Poker Dogs

[Neal Moore]

I'm sticking this one under "beginner" 'cause I just started doing shadow portraits. Has anyone attempted "Poker Dogs" yet? I started that thing today and after 1/2 hour of cutting I'm ready for the men with the little white jackets!! Whoever designed that piece is EVIL!!! Just kidding, LOL , but it sure taxes my patience and ability. I should finish just about the time my grandkids graduate from college....If they flunk a year or two!! I hope no one comes back and tells me they did it in four or five hours.....I'll go back to segmentation and never stray again!!!

[SharonW0111]

LOL -- poor Neal-- did you get the full size version or the small one -- I have them both if you want .... Have fun -- snicker --snicker --- just joking ...
Sharon

[Neal Moore]

Pattern size

Well Sharon....I have the 12" x 16" version, however , I could have enlarged it to about any size I wanted. I found my big problem is choice of blades for this THING!! I've been trying to use #3 reverse tooth and they just don't work for the very delicate detail that has no support surrounding it. The reverse tooth blades break the detail off on the upstroke of the saw. I set this bad boy aside before I totally hose it up and e-mailed Mike to buy some blades that will do this right. Like the song says,"If you're gonna play in Texas, you gotta have a fiddle in the band"!!!!

[Carter-Johnson]

Sorry, folks....I couldn't resist posting this jigsaw puzzle, which I finished only a couple months ago. It's 296 pieces....Carter

[sheltiecarver]

Way to go, Carter!
Terrific, as usual.
Sandy

[SharonW0111]

Neal I love the hard things -- the more intericate the better I like it -- First don't get discouraged there are tricks to doing it and I'll whisper them to you --just don't tell every one --lol

First -- yes you do need a # 2 blade to do them --Reverse doesn't matter - I have them don't use them

Second --- Turn your speed down to go the slowest it will go -- I mean ALL the way down

Third ---Put a zero clearance top on your saw --- easy to make and attach with double sided tape and a piece of 1/4" ply --

Fourth-- attach a backing to your work -- I use posterboard attached with spray adheasive-- old ceral boxes and such have wax and wax wont stick well -- this removes easy after you are finished- if it comes off where you have already cut - don't worry it's okay - if it comes off where you havent then apply another piece --

The trick is Slow slow slow and the poster board --

By the way -- i turn my saw off a lot so if you have foot control for speed - take it off - heavy foot tends to get to fast. and for petes sake dot't rush it --
you will be surprised how easy it is and how fast it goes ....

Let me know how these tips help -- this is how I saw the really intricate things and it works great for me - I wouldn't be afraid to try anything now - except intrasia --

[SharonW0111]

Carter that is cute -- but the pattern we are talking about is a different one - I love to see your work - I printed the last one so I can show my mother - I was telling her how smart I think you are and I wanted to show her your work - she is my support on my hobbie ( at 84 ) and without her encouragement I wouldn't stand a chance at doing half the things I do

[CanadianScroller]

Something I have found when cutting delicate patterns is to leave the waste pieces in place and retape over the whole project with low tack painters tape.
That holds everything in place and gives some support.
The roses I did in my gallery are cut that way. The whole pattern has only one cut, even if it did take a total of two 4 hour sessions to do the roses in the vase.

[Jediscroller]

Hehehe Neal, don't mean to laugh, but I'm familiar with the pattern, nothing like jumping in with both feet!
I'm sorry I can't help you too much as everything Sharon said to do is probably correct but it's the opposite of everything I do, hehehe. I cut at full speed with flat #3 reverse tooth blades (although initially I did slow my speed down for intricate cuttings), no special insert, nada. Once in a while I will switch to a flat #1 reverse tooth for extremely intricate cuts, but this is extremely rare. I think it's a matter of practice and what you're comfortable with. Of course, the fact that I'm cutting on an Excalibur probably helps as well as there's zero vibration. Often, when I see an extremely tight or fragile piece, I'll save it for a fresh blade. That's about the only special thing I can think of that I do, and I do cut very intricate patterns fairly regularly.

Kevin

[Neal Moore]

Lessons learned

Sharon and Kevin....Thanx for the advice. I have learned a lot from this project and most of it has been on the board more than once. The biggest help, believe it or not, was packaging tape. I bought a roll several weeks ago but had never used it. I've read about it but just figured I was doing OK without it. WRONG!!! That stuff is amazing. This project has pretty much gone south so I figured I'd tape it and see what happened. I used the same blade that was getting pretty burned and that thing cut like a hot knife through butter. It was starting to burn the wood a little but stopped when the tape went on. Additionally, the tape seems to keep the more delicate pieces from breaking when the stack cuts pop out at the end of the cut. I'm going to finish this thing just because I'm stubborn....but it's gonna be some kind of UGLY!!!

[SharonW0111]

YOU GO GUY !!!!!! and a hip hip horay for you --I bet it will look better than you think it will when you finish - Be sure and post so we can all pat you on the back .
Sharon