brucio
Junior Member
Posts: 11
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Post by brucio on Apr 13, 2010 11:37:04 GMT -8
Maybe I ought to start this section off. With my scrollsaw, I make puzzle boxes. Quite a few Japanese type puzzle boxes, a lot of other stuff. They all have one thing in common-you have to use the grey matter to get them open. Another, perhaps, surprising thing is that I don't sell these boxes. I make them for pleasure. And seeing as how other people would like to make them also, I have a little website where I give some plans away, and sell the more complicated stuff. Joe has asked me to post a couple of pictures of the kind of thing I make. Here's a simple box you could easily make in a day: Here's another that will take a bit longer to make: The pictures are not to scale: you need BOTH hands to hold the Dragon Chest. If you're not into boxes (maybe because you can't get them open), just ignore all the above. Bruce
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Post by Joe Lyddon on Apr 13, 2010 11:58:29 GMT -8
Hi Bruce, Man alive! Those are SO COOL! I watched your most recent video on your website... awesome! I've often wondered what kind of saw you used... A scroll saw! How do you make a good straight line cut? Clamp a small piece wood/metal to saw table top for a temporary fence? ... do you have any pictures of some of your Work in Process? I do have to say though... it hurts my head thinking about trying to open some of those boxes! ;D Thank you very much.
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brucio
Junior Member
Posts: 11
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Post by brucio on Apr 13, 2010 13:40:57 GMT -8
I cut EVERYTHING with my scrollsaw-curly bits, decorative strips, discs, and of course, straight lines. How do I cut dead straight lines? I use pinned blades that are fairly deep. They measure about 1/8" from teeth to the back of the blade, and are 24 tpi. You still have to "steer" the wood to get a dead straight line, but I usually cut a couple of lines on scrap wood, just to see which way the blade is trying to go. It depends on the tension as to which direction the blade will try to wander. After that, it's hard NOT to get a straight line...
A fence on the saw table? Doesn't work. The blade will still wander off the line, and it's a lot harder to keep it on if you're fighting against a fence.
Inside cuts? As long as the hole is bigger than the blade pins, I use a 3/16" drill, and still use the pinned blade. If the hole to be cut is less than the blade pins, then I have to use a pinless blade. I try to avoid these blades, as I've worn out two clamping bolts...
I have nothing but admiration for these people who cut portraits and landscapes, with hundreds of tiny little bits to cut out. I would go mad... The people who cut jig-saw puzzles have got the right idea-just stick in the smallest blade you can buy, and leave it in the whole time.
But I like to make things you can play with....
Bruce
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Post by Joe Lyddon on Apr 13, 2010 17:35:42 GMT -8
That is amazing!COOL... very similar to cutting on a band saw that wants to drift! What kind of scroll saw do you have?
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brucio
Junior Member
Posts: 11
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Post by brucio on Apr 14, 2010 1:47:37 GMT -8
It's a SIP 16" variable speed. Fairly cheap (not the cheapest), but decent quality.
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Post by wisardd1 on Apr 14, 2010 20:27:23 GMT -8
I have an RBI Hawk, when I get a chance I will post some beginner stuff. Nice boxes
dale
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Post by Joe Lyddon on Apr 14, 2010 20:39:15 GMT -8
I've heard that those are SUPER good saws... expensive too... I have one I got on eBay... a Tradesman, I think... got it for $45... which I thought was a good deal... I've used it a few times... but... not very much... Looking fwd to seeing some of your work... I'll bet it's pretty good... Like everything else you do!
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Post by Joe Lyddon on Apr 18, 2010 20:33:39 GMT -8
Bruce, What puzzle are you working on now? A long time ago, I tried one of your simple puzzles... got so far into it, & it didn't make sense... Later (weeks/months), I noticed that there was a bug & a revised plan / instructions posted... I didn't feel like trying it again. I'd like to try another simple one again some time... What would you say is the Simplest & easiest to build puzzle box? ;D
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