First of all let me say that this is less a tutorial and more just a visual representation of the basic steps in what I do and how I do it . I will be more than happy to expand on any of the processes if you want to give me a shout by PM or e-mail :icon_thum
There are as many varied styles and techniques as there are designers and scrollers so this is far from a definitive " how to " . Just the process I go through for what it's worth
Michael Ayers was kind enough to allow me permission to use one of his awesome candid pics of a hawk on his property
So we start with the pic
Through a process I am continually tweaking , I render the pic to stark black and white . This is the first step in creating the pattern
This is not cuttable in it's present form and must be " cleaned up " and manipulated to make a scrollable pattern . This is the first big challenge. Using hand drawing, erasing and filling I create what I hope will be a scrollable pattern, creating positive and negative spaces that will ( hopefully ) recreate the subject in 2 dimensions while giving the look of 3 dimensions ....no shading allowed :mrgreen:
This is the result of 2 or 3 hours of this manipulation ...looks cuttable to me
I want to stack cut this ....different looks, same effort , double the reward. I chose oak and spalted maple
Tape the pieces together nice and flat starting with the edges
Apply glue to the back of the pattern
apply pattern to the taped wood
Entry holes must be drilled in every area to be cut out ( the black areas ) I use a Dremel mounted in a clear plunge router base so I can place it anywhere on the piece that I need a hole . The plunge base insures a straight hole through all pieces of wood . I use the smallest bit I can that will still allow the blade to pass through . Sometimes it is necessary to use several bits as sometimes different size blades are required on the same piece .
I already know I can do all of this one with an FD#3 spiral so all the holes can be the same size . I drill only a few holes at a time ( 10 or 20 or so ) to lessen the confusion and force myself to take a periodic break
My saw ( and others ) has a top arm that pivots up after the top clamp is released. The blade is threaded through the hole from underneath ( I am a bottom feeder ) and reattached . The cut is made , the top clamp released and the arm is raised again
I use a piece of 2 x 4 to hold the arm up while threading the blade. Others use lift mechanisms designed for the saw
The arm is lowered , the blade reclamped and I'm ready to cut another piece out
The process is repeated for each piece that is to be removed . I can generally unclamp, thread and reclamp in 10 or 15 seconds on a good nite. Care must be used when selecting each cut so as not to weaken or stress the wood or bridges in other cuts . I usually start in the center and work out to the edges , trying to be sure each cut has a least one solid ( uncut ) side
This is the back of the piece . This is why I only drill a few holes at a time . It can be difficult sometimes to thread the blade in the next intended hole. This also show you how " nasty " the back looks with spiral blades
Not to worry, we'll deal with that soon enough
I've made a bit of progress by now but the back is really looking shabby. I want to adress some of that now before I go much further so I will have less to do later when the piece is weaker from so much removed wood
The yuckiness :
This is resolved with a quickly moving blow torch , making sure there is a piece of ply pressed against the front so no flame accidently licks through
Ta-dahhh ...no fuzzies and only lightly scorched in a couple of places on the back ( practice on scrap first ! :mrgreen: )
"Getting down in the short rows" as we say 'round these parts
Almost done ...I have saved the large area of the eye and surrounding area for last to minimize breaking the delicate bridge while handling the piece during all the other cuts
I also go ahead and torch/clean the rest of the back before cutting the eye ...again to minimize breaking it :eusa_pray
After marking the edges using the glass from the frame, the sides are released
The oak is ready for a BLO bath but the pattern must be peeled from the top piece of maple . This is a sometimes tedious process that , if rushed , will garauntee breakage of fragile parts :eusa_naug I use an exacto knife to start the process and make sure to hold down fragile pieces from behind as I peel. The blue tape comes away pretty easily
The oak begins it's BLO bath and is then allowed to drip for a spell while I peel the pattern from the maple
I double up paper towels and place the piece right side up on them
Using another set of double towels I blot the top.
