The Pierced Heart Pattern

[Bigtyme]

Thanks, Steve. Your video made it easy to follow. I really enjoyed the design and the completion. Great work on your part!!! I look forward to my son and future daughter in law opening it up...

[t-townwilson]

Awesome video and project, Steve! I carved a prototype in mdf and other than the rough edges, it looks great. I'm planning to carve one in cherry or walnut, but worry about sanding. Any suggestions? I'm afraid hand sanding all those inside edges will too laborious. I'm not sure which quality of carving I chose on prototype, but perhaps a higher quality would yield better results. If not, would it be possible to use the outline tool and follow the initial carve with a 1/16" bit to refine it? I realize there is a taper on the edges from the carving bit. Would a simple outline yield perpendicular edges?

[SteveNelson46]

Awesome video and project, Steve! I carved a prototype in mdf and other than the rough edges, it looks great. I'm planning to carve one in cherry or walnut, but worry about sanding. Any suggestions? I'm afraid hand sanding all those inside edges will too laborious. I'm not sure which quality of carving I chose on prototype, but perhaps a higher quality would yield better results. If not, would it be possible to use the outline tool and follow the initial carve with a 1/16" bit to refine it? I realize there is a taper on the edges from the carving bit. Would a simple outline yield perpendicular edges?

Thank you for buying my pattern and I'm glad to see you did a test carve on MDF first. Although recommended, most will get a little anxious and skip it. If you use "Optimal" when you upload the project file sanding is kept to a minimum. It takes a little longer to carve but the quality is worth the wait. Also, be sure to set the bit optimization to best whenever possible. Even then, there will always be a little bit of hand sanding and a Dremel, Roto Zip or similar tool really is handy.

The cutout tool uses the 1/8" cutting bit and will not get into all of the small corners. Especially in the center of the heart.

[Bigtyme]

I carved mine in the "best" setting and it was still a 5 hour carve. I believe setting it to "optimal" makes it a 8 or 10 hour carve. I spent about an hour afterward with a palm sander, spindle sander, a number of different sanding wheels and a dremil.... Really wasn't a problem. Hate to wear out my CW on that long of a carve when I have a perfectly good sanding arