 4 good in 10 made me quit.

I've been making reindeer every year since 2004, except for these last 2 years. Well, with these, this year now isn't a total bust, so only one year, last year, without making any. Every Christmas Season I've just been making and then giving them away to any woman who helps me in some way during the Christmas Season. Every sales clerk, waitress, nurse, etc. gets one if they want it. For some strange reason, the women and teen girls seem to love these things. Most men are insulted if offered one, but I do give them away to woodworkers who want them.

 

As I wish the women a "Very Merry Christmas" at the completion of my business with them, I hold my hand out palm down with a reindeer in it, then drop it in their hand when they reach out. Their excitement makes it worth doing. I've been hugged and even kissed on the cheek, but the smile Is all I'm after, and the chance to improve the "Christmas Spirit" in them. I lost exact count, but it's somewhere around 15,000 total reindeer that I've made since starting this. Reindeer are not the only thing that I make, but it usually keeps me busy from September on, when I'm in the shop and not working on a larger or more pressing project.

I took this photo immediately after cutting her out. No eyes or red nose yet, Not even de-fuzzed yet. The eyes and nose are put on with black and red marking pens after de-fuzzing. Then a coat of clear lacquer. These were completed yesterday, before we went shopping, and one has already been given away. I've been avoiding it as much as possible this year, but Suzanne wants to go to the big mall, and traffic is very likely to be a mess around there. She doesn't handle driving in heavy traffic well any more. I don't either, but she thinks I do better than her, but we are very likely to make this venture to the Concord Mills Mall today, so I doubt I'll be making any more reindeer before Christmas this year. Hopefully, I'll be able to get started early and make a bunch of them before the Christmas Season next year.

 

For those interested, that's the clamp that I used to hold the pieces of the reindeer blank together while I'm cutting it, and most 3D patterns, that the reindeer is sitting next to. It's about 6" long and made from 12 mm Baltic Birch plywood about 1" wide, two 6" long pieces of #8-32 stainless steel all thread, four hex nuts, two #8-32 wing nuts, six #8 flat washers. Only the all thread needs to be stainless. I use the stainless steel all thread because the mild steel version are too soft and stretch easily with many repeated uses. I don't have that trouble with the stainless all thread.  

Charley

 

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Good for you CharleyL! 

I love hearing such great news! Several years ago I had a heart attack that kept me from my hobby of Scroll Sawing. I hated it and I was determined to get back to the saw. I went on a Strict Exercise routine and within a month I walked a mile and a half to my Doctors office for my next appointment.
Then a couple of years later I suffered a Stroke, back  to no sawing for me for a while. I went on the same Exercise Routine and within a couple of months I was back to walking to the Doctor's office and Sawing wood!  Soon another Stroke hit me and messed me up again  But what worked twice before had to work again. It did just that!
Well, I just can't catch a break 3 years ago I developed aneurysm on my Kidney. It Had to be removed and it was a Major Surgery that took me 8 months to recover from with the same Exercise routine. But I did it and I am back to sawing!  But now I have another aneurysm on my heart, so I have to take it pretty easy and I have to wait for the doctors to decide when to operate. This one just might do me in. But I'm to darned stubborn to let that get me down ! Old Scroll Saw Operators Just Never Give up!

What I am getting at Charley Keep up the Great Work and Progress! You are an Inspiration to us all!

Greatgrandpawrichard, aka: Dick Raymond

[Matt B]

I noticed that the reindeer pattern on woodgear.ca does not have the dotted lines to help line up the pattern.  Has anyone modified the pattern with dotted lines?

[CharleyL]

That dotted line really isn't that important as long as the fold line is at 90 deg to the reindeer's feet. If it is a little more or less to the left or right, as long as your fold line is vertical and between the face and side views, your reindeer will cut properly. The closer the fold line is to the side view, the farther back inside the block of wood that your reindeer will be located after you have completed cutting him out. For my smallest 7/8" tall reindeer, I actually narrowed the space between the front and side pattern views so that I could use thinner blocks of wood. You do need some space between the fold line and each view to keep the blade from breaking out of the work piece and into your clamp as you cut close to the edge of the block of wood though. It is absolutely necessary to keep the front and side views attached together as one piece of paper. This keeps the two views in line with each other during the cutting process. You will fail if you cut the front and side views apart and attach them to the wood separately, since doing so will loose the pattern alignment needed.

After preparing the blocks of wood and separating each reindeer pattern from the sheet of paper, I pick up one of the blocks of wood and place the side view of the reindeer on the block of wood, positioning it so his feet touch the bottom end of the block of wood and the face view of the pattern is hanging off the edge of the block of wood. I then run my finger down the fold point, creasing the pattern where I want the fold line. On the dotted line, if there is one, or just between the face and side view of the pattern. I then remove the pattern and complete the fold so it is about 90 deg. Then I do the next and the next pattern in the same way, until all that I have prepared have been folded.

With all of the wood blocks and patterns prepared, I am now ready to glue the patterns on. I pick up a block of wood and orient it so that the folding edge and bottom end have the cleanest cuts. I then wipe stationery store rubber cement on the face and side that will receive the pattern, covering 100% of each of these two sides. A full coat, but with no excess. I then pick up a pattern and place it onto the glued surfaces, gently aligning it and pressing the pattern fully against the block of wood to completely attach the pattern to the block of wood. I then set this one aside, laying it on my bench with an unglued side facing down. Then I repeat this to glue the next reindeer pattern to the next block of wood. Doing this preparation and gluing in batches is more efficient than only one at a time, and it gives the glue time to fully dry before you begin cutting it. With 3-D patterns there is never a need to remove the pattern from the finished work piece, because the finished piece never has any of the pattern left on it. The pattern is on the scraps and is just discarded.

When I make up batches of blanks with patterns on them, I have built some wooden totes that I stack them in. They are 6" X 12" and 4" deep. Each tote is usually dedicated to one pattern. I have 12 of these totes and the feet of each are positioned so that the totes are stackable and interlock with the tote below it. My totes can be seen behind the mailbox in the photos for that above. I stack these with the tote that I am working out of on top with it at my saw's approximate table height and next to my saw, so I can remove each blank, cut the pattern, and then place the finished cutting back into the tote. When I'm ready to cut a different pattern, I just re-stack the totes so the one containing the new pattern is on top and I'm ready to begin. 

I have a similar sized, but taller hinged lid box that contains all of my scroll sawing tools and most used blades in prescription bottles that I  also keep next to the totes, usually sitting on top of a milk crate so that I can reach the needed tools and blades easily. A larger box full of prescription bottles holds the blades that I use less often. It holds about 24 bottles, each containing a different type or style of blades.  I swap out prescription bottles of blades between these two boxes, depending on what I plan to cut, so when doing out of workshop classes or demonstrations, I only need to take the smaller box with me. 

Charley   

 

Edited January 8, 2022 by CharleyL

[CharleyL]

[rjweb]

Charlie,

nice totes, I see you said you made them, what did you use to make the box joints, RJ