Any woodworkers?

OK ... group opinion time. This is low-density hard-foam, with a 3/4 in space cut in for the flower and 1/4-ish in for the invitation. Seems like it might pass snuff, to most people who are not perfectionists. Next part of the plan is to acrylic-seal the block, then apply two coats of the flocking glue (one to dry and seal, the next to apply flocking) then apply the red-wine-colored flocking. Encase in a 2-inch-deep custom shadow-box to match the shape.

Did I completely screw up the carving of the foam?

 

We have near the same paint booth!

 

I picked up this mostly finished small slab this morning, I have a little clean up, but I’m thinking I may throw some non-hairpin legs on it for a small table.

 

Or rip, refinish not so yellow/orange and have two nice slab shelves.

 

I got some shop time today so I installed a new 3/16" blade in my old delta bandsaw. I ordered a few sizes from supercut blades to try out. I usually use either Olson or Timberwolf blades. The supercuts are much cheaper and they have a great selection, even metal cutting blades.
Got everything all adjusted. I don't think the blade ever contacted the thrust bearings, it cut really well.

I left a little gap on the cool block guides for making curved cuts. I think I need to order new thrust bearings for the old delta, they are the originals and are starting to feel a little rough.

The supercuts cut like a hot knife thru butter on the soft catalpa. And they did equally well in walnut and hard maple too.

I quickly batched out a bunch of blanks.

I'm keeping this one for our house, lol. Beautiful flame box elder.

The sawdust producing machine! A dust .ask is required when using it. One day I'll cut a hole in the lower blade cover and install a dust hose port.

All cleaned up inside and out.

Scraps are getting way out of hand again, I seriously need a burn day.

Was a fun day in the shop. I always enjoy my time in the shop.

 

Looks pretty good to me but I have never done any kind of flocking before

 

That looks awesome!

 

Waiting for the finish to cure. I moved it inside to help out.

You can see the grain wrap now that the finish has been applied.

 

My cherry and red oak arrived from Baird. Quality hardwood quite nice

 

Thanks.

A shift in strategy. The foam is a flop for this purpose. It is too weak for a block. The acrylic spray to strengthen it compressed every single surface ... imaging a block of swiss cheese being crushed on every internal and external surface at once. The block warped. Well ... lessons learned.

New path. Cut the block from 2 sheets of 1/4 in birch plywood, layered. Top layer has the rectangle cut clean through, but not the flower-space. Glue another same size then cut the flow space clean through. I do not like the 3/4 in deep space for the flower anyway as it buries the object too much. Then make a box with 2 sheets of plexiglass ... one front one back. The back sheet helps hold the flower in place, but it not glued, and the flower is seen from behind. The two sheets can be removed to examine the flower and can remove the invitation.

Whether the through-cutting for the 2 plywood sheets is dome by jigsaw or hand router remains. I jusy got back from a trip to Vegas (no ... NOT gambling!) so that is for tomorrow.

Flocking is not hard, just tricky. My efforts years ago left me underwhelmed because I did not test the technique enough. Basic technique is to spread a gue layer, then dump flocking fibers on the glue and what sticks is what you end up with ... no do-overs.

Another TW member tried on a jewelry box for his wife, but also took my advice to practice first. He found that laying one glue layer, let it dry and coat almost-all of the uneven surface ... THEN do another coat of glue that was much more complete in coverage this time and he was happy ... so was his wife!

 

Group opinion ... I am undecided. This will hold the wedding invitation and flower. The styrofoam was a failure structurally but was a good design. This is 2 glued 1/4 in birch plywood. Top layer cut for the invitation, glued, cut for the flower. Plexiglass both sides of the display box with removable plexiglass so they are not locked in.

My decision: do I cut the top of the panel at the indicated simple curve or cut it to match the shape of the flower? I am trying to show off some entry-klevel skills but not be self-indulgent and stupid.

The clamp is for an oopsie that was glued and the blue tape will be pulled, replaced by a glued-on flocking that is red-wine colored.

 

Uhmm heres what Id do: take the flower and go to your scanner or copy machine leave the lid open scan the flower face down so its at 1:1 print size. Take that picture and cut out and remove the flower with an exacto knife. Now you should have an outline of the flower to use as a template.

Next cut out the flower in the wood. What are you using a scroll saw or coping saw? Either way you can use a small round file to sand the curves of the flower.

 

The inside space is already cut out ... traced around the flower in wood already and used that template. Used a jigsaw, but I will clean up edges and the flocking makes sharp edges vanish eventually anyway.

I was asking how to profile the top part of the stand which I do not want just a full square board. The simple curve indicated by the blue tape seems "tombstone"-ish.

 

Dont arc the ends so much

 

Finished!



Celebrating

 

It always feels good to get a project done.
Very nice.

 

3 layers of 1/4 in birch plywood to better hold the flower. Ready for sanding, cleaning up the center hole and the top curve. Will be covered in red-wine flocking and put in a framed box, plexiglass front and back. The flow has two leaves that are transparent and glittery so the light from behind will show it off better than a closed shadow-box.

 

Recently was given this piece of monkey pod at a lumber mill… I’d like to know the most effective and preferably cheaper option, (cheapest clear super glue at Wally World?) to seal this crack and be able to seal the wood so it has a shine. Thinking of adding 4 rubber cutting board feet and making it a small table top table to hold keys ect possibly.

 

What the hell kind of wood is "monkey pox"??? Never heard the term.