This weekend, we were out in the shop. Testing out our new $69 dovetail jig and making some feet on the Bandsaw. Awesome time together for Matthew and I. And a great project for Mom.

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I’m sitting here in a hotel room in Down Town Toronto. Being from a small town in Newfoundland, Toronto is just a rat race. It’s close to 12 am on a Friday night and the activity outside my hotel is equal to that of a thousand Christmas Eve’s back home.

I live a simple life, on a simple Island on the North East coast of Canada. Though my work often takes me to places like Toronto, Manhattan, Indianna and the like, there really is no place like home. Sure, back at home I can’t run down the road for certain things that you find in a big city, yet, I am content in that small town with it’s small ways.

Tonight as I type this, I think of my beautiful pregnant wife. She is well asleep now as her clock reads 1.5 hrs ahead of mine. Matthew and the other kids all tucked safe and sound in a quiet town where you can sleep at night with your doors unlocked. This gives me solace while being so far from home.

I don’t often get this lonely while being away; Yet tonight, I feel as if I am worlds apart from my family. I guess I will never be a suitable for upcoming Mars missions. grin

I know we all get lonely from time to time; tonight is my turn. It’s been a long day with plenty of stress. Plenty of stress and plenty to follow tomorrow as well. I will be happy when this trip is through and the airport is my next direction of travel.

That being said, I have relieved a fraction of loneliness as well as stress just from just typing this note. Thanks for taking time to ready this Non-Shop Talk message and hopefully this finds you at home where you’re kids are within earshot and your wife is within hugging distance.

Best Regards,

MichaelA

Not sure if you seen my previous message about the video. The quality was just so bad, I couldn’t post it. The resolution was set too low. What I have below, is a tutorial on how to create your patterns. I made the tutorial as simple as possible by showing you what to push and click. I didn’t spend any time in explaining the program or any real features. My goal was to give you something that you can follow by simply following the instructions. This tutorial should aide you in creating your own portrait patterns. All you have to do is play with the settings a little and you will get the results you need. Hopefully you find this helpful. I put this together in a hurry tonight as I know some of you are wanting to see how this is done. Hopefully it’s not too crude and you are able to follow along. If you have trouble following along or get lost in the instructions, leave a message. I will be sure to follow up and help you through anything you are stuck on.

An important note when doing patterns – Not all photo’s are suitable for patterns. Some photo’s just don’t have the lighting that a good scroll saw portrait pattern needs. If you do try a pattern of your own and you have trouble with it, feel free to send me a copy of the photo and I will see if there is anyway I can help.

There are videos on Youtube – uploaded by SDGOOD as well as SCROLLSAWGOODIES that explains the process of making portraits as well. Scroll Saw Goodies will show an actual photo getting done in Gimp.

Let’s begin.

So here we have our picture. This is a royalty free photo of Elvis. I choose Elvis as many request for patterns is of Elvis. Here is the photo.

Next we bring the photo into GIMP.

Find the picture you wish to edit, I have Elvis1.jpg on my desktop. Next you want to RIGHT CLICK your image and Choose “Edit with GIMP”

Voila

Gimp opens and your photo is center screen.

Believe it or not. With just a few tricks, we will have Elvis ready to print. First, we need to change the photo to black and white. To do this:

1. Click colors from the menu bar. See below photo.

2. Click Desaturate

Your picture will turn black and white; Also, you will be given 3 options to choose. Lightness, Luminosity, or, Average. These options give you different black and white shades. I am choosing Luminosity.

Now with our photo Desaturated, we are ready to move on to the next step – Curves. Curves will show the pattern taking shape. With Curves we are looking to bring out the Black and White of the photo.

3. Click colors again from the menu bar.

4. Now click Curves

The curves editing box will appear.

click and drag on the diagonal line to make an S shape. Try these locations to push.

They should end up looking something like this

Notice, while you drag the diagonal line around into an S you will see your image changing.

The pattern is taking shape.

Next lets move on to a filter.

