The Stuff I Get Myself Into..

[kmmcrafts]

Oh boy... went from hardly any business to .... I have a order for 25 of the praying hands clock to make and delivered by 12-6.. AND 26 pieces of the word "knowledge" cut out as a desk / shelf sitter cut from 3/4" material and just using the scrollsaw font. Now I just got two more clock orders for my Dachshund dog clock and has been sold out and switched to a made to order status.. LOL.. Meanwhile ornament sales also picked way up and many are getting close to being sold out..

 Moral of my story is.. be careful what you ask for.. a couple weeks back because business hadn't picked up yet I prayed.. not asking for work but for guidance as to where the big man wanted me to be... business had been slow and I was only asking if I should keep at it or look for a job.. Now I got a whole years worth of work to do in a few weeks,   If I'm missing from the forums I maybe sleeping in a pile of sawdust in front of my saw..

[Peter N White]

Great that you are selling so much you might have to forgo meal breaks.

[Scrappile]

Glad for you, moneywise, but it would take the joy of scrolling to be under that pressure.  I do it only for the joy, thank goodness.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Have to ask who bought 25 of those clocks.? I make and sell them and have never sold more than 10 all time. Did they say what the plans were. That is an easy cut. 20 minutes tops for each one. Prep the wood and have at it. 

Edited November 16, 2023 by JTTHECLOCKMAN

[BadBob]

Since I began to have made-to-order items, I have been concerned that I would get more orders than I could easily fill. It might be a good problem to have. Congratulations.

[kmmcrafts]

7 hours ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

Have to ask who bought 25 of those clocks.? I make and sell them and have never sold more than 10 all time. Did they say what the plans were. That is an easy cut. 20 minutes tops for each one. Prep the wood and have at it. 

Yes it is a easy one to make and about a 20 minute cut.. cutting time is really only a small portion of involved time though... sanding and finishing is another good 20 minutes.. packaging them up for the mail is probably another 10 minutes making up boxes and wrapping them etc.. at the end of the day each one is probably around 2 hours in time investment..

 It's one of the patterns from the cherry tree? if I remember correctly.. They have a bunch of clock patterns.. I bought the complete set of patterns from them when they closed up the business.. something like 3000 patterns I have on file from them. 

The person that ordered them is going to be giving them out to the pastors at some Association Appreciation Dinner thing is what she told me. 

Edited November 16, 2023 by kmmcrafts

[kmmcrafts]

43 minutes ago, BadBob said:

Since I began to have made-to-order items, I have been concerned that I would get more orders than I could easily fill. It might be a good problem to have. Congratulations.

A couple times I've been close to my 14 days to get the made to order or custom order in the mail.. There have also been times this time of year that I do get a little uneasy and I'll remove my made to order listings for a few days or just put stores in vacation most and leave a message that I shut down a couple days to get caught up... I get quite a few repeat customers that order the same stuff in bulk / wholesale every year.. The word desk / shelf sitter order that I have... They have been a repeat customer since like 2012.. each year they give me a different word to cut out.. I have a pilot school that orders 200 of a certain airplane ornament that they give out to the students each year... same thing with one of my nurse ornaments.. 

I'm not much for doing design work and one offs custom work.. takes me at least an hour to put together a design so I much rather do bulk orders of the same item than try to keep up doing custom one offs.. aside from just laser engraving and personalizing current items I have.

I bought my laser originally to do production cutting of these type ornament orders however I was disappointed to find out that I can stack cut almost two times as many as the laser can cut in a hours time, LOL.. Only way a laser would outperform me is if I had two lasers or one bigger larger power one.. but either of those would cost several thousand dollars so I just use it to do a different ornament types and engraving which is hard to do with a scroll saw.. 

[Norm Fengstad]

good to be busy money is nice as well. very nice display

[barb.j.enders]

9 hours ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

Have to ask who bought 25 of those clocks.? I make and sell them and have never sold more than 10 all time. Did they say what the plans were. That is an easy cut. 20 minutes tops for each one. Prep the wood and have at it. 

