Loose pattern

[miamw]

I had no idea what to put for the title. I'm cutting an 8x10 picture which has lots of little intricate areas. Some of the smaller areas are going fine but areas that are a little larger are giving me trouble. The pattern is coming off the wood when I'm about 3/4 of the way done cutting that area. Sometimes the paper is just flapping away and I can't even see where I'm cutting.

I'm really stuck because I cut several areas so far and have tried to peel off the pattern to see if I could possibly reglue it but most of the pattern is stuck on really good.

Any suggestions?

[Max]

Several things could have caused the pattern not to stick: dirty or greasy splotch on the wood or, presuming you used spray adhesive, that area may not have gotten the glue. I'm sold on the blue painter's tape idea and put it on the wood first then attach the pattern to the tape. Then, if I get one of those nasty flappy things, I use a glue stick and press on with my work.

[MikeDingas]

Short of using clear tape on the loose areas I don't know what you can do to salvage your cutting. Future work: make sure all the sawdust is removed before attaching the pattern, if you are applying the glue to the wood, stop. It should be sprayed on the pattern. When spraying the pattern make sure you apply a good even coat. Let it get a bit tacky before attaching the pattern to the wood. Maybe 20-30 seconds.

[PuzzledMoose]

I've managed to reglue small sections that have lifted by putting a touch of glue on an old blade and slipping it under the pattern - other than that Mike's idea of packing tape is what I would have suggested. The only problem with wrapping the whole thing with packing tape is that the reflection from it when you're cutting is a pain ..

[chrispuzzle]

I've been using adhesive film of the sort sold for protecting book covers, for sticking patterns onto the picture surface of a jigsaw puzzle. (You need to weaken the adhesive by sticking it onto and peeling it off a piece of wood a few times first).

This stuff sticks well to wood and I would think it works very much like packing tape. Since it comes in wide rolls it might be easier to use than packing tape. You glue the plan to the film and then peel away the backing paper to stick it to the workpiece.

Anybody tried it for portraits etc?

[Gill]

In my experience, when a little piece of pattern begins to flap it lifts the rest of the pattern which is actually securely adhered in position. It's hardly surprising, because we do use adhesives that are designed to be peeled back!

To overcome this, I try to contain the 'peelback'. So I've made a tool to do this by taking an old broken blade and gluing it to a scrap of wood with epoxy. The wood is the handle and the broken blade is my pattern hold-down. At the first sign of peeling I use this simple tool to hold the pattern down whilst I'm cutting. It's surprising how effective it is.

The tool has another use in that it can be used to prod pieces out of tight holes.

Gill

[workin for wood]

What about scoring the pattern with a very sharp utility knife where it's lifting? Then the paper will not be tugged on by the sawblade because you'll be cutting outside the score line?

[miamw]

What about scoring the pattern with a very sharp utility knife where it's lifting? Then the paper will not be tugged on by the sawblade because you'll be cutting outside the score line?

I think of all the suggestions, this one would be the least annoying. Since reading all the posts about when the pattern starts to come up then applying glue, I have stayed away from continuing because I didn't feel like starting and stopping to wait for glue to dry. I have an exacto knife and think I will give cutting out the pattern so those parts won't life. Thanks for the great idea!

[workin for wood]

sure, no problem, it just came to me...I dont have that much experience with fretwork patterns, but I use that technique when cutting dadoes in plywood. I use a ruler and score the plywood before cutting the dado and then no tearout happens.

[lucky788scroller]

what i do if that happens is just rearrange my fingers so they are holding the pattern in place as i cut.After cutting that section, I use a bit of scotch tape to hold it back together
Dale

[Scott]

A couple of observations. Over the years I find that the glue will dry out if you don't cut the whole thing the day you spray it and you will get the lifting. The other thing when cutting close to a side that's alreadys been cutting you will have a greater chance for lifting, I use the same method that Dale (above post) uses, you can get your fingers pretty close without getting hurt, just don't push down to hard the blade will lift you finger up if you come in contact with it. Things will get better with experience, hang in there.

[kyscroller]

I dont like getting my fingers close to the blade so I have been laying one of those six inch machinist scales. They are very thin so they slide under the guard easily and not very wide. Also they are stainless so you could put a little bit of glue on one end and apply it to the small piece of the pattern that came loose and the glue comes off the scale easily. Also I found by holding it over the small areas that don't get cut out (but would probably break if you sneeze on it) and holding it down keeps the saw from wanting to grab and rip the small pieces out

[miamw]

Ok, now I'm having the opposite problem! I can't get my pattern off! I finally got my saw going good enough to finish my pattern and now it won't come off. I'm afraid to use anything because the plywood was CHEAP and there's barely any top veneer. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

[CanadianScroller]

Nuke it in the microwave for 30 seconds or so to soften up the glue.
Then when the pattern comes off just clean the wood with mineral spirits to remove the rest of the residue.

[Gill]

I tried the microwave option the other day to melt some hot glue I'd used on MDF. Result? The glue became tacky and the moisture generated in the process separated the fibres in the board !

I haven't experienced Mia's problem often but when I have, I've always found that soaking the pattern with white spirits helps.

Gill