Celtic Cross

[cskipper]

Here's a Celtic cross that I have been working on - front and back view.

 

[Joe Scharle]

Looks great, Cathy.
I tried relief on a simple square knot years ago for a Boy Scout plaque and got so confused, I had rope going under when it should have been going over!

 

[Ray Martin]

Cathy,

Holy Smokes! And I thought the trivits were beautiful. Your work is amazing. How log does it take you to do one of these? What kind of a saw do you use? How about your finishing process? Am I asking too amny questions? What woods work the bet for these crosses and trivits?

Ray

 

[Canuck]

Cathy,

You have done it again!!!!:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap This cross is very unique and the relief just amazes me! (I too would be curious as to your plans for the finish.)

Wonderful work!

Wayne

 

[jmauldin]

I wish you would quit showing the rest of us up! ! ! !

Again, great job. I don't think I have ever seen that design of a celtic cross. Where did you come across the pattern?

Jim in Mayberry

 

[D L Ames]

Wow Cathy, you have been keeping yourself very busy lately with all of the trivets, intarsia and now this Celtic cross. All of your work looks excellent.

D L

 

[cskipper]

Thanks again. My "Celtic" trivet had ropes going the wrong way too. The trick is to mark the wood as soon as you cut it out - keep your pattern or a copy long enough for this. Find any starting point on the pattern and get a feel for the direction of the ins and outs. I mark the wood with a pencil with solid lines across the places that are "overs" and , naturally, a break in the lines when it is an "under" pass. I think it's essential to have the pattern beside you when you are marking it, and even when scoring it.

I have a Delta scroll saw - not the basic model, but not the highest end either. It was a version sold at Lowe's about 3 years ago when I started.

It may have taken an hour to cut, but I have put in close to 15 hours shaping it. Every time I look at it in a different light I see something that I want to clean up - even still today. I may have to get a rope and make one to see how the sides of the rope would be lower or higher depending on their motion. I think I know, but I'm not sure.

What kinds of woods for these crosses and trivets? What I have - which is why I am always trying to grab any body's scraps that could be 7-8 inches square. I know that I am going to cut lots of material out and hate to use really pretty wood. We went up to the Bee Tree lumber a couple of weeks ago and bought wood, but now John doesn't want me to "waste" it. I do understand that. I try to use boards about 3/8" thick because I think they'll hold up if people really use them but not be too high off the table that a pot or bowl would spill it somebody didn't set it straight on the trivet. I haven't wanted to use pine, though I can't really say why. I have used curly maple, oak (difficult to hand sand), maple, cherry, butternut and ambrosia maple. I, fortunately, have a printer that is also a copier and often resize a pattern until it will fit a specific piece of wood. I've shied away from used glued up boards - I'm afraid if I hit a weak spot it would break - or may be stronger that a close by cut area and that might break.

Thanks for the warm fuzzies! Did I get all the questions (Ray, there are never too many questions).?

 

[cskipper]

There is a group on MSN - http://groups.msn.com/FreeScrollsawPatterns - that has lots of free scroll saw patterns. I was totally dependent on them until I started looking around at all the other pattern I have and how they could be modified. For the Celtic things- I'll still depend on someone else making the pattern.

 

[b4man]

Cathy,
I've got to throw in my OOH"s and Awe's. I'm in Las Vegas and saw some beautiful trivets at a shop here in the hotel. But, nothing I've seen yet beats your work. I'm sooo impressed!

 

[cskipper]

Thanks! Do you ever stay home? :lol:

 

[b4man]

Now you know why I never post pic's of my work! I wish I could pack the Dewalt but the laptop keeps me working vicariously at least!

 

[Terry]

Cathy,

Very beautiful work! Awesome! Terry:eusa_danc

 

[cskipper]

I've got a mental picture of you checking your DeWalt and wood at the ticket counter!:lol:

Thanks Terrry.

 

[Greybeard]

Cathy,
As usual, your work is fantastic! :icon_thum When I set up my shop, I decided to get a scroll saw because it is needed with some projects. But I have never seen work such as yours and I know I could'nt come close! Just beautiful :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[cskipper]

Thanks again. I've been sawing about 3 years and am really trying to improve my accuracy.

 

[sapwood]

The Scrollstar strikes again :eusa_clap

And we thought you couldn't get any better

Sapwood

 

[skeeter]

Great job! Really impressive work

 

[cskipper]

I added a coat of wipe on poly finish and look at the difference!

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[NCPete]

Great job Cathy! Now, just how much of a PITA was it to get the poly inside those curves?

 

[D L Ames]

Wow Cathy, the relieve you added to it really stands out better with the poly applied. That looks great.

D L