Sunday, November 17, 2019

Christmas Presents!

Yes it is that time of year. I am working on one of my own designs this year. Trying something new with angle cutting on the scroll saw. The idea is to have the pieces drop into the work piece to give a 3d effect. All it takes is a 4° angle, When you make the cut it will be sort of like \       /. As you see it is wider at the top of the cut the the bottom. Which with the blade kerf means the shape you cut will drop in and stop. If you were to change the angle to be the opposite way /    \. The shape would come out and stop. It so happens that 4° will give you about 3/16" level change either out or in depending on which way you cut the object. You do have to put glue on the piece to keep it in place. SO since the kerf helps to set the distance the size of your blade will also determine how far it moves. I almost always use a Ultra Reverse #5 for everything that is not fret work.

The tough thing can be drilling the hole at 4°. But I happen to have a setup that is almost a perfect 4° so I can drill the holes at the right angle. The small drill press I have can not hold the very small drill bits but it is easily set at 4°. But I have block of wood I place next to my dremel dill press which happens to create the 4° angle.

If you have it pop out it will leave a depression in the back. Likewise if you drop in it will stick out the back. If you drop it out the back you can sand/plane it off so that the back will be flat. Or you can just leave it hang out the back.

Sometimes when you come across a pattern that says self framing this is what will be done. You will cut at a 4° angle or so and the outer edge will come forward providing you with a built in frame.

You can vary the angle which will vary the amount the piece comes out of goes in. Like I said a 4° will give you about 3/16" drop or pop with a ultra reverse #5

Anyway no pictures till after Christmas. Hopefully what I have said will make sense to you.

Thanks for reading!
Jim