The wicking action of the upper and lower towels removes the oil from the cuts
The piece is then allowed to dry for overnite at the very least . longer if possible . It will hang here until I am done for the nite then I will allow it to finish drying inside the house
It's dry enough for a picture soooooo , A piece of felt and a frame there you have it .....instant wooden portrait :icon_cheers
As I said before , far from the definitive " how to " and lots of parts left out but I hope I have solved at least some of the mystery
Not nearly as complicated as you thought , huh ? :gar-La;
I'll gladly give more details as requested ......right now my typing finger hurts ! :rotflm:
thanx for lookin :mrgreen:
There are as many varied styles and techniques as there are designers and scrollers so this is far from a definitive " how to " . Just the process I go through for what it's worth
Michael Ayers was kind enough to allow me permission to use one of his awesome candid pics of a hawk on his property
So we start with the pic
Through a process I am continually tweaking , I render the pic to stark black and white . This is the first step in creating the pattern
This is not cuttable in it's present form and must be " cleaned up " and manipulated to make a scrollable pattern . This is the first big challenge. Using hand drawing, erasing and filling I create what I hope will be a scrollable pattern, creating positive and negative spaces that will ( hopefully ) recreate the subject in 2 dimensions while giving the look of 3 dimensions ....no shading allowed :mrgreen:
This is the result of 2 or 3 hours of this manipulation ...looks cuttable to me
I want to stack cut this ....different looks, same effort , double the reward. I chose oak and spalted maple
Tape the pieces together nice and flat starting with the edges
Apply glue to the back of the pattern
apply pattern to the taped wood
Entry holes must be drilled in every area to be cut out ( the black areas ) I use a Dremel mounted in a clear plunge router base so I can place it anywhere on the piece that I need a hole . The plunge base insures a straight hole through all pieces of wood . I use the smallest bit I can that will still allow the blade to pass through . Sometimes it is necessary to use several bits as sometimes different size blades are required on the same piece .
I already know I can do all of this one with an FD#3 spiral so all the holes can be the same size . I drill only a few holes at a time ( 10 or 20 or so ) to lessen the confusion and force myself to take a periodic break
My saw ( and others ) has a top arm that pivots up after the top clamp is released. The blade is threaded through the hole from underneath ( I am a bottom feeder ) and reattached . The cut is made , the top clamp released and the arm is raised again
I use a piece of 2 x 4 to hold the arm up while threading the blade. Others use lift mechanisms designed for the saw
The arm is lowered , the blade reclamped and I'm ready to cut another piece out
The process is repeated for each piece that is to be removed . I can generally unclamp, thread and reclamp in 10 or 15 seconds on a good nite. Care must be used when selecting each cut so as not to weaken or stress the wood or bridges in other cuts . I usually start in the center and work out to the edges , trying to be sure each cut has a least one solid ( uncut ) side
This is the back of the piece . This is why I only drill a few holes at a time . It can be difficult sometimes to thread the blade in the next intended hole. This also show you how " nasty " the back looks with spiral blades
Not to worry, we'll deal with that soon enough
I've made a bit of progress by now but the back is really looking shabby. I want to adress some of that now before I go much further so I will have less to do later when the piece is weaker from so much removed wood
The yuckiness :
This is resolved with a quickly moving blow torch , making sure there is a piece of ply pressed against the front so no flame accidently licks through
Ta-dahhh ...no fuzzies and only lightly scorched in a couple of places on the back ( practice on scrap first ! :mrgreen: )
"Getting down in the short rows" as we say 'round these parts
Almost done ...I have saved the large area of the eye and surrounding area for last to minimize breaking the delicate bridge while handling the piece during all the other cuts
I also go ahead and torch/clean the rest of the back before cutting the eye ...again to minimize breaking it :eusa_pray
After marking the edges using the glass from the frame, the sides are released
The oak is ready for a BLO bath but the pattern must be peeled from the top piece of maple . This is a sometimes tedious process that , if rushed , will garauntee breakage of fragile parts :eusa_naug I use an exacto knife to start the process and make sure to hold down fragile pieces from behind as I peel. The blue tape comes away pretty easily
The oak begins it's BLO bath and is then allowed to drip for a spell while I peel the pattern from the maple
I double up paper towels and place the piece right side up on them
Using another set of double towels I blot the top.
The wicking action of the upper and lower towels removes the oil from the cuts
The piece is then allowed to dry for overnite at the very least . longer if possible . It will hang here until I am done for the nite then I will allow it to finish drying inside the house
It's dry enough for a picture soooooo , A piece of felt and a frame there you have it .....instant wooden portrait :icon_cheers
As I said before , far from the definitive " how to " and lots of parts left out but I hope I have solved at least some of the mystery
Not nearly as complicated as you thought , huh ? :gar-La;
I'll gladly give more details as requested ......right now my typing finger hurts ! :rotflm:
thanx for lookin :mrgreen:
