I’ve accepted the mission and the secretary has already dissavowed all knowledge of me (for all you MI fans).
Armed with my plans and two sticks of wood (one Sycamore, 50mm square. One Purpleheart, slightly bigger) I enter the arena of ‘The Impossible’. I feel someone is watching me. Is it the ghost of the great M.C.Escher or has the medication worn off already? No its you lot. Quiet at the back. ThreeSpeed, the mad professor is about to start. Here is where we begin
Plan 1 – How many pieces to this jigsaw puzzle
Plan 2 – Dimensions. There are only two to this pattern although you may see three. Seriously I’m not working to ten decimal places. Looks impressive though
‘Yes but why such big pieces of wood?’ I hear you ask ‘The dimensions on plan 2 are tiny’. Well in order to make the size of the pieces as accurate and similar as possible you cut and glue up big slices. Then you cut them into smaller, same size, lengths from this ‘blank’, later. You’ll see, I promise.
Suffice to say at this size (50mm square) I estimate I can comfortably get 25 pieces from each blank. I need 78×42mm pieces of Sycamore and Purpleheart for the rods at the top of the diagram below. That means four x 30mm long pieces of Sycamore and twice as many four and eight mil’ slices of Purpleheart.
All this at an angle of 60 degrees. See below
The jig is clamped to the mitre fence, set at 30 degrees. To the left you will see a setable end stop. After cutting off the end of the Sycamore this stop is set to 30mm and five slices cut (one is my ace in the hole, I always screw one of them up). The process is then repeated with the Purpleheart with the stop set at 8mm, however this time I cut ten slices. I realise five of these only need to be 4mm long. I’ll resize that end of the blank, when its completed, to reflect this. Each blank will look like this, when glued up
Note the grain directions of the Purpleheart. For the individual parts of the big cube sides (as they appear in 3D) to make passable images of faces this is how it needs to be.
I’ll glue up five in a row, comme ca
with no glue between the two adjacent purpleheart pieces to keep five seperate blanks,but first I need to go and make a clamping jig for that and precision sand the thickness of the sycamore on the drum sander. I couldn’t have attempted this project without it or my glue-up experience with the Snakes cutting board.l
Are you with me so far? There will be questions at the end!
-- Martyn -- Boxologist, Pattern Juggler and Candyman of the visually challenging. http://www.theartofboxes.com
35 comments so far
BritBoxmaker
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4008 posts in 1204 days
#1 posted 1075 days ago
Sorry for the partial posting, finger trouble. Its ready now!
-- Martyn -- Boxologist, Pattern Juggler and Candyman of the visually challenging. http://www.theartofboxes.com
tyskkvinna
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1294 posts in 1154 days
#2 posted 1075 days ago
heeehee I love your commentary style :D
-- Lis - Michigan - http://www.missmooseart.com - https://www.etsy.com/people/lisbokt
NewPickeringWdWrkr
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338 posts in 1181 days
#3 posted 1075 days ago
Definitely ambitious Martyn, but if you pull this off, you’ll have a masterpiece that’ll be the envy of many a LumberJock!
-- Mike - Antero's Urban Wood Designs http://anterosurbanwooddesigns.com
SPalm
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4108 posts in 2050 days
#4 posted 1075 days ago
I’m with you. Whether you want me or not.
6.9282032000 and counting.
Steve
-- -- I'm no rocket surgeon
BritBoxmaker
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4008 posts in 1204 days
#5 posted 1075 days ago
To you, Steve, 6.93 if I can achieve the second decimal place. If not 6.9mm. Don’t get peevie on me though or I’ll get my shitty stick (not shown in the pics) out to beat you with. lol
-- Martyn -- Boxologist, Pattern Juggler and Candyman of the visually challenging. http://www.theartofboxes.com
BarbS
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2181 posts in 2254 days
#6 posted 1075 days ago
(Staying quiet in the back) Don’t want no shitty stick.
-- http://barbsid.blogspot.com/
Mary Anne
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1056 posts in 1377 days
#7 posted 1074 days ago
Mmmmm hmmmmm!!
As an experienced plumber, I know to keep my mouth shut when someone is waving a shitty stick.
BritBoxmaker
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4008 posts in 1204 days
#8 posted 1074 days ago
Worked on me when I was a kid. The threat not actual beating. Perhaps it should have stayed. Hmmmmmmm
-- Martyn -- Boxologist, Pattern Juggler and Candyman of the visually challenging. http://www.theartofboxes.com
Dennisgrosen
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10854 posts in 1283 days
#9 posted 1074 days ago
I´m a lazy backrow student thats shout all the stupid comments
but if you have a shitty stick
I leive the classroom and put up a camera instead I think that wuold be safer for me
now I will watch you from my comfortable sofa enjoying a single malt
while I wait excided to see your next instaltment proffesor
Dennis
a1Jim
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87120 posts in 1745 days
#10 posted 1074 days ago
I’m thrilled and amazed again keep on.
-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/
BritBoxmaker
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4008 posts in 1204 days
#11 posted 1074 days ago
Dennis. Ever the sensible man. I wish I could enjoy a single malt with you. Have one for me. You deserve it after sitting through that lecture.
-- Martyn -- Boxologist, Pattern Juggler and Candyman of the visually challenging. http://www.theartofboxes.com
stefang
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9460 posts in 1502 days
#12 posted 1074 days ago
You lost me at the blog title Martyn, but please continue. If I eventually want one I will simply order it from you, assuming of course that they have a woodworking shop in whatever mental health institution you will be residing in at the time.
-- Mike, American in Norway
BritBoxmaker
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4008 posts in 1204 days
#13 posted 1074 days ago
Mike, LMAO
-- Martyn -- Boxologist, Pattern Juggler and Candyman of the visually challenging. http://www.theartofboxes.com
BritBoxmaker
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4008 posts in 1204 days
#14 posted 1074 days ago
The thing I like about this place is that you can do your own thing, however low or highbrow, and nobody digs at you, its really relaxed but you can have fun joshing about at the same time. Its brilliant!
-- Martyn -- Boxologist, Pattern Juggler and Candyman of the visually challenging. http://www.theartofboxes.com
jm82435
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1217 posts in 1910 days
#15 posted 1074 days ago
Keep it coming Professor 3Spd.
These are little pieces already. To think you still have a couple of more milling operations to do on each of these is unnerving. Be safe my friend.
-- A thing of beauty is a joy forever...
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