Boy is that FRUSTRATING!

[jillsy]

I don't know how some of you do it. I cannot cut out a whole piece on a bandsaw, tape it up and then recut the side view.

Spent 3 hours carving a thick block the other day and figured, this was gonna take forever. So, I went back to the scroll saw to try and lop off the excess, but of course, took off not only too much wood, but also left the piece completely lop-sided and a mess. All that time for nothing.

Usually, I'll just bandsaw the front view and carve from there. For this carving though, I wanted Mrs. Claus to be holding an apron full of food. I figured it was best to bandsaw the side version so I could get the apron.

Nothing turned out right. Oh so aggravating!

Jillsy

[Kenny_S]

Hang in there jillsy. It does take a little practice and decideding how much to take off. Been there to many time. Wound up carving a small piece.Better to take a little less off and step back and see what you have. Now for me to prctice what I preach.
Don't give up kiddo. With you carving abilites, ya can do it.

[BobT]

I really don't care for the tape. Why don't you try a low temp hot glue gun. They are under $5 at Hobby Lobby or Michaels. It holds the pieces much more securely, then when you need to get the pieces off when you are done, just pop them off with a flat blade screwdriver. Works real good for me.
Bob

[carver33]

Jillsy,

I look at both views and pick the one that I can most easily cut a fairly long straight piece that will contact the cutout enough to form a straight base for cutting the other plane. I then make whatever additional cuts to bring me close to the finished outline. I then tape or spray-glue the flat piece back on, turn the blank and cut the other profile.

See sample sketch. Hope this makes sense.

Bill (Aiken, SC)

[Eddy-Smiles]

Jillsy... I don't have a bandsaw but when I cut out a blank with my scrollsaw I don't cut all the way. I always leave 1/16"-1/8" uncut to so that the cut section remains attached. Then when I flip the piece of wood over 90 degrees to cut the other view I have a flat plane to work off of and my pattern lines are still intact. When all my cuts are completed removing the extra tabs is simply a couple extra strokes of the knife.

[Gulf Coast Handyman]

Jillsy, a friend of mine does the front cut, then uses a glue stick to reglue the cut off wood, then does the side. At the end the glued wood comes apart real easy. Hope this helps.

Dave

[chuckbolton]

jillsy-- hang in there-- i know its frustrating-- but look at what you have learned-- try a simpler pattern-- learn on one of those-- then progress up to a more complicated one-- i was lucky-- in that i have a person who will cut the blank for me-- of course i probably am buying the wood also-- if not-- he charged me a small fee for the time involved and willingly showed me how to cut them out for myself-- still tho when i have a very large piece i often take it to him-- ask some one to help-- most carvers are nice people

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

if you try to do all your cutting with the bandsaw, you will end up short on your carving....leave excess, its not that much to remove with a knife, cut "outside" your lines. As for tape or glue stick, I prefer tape, glue stick is kind of messy in my opinion...sometimes I do neither, I just leave small "spues" between cuts (small sections of wood I didn't cut with the saw) its nothing to cut them with a knife, but they are enough to hold the block together until you are finished....none of this probably makes any sense, so I will take my pills and rest lol

[Robert Cahill]

I do as Eddy Smiles said , for me it is the easiest and least frustrating

[Claude]

I use the masking tape - a complete wrap around each end, and maybe one in the middle if I think it needs it. I can see my cut lines through the tape. As Dave says, cout outside the pattern an 1/8 inch or so. Also, if you decide to try leaving a little bit uncut so the wood stays together, turn the saw off before you try to back the blade out of the cut. A short straight cut can be backed out, carefully, with the saw on, but any curve at all: turn the saw off. Otherwise you risk pulling the spinning blade off the wheels - almost guaranteed to kill the blade, and may cause damage to you and/or the saw.

Claude