Keeping freestanding letters aligned

[Wichman]

This is my method for keeping freestanding letters and figure aligned.

!. plan the pattern for where you want/need it to be aligned. Add indexing marks to align the letters ( marks drawn out to the edge of the piece to be cut ). Use you preferred method but tape the back of the piece to be cut.

2. Using the smallest drill bit for the blade, drill the pilot hole as close the pattern as possible in the waste area.  using the smallest blade you can, cut the outline of the letters.

3. As you cut, save the letters ( or fallout ) and tape them back into the pattern as you go ( I didn't do this and lost the small heart on the left side ).

4. When finished cutting make sure the top of the piece has all the dropouts tape back in place.

5. Turn the piece over and remove the bottom tape from the letters only.

6. apply glue to the letters, if you leave the tape on the rest of the pattern you can use it as a mask and either spray or roll adhesive on the back. Peel the mask off the back of the piece.

7. Turn the piece right side up and using the alignment marks carefully place on the desired substrate. Peel off the tape holding the pieces together. Gently lift the "waste" off the letters.....And Bob's your uncle:

 

 

 

[blondewood]

The cutting is very nice.  I don't understand why you would detach each letter and then glue them all together.

Why not just cut out the white parts or insides of the letters and keep them all attached?  What am I missing?

Thanks

[Wichman]

Vicki,

     I was trying to show that you can use the "waste" area of a cutting  as a template to hold the desired pieces in place.

The "name with a rose" was cut as a single piece, not each letter individually. The drop outs were then glued to a backer board using the single piece to temporally  keep them  aligned. The bottom picture was to show all the pieces are in alignment.

[redwine]

I have used this method or very similar, when I was making plaques for clubs with the names of the members for each plaque. I would cut out each letter and save the waste, some times reducing the size to fit on the plaque. This made it much easier to align the letters. To make it easier to apply the glue to each letter, I would use a glue with a longer set up time and spread out a thin amount and place the letter lightly onto the glue making sure there was even coverage and not enough to oozes out! 

Erv