What's Cookin' ?

[numbskull]

Built some small darters this week. Had a lot of them so I fooled around a bit with pattern sawing. I liked the results and thought someone else might be interested.

First you need a decent band saw that can hold good tension on a blade, and a decent jig that will hold your plug steady and square. Next you set up a guide stick with a notch for the saw blade. I clamp this to the table then clamp a piece of scrap perpendicular and behind it to prevent the guide stick from being pushed backwards.

[numbskull]

Then you need your sled, which will hold the plug square over the pattern you want to cut. Mine has a top and bottom pattern, but you only need the bottom pattern. I use a tail pin to index the plug and a belly hole pin to hold it upright.

[numbskull]

Then index the sled to the guide bar and cut.

[numbskull]

The end result is a consistent quick curved cut. The plug shown was from a timid early try, but by shimming under the plug while in the sled I can cut much closer to the final line. I then clean up on a belt sander (although you can also pattern sand with a disc sander and that would be the way to go if you have one).

[nightfighter]

Nice, George. I must admit that I have just turned darter bodies and have not yet built anything to help with replicating the slope cut....
This morning I have eyes and belly grommets to epoxy in. Hope to wire this first run in the afternoon, along with turning some more bodies. Still working with the color shift paint, but cannot get the brilliance of the green to show up in the photos. Same plug in all three shots. Constantly changes with the angle and light.

[the greek]

George your wealth of knowledge and willingness to share it, is a priceless tool we all end up borrowing from you. Thanks for everything you post.

[eskimo]

Originally Posted by the greek

George your wealth of knowledge and willingness to share it, is a priceless tool we all end up borrowing from you. Thanks for everything you post.

Agreed. I second The Greek as I've burrowed a million of George's techniques/ideas.

I built a similar sled the first time I looked at a photo of it, although I didn't use a guide and I think I put flashing on it which caused sparks.

genius