20 minutes - wow!  I would place my time at about 40- 60 minutes!  

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

2 hours ago, barb.j.enders said:

20 minutes - wow!  I would place my time at about 40- 60 minutes!  

Everyone cuts at a different pace but with the design Kevin is talking about that is a 25 piece order, if you look there are few stop points. That is where you have to stop and move the blade to a different hole. There are 4 stop points within the pattern and then the outside cutting.  This saves a ton of time when doing production work. if you can keep cutting and just concentrate on that then it does go fast. But as with most people that would bore the dickens out of me. he seems to enjoy it and believes he is making money doing these things is all that counts. My life is too short to focus on mind numbing projects. I had an order for 500 of two different type ornaments one time. The lady had various stores and she wanted them in her stores. they were a Christmas religious ornament. Well I cut 200 of each ornament and went to deliver to her and told her to find someone else. I could not do it and be happy. There is no money in work like that even though you think there is because of the numbers. Time is money and life is time.  

Edited November 16, 2023 by JTTHECLOCKMAN

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

4 hours ago, kmmcrafts said:

Yes it is a easy one to make and about a 20 minute cut.. cutting time is really only a small portion of involved time though... sanding and finishing is another good 20 minutes.. packaging them up for the mail is probably another 10 minutes making up boxes and wrapping them etc.. at the end of the day each one is probably around 2 hours in time investment..

 It's one of the patterns from the cherry tree? if I remember correctly.. They have a bunch of clock patterns.. I bought the complete set of patterns from them when they closed up the business.. something like 3000 patterns I have on file from them. 

The person that ordered them is going to be giving them out to the pastors at some Association Appreciation Dinner thing is what she told me. 

Again when doing large orders you set up a production line and it cuts down on time tremendously. You cut to size all bases, (your bases are very plain so that is an easy cut) and the same for the project wood. Size accordingly and before cutting you sand the entire board so that any sanding after is just quick sand to take away fuzzies and adhesive residue. Palm sander makes quick work. You set up a jig to drill and countersink holes for screws. Again production work. When doing this kind of work that is the first thing you learn is to do things in batches and cuts down time tremendously.  Finish depends on how you apply. I am a dip and let dry guy. I have seen this type operation before and it becomes more mind numbing than fun. Packaging and shipping needs to be designated to help. 

These are Rick Longabough design. you can always tell because of the outside shape of the pattern. He used that on many of his small desk clock projects.   I have made these in different sizes. The ones that accept the 2-3/4" inserts seem to do better when I was selling. 

Edited November 16, 2023 by JTTHECLOCKMAN

[kmmcrafts]

1 hour ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

Again when doing large orders you set up a production line and it cuts down on time tremendously. You cut to size all bases, (your bases are very plain so that is an easy cut) and the same for the project wood. Size accordingly and before cutting you sand the entire board so that any sanding after is just quick sand to take away fuzzies and adhesive residue. Palm sander makes quick work. You set up a jig to drill and countersink holes for screws. Again production work. When doing this kind of work that is the first thing you learn is to do things in batches and cuts down time tremendously.  Finish depends on how you apply. I am a dip and let dry guy. I have seen this type operation before and it becomes more mind numbing than fun. Packaging and shipping needs to be designated to help. 

These are Rick Longabough design. you can always tell because of the outside shape of the pattern. He used that on many of his small desk clock projects.   I have made these in different sizes. The ones that accept the 2-3/4" inserts seem to do better when I was selling. 

The CNC makes the bases and carves my website on the bottom.. Is that cheating? I don't know because I never have used a scroll saw to make the bases anyway.. Either a table saw or bandsaw and then round over the corners with the belt / disc sander.. and this gives the base a professional touch with the engraving on the bottom... some may not like that but it's what works for me.. 

