# Low-key routing



## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

Thanks @OutoftheWoodwork

I've been wanting to try my hand at carving something to celebrate my love of film noir and of course the first person that comes to mind is Robert Mitchum, which led to this latest bit of experimenting with freehand routing.

This time I took Barb's advice and transferred the pattern to the wood rather than cutting through a paper pattern. Of course, she's right, it is much easier to see what you're doing and have clean lines that don't get lost. 

This sign is out of a piece of 1 x 6 pine about 10" long. All that dark background is necessary for the noir image but I don't think I'd remove that much background again. The image and outline of the letters were cut with a profile bit and a 90º v groove bit was used to remove the bulk of the background. Total freehand time was about an hour. Life would be easier if I made larger signs however they have no real purpose other than the joy of making them, so small is okay.

As usual, if you haven't tried one yet, I urge you to grab some scrap, fire up the router, and knock out a sign of some kind. At best you'll have something worth keeping and at worst it was scrap anyway and you only lost a little time while gaining experience.

(Low-key: Lighting with predominance of shadowy areas.)


----------



## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Nice work Oliver.


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

how can one person hold so much talent...


----------



## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

Gaffboat said:


> I urge you to grab some scrap, fire up the router, and knock out a sign of some kind. At best you'll have something worth keeping and at worst it was scrap anyway and you only lost a little time while gaining experience.


The true secret of success! Practice, Practice, Practice!


----------



## gjackson52 (Jul 4, 2015)

I think he must have gotten my share, it does explain a lot of things


----------



## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Very nice Oliver.


----------



## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

Gotta give him his due!!!!!!

Looking good, Ollie.

HJ


----------



## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

I think Oliver should change his name to Wood-y Allen, in honor of his eccentric and original thinking. Wish they'd find a way to transfer talent from one brain to another.


----------



## The Hobbyist (Apr 25, 2015)

Damn, I wish I had freehand talent like that! VERY NICE WORK!


----------



## The Hobbyist (Apr 25, 2015)

Just a thought ... use wax paper in an ink jet printer (NOT a laser!) to print out a pattern. Now rub the wax (with the ink) onto your material and viola! You have a transfer of a pattern without the paper!


----------



## Shop guy (Nov 22, 2012)

Super cool. He was one of my favorite actors. Recently acquired Thunder Road. Not as good today as it was way back when but still pretty good.


----------



## OutoftheWoodwork (Oct 4, 2012)

The Hobbyist said:


> Just a thought ... use wax paper in an ink jet printer (NOT a laser!) to print out a pattern. Now rub the wax (with the ink) onto your material and viola! You have a transfer of a pattern without the paper!


I tried the wax paper bit... didn't work for me and it was too easy to smear. Wintergreen Oil (and found out peppermint oil works, too, but not quite as well as wintergreen) gets good clean lines, and I've gotten two patterns from one pic if I do it right. Second one not as dark as the first, but...


----------



## OutoftheWoodwork (Oct 4, 2012)

Awesome Awesome Awesome Oliver!!! See? Us women have a good idea or two once in awhile :lol:

My John Wayne is the same style of pattern; shadow. I've got probably 20 or more stars. Go look for a font called Famous Folk - it's awesome for routing portraits.


----------



## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

Does it ever stop ?

You go quiet for a couple of days and VIOLA...another work of art (pun intended)...

NICE !!!!!

...and now for a glass of Pinot Noir...?


----------



## marecat3 (Nov 30, 2010)

wonderful job as always.


----------



## ksidwy (Jul 13, 2013)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Stick
_how can one person hold so much talent..._

+1.
Sid.


----------



## Tagwatts (Apr 11, 2012)

Thanks for Waxie info. I am going to try this tonight. I think every time I open this sight I get good information. I have an issue, trying something with my lack of talent is very time consuming. I appreciate all of those who show, tell and explain how they did this or that.


----------



## old coasty (Aug 15, 2014)

The Hobbyist said:


> Just a thought ... use wax paper in an ink jet printer (NOT a laser!) to print out a pattern.


Joe, have you used wax paper in an inkjet? I wonder if any wax rubs off passing through the printer.


----------



## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

OutoftheWoodwork said:


> I tried the wax paper bit... didn't work for me and it was too easy to smear. Wintergreen Oil (and found out peppermint oil works, too, but not quite as well as wintergreen) gets good clean lines, and I've gotten two patterns from one pic if I do it right. Second one not as dark as the first, but...


Barb,Can you share the wintergreen oil/pepermint oil procedure? sounds interesting and I am looking for a way to do transfers. 

Your Mitchem picture is fantastic, Oliver, what did you use to do the transfer? 

Herb


----------



## OutoftheWoodwork (Oct 4, 2012)

Herb Stoops said:


> Barb,Can you share the wintergreen oil/pepermint oil procedure? sounds interesting and I am looking for a way to do transfers.
> 
> Your Mitchem picture is fantastic, Oliver, what did you use to do the transfer?
> 
> Herb


Herb, I'll be glad to post it.  Lemme see if I can find the one I did a while back. If not, I'll try and do a new one tonight when I transfer my patterns tonight.


----------



## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

Herb Stoops said:


> Barb,Can you share the wintergreen oil/pepermint oil procedure? sounds interesting and I am looking for a way to do transfers.
> 
> Your Mitchem picture is fantastic, Oliver, what did you use to do the transfer?
> 
> Herb


I haven't tried the wintergreen oil yet, Herb, so I use lacquer thinner. The same process, lay the printout face down on the wood and rub a paper towel wet with lacquer thinner across the back.


