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My son has started a new company with a couple friends of his -- and my cousin Ray Hendrix did the great graphic art on this piece -- so I ran with it 3/8 Baltic birch for the backing and the raised stuff all cut (my first mistake on this) with #1 modified geometry -- 24 x 24 over all

COVID won this round. With all the craft show closures and restrictions, it has been a long skinny summer, so I decided to go another route. I built this little shop in my front yard, and now I'm not so dependent on the whims and wishes of others. Already getting a decent amount of walk in business, and have scheduled a Grand Opening/ craft show for this Saturday.

One for my in-laws and one for my church. I think Jim did a great job of capturing the pain in his face

just something to do!!!

I generally shoot a picture of my work, with a sexy woman draped over it. No one seems to complain about the photo. RJF

My pattern made it into the winter issue of SSWC magazine. Giddy with joy.

Had to pause in my "clearing out the backlog" to cut this H.Botas pattern that my wife fell in love with. The things we do for our spouses.... This was a fun cut, lots of smaller spots but nothing *really* difficult, just a bunch of quick angle changes and sharp corners. #1MG Pegas blades, and low speed did the trick. I single-stacked this one, and kept thinking I was going to regret that but a) didn't have much of a need for a second copy and 2) ended up NOT regretting it (gotta love variable-speed saws!). 3/8" bbply, same for backer. Now to get it framed so she can take it in to work...

While waiting for another project to dry earlier I decided to make the wife another cutout for her LED base. Some may remember that I made her a butterfly last week for the base. I made a ghost this time, after all Halloween is just around the corner. I found a pattern for a Scarecrow that I may cut also. I used 1/8" acrylic sandwiched between 2 pieces of 1/8" BB. This way you get the decoration for the LED base and 2 more to hang on the wall or window,, I just cut the rectangle bottom off of the wooden ghosts and made them come to a point. I used my go to blade, Olson #2 reverse. I actually had to go around the whole cut twice because it "fused" back together this time. It only took seconds to go around it the second time. On the butterfly I think I used a FD UR1 and didn't have that problem. I have 2 different blades made for acrylic but didn't use them. These are very simple and easy cuts that you can find patterns for that you can display all year around.

I have tried spirals a couple of times over the last few years, never could get the hang of them. I decided to try again. I used a FD brand, can't remember the size. Now I know what everyone is talking about when talking about the fuzzies! I didn't have many, a little sanding knocked most of them off of the backside. I have also been wanting to do a Tiger or Leopard or some kind of big cat with spots/stripes. But I try to stay clear of patterns with an obscene amount of holes to drill! This one only had about 90 interior holes to drill,, so wasn't too bad. I feel that I did ok with the spiral but I also feel that I didn't have to be perfect while cutting this pattern. I take pride in being dead on the line with my regular blades. I imagine cuts with more straight lines would be more difficult with spirals. I don't know if I will attempt anything like that. The top part is 1/2" BB and the backer is 1/8" BB cut with an Olson #2 reverse blade. Remember, go easy on the reviews this is my first spiral cut! LOL

Oops forgot the pic

Ooh, I usually take mine on the kitchen table or out in the back garden. I didn't think I had to be 'professional' to post on this forum. I don't 'sell' my stuff on here I 'show family' what I've done . I put stuff in the 'Bragging Rights as it says ''Show off your latest works, achievements, and all things that make you proud'' . Mmm, food for thought and I'll watch this conversation carefully and perhaps just stick to my own Facebook page.

This subject is not about doing Scroll Saw work itself. It is about taking photos of your work to post in this forum, especially in the Bragging Rights Forum. I love looking at the work of others. The photos can be as informative, if not even more so, than the write up about the piece. However, when the photo is taken on a busy cluttered background, too dark, skewed, or shown in an unfinished condition, I just want to scream. Please do not think I’m on a rant here, but would just like to offer some suggestions for consideration: 1. You can easily and cheaply purchase a large plain white poster board to use as a background or a roll of white backdrop paper. a. Most of our projects will fit within the size of a large inexpensive poster board. b. If possible hang the poster board so the wall hanging projects can be hung vertically, without any tilt or skew. c. Before posting, crop the photo to eliminate any excess area included in the original photo. d. White roll backdrop paper can be found in places like Hobby Lobby or Michaels and is used to shoot photos of projects that sit on a surface by draping the paper over a combination of a vertical and horizontal surface (like a chair). 2. Try to shoot the photo with indirect natural daylight if possible. a. Don’t use a flash as you will get to much bounce back. b. Don’t use a household incandescent light source as this will change the color of the wood in the panel. c. You can use the ISO setting to shoot the photo in low light situations. 3. Most of us will use the camera on our smart phones, but if you have a digital camera and tripod the quality can be much improved. a. Taking the photo with a smart phone is OK, but it is very difficult to frame the image and keep the camera lens square with the project panel in order to prevent skewing the panel in the photo. b. Taking the photo with a digital camera mounted on a tripod will make framing the image and keeping the lens square with the panel much easier. 4. I would much prefer to see finished projects, rather than just a cut panel, in the Bragging Rights Forum. a. A cut panel without a proper backer is not really much to see or admire unless the piece is intended to be open. However, this is most often with thicker wood, not ¼” or less ply. b. Again, even without a frame, if the project will be framed, it is not much to look at. c. There are other forums to show work in progress rather that in Bragging Rights.

