Wooden jigsaw puzzle

[anewscroller]

The very first jigsaw puzzle i ever made was just plain wood. I had this piece of oak and I decided to make another.
As always, comments welcome

[Carter-Johnson]

That's good and the pieces look as if they're tight. Now.....try doing it without straight lines and intersections of four pieces at the same spots. In other words, do it freehand without trying to make the pieces symmetrical....just an idea that can lead to more creative designs.....

Carter

[anewscroller]

I know I need to get off the patterns. They are like that security blanket for me . I know it's like the other aspects of scrolling. I just need to start doing freehand and practice practice practice til I get the hang of it.

[wood-n-things]

What carter said. Nice job on your first! Keep em coming.

[tdub4ever]

That's pretty cool. I've tried cutting puzzles with and without a pattern, just can't do it. I don't have the patience for it. I know exactly what you mean about a "security blanket", I still use the hold down foot on my scroll saw! I've tried not using it but the wood just flops around so I use the foot. Don

[Powakee]

That's a great cut. I tend to think that those pieces of wood (without a picture) look a little nicer with the symmetrical cuts like you did it. I don't know why I think that - they just appeal to me more that way. There is a fella in Albuquerque, NM that cuts layered pieces of different kinds of wood - all natural - & highly polished and his pieces are simply beautiful. He stacks them so that it is easy to put together because the paduk goes on the paduk layer and the oak goes on the oak layer but he'll embed small pieces of turquoise or other rocks in the piece and all of his pieces are quite beautiful.

Keep on cutting!
John

[Carter-Johnson]

A comment for Don....Why the flopping when you don't use the hold-down? Are you not holding the wood down with your fingertips (which you should) or are the blade teeth not pointing down? With your fingers pressing down on the wood, there should be no need for the hold-down bar. It impedes your movement under the guise of a meaningless safety device.

Break Free........ Carter

[Mayo Farmer]

I like it a lot ANS. John I think you put my thoughts into words.

[eileen]

Totally agree with Carter, don't use the holder-down thingy, just press the wood down with your fingers. I find that the harder I press the wood down, the better control I have while scrolling...

[cskipper]

Good job on your puzzle. I don't know how easily I could but a pattern free-handed if I didn't have a picture to give me the inspiration. When I cut ones without pictures I tend to wind up cutting them in a more traditional pattern.

Funny about the hold down. I was demo'ing scrolling yesterday. My hands were no where near the blade, but someone watching said "oh, aren't you afraid to have your hands so close to the blade?" I had the opportunity to talk about the relative safety of scrolling.
Cathy

[joes]

Good job, you have nice lines and smooth curves. If you like working without images, why not find a large grape or oak leaf and cut the outline of that up?

[turtleteasers]

I am one of those people who prefers regular-shaped pieces to random freehand pieces, so I appreciate your puzzle and like the effect of the wood grain.

If you want to cut something similar, but more challenging, take a look at my thread http://www.scrollsawer.com/forum/scr...zles/24203.htm for some ideas. I am thinking of trying a diagonal-cut puzzle with an interesting piece of wood, making a difficult double-sided puzzle.

[wood-n-things]

I am thinking of trying a diagonal-cut puzzle with an interesting piece of wood, making a difficult double-sided puzzle.

Please post pics of it....Sounds intriguing.

[turtleteasers]

I still use the hold down foot on my scroll saw! I've tried not using it but the wood just flops around so I use the foot. Don

Don,

Your top scrolling priority should be to find out why you are having this problem. Once you get over this, your scrolling will improve. There are some good ideas already in this thread, but I would add that if you are using reverse blades these are more prone to cause lifting, especially with thin wood.

[anewscroller]

Ron, that puzzle was awesome. What program do you use to create the patterns?