5. Locate the Filter Menu on the Menu Bar.

Lets look down the Filters menu and find Artistic. Hold your mouse on Artistic and you will see another sub menu open. In this sub menu, select Photocopy

The photocopy box will open. You will notice, the photocopy box does not show your full picture. What you need to do if you wish is enlarge the photocopy window by clicking and dragging it bigger.

As you can see now, the pattern is just about ready to print.

drag the sliders around and play with each to get the result you want. If you wish to get the exact result I have. The values for Mark Radius 37.91 Sharpness 1.000 Percent Black 1.000 Percent White 0.581.

Mark Radius shows more detail with a lower value. If you set it higher, you will loose the detail. Just play with the slider and see. Sharpness, I find should always be as hight as possible. Percent black, as well, hight as possible. Percent White can be tricky. Sometimes you want to add in extra details that you would loose if this setting was set to 1.000 play around with it to get what you need.

Click OK and we will move on.

So close to the finish. Now to tidy up the image.

We are on the home stretch. What we are going to do now is remove the things we don’t want, such as the blotchy black areas around the jaw bone.

To do this we need to select a brush and choose white as the color.

Click around the image with white to clean it up. Adjust the size of your brush as needed. I find a brush size of 10 to be good.

Once you get the white cleaned up. Lets clean up the black.

Now with all the black cleaned up, we can go on to islands and peninsulas

When creating your patten, you need to remember, White always has to touch itself or your outside border. If you leave white trapped in black, when you go to cut your pattern, you will loose this piece as it will fall out. All white trapped in black is considered as floating. We want to keep it from floating by connecting all white pieces to other white pieces or the border.

The un-trapping is done simply by using your white brush and connecting the trapped areas.

Here is the image with no white trapped.

Next, lets add a white border and enlarge for print.

To add the white border, simply draw a box

Next. Let’s invert the selection.

Inverting the selection will allow us to paint in the border without touching the picture itself.

As you can see below, my brush is much bigger than the border but because we have just this area selected, the white will only go within the border.

Here we are fully finished. Just need to resize.

The image we used is just about 6” x 5”. Typically people would like this in an 8.5×11. If we enlarge this photo to 8.5 the length will only go to 7.5 due to the current size we are scaling it from. To fix this, you could make the canvas size 8.5×11 and fill the remaining space with the black and elongate your border to fit your frame. For now, we will just focus on enlarging to 8.5×7.5

To enlarge the image, click the Image menu button, then go down to Scale Image

With the Scale Image window open, you first want to change your measurement setting from Pixel to Inches. Next type in the size you wish, set your resolution to 150.00 once you get your values in, click scale

You will notice your picture gets allot bigger on your screen.

All you have left to do at this point is to export your picture and save it to your desktop.

Choose FILE then EXPORT – In the dialogue box that opens, name and save your file. Once the file is saved, go to it’s location, open it and click print. There you go. All done.

Hopefully you find this tutorial helpful.

As promised, I am going to do a blog as well as a video on how we can get a photo from portrait to pattern. The model for this portrait will be Marnie. A friend of ””The Newfoundland Wood Workers Facebook Page””:http://www.facebook.com/TheNewfoundlandWoodWorker?ref=hl

Once we get the photo finished, we are going to mail this off to Marnie as a keep sake.

So…...... Step one is to find a photo you wish to scroll.

Once we run it through some photo editing; we end up with a pattern

I have at this point all the video I need for the portrait to pattern. Once I get that edited, I will need to video the cutting of the pattern. Once all that is complete and edited, I will upload the video. Slowly but surely.

Thanks everyone.

Regards,

Michael.

We needed to create a couple of filler cabinets about 7” wide. Wine racks is what we came up with. Though we consume alcohol as often as a vegetarians eat meat (Well, perhaps a little more) once filled with bottles of wine, they should look ok.

Starting off, we cut the sides. 11 1/4×32. With the 3/4 face frame, they will end up 12”. Since we couldn’t get any finished 1 side material, we used 5/8 melamine and skinned it with 1/8” oak ply. Worked fine.

