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I haven't posted our projects in awhile, so thought I would post a few of our newest and commissioned works Thanks in advance for reading: A dual hanger for a customer: - this was fun. We used some really colored grain poplar and finished with Spar Urethane as it will be kept in a Florida room (for those not in the know, a Florida room is simply an enclosed porch either with screes, windows or sometimes both.) A custom picture frame - for a dog named Kort - we won't be doing many of these lol A desktop name plate - made from a Harvey pattern and our newest lettering offering One of our newest Wall Hangers for the motorcycle crowd - found the bike silhouette - thanks to the artist One of our newest puzzle creations - one of our creations A new Fantasy puzzle turning out to be very popular - available in 2 color combinations - think this is from the Fantasy book These are our most recent cuts and creations We have many more new puzzles and wall hangers as well but too many to post Thanks for reading

I want to thank @Jim Blume for the great pattern. I used 3M 77 spray glue to attach 1/8" BB to 1/4" BB backer. Frame made of poplar and stained Minwax black along with the backer. My first fret work project in quite a while.

Most of probably saw this pattern that Steve Good published this morning. My oldest granddaughter who is 3 has decided that spooky things and Halloween are the absolute best so I got to cutting after my cup of coffee. Now I need to determine how to paint this up for Shiloh so it can go on her bedroom wall. Cut on my Pegas with MGT#3 blade except for using a spiral blade for the veining. Be blessed. ADDED the painted version

My latest project - horse and horseshoe, each consists of 3 layers, project size 7,5 x 8 inches Video of making project Horseshoe pattern

Hello friends, the next job I did not do with a band saw, since I do not have that machine. To make the figure I used 3/4-inch pine wood with my old scroll saw and blades No. 5 I really wanted to make my lamp and it was quite an experiment and surprise that it cut well with wood of that thickness. Thanks in advance for your comments and greetings to everyone!

Dragon is about 8x10 from about 3/16" thick cherry.. Cut with Olson #2/0R blades, with a ply baker. The sign is about 7x9 made from 1/4" ash with a ply backer. Cut with Olson #2/0R blades. I forgot where I got the dragon from, but the sign is from Sheila Landry Designs.

Some may remember a special offer ArtCrafters had back in June. During the month of June, we would donate 25% of every website Pegas order to an orphanage in Haiti. It amounted to $500 donation. We didn't want this to go to the general fund, but to a specific project. I met with an administrator and he suggested clothes for the orphans. What a great idea, so all $500 goes for clothes for the orphans. Whish we could have done more.

They will never know how unhappy you are until you tell them. You know the old saying, "a happy customer tells their friends. An unhappy customer tells everybody". Believe me, it's true.

Folks ask me if I could make patterns fit pieces of wood they have available. Of course scaling or changing the size of the pattern is one option many folks use. But here are some other options to consider. Taking a portion of a pattern and cropping it so as to fit a narrow board, or even making it into a circle or oval using your own thought processes and individual creativity can multiply all the patterns you have collected into many more options. Or how about liking the Indian woman in this pattern and wanting it to stand alone? Just crop out everything you don't want. Use your imagination and enjoy the journey.

Deer is 3/8" thick and rougly 8x10 inches, and made from QS Red Oak with a ply backer. Cut with Olson #2/0R blades. The humming bird is from 3/8" curly maple and about 5x7 inches, with a ply backer. Cut with Olson #2/0R blades. The Rather be fishing is about 3/8" thick hard maple with a ply backer. It measures about 11x9 inches and was cut with Olson #2/0R blades. All 3 are Sheila Landry Designs.

