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36K views 94 replies 29 participants last post by  lilredweldingrod 
#1 ·
The Challenge of the Snakes

After posting the 'Pattern of Four' aka 'Snakes' box it occurred to me that it must be able to be done in solid wood, not just veneer. Another challenge methinks. Heres the pattern

I think this can be reduced to its simplest components. Two types of square; one made up of four triangles and the other a simple square with sides half the length of the first. Each individual snake pattern is made up of four triangles and one square.
Trust me I've seen the patterns in the CAD (you sound like a chuffing mystic, more like). So I set about cutting up as much American Black Walnut and Maple as I have spare. The large ones are 20mm square and the small ones are not finished size yet but approx. 15mm square.

The next thing to do was cut up the large ones into triangles. I made a jig, so


This produced all of these

Which are re-arranged into these patterns

Now we see why the small squares are not finish size yet. Their side lengths will be 1/2 of these 'four triangle patterns' once they are glued and cleaned up. The gluing went thus


Using masking tape and TightBond III.
Now I'm waiting for these to dry

(Spot the deliberate mistake.) When thats done I'll finish sand them square and size the small ones from their dimensions.
 
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#10 ·
You be a busy man. "Geometric Man"

Sweet triangle zero clearance guide holder thingy. I have to tuck that away.

Now that DeGoose thinks he has a different way of doing it, I just know my little brain will be busy tonight trying to figure out another way too. I hate my brain.

Steve
 
#12 ·
up to your ears ,
in smart things to do again , huh (LOL) ?

how can we ever keep up with you ,
you land something new ,
before we even find the wood to do the early ones !
 
#16 ·
Jim, I pushed it all the way along the jig. Initially with the next piece and when there were no further pieces to cut I used a push stick. All the way through a second push stick was used to keep the current piece, being cut, seated down on the jig and thus avoid it climbing the back end of the blade.. Its also ESSENTIAL to check the squareness of the blade to the table and jig before starting.
 
#21 ·
Puzzling

Hello again. The glue-up went well. So did the cleanup and sizing of the smaller squares. So I decided to try a dry run of a patch of the snakes pattern. Sawed up 1/6th of my stock netting 15 large squares and 14 small (7 x walnut, 7 x maple). Played around a bit and this is the result.

Some of the maple wasn't the lightest in the world and I hope the contrast holds when its finished.
Patterns in the layout have emerged which should make things easier come glue-up time, such as every large square having dark or light triangles going in the same direction and the small squares alternating light and dark. Looks like it will be a rectangular glue-up with a minimal loss of pattern at the edges. Fingers crossed. Its a holiday here today so I'm off to do some more. See ya.
 
#22 ·
hi martyn ,
another interesting ,
'play on woods' .
in my carrier as a woodworker ,
when i did these things ,
the other carpenters ,
told me to quit 'playing around' ,
and get back to serious woodworking !

glad to see we are not alone ,
maybe we have finally found and asylum ,
we can all enjoy ?
i like ,
but then again ,
i like my thorazine too !
 
#41 ·
Preparation or Going for the Big One.

Right I've re-arranged the dark and light maple to different areas of the board, matched grain patterns as much as I can and am now preparing for the glue up.

This above pic shows how I am planning to tackle partial glue-up if the glue setting time starts to become an issue.
The eight softwood sticks allow for straight rectangular clamping at glue-up.

This shows, at the top, the pattern ready for moving to the glue-up frame, bottom. The seperate right hand section of the pattern is the minimum I will glue-up and clamp using the above technique. If glue setting time is not an issue I'll glue an extra two diagonal rows at the same time. If it is an issue I'll just clamp this.

The frame is oiled to avoid glue sticking to it as are the sticks. Now I realise that oil contaminating the glue-line could cause problems. I am waiting till the oil on these sticks has thoroughly dried. In addition as a last minute fix I can always use waxed paper if I believe this is an issue.
So I'm gluing-up in sections of as much at a time as possible. This may cause issues but I've learned in life to experiment.
 
#42 ·
It's always fun to see your posts. The different things that you attempt, and successfully complete, keep your posts exciting.

What king of oil are you using on the sticks? Have you ever tried using wax to keep the glue from sticking without seeping into a glue line?
 
#57 ·
The Union of the Snake

Well part of it anyway. A new set of eight clamping sticks, waxed this time and polished. Major squeeky bum (ass) time. Glue in a dish. Brush at the ready. Quick slurp of tea and there off…...........
Pick up the piece, slap on the glue, position it in the frame. Repeat until you're sure you've done something wrong. Put it right. Continue…...... After 20 minutes-->

The glue was probably OK for another two rows but I bottled it (chickened out). Wasn't used to the clamping system and I noticed that the packing stick end was rising off the board. Thats why the two hastily put together screw downs towards the bottom of the picture (between the clamp heads).
All is now serene. Whilst clamping time for Titebond III is only 1/2 hour it states on the pack that you're not to stress the joints for another 24 hours. Any experience out there as to whether I can chance it and glue up another two rows before bedtime (five hours away)?
 
#74 ·
The final scene or Cleopatra's Asp

I took the board out of the clamp, today. Relatively easily as it happened. Sanded both sides up and gave it a coat of oil. Well I say a coat but end grain drinks harder than some of the girls I dated in my teen years. Anyway by no means finished here's a peek



I prefer sharp square edges and for me the ends of this are just not tidy enough and I just think that if I rounded the edges it would look far too busy. I may frame it, in some mid-tone wood, like Oak. Ebony would be good, anyone know if this is poisonous?



I do like the snakes though. One of my better patterns

I learned some things on this one. Always be sure what the grain direction is, Titebond III is like toffee (taffy) when its sets (I dont like it or the glue line it betrays), partial glue-ups work if you're careful, never underestimate ingenuity in the face of adversity and never plug your sander in with the lead taught (you'll nudge the lead, unseat the plug and think you've broken it).

Thats it for this blog then. I'll post the board as a project if it ends up half decent and anyway I have more ideas bubbling up. I need to improve the dust extraction for the sander, there's a nice impossible pattern I might try, something else with dice and something arty. Where will I find the time?

Be seeing you.
 
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