Puzzle

[wasacop75]

Has anyone tried to make puzzles with the machine?
I have a request to try and make one of the state of arkansas
with the counties outlined.

has it been done??

thanks.

[HighTechOkie]

I have yet to see anyone post a completed puzzle. There has been discussion of puzzle projects, but I think most loose interest once they realize how difficult it will be. You will need a separate outline for each county. That is not too big a challenge, just a little tedious. The real challenge is every outside corner needs a 1/16" radius(if using the 1/8" cutting bit) to fit perfectly to an adjoining county with an inside corner. The other option is to hand sand/file each inside corner to mate with the outside corner of the adjoining county. A final option would be to use the 1/16" cutting bit to trace the state map of the counties, but this will result in the pieces having a 1/16" space between counties (not very pretty in my opinion).

If you do decide to tackle it, please post some photos when completed.

Rob

[Digitalwoodshop]

I have some pre cut cardboard puzzles that I can Sublimate Print a picture on it.

I have seen on the Laser engraver Forum, taking a picture mounted to hardboard then laser cut to the standard puzzle shape. The Laser Cut file is a puzzle cut out.

If I did the project with the CW....

I would make a pattern of the state with the counties showing.

I would place it on a 14 inch wide board.

I would use the Line and connect tools to trace the outline.

After tracing the outline, I would copy and paste it to a new board.

Back at the ptn I would erase the outline.

I would then hand trace a county using the line and connect.

I would then copy and paste it into the other board.

Do this over and over making a line drawing of all the counties.

On the main board with all the moved cut outs, I would select ALL and resize them as a group down to make the state outline match the desired project.

I would then assign the correct bit and cut each piece. Hand finishing would be important.

You could even V 60 the County Name on it too...

Here is pictures of the Heart and Rectangle. Never actually sold any.... Not a big seller...
The artwork was not that great, just a concept sample.

AL

[bdehoyos]

The problem with puzzles is the 1/8 or 1/16 of the cutting bit, if you create the puzzle on a single project the cut bit will cutout part of the adjacent piece so the end result could not be a tight fit, you will need to do piece by piece so that none shared a border.

[bjbethke]

Has anyone tried to make puzzles with the machine?
I have a request to try and make one of the state of arkansas
with the counties outlined.

has it been done??

thanks.
You could make a carving with the CW and then cut the counties out with a scroll saw.
I have a pattern of our state.

[DocWheeler]

The problem with puzzles is the 1/8 or 1/16 of the cutting bit, if you create the puzzle on a single project the cut bit will cutout part of the adjacent piece so the end result could not be a tight fit, you will need to do piece by piece so that none shared a border.

This was on my way home today, A couple of coats of thick paint would close the gaps pretty well if the 1/16" bit was used! Just a thought.

[Dan-Woodman]

I vote for BJB's idea
Using a scrollsaw is the best way to make a nice puzzle.
later Daniel

[wasacop75]

Thanks everyone. i will have to try this weekend after i get a bedroom floor done. have a niece moving in for the summer and i tore up the carpet.
this house would be great if the loml would quit changing her mind.

[want2b]

Let us know how he puzzle turns out as I'm interested in making one, have a feeling you're more likely to have success there than you are with the mind changing part. Been there, am living it.
Rick H

[SteveEJ]

What about thin stock and using a tapered bit, even the carve bit to cut it out. Just thinking out loud..

Steve

[Dan-Woodman]

Even the 1/16" cutting bit would give your puzzle piece 1/8" play, 1/16" cut around a complete puzzle piece.
later Daniel

[autobodyman]

Has anyone tried to make puzzles with the machine?
I have a request to try and make one of the state of arkansas
with the counties outlined.

has it been done??

thanks.
I suppose it would be kind of pointless unless you wanted to make more than one, but unless it's a topo map I assume it would be flat. You could lay out your pattern, cut it on a scrollsaw then double stick tape those pieces to a scan sled spaced far enough appart to compensate for bit width and scan them. Then you'd have a pattern for making more with the machine.

Again this assumes you need quite a few or it would hardly be worth the effort.

~Mike

[Router-Jim]

While the probe does an excellent job of scanning the surface, it is very difficult to get an exact match of the outline. I would never want to try it with all those different counties. :(