[rjweb]

Kevin, glad to see that you are busy with work, that means you and the family will eat next week or month, RJ

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

1 hour ago, kmmcrafts said:

The CNC makes the bases and carves my website on the bottom.. Is that cheating? I don't know because I never have used a scroll saw to make the bases anyway.. Either a table saw or bandsaw and then round over the corners with the belt / disc sander.. and this gives the base a professional touch with the engraving on the bottom... some may not like that but it's what works for me.. 

Depending on the base but if it is basic like yours with a rectangle, I cut to length and width on the table saw and then use a quarter to mark the round edges and scrollsaw them off and then quick hit on a disc sander to clean up. Ones that I router are different story but I always like to put some shape on the base. That is not cheating. I use a branding iron to mark mine. Had a custom one made for me. I also include instruction on changing the battery in those clocks along with the supplied instructions of how to set it. If it has a clock it has instructions. I also add the fet dots to keep from maring any counter tops if need be. just my extra touches. 

[BadBob]

3 hours ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

Time is money and life is time.  

Yep, the most valuable thing you have is time, and you don't know how much you have.

[kmmcrafts]

Just to update.. after lunch I went out and cut 6 of them in just under 2 hours.. this is only the clock cut out not the base or anything.. I started with about a 4-5ft. board and planed it to the thickness and had it sanded with shelf liner and the patterns already applied before lunch.. then after lunch I used the scroll saw to cut the patterns out in smaller sections and scrolled them out.. Then I got another board down and planed it to the thickness needed and cut the paper patterns down to size and laid them out on the board to see how many I could get on this board.. Then i came inside to do the dishes and checked time.. i was in the shop 2hrs and 20 minutes do do all that.. It really is a easy one to make with only having 4 holes to drill out and cut, LOL.. Oh.. forgot to mention.. I also drilled the holes for the clock in that time too. 

@BadBob That is why I do what I do.. Never was happy working for someone else that didn't appreciate me and would replace me the next day after I quit or die or whatever... Don't punch a clock.. take on work or turn it away if I don't want it.. and best of all.. make close to the same money and don't need a extra car to insure and maintain etc.. in the end I really have more money in my pocket.. Little stressful sometimes not knowing how your year will do each year since most the business comes in the last 3 months of the year, LOL.. But that's better than the everyday stress of fighting traffic to drive to a job and work for someone that doesn't appreciate it.

[barb.j.enders]

6 hours ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

Everyone cuts at a different pace but with the design Kevin is talking about that is a 25 piece order, if you look there are few stop points.

I realize that everyone cuts at a different pace.  I am just saying that it would take me longer than 20 minutes.  I purchased the 20 minute puzzle book, from Fox Publishing.  Still haven't cut in 20 minutes!!  Maybe 25.

[rjweb]

Kevin, good to know I am not the only person doing dishes, I don't cook but will clean up, RJ

[jerry walters]

I'm with Barb, I don't see how it can be cut in 20 minutes. I guess if I were doing it for a living I would learn. If the clock you are taling about is the praying hands with the cross I have done 3 or 4 of these. Just pure cutting time for me is about 90 minutes. 

Jerry

[kmmcrafts]

I recorded myself cutting the first one and if my finicky internet works well enough I might try getting it on my YouTube channel.. the video is 20.46 minutes so my first one was that long.. I even messed up and took the blade out of a hole that I wasn't done cutting on but thought I was, .. Also went slower because I placed my phone onto my magnifier light and that restricted my view.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

1 hour ago, jerry walters said:

I'm with Barb, I don't see how it can be cut in 20 minutes. I guess if I were doing it for a living I would learn. If the clock you are taling about is the praying hands with the cross I have done 3 or 4 of these. Just pure cutting time for me is about 90 minutes. 