----------



## OutoftheWoodwork (Oct 4, 2012)

Gaffboat said:


> I haven't tried the wintergreen oil yet, Herb, so I use lacquer thinner. The same process, lay the printout face down on the wood and rub a paper towel wet with lacquer thinner across the back.


If lacquer thinner is cheaper I may use it, Oliver, rather than wintergreen oil. Did you use a laser printer?


----------



## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

OutoftheWoodwork said:


> If lacquer thinner is cheaper I may use it, Oliver, rather than wintergreen oil. Did you use a laser printer?


Yes, it's a Brother laser color laser printer although I'm not sure it uses quite the same toner as others printers.


----------



## Roy Drake (Feb 10, 2014)

First rate - both actor choice and your artistry.


----------



## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Gaffboat said:


> Yes, it's a Brother laser color laser printer although I'm not sure it uses quite the same toner as others printers.


Oliver,
Do you think that an inkjet would work? 

I see the background has a knobby look,I suppose from the V-bit, did you use a straight bit for the face? or a bullnose?
Herb


----------



## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

Herb Stoops said:


> Oliver,
> Do you think that an inkjet would work?
> 
> I see the background has a knobby look,I suppose from the V-bit, did you use a straight bit for the face? or a bullnose?
> Herb


I used a profile bit for the face, Herb. It has something like a 15º taper until almost the very end and then it is 60º v. The image shows you what it looks like.


----------



## OutoftheWoodwork (Oct 4, 2012)

Gaffboat said:


> I used a profile bit for the face, Herb. It has something like a 15º taper until almost the very end and then it is 60º v. The image shows you what it looks like.


May have to find one of those Oliver... I use a sign bit that three days ago (I think) cost me $60. But I love the fine point on it


----------



## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

OutoftheWoodwork said:


> I tried the wax paper bit... didn't work for me and it was too easy to smear. Wintergreen Oil (and found out peppermint oil works, too, but not quite as well as wintergreen) gets good clean lines, and I've gotten two patterns from one pic if I do it right. Second one not as dark as the first, but...


Nice saying hello to you at Mike's this morning. You're one of the bright spots here.


----------



## old coasty (Aug 15, 2014)

Gaffboat said:


> Thanks @OutoftheWoodwork
> 
> I've been wanting to try my hand at carving something


Stop right there. You ace everything you try, so as far as I can see, there is no end to the (easy for you, hard for us) projects. Thanks for your inputs, inspiration, and wisdom.


----------



## OutoftheWoodwork (Oct 4, 2012)

DesertRatTom said:


> Nice saying hello to you at Mike's this morning. You're one of the bright spots here.


Awww thanks Tom. How sweet of you to say so!! Sorry we didn't get to talk longer, was working on a planogram at work that wasn't willing to cooperate in any sense of the word lol


----------



## OutoftheWoodwork (Oct 4, 2012)

Gaffboat said:


> I haven't tried the wintergreen oil yet, Herb, so I use lacquer thinner. The same process, lay the printout face down on the wood and rub a paper towel wet with lacquer thinner across the back.


Talked to Ken about the thinner, and he said we could give it a try but he's leary of the smell, where as the wintergreen is actually theraputic lol


----------



## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

OutoftheWoodwork said:


> Talked to Ken about the thinner, and he said we could give it a try but he's leary of the smell, where as the wintergreen is actually theraputic lol


When I looked up wintergreen oil on-line, Barb, it seemed pretty expensive at about $6 for 2 ounces vs lacquer thinner which is more like $5 for 16 ounces. As appealing as the wintergreen oil sounds, at three dollars per ounce vs thirty-one cents per ounce for the lacquer thinner, I'll have to put up with the smell. Unless, of course, your testing shows a significant advantage to the wintergreen oil. Please keep us posted.


----------



## OutoftheWoodwork (Oct 4, 2012)

Gaffboat said:


> When I looked up wintergreen oil on-line, Barb, it seemed pretty expensive at about $6 for 2 ounces vs lacquer thinner which is more like $5 for 16 ounces. As appealing as the wintergreen oil sounds, at three dollars per ounce vs thirty-one cents per ounce for the lacquer thinner, I'll have to put up with the smell. Unless, of course, your testing shows a significant advantage to the wintergreen oil. Please keep us posted.


My bottle lasts quite a while, Oliver. You don't use that much, especially since I use a Qtip to apply it. As for the testing and advantages, I guess I need more elaboration on what you mean. I buy one bottle I'd say maybe every two months? Maybe even less. When you think of oz., one ounce is 1/8th of a cup of liquid. I may consider Amazon, if I can save some money on it, but will try a small container of the thinner next time I hit Lowe's, or whatever store I find that carries it. Working on a video or pic tutorial on how I use the oil and will post soon as I can.


----------



## chessnut2 (Sep 15, 2011)

I'm looking forward to it.


----------



## The Hobbyist (Apr 25, 2015)

old coasty said:


> Joe, have you used wax paper in an inkjet? I wonder if any wax rubs off passing through the printer.


Full Disclosure: NO. I have not tried it. I saw the process on YouTube videos and Pinterest.com pages. People used a wax paper to transfer ink from an ink jet printer, but I have not PERSONALLY tried this ... YET. :no:

I am not sure if it is "wax paper" or "Waxie" paper, which is a brand of paper that contains a slick surface.


----------