Four samples of different colors - which do you like? Help I have limited taste.

This is what I did not want anyone to think when I offered these suggestions. As I said, MOST will not have a digital camera, tripod or photo light sourse. However, with a few simple considerations many can do some things to make a posted photo much better.

I use my smart phone so I can show them when I am out, but for my facebook page I use my camra and edit them to get the best photo.. IKE

First, I don't post photos directly from my cell phone. I email them to my computer and edit them with a photo editor. Knock out the background, adjust lighting intensity etc. I don't have room for a tripod or a blank wall to hang cuttings on. However, if you do by all means use them. Those are all good suggestions from Frank.

I'm guilty of that. I'm a hoarder and I'll give you a million dollars if you can find a place to set a glass of water in here. Well I spent 5 minutes and made a light box from spray glue and paper towels and I must say the difference is night and day thanks this is the second time someone has mentioned it indirectly.

I have a laser engraver but haven't tried to use it yet. I sign mine with my pyrography pen

latest cutting. I stack cut 3 in 1/8" Baltic birch. 8 x 10. I tried 2 different backers, which do you prefer. I always use black so I'm just not sure. Pattern is by H. Botas

This is my big cutting of the year it took me the bigest part of the week with about 250 piolet holes I finely got a frome made so as I promised here it is A H. Botas pattern

just something to do!!!

Went to get my records at the hospital and leaving I found this wood on the side of the road. So I cut the car in it but the back of the wood blew out

Thanks Russ for the beautiful patterns. Love them.

Firstly, I must apologise, I'd had a bad morning and was a little tetchy. So my answer to your post was quite unwarranted. Sorry. All I saw was, 'you lot could do better' and guess what ? I'll tell you how. I will from now on heed my own advice and if I don't like/agree with a post, I'll just scroll on by.

Not to long ago Frank made a comment about a picture I posted. Now I will tell the truth it did upset me at the time. BUT after thinking about it he was 100% RIGHT. My photo was CRAP. People we won’t improve if everyone tells us we are great! I for one appreciate a person like Frank who gives constructive comments. My 2 cents worth lol

Lol, I don,t know how to use photo editor, but would love me too.thanks Rockytime !!!

There,s always Going to be internet police. I ignore it for a while.!!!

Great Idea. Sure wish I could do something like that in my front yard. Not in my neighbohood. Need to get a permit to even have a yard sale and can only do a few a year.

Nicely done and a good suggestion from Brenda.

Very nice. I wish you well in your new venture. I'd just say that when you 'open' your door the 'Gift Shop' sign will be obscured, personally I'd put it on the other side so it could be seen when you're open or closed.

Kevin, They are Fantastic!! Invisable keychains. How did ya do it?

It did come out pretty nice -- if I didn't have 2 more to do I don't think I would ever touch that green paint again though- but didn't have a choice on this.

I made a light box from a old cardboard box by cutting the sides of the box out with just a frame / window on the two sides.. then taped white tissue paper over the cutouts.. use a white vinyl ( vinyl you can wipe down if the white gets some smudges or dirt on it ) poster board in the back of the box as a back drop and have two LED light pods on each side shining through the tissue paper on the sides.. This is a real expensive set up so I'm doubting anyone will take this route.. That all said, I do this because I need to take great photos as I'm a online seller and eye catching photos are a must if you want to catch peoples attention when they are scrolling through Amazon or a website.. and the white is required by Amazon soooo I don't do any kind of fancy props o anything.. Just photo the piece I'm selling, LOL If I was a hobbyist just trying to show off a piece I made.. It's doubtful I'd do all that work just to show a few scroll saw friends my piece.. while I do realize that a great photo makes a piece pop rather than a poor cluttered photo.. I'm just not one that'd go through hoops just to show a piece to my online friends.. However I do try my best to take a decent photo.. I'm just sayin it's doubtful I would go out of my way to get a backdrop and all that for a few photos here and there.. even though I do agree with what you've said 100%... especially after being a online seller for the past 20 years, LOL.. But if you're posting photos a lot, such as on a selling site.. A dedicated photo spot is a must have.. I used to set up a spot and then take it down after.. That's such a pain to do just for a few photos here and there.. Not everyone has the space for a dedicated spot.. which is why I'm saying.. I wouldn't be going through the hassles just to show off to a few friends.. doesn't mean I wouldn't try to have uncluttered background or good lighting.. but I sure wouldn't be setting up a spot for a couple pictures here and there.. I rarely post in the bragging section.. I probably make a few new things every week.. I guess I feel like people can just go to my website to see what I've been up to, LOL I probably should post more often in the bragging section.. But then running 4 websites.. posting photos every week on the sites.. I get a little burnout from photo posting of my work.. Now I like to post them if I built a new bench or something.. showing a tool I just bought but.. finished work pieces are on my website.. LOL