Jerry

Jerry as I said everyone cuts at a different pace plus if you have the saw cutting slower speed it will take abit longer. I too have cut these and many designs like this and average 20 minutes is very doable. It has 4 blade hole entries and then the outside form. With the saw constantly running it is all about hand eye coordination. I have been scrolling for over 40 years now and my biggest slow down factor is my eye sight. Not what it once was. An experienced scroller and production guy as Kevin is he should do it  easily in 20 minutes. One blade is all that is needed. Doing that many the hand eye memory will even quicken because you know after the first few where the slow down parts are and you can spin right through them 

Edited November 17, 2023 by JTTHECLOCKMAN

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

4 hours ago, kmmcrafts said:

Just to update.. after lunch I went out and cut 6 of them in just under 2 hours.. this is only the clock cut out not the base or anything.. I started with about a 4-5ft. board and planed it to the thickness and had it sanded with shelf liner and the patterns already applied before lunch.. then after lunch I used the scroll saw to cut the patterns out in smaller sections and scrolled them out.. Then I got another board down and planed it to the thickness needed and cut the paper patterns down to size and laid them out on the board to see how many I could get on this board.. Then i came inside to do the dishes and checked time.. i was in the shop 2hrs and 20 minutes do do all that.. It really is a easy one to make with only having 4 holes to drill out and cut, LOL.. Oh.. forgot to mention.. I also drilled the holes for the clock in that time too. 

@BadBob That is why I do what I do.. Never was happy working for someone else that didn't appreciate me and would replace me the next day after I quit or die or whatever... Don't punch a clock.. take on work or turn it away if I don't want it.. and best of all.. make close to the same money and don't need a extra car to insure and maintain etc.. in the end I really have more money in my pocket.. Little stressful sometimes not knowing how your year will do each year since most the business comes in the last 3 months of the year, LOL.. But that's better than the everyday stress of fighting traffic to drive to a job and work for someone that doesn't appreciate it.

All about an assembly line Mr. Ford had it right. You plane the boards to thickness, sand them smooth and have all patterns cut out and printed and layout on board to get max use of wood. I will rough cut on either table saw or bandsaw to free each one. Take to drill press and drill all entry holes and can drill clock holes too. Then sit at saw for a couple hours and before you know it many are done. strip prints and quick sanding and ready for finish. I have jigs set up for bases for sizing and holes placement and drill and counter sink those. Dip finish and assemble in a day or 2.  When I did the stores I got pretty darn efficient because I need every hour because I still had a real job too. Many jobs I was the boss so the people I worked under were high up the ladder and get the work done they never bother you. We are all replaceable Kevin. What do you think is going to happen with your business when you go to that big shop in the sky . What is the saying do something you love and it is like never going to work in your lifetime. Keep on scrolling. 

Edited November 17, 2023 by JTTHECLOCKMAN

[kmmcrafts]

Here is the boring 20 minute video of me cutting real time video.. might want to turn sound down / off as I didn't edit the sound out so you hear my vacuum dust collector running. 

 

 

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

1 hour ago, kmmcrafts said:

Here is the boring 20 minute video of me cutting real time video.. might want to turn sound down / off as I didn't edit the sound out so you hear my vacuum dust collector running. 

 

 

Interesting watching other people's techniques to scrolling. Couple things I noticed. The stop and start of the sawing. I never stop until that portion is cut out and even when backing out. I find it helps to keep saw running when backing out. Also and this would be a great poll question, I cut the opposite way. Wonder how many people cut left to right and how many right to left. I keep the teeth against the good part of pattern. Easier for me to shave if I have to. One other thing I would do is position the pattern on the bottom to a finished edge. this way I always know that the bottom is true on both sides of the pattern so when screwed to base there is no gaps between the pieces and less cutting on the bottom of the pattern. Little things that probably mean nothing in the grand scheme of things. But techniques and tricks we pick up as we advance our scrolling hobby over the years. So now we know it is possible to cut in 20 minutes and there was no real extra pushing hard to hurry the sawing. 1 down and 24 more to go. Nice job.  

[rafairchild2]

I generally keep my cut with the waste to the right.  I am a stop and start also.  Add to that I am slower than molasses on a sub zero winter day.  My goal is to nail my lines and have the sharpest corners possible. Since I also round the back of the blade, I might also have the saw stopped when backing up.  Sometimes not.  Here's an example of me cutting. I am still learning to speak and saw at the same time... I now can walk and chew gum though.