We bradded the sides on then filled the holes with a little oak crayon. You can barely notice the brads.

Once the skins were on, it was out to the table saw to run a few dados for the back. The brads on the back were tacked about 1” in from the side so as to not be in the way of the blade when cutting the dado.

Matthew set up his dado height with a Betterly Una-Gauge – We really enjoy the multi configuration of this tool

Here the height is brought to 5/16 .3125 of an inch.

Now we move the fence 9/16 away from the blade with another configuration

Now we run a couple of dadoes

A little assembly. 2” brads

To make the lattice, we cut some oak down to 3/8×5/8. Next we 45’d the corners and half lapped them.

Next we glue them up

A little sanding, then stain

Next we begin the face frame. Styles we cut to 1 1/2 and the rails 2” then pocket screwed them together

This is what we have thus far
Box, Frame, Lattice

Matthew is tacking the lattice to the inside of the face frame with 5/8 brads


Once we attach the face frame to the cabinet, we are finished.
Securing wine rack to additional cabinets

Here we are, a wine rack on each side of the Over the stove cabinet. Next we have a corner cabinet to make and one other smaller cabinet and we are finished the cabinets. Next is the remainder of the doors and counter top.

Was a fun day. :)

http://woodtube.ning.com/video/whirlygig-wars-response-video for USA

YouTube only works in Canada for some reason but here it is.

It’s a 45 degree “rest” for the mitred board to sit on as you slide it over the blade.

Here is a pic of a test board on the jig. The jig is placed the width of the mitre away from the fence. If you have a gap under your fence like we do, you will need to add a piece of material, (we used MDF) to your fence. Anything will do, as long as it covers the little gap.

Next, the jig is held to the table with MagSwitch magnets. We used 2. Could use clamps, but MagSwitch is hard to beat.

With the jig in place, turn on your saw and slide your board through. Super easy.

Here is the result

Insert your spline and your golden.

There you go.

Cabinet Size
14 1/4×33 1/4

Materials
1 sheet 5/8 D grade ply
1 sheet 1/8 Masonite

Joinery
Kreg Pocket Hole Screws
Mortis and Tennon

Tools used
Table Saw
Kreg Jig
Router
Drill
18” clamp
Kreg clamp

So, I will jump right in. Sheet goods are cut up and assembly started. The sides are 14 1/4×12, top and bottom 33 1/4×12. Back of cabinet has a 3/16” dado running 5/8” in from the back. 1/8” masonite for the back. The backing is cut 1/8” shy all around. No need as its not going to expand/contract, just habit.

Everything is Kreg screwed together except for the doors. Will show you then a little further down. We didn’t go too crazy with the screws as we used plenty of glue on all the matching pieces.

Face frames are 1 3/4 wide. A couple of Kreg screws hold them tight and square.

Careful not to over tighten the screws. If you have a torque setting on your drill, USE IT! :)

Face frame together, we install it via pocket screws to the box. The face frame is slightly oversize by 1/32-1/16” purposely. This will be trimmed off later with a flush trim bit in the router, and everything will look as if it were cut precisely. Great tip from George Vondriska.

Due to the limited space inside the cabinet, Matthew is using a right angle chuck on his drill. This is the Festool CXS. It would have been such a pain to screw this on by hand. Clamping the frame in place is helpful as well.

We added the centre rail once the cabinet was hung on the wall. Why? meh, we wanted too. :) Also, it’s easy to add these in at any time with the Kreg Jig, as well, with the CXS angle attachment, there was nothing too it.

The cabinets are hung on the wall using a French Cleat. I didn’t take a pic of the back, but it’s just a 2” wide cleat running along the back with a 45 degree angle. This then hooks into a matching 45 2” wide hook on the wall.

So here they are. The plans make 2 of these cabinets from one sheet of plywood. Sit them side by side like we have or space them apart.