Thanks everyone. This is what it looks like now. Thinking about sending it to grandkids in Iowa.

I also started engraving now that I have my laser set up.. and this summer I had started using the CNC to carve my logo on the bottom of clock bases etc.. But this laser is much quicker and easer to use so I'm actually doing a custom order today that I'll be trying the laser on some thicker wood to see how it goes.. The video is not of my signature but just showing how it engraves and cuts.. I may make small round logos like Steve Good makes and sells where I can just drill a recess in the bases with a forstner bit and glue my logo in.. IF I get caught up on these orders Ill make a design and video the engrave and cutting then show what I mean by making small round logo to glue into the base.. I also may start engraving on my ornaments on the back side.. size could be so small you hardly see it, LOL This thing is awesome with the details so long as you learn the proper power and speed settings.. Video is me making a set of ornaments for my son.. and the smaller one in the center is a keychain..

I started with a stamp many years ago, too big for most of my stuff and very limited. I also bought a good woodburning set from Colewood. The have some vey small ball ends that allow you to write like with a pen. That is great for all but grainy woods with different densities. I now use a laser "engraver" that allows me to do whatever I want, with any font and size. This name plate is a simple application. I will be signing all of my ornaments this way. Much neater and more uniform than my hand burning efforts. You do have to learn a bit about power and fill etc. I am using Lightburn software which requires that the machine accepts GRBL language. As you can see there is some flare up (burned areas around my letters) this will go away with less power or a light sanding. The photo shows these darker areas but in reality it is not obvious on the actual piece? In the font example I used too much power. The large one and the numbers are filled, the others are just outlined. I went from 10 mm to 1mm

Rubber Stamp work pretty good and they are cheap. You can get ink that will stick to about anything.

Whoa! Mr. fantastic designs approved of my humble efforts, Thank you Smitty!!!

Oh that is very very nice...excellent scroll saw artist

fantastic job

very nice job

Ah Ha, I can see them now, so that saved me from the expensive of an overseas trip

Awesome !!

Nice cutting Marg. You did it proud.

The car in this barn is pretty old but newer than 1919. I did get the plate out of a similar barn where my grandfather kept his 1936 Chrysler.

WOW-Great patterns and cutting too.

My lady uses a local Chiropractor who is a real nice friendly guy. She has been showing off my projects to him and he wants me to use his watting room walls to display some of my work, which I plan to do. In between other projects I put together a pattern for this 5 1/2" X 21" Plaque to hang in his office. I used two layers of 1/4" thick Poplar. Backer layer painted Black. The small script font is Birds of Paridice Font from dafont.com. Scrollable by just adding a few bridges with Pegas 2/0 MGT blades. Did have a couple of repairable problems that you can see if you look close....on the wall from a few feet away it wont be noticeable. My bigest problem with this plaque was trying to cut toward the ends with the panel rotated directly at my stomach...my arms are really not long enought to see and control the cut. When rotated the other way the panel just cleared the saw but my light arm kept getting in the way. Gotta be more careful about the project size in the future . The second project is a slightly modified Russ Beard Eagle (#1) pattern downloaded from the laibrary. The modification was to eliminate the small frame as part of the pattern and added a little detail to the bottom to make the patten 11" X 14" friendly. Top panel is 1/8" BB Ply and the bottom layer is 1/4 Walnut solid Core plywood staind dark Walnut. Lacquer Finish. Pegas #2/0 and #0 Spiral balades The panel is set loose into a store bought frame from Hobby Lobby. I know, lots of Eagles! Kinda my thing...still have a bunch more eagle patterns waiting.

Inspirational things are a incentive for me, thank you Melanie!!!

I don't sign my work. I don't want anyone to know who in the heck made that thing. :>)

I sometimes use a medallion. The type you can get from Steve Good. It is too expensive to ship to Canada so a guy with a laser does them. (With Steve's blessing). Other things I just use a fine sharpie. Sign name and date. Most things like ornaments go unsigned.