White Fences Puzzle

[Carter Johnson]

Hello again friends. I just finished this one. It's a good example of how my line cutting applies to this kind of country scene art. I am a line cutter. I try to honor each color line in the picture by making it the edge of a puzzle piece. Thus, each house, person, landscape, etc. is outlined, with locking tabs to keep the puzzle together. The completed puzzle can be picked up by any edge piece as it lies flat.

I cut one piece at a time with no pattern. The wood is 3-ply poplar. The blade is a narrow kerf 2/0 blade (FD Superior Puzzle Blades). I used 2.5 blades to cut the 367 pieces.

I'm happy to help anyone interested in trying this kind of cutting. You can post questions here or email me at [email protected]

On this Sunday here in the U.S., the media is insane over the Super Bowl, the final game of our football season. The Rolling Stones are the halftime entertainment. On cable television, our Animal Planet channel is countering with a three hour "Puppy Bowl". It consists of a bunch of little puppies in a small room with the floor painted like a football field, simply chasing each other and some dog toys. Pretty entertaining!

Carter

 

[DaveL]

Carter,

Vey nice work.
So how long did it take to cut that?
I have a scroll saw but it’s not very good, I hope to replace it during the summer. I have only used it as a 'mini' band saw. You take the machine into another dimension! 8)

 

[Carter Johnson]

Dave, thanks for asking. I forgot to post the time. This one took about 5 1/2 hours at the saw. I sit at the saw only about 20 minutes at a time, so this puzzle was made over a period of 4 to 5 days.

I usually cut about three puzzles each month. I don't sell them, even though they would be worth quite a bit. I have well over 300 in my basement and loan them out to the families of freinds of mine who enjoy putting them together.

Carter

 

[dedee]

Carter, incredible!
It may only have taken a few hours work but I bet there are some years of practice involved :lol:
On the odd occasion I have cut a jigsaw I find getting the paper to stick to the wood one of the hardest parts. If it appears well stuck it often lifts up around the saw blade.

What is your method for attaching paper to wood?

Andy

 

[Gill]

That's another lovely puzzle, Carter, and much friendlier than another one of yours I've seen recently :twisted: !

Andy - FWIW, I've used Copydex quite successfully.

Gill

 

[dedee]

Gill, interesting, I would have though that copydex would have gunked up the blade.

Andy

 

[Gill]

Gill, interesting, I would have though that copydex would have gunked up the blade.

It doesn't. Spread it thinly and make sure you use a pattern that's more substantial than mere paper; like Carter, I use old greetings cards to make my puzzles. You should find it works quite admirably.

Copydex does seem to be sneered at by adults. I wonder if that's because it was the glue many of us used when we were at school, so we've grown to think that it's only suitable for children. I've found loads of uses for it in the workshop, not the least of which is applying felt liners to box interiors. Copydex doesn't soak into the fabric and stretch it, unlike other glues.

Gill

 

[dedee]

Gill,
I'll use it next time. We always have some in the house as it is very good for repairing the type of damage that young children tend to inflict on books.


Andy

 

[Carter Johnson]

Dedee.........The posters above, including my friend Gill, are undoubtedly right. The Copydex glue they suggested, which I don't think is available here iin the U.S., will probably work fine.

The secret is to put plenty on the wood and then to smooth it out with a paint scraper so it it thoroughly coats the wood evenly but is not too thick. Then the picture is applied from one corner, smoothing it as you gradually press it down.

The other point is in the paper itself. Any paper than is thinner than a magazine cover just won't work well.

For the record, I used to use yellow carpenters glue but for the past three years I have been using a poroduct in a brown squeeze bottle called "Aillen's Tacky Glue". It's available at craft/hobby stores and you may have something like it there.

Good luck...and thanks to all for your kind comments

Carter