Next we move on to the doors. 1 3/4” 5/8”. We begin with the dado, raising the saw blade to 3/8”. Something a little better than a measuring tape or those stepped depth gauges, we are using the Betterley UNA-GAUGE. Originally obtained for tuning Matthews saw, but unlike other alignment gauges out there, this one does so much more, if you noticed the pic above, we don’t keep it in its case as it’s in and out so often, it’s best left on the shelf.

Next we use the gauge to move the fence 1/4” off the blade. This is perhaps over kill, but just so fun to use.

The blade is set. We get 8’ of 1 3/4” and prepare to run the dados for the panels. Feather board is great to use here. be sure you have the feather board setup BEFORE or IN FRONT of the blade.

Maxswitch makes it fast and easy to setup their feather boards and they hold very tight.

Next we cut the tenons that will sit in the dado of the door. No need for a dado blade as it’s just a few passes.

Here are the pieces we just made. Lets fit them together

Dry fit looks good. everything is nice and square. We measure the inside of the door and add 5/8”, this will give us the panel size.

Time for the glue up. We glue two rails to the side style and slide in the panel.

Get everything in place and clamp up. We left these in for about an hr then glued up the other two doors.

That’s all there is to it. As mentioned above, we need to pick up the hinges, the doors are just held in place with double faced tape for now. The doors are 1/2” wider and longer than each opening.

Cabinets are not difficult to make. They are just boxes with doors. Give them a try.

Thanks for reading

I was looking at a small Buffet/Hutch I built for my son when he was first born. I thought, maybe some others would like to build one as well. I created a quick Sketcup of the design and converted it into a PDF for your building pleasure. click here to download. Enjoy!

Here is a sample of the plan. I added the male for scale – Didn’t even try to rhyme that either :)

I was giving MsDebbie, an update on Matthew, and where things have taken him. She asked me to share it with you all, so I will add it to the initial blog I put up on Matthew.

Since adding Matthew’s first video to youtube, Matthew has been getting hit after hit on his youtube page. There are some key people that I can attribute to the success thus far. Let me start in order

Debbie found Matthew’s video on G+ and asked if she could add it to LJ’s, I was more than happy to give her the big ok, and in very short order, though the support of the LJ community, you all began watching Matthews video, driving his hit count up dramatically,

not to far behind Debbie adding to LJ’s. The WoodWhisperer added Matthews video to his site. Marc has a huge following as we all know and the hits began climbing on higher on youtube.

Marc’s mom watched the video and sent an email along the lines of Matthew reminding her of Marc as a little boy, she prompted us for our mailing address and sent Matthew some fine WW swag! Matthew received, a WW tshirt, WW pencils, WW pens, WW stickers, WW Notepad, and a WW measuring tape. Matthew was just beside him self.

Next we have Mr. Laney Shaughnessy from A Simple Design of Ocala. Laney is one of Matthews favourites to watch on youtube. The infinity mirror by Laney is what got Matt hooked. Laney, has promoted not only one of Matthews videos but all of Matthews videos on his web site. He has been such a solid supporter of Matthew. Laney also donated the initial funds to get Matthews web page The Newfoundland WoodWorker up and running. Laney has also spent time on the phone with Matthew answering questions on the Infinity Mirror. Guiding Matthew in the best way to attack the build. Laney also has a special video with Matthew coming out very soon, between now and Friday I do believe. I like to call Laney “Sharing Caring Father Laney” The guy is just so giving.

Next, we have the immortal mortal Steve Ramsey, Matthew made his folding step stool. This project was a little more challenging the the rocking horse and also introduced Matthew into power tools. A very nice Neighbour, Mr. P. Offered Matthew his workshop, to complete his step stool, as we have not obtained a table saw as of yet. We’re saving for it though. So back to Steve; Steve posted Matthews video on his site and the hits started rolling in again.

Next, WoodMagazine featured Matthews video on their Facebook Page, Busy Bee tools sent Matthew a comment on his NLWW facebook page, stating “what and inspiration he is”. Then, LumberJocks featured him in the eMag for best video of the month.

