Cigar Label Puzzle

[MikeDingas]

This puzzle is of a 4"x7" cigar label image. I tried to use the color/line cutting style but didn't quite pull it off. I guess that's what practice is all about. It has some really odd shaped pieces but it does hold together. I can pick it up by the corners and wave it. Cut with 3/0 blade on 1/4" BB resulted in 56 pieces.

Here are some problems I had that I hope I can get some feedback on. First, here was my process. Printed on inkjet with HP high gloss photo paper. Cut/sanded wood. Affixed pic to wood with Eileens Tacky glue. Let set for 4 hours. Sprayed two coats clear lacquer and let dry.

Here are the problems:

1. As I cut, the photo paper separated in several spots. Not from the wood but the paper 'ply' came apart. I repaired these with a small dab of white glue. What kind of photo paper is best? If I ever get to do more of these I may elect to have an image reproduced (maybe Kinko's). Should I be concerned about the paper they use?
2. Some cut pieces had a noticable ridge at the edges that detracted from the finished puzzle. Most of these I smoothed out carefully with my fingernail but sometimes the image scraped away too. I used new blades. How can I eliminate this problem?
3. As mentioned above, I ended up with some really odd shaped pieces. Some have more than 4 knobs, some only 3. Is this acceptable for color/line cutting?

[Daryl185]

don't know much about puzzels Mike but I love what youv'e done on this, the colors are very striking

[Carter-Johnson]

Mike...What a fun picture...and a fun puzzle.....

I have never had photo paper separate on me while cutting. I wonder whether the spray you used contributed to that tendency. I don't spray glossy photos that I've mounted for puzzles. 2 coats of lacquer seems to me like a lot, but I don't know muich about finishes.

Your second problem, when coupled with the first, made me wonder whether the blade was upside down, but I doubt if that would be the case with you. I use FD Superior Puzzle blades or other narrow-kerf 2/0 blades and have not had that problem. One of my finishing touches is to flap a damp sponge over the top of the completed puzzle. It seems to take any of that residue away. Your lacquer may have contributed to this problem as well.

And last, there is no such thing as a odd-shaped piece, especially when color line cutting. I purposely will sometimes reduce the number of locking tabs to as few as two, and occasionally will be forced to cut a piece that has five. Also, sometimes the images cut along color lines will form their own locking tabs (like your ladies' shoes).

Have phun.......Carter

[MacS]

Mike,

Please, check to see if you are using "Acrylic Lacquer" that is the "crystal clear coating" that is used on professional photographs. Acrylics, do not yellow with age, as nitrocellulose lacquers will.

Mike, you said, you applied two coats, be sure your passes are not soaking into the paper because the coats you are applying are too heavy. Allow each coat to throughly dry, before you apply the second coat.

Something, to think about.

Mac

[Dragon]

I love the picture and the cutting is nice.
Diane

[PuzzledMoose]

Looks great, Mike. That's an interesting puzzle you have there.

[Tor]

Beautiful cutting there. I like it when cut puzzles have unusual edges. Straight lines are too boring, IMHO. On the ridge, one thing that comes to mind when combined with the lifting is this: Does the blade move forward as it rises? Before I got my Diamond, I probably wouldn't have thought of this, but the Diamond is able to cut thick material by using a stroke like water driven mills (wood, not grain, of course). These mills would angle the blade so that the top was more forward than the bottom, causing the blade to move forward as it was pulled down, and opened a space to move the log into when the blade rose. What I'm wondering is if the blade has the reverse motion if the teeth dragging on the paper the wrong way might cause it to lift? Check by putting a straight-edge across the table perpendicular to the direction of cut and moving through the stroke by hand turning the saw.

Looks good in the picture anyway.

Tor

[GrayBeard Phil]

Mike:

I do not claim any expertise in this, but a few comments if I may:

...Printed on InkJet with HP high gloss photo paper...

The high gloss comes from a coating on the paper, most times a wax like substance that gives the gloss. Try to search out high cotton fiber paper (a heavy weight paper), and if you can afford it, try acid free paper. "Resume" is a good choice to use as a test for Laser Jet printing and adhesion to plywood. You will loose some of the sharp brilliant color that the HP paper gives.

From a hint I got from reading Carter's posts, I also tried heavy Calendar Art pages as a test of adhesion on plywood when compared to InkJet Photo Paper. What a major difference between InkJet photo paper and the calendar art paper with adhesion!! Really big difference when it comes to 'lift off.'

...Affixed pic to wood with Eileens Tacky glue. Let set for 4 hours....

My problem with Tacky glue is, has, and will be, a solid, uniform, and consistent equal thickness of adhesion product between the wood and the graphic. I apply it uniformly too thin (glue starved), or thick enough but not uniformly thick across the entire graphic (lumpy and bumps.) I find I cannot apply Tacky glue like I would 'white glue' to a wood to wood joint; Takes a thicker layer of Tacky glue. This maybe due because with wood-to-wood glue up joints I use pressure from clamps.

I hope, Mike, you were able to resolve the "how much tacky glue to apply?" and "how do I make it uniformly thick?" questions.

...Cut/sanded wood...

Just asking.... Did you sand the wood on the graphic side? What grit? I found sanding the graphic side any higher than 120 grit and I got more 'lift off.' Just wanted to ask your experience on the subject. I am thinking maybe 90 grit should be the maximum for Tacky glue.

...Sprayed two coats clear lacquer and let dry....

Also, Mike, last time I used Clear coat like you did, I didn't use Carter's damp sponge trick, I just brushed off the saw dust. The brushing off the saw dust left light scratches on the finish. This light scratches caused the gloss shine to turn to a dull satin finish on top of the graphic. Did you have any problem with the finish glossy shine fading from scratches from the saw dust?

By the Way, good choice for a graphic. IMHO, a lot of a puzzle, a surprising amount of the puzzle effort, is in the graphic selection. You made a good choice.

Phil

[MacS]

Phil,

In regard to your comment

"Also, Mike, last time I used Clear coat like you did, I didn't use Carter's damp sponge trick, I just brushed off the saw dust. The brushing off the saw dust left light scratches on the finish. This light scratches caused the gloss shine to turn to a dull satin finish on top of the graphic. Did you have any problem with the finish glossy shine fading from scratches from the saw dust?"

Lacquers, both the Nitrocellulose and Acrylics are "evaporative coatings."

Simply stated, that means that each coat you apply melts into the previous coat and becomes one layer, regardless of how many coats you apply.

If there was a clear coating down, and if it was wiped off with a damp cloth or sponge, the fine scratches would have flowed out with the lacquer, and then no scratches would have shown up. Lacquers dissolve in Lacquers.

The scratches would have had to have been very deep, and probably would have been obivious if you look at them. If after you sprayed it, and the sheen became satin and the lacquer was gloss, that would have to mean that the scratches had to be faily deep to dull the sheen..

I agree with Carter, before any coating is applied, a good wipe down with water, or blow off the piece. Be very careful that your final sanding is always done with one of the finer sandpapers, so there is no scratch pattern showing in the woods.

Doing a sanding "test" can improve your finishing, as, all woods are not the same, a simple test will tell you which sandpaper to use last.

[GrayBeard Phil]

Mac:

You missed the point completely.

In puzzle work, you apply the finish over the graphic before cutting. The cutting process brings chips and cutting waste to the surface and lies on top of the finish. This is where the top coat gets scratched.

With a very thin blade, if you finish coat after cutting, the pieces won't fit together as the finish get in between the puzzle pieces.

I don't know where or how you thought I was brushing a wet coat of finish. Your conclusion of technique used here are wrong.

Phil

Phil