2nd puzzle, 2nd chance, better result

[rbpuzzles]

Finally, I'm over the hump! Got this puzzle done this morning with a lot less hassle than the first one I tried. Whereas I broke 3 blades on my first attempt (19 pcs cut), this one I got the whole shebang cut (182 pcs) with 3 blades. I probably could have made it with 2, but they started to get a bit dull. Actually, I should have changed them a little bit more often. I noticed some chipping out on the back and that, if I remember right, was one indication that the blade was getting dull and I was having to push a little too hard.

I started cutting this puzzle in the upper left corner and finished in the lower right. By the time i got to end i was really feeling pretty good about my cutting and the pieces started getting a bit smaller and less "clunky".

I did however make a few unintentionally bad cuts. I got locked into swinging the wood and wound up curling back on my own cut, making a pretty small piece. Oh well.

Also included 1 figural, that being my signature piece. It's a Missouri "kicking mule".

Comments and suggestions always welcome.

[Powakee]

You did great! I like the way you cut the pieces.

John

[baeden]

Well done! It looks great. I've still a way to go before I get to that hump.
baeden

[rbpuzzles]

Thanks guys! I had fun cutting again. Now, I will be "designing" some kind of puzzle that goes beyond my simple square border effort. Baby steps.

..and it probably wouldn't hurt to work on my photography while I'm at it. Some of these pic's I took are a wee bit on the fuzzy side.

[wood-n-things]

Nicely done.

[Carter-Johnson]

Beautiful job with great cuts. It looks like it would hold together and be able to be picked up by any edge piece and waved in the air (assuming it's 1/4").

Carter

[rbpuzzles]

Mike, Carter - Thanks!

Carter - That's always been sort of a benchmark for the puzzles I cut. This one probably more easily held together due to a lack of figurals. Alot of the shaped pieces I've cut n the past were not totally interlocking with the body of the puzzle, so it made that benchmark a little harder to hit. But basically they can be picked up. Even the larger ones I've cut, like 16" x 20" (or larger) I try to make as tight as I can.

So, without further adieu...(picture below)

[wood-n-things]

Nice pic....What blade did you settle on?

[Terry Murphy]

Very nice puzzle.

[Terry Murphy]

I think finding great pictures for puzzles is the hardest part, you did good.

[rbpuzzles]

Terry - Thanks! I just can't resist interesting and colorful images for puzzle cutting. Even though I've been out of the puzzle cutting loop for a while, I've still been accumulating images for cutting. I love flea markets and find lot's of things through that avenue. I've got many hundreds stashed and I'll probably never get to them all.

Mike - I'm using the Dutchman puzzle cutting blades. I got a gross of them not too long ago, in preparation for trying to get back into this, but actually forgot I had. I love them!

Now the fun part begins - Trying to put some of the ideas I have rolling around in my noggin, into practical use.

[Scrolling Days]

Looks nice, Richard!

I agree about the figurals.......I tend to use quite a few of them in my puzzles, and it's true that the more you use, the less "tight" the puzzle will be when picked up, since they are often non-interlocking. I've never worried much about this, however, since jigsaw puzzles are meant to be assembled on the kitchen table, and I have yet to this day had a need to pick one up and carry it to the supermarket with me.

Thanks for sharing your puzzles.....keep 'em coming!

[rbpuzzles]

Thanks Shawn. I too like to use a lot figurals. When I had my roadside shop, people would come in and start working puzzles I had sitting on the counter and they would just be amazed when I picked one up by 1 corner. I guess it's more of "showy" thing. I use to get really frustrated when a puzzle wasn't interlocking enough. I've since calmed a bit, but my cutting style allows me to get close enough with almost every puzzle.

[avapilot]

great job.....beautiful cutting....my philosophy on interlocking is as long as the border interlocks, that works for me......and I tend to agree with shawn......about taking the puzzle to the supermarket.....especially in the ice cream isle......

bob

[rbpuzzles]

Thanks Bob!
Interlocking, whether fully or partially is good.......so is ice cream.

For my next effort I will take myself a little out of my comfort zone and try some color line cutting. It will be a larger puzzle (about 16 x 20) and include more "fun things", including more figurals, non-linear edges, dropout spaces, and other things if I'm feeling up to it.

I'll start an appropriate thread when I get it going. i may have to settle for occasional updates, since I'm not sure of my real-world job schedule.