Next we have the great Charles Neil. When Mattew’s friends ask who Charles Neil is, Matthew says, “Well, put it this way. Mr. Neil, is the woodworking equivalent of Justin Bieber” LOL. Charles, tweeted about Matthews video and though we have not reached the nearly 5000 hits the rocking horse acheived, the video has reached a whole new host of followers, and the hits are climbing. One such follower Kenny Eaton, fellow lumber jock from Maine, contacted us wishing to donate a restored smothing plane to Matthew’s very limited tool collection. Matthew was so excited over this. Kenny does Machinist work as well as woodworking and he has made some fantastic tools. From what I hear, Charles Neil uses a Kenny Eaton Doweling plate.

If I could step back to Charles for a minute. This guy is just the real deal, he contacted Myself and Matthew by email stating his pride in Matthews work. This meant so much to Matthew. Then, get this, Saturday morning, the phone rings, and who is on the line? Charles Neil! Matthew was beside himself once again. For a kid who watches Charles on youtube, making the 5 board bench video, the pie safe series, and other classic Neil videos; Matthew felt as if he was talking to a celebrity. Then again, to Matthew, Mr. Neil is a celebrity. I’m sure he is to allot of us as well! Mr. Neil, spent about 45 minutes on that call. (I was just as excited as Matthew )

Next, we get a call from The Telegram this is our province wide paper. Click the link to read the story. Matthew made the FRONT page of the weekend paper. You could only imagine what this did for Matthew. He’s just a down to earth child. Fame is not getting in the way of his personality, well not yet anyhow.

They also did a short video on him right here
I see a comment there from Stumpy Nubs and one from Charles Neil as well.

Due to the article, I received a phone call from a resident a few towns over wishing to donate a scroll saw to Matthew. within an hr from the initial call, Matthew was making sawdust with his brand new Ryobi Scroll Saw. His first project? A replica of his rocking horse,

The build process was much faster with his new scroll saw. I aided him with the sanding of the profile, but i was totally surprised that he stayed away from the lines and manages to not cut into the pattern. Once he had it finished and assembled, I asked what he was going to do with 2 rocking horses, his reply, “I want to give this one to the people that bought me my scroll saw.” So after dinner on Saturday, we drive over and Matt hands them his appreation, he signed the seat with “To Mr. and Mrs. O’keefe, thanks so much for the scroll saw. This is my first project with it. Thank You.

He really enjoys the saw, as he can use it without parental assistance. Not recommendatory but you will gage what your kids can handle and Matthew is capable of handling the scroll saw. example picture below. Last night, I went in his room, and besides the 4×4x1/4 sheet of oak he cut up on me. he was making a Steve Good pattern cut out.

So there it is, Matthew is one happy camper, so much support from everyone and awaiting another article to appear in our local paper this week.

He is a mini celebrity here in our small town and gaining a following on facebook, youtube, g+, and twitter. He has more buddy requests on LJ than I do my self. lol.

Thank you so much everyone for the support. You could never fully understand how much this had helped Matthew in so many ways. His mother and I are very touched by all the comments you all leave.

Kindest Regards,

Michael Agate

Hi Everyone, My name is Matthew Agate. I’m 10 years old from Placentia Newfoundland Canada. I really love woodworking, My Dad showed me a Rocking Horse on a website belonging to Marc Spagnuolo—- The Wood Whisperer—- Marc is looking for all woodworkers to build the rocking horse and send him a picture of the finished product. When you send the money in, $1 is donated to WoodWorkers Fighting Cancer. I’m sure i’m past the deadline for the Charity but I wanted to build one anyhow and at least make people aware that as Woodworkers we do our part too. The plans that Marc shared were full size and make the rocking horse child size. Being 10 years old and having limited tools, also being to cold to go out in the work shop, I build this one in my kitchen. This was alot of fun and very rewarding to build. Thanks Marc for having this idea.

Watch Me Build It here