Either will work. I typically use the Zinnser pre-mixed stuff. It comes in 2 types, Seal Coat is de-waxed and recommended for use as a primer/barrier/sealer coat which will stick to most anything and most anything sticks to it. Zinnser Bulls Eye pre-mixed shellac contains natural wax and is a very nice top coat, but some finishes (such as polyurethane) may not stick to it very well. It can still be used as a sealer or barrier coating, but you just have to be more careful what finish you put over it. You can buy flakes and mix your own shellac. You can get them with the natural wax or de-waxed and they come in a large variety of shades. You have to plan ahead to use flakes, as it takes time for them to dissolve completely. I typically grind them very fine, with a cheap electric coffee grinder, but it still takes some time before it's ready to use. Now about the spray. The label says it's Bull's Eye Shellac. That would imply that it is waxed, same as the liquid Bull's Eye. However, I think I read someplace that the spray can version is de-waxed, so the labeling makes it confusing. There may be clarification on their website, but I never looked for it.

Shellac is what I would use.

That's nice, but they don't have the patterns I want.

Depending on the sheen you want... Rather than paint the letters, I would use stain - I have used white and Black (Ebony) stain and it works out very nicely Then If it were me, I would start with Lacquer - one coat over the whole thing to bring out the grain - dry for 12-24 hours sand with 400-1200 grit Next I'd do a thin coat of Polyurethane (again depending on the sheen you want)- dry for 12-24 hours sand with 400-1200 grit A final thick coat of Polyurethane to really provide a nice thick coat and sheen - dry for 12-24 hours sand with 400-1200 grit I've done this process (aside from the white/black stain) on a few of our recent projects as well as on a test subject - I use 1200 grit on my projects It was perhaps the finest finish I've done on a piece to date. The key was the 12-24 hour wait time between coats Can't wait to see what you come up with

Got em' finished. Walnut and Maple. Final finish, Krylon or Rust-oleum, I forget clear gloss enamel. One for each of my girls but they can't get them before Christmas. Now for the next one. Just waiting for the lumber.

Which is why I recommend testing on some scrap. Try different methods to see which works best, rather than risk messing up a finished cutting. Shellac is very easy to remove, if need be. De-natured alcohol will dissolve it. It will also stick to almost any other finish and most will readily stick to it, provided it is de-waxed. Zinnser Seal Coat is de-waxed shellac.

Very nice. Aren't grandkids great!

Thanks Bobby. Maybe I can get some pictures of some of the children.

fantastic job

Hi everybody, they could send them rolled up in a tube? I think that would be a lot better, Bob

Down Right Awesome. Love the Frame.

I have never had that problem, but if I did I would without hesitation send them back with a letter.

Awesome piece. It looks extremely fragile. Amazing work. Marg

Another beautiful piece Dave, even though it’s been awhile since you did fret work, you have not lost your touch, RJ

On a pattern like this I would use a flame on low to burn fuzzes off the back. Works good.

Thanks! I'm always a bit nervous sanding the fuzees off after I have it complete.

Very nice, excellent framing job too! really showcases the piece! Chris

Did you stain a carved out area? Just asking as the carving exposes all sorts of different grain patterns.. I think that's why the CNC guys use paint more often. With carved flat grain you get both edge grain, end grain and a flat grain surface to cover usually on each letter... we all know how stain takes differently on the ends and edges.. I'd think that would create a disaster. But again, I'm no finish expert when it comes to wood.. Not a expert in the auto painting either but I know my way around that stuff a lot more than wood.. since I did that body shop stuff for several years.

That looks absolutely terrific!

Krylon makes a spray "Sealer". I found it at Hobby Lobby. It is made for sealing canvases and wood that will be painted. It smells and acts like a very thin Lacquer. Dries quickly. Will not soak in too much unless the wood is real soft....Walnut should not absorb the sealer too much. After painting and then sanding, the exposed wood should be like new so I would use Deft Lacquer, after sanding to min 600 grit, to coat the entire piece. I like Lacquer and I feel it does a good job making the grain pop. It works to protect the painted areas as well.

I'd send them back. If you just have to have the patterns, see if there is an art business nearby with a vacuum press. Or, lay the pattern out on a flat surface use kraft paper to protect the pattern, then a sheet of plywood, then weights on the plywood, let set for a couple of days then check.

Bill, when you say "shellac" are you referring to the type you mix yourself or the pre-mixed? Just want to be clear as I'm learning too. Finishing is my downfall at this point. I can cut anything but the finishing is where I lose it. To edit, I've been using Zinnser's spray shellac. Is that the same thing?

Nice job, Dave. If this was your first fret work in a while you ought to be back in the swing of things with all those cuts. When I'm cutting something that fragile, I'm always worried I'll have a piece break out. Again, great job!

This sounds like a job for shellac. Use the Sealcoat variety and it should be compatible with the paint. It will also pop the grain. Full disclosure, I've never done what you are describing. Test on some scrap first.

Very well done, Dave. That sure is a delicate project. Nicely framed.

high contrast really makes this version easy on the eyes. But my brain keeps thinking the light is the holes. But my brain is wrong. That makes a lot of wood cut out. Very pleasant to look at, but hard on the brain. Well executed.

I've done a lot using rapid resizer. I really like those patterns too, great job.

I went through a bit of a Japanese phase so did a few Mt Fuji projects. Here is a black and grey one I did on the scroll saw. Painted it with an airbrush.

I'll kick this one off. Most folks I talk to always gush about beach vacations, cruises, sand and palm trees, Hawaii.....they can have em. Send me to the mountains! Forests, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, the peace and quiet of a shady trail with nothing but the sound of the wind to disturb the afternoon (and the occasional curse as my clumsy ass trips over a root). My wife is of the same mind, although she enjoys the beaches more than I do. Thus a Steve Good pattern, not quite finished yet (I'm juggling three or four projects at the time), but still....is mountains. Is good.

Just an update on what I've researched on so far.. I found that a lot of the CNC sign maker guys use house paint rather than regular spray can paints.. One guy says you can go to Sherman Williams and buy small samples of paint but only in the interior paints, not exterior. This piece is going to be inside so that's not an issue for this piece. A large amount of folks on the CNC sites use either Lacquer or the water base Polyurethane which is why I bought that quart can of poly. I have "some" experience working with it as I have done a handful of carved signs just playing and learning the CNC and finishing process for carvings. My experience is I do like the poly as it dries fast and I have used it enough I'm comfortable with it, but it just doesn't pop the grain as well as dipping in Danish oil that I normally use for scrolled projects.. though I never paint scroll work. I've used Shellac years ago.. but I haven't experienced messing with in and painting over it etc.. I do know it does pop the grain like I'm looking for but really don't want to mess up this project either.. don't have a lot of hours into this yet but have used a large amount of wood since I've made three of these so far.. This thing is big and requires glue-ups as it is 16" diameter. Though as many times as I've made it.. I now can carve and cut this out within an hour so long as the glue ups are ready to go, LOL I'm kinda torn on just using what I know ( the poly ), or using Shellac, OR, going with a Danish oil.. let dry a week and then proceed with the poly that I normally use.. Meanwhile while deciding I have a ton of sanding to do on it, LOL.. really don't want to have to make this again, LOL Hoping to start finishing process by Monday morning.. so I guess I need to make a decision and send it, LOL

I just sent them an email to let them know what I thought of their packaging. I waited until today so I would cool off a bit. I don't like to send emails when I'm upset. Not all of the plans I bought have problems. The smaller one's are OK. It's just the large Wildwood plans that is the issue. Some were folded 4 times then jammed in a very small box causing a lot of creases and wrinkles. That is just not acceptable and I told them that. The patterns I bought from Cherry Tree are Wildwood designs. Cherry tree and Wildwood merged many years ago and the only place to get the Wildwood designs is Cherry Tree. It's either send them back or attempt to iron them flat as Roberta suggested above. (Thanks Roberta) After reading that, my wife said she remembers doing that in Home Ec. too.

I received my 11x17 patterns from Theartfactory.com. Folded in half and mailed in a very stiff 9x12 mailing envelope. I was very pleased.