Hi guys I have just had the most frustrating week of my life,after enquiring at the local art gallery about an open art exerbition if my art would be excepted. I was told to present them with my work and it would be welcome to be revuied for exerbition like everyone else, after finishing two pieces one a sculptured segmentation of a bull dog wich I am very pleased with. I also did a portrait of an airedale Terrier wich came out great but after three atemps to do other dog portraits I have given up.My problem is I am having trouble getting Baltic Birch and it always seems to be the last piece I am cutting that breaks of. Doe's anyone know of anywere in the UK were I might be able to buy some.Mal
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Judging by the number of replies since you made this post, Mal, I suspect you're not alone in having difficulty sourcing BBP :lol: ! I gave up looking a long time ago. Hobbies of Dereham used to stock it but it was expensive and i couldn't find any when I checked their website just now. They have birch faced plywood, but that's not the same thing and might have voids which you don't get with proper BBP.
If you're having problems with fragile pieces breaking off, it would probably be a good idea to study your pattern and try to anticipate where the most delicates parts will be. Cut them first, while there is still plenty of surrounding material to support them. It might even be worthwhile mounting your project on a thin piece of sacrificial wood or thick card (breakfast cereal boxes are good for this
) which will support delicate details. Installing a zero-clearance blade insert would give your work more support too and make breakages less likely.
Gill
PS I'm glad you're happy with the Air Ace .
If you're having problems with fragile pieces breaking off, it would probably be a good idea to study your pattern and try to anticipate where the most delicates parts will be. Cut them first, while there is still plenty of surrounding material to support them. It might even be worthwhile mounting your project on a thin piece of sacrificial wood or thick card (breakfast cereal boxes are good for this
) which will support delicate details. Installing a zero-clearance blade insert would give your work more support too and make breakages less likely.Gill
PS I'm glad you're happy with the Air Ace
.StevieB
Established Member
Depends how much you want and in what thickness, but most timber yards stock it or can get it. My local yard stocks it, and Jewsons and the Build Centre can get hold of it - its just the price that puts most people off going this route. Specialists such as James Lathams or SL Hardwoods will also supply and post, but again postage for an 8x4 sheet is extortionate. Best bet is for you to go to a local timber yard and enquire.
Steve.
Steve.
Thanks folks I have just sent an inquiry of to the one in Leister, my son lives in that neck of the woods. Gill you surggested using a sacrifitial piece well thats some thing I didn't do I used four. every piece was damaged.Do you make your own insert and what is it made of ,I have been using ply???? Mal
If you are only after smaller pieces, then some knife suppliers who do knife making kit, sell various baltic species in varying sizes for use in walking sticks and knife handles.
If its ply wood you are after, then specialist timber merchants, I would guess. Our local one, has a mass of varying types and to be perfectly honest my knowledge of the properties is not great, so I tell them what I want it for (DIY or model building) and they guide me.
If its ply wood you are after, then specialist timber merchants, I would guess. Our local one, has a mass of varying types and to be perfectly honest my knowledge of the properties is not great, so I tell them what I want it for (DIY or model building) and they guide me.
All four stacked pieces break, Mal?
:shock:
It makes me wonder what patterns you're working from. Some of the free patterns that are available on the internet are not test cut by their designers before they are made available. As a result, some of the bridges can be too fragile to be practical. Are you working from these sorts of patterns?
Changing to the subject of zero-clearance supports, my saw table has a small removable insert which the blade passes through:
I simply copied the outline of the insert that was supplied with my saw onto a piece of hardwood, then fed it into the blade while the machine was switched on. When the insert dropped into the table, I knew there was zero-clearance.
If you don't want to go to that sort of trouble, a 'quick & dirty' method is to present a business card to your blade and saw half-way through it, then tape it into position on the table.
Gill
:shock:
It makes me wonder what patterns you're working from. Some of the free patterns that are available on the internet are not test cut by their designers before they are made available. As a result, some of the bridges can be too fragile to be practical. Are you working from these sorts of patterns?
Changing to the subject of zero-clearance supports, my saw table has a small removable insert which the blade passes through:
I simply copied the outline of the insert that was supplied with my saw onto a piece of hardwood, then fed it into the blade while the machine was switched on. When the insert dropped into the table, I knew there was zero-clearance.
If you don't want to go to that sort of trouble, a 'quick & dirty' method is to present a business card to your blade and saw half-way through it, then tape it into position on the table.
Gill
Yes all four broke but I have done this pattern before with no problems, I think when you talk about no tolerance the hole in the centre of the insert may have become to big. I have always drilled a hole in the center of it first, stupid me never thought of letting the saw find the centre. Stupid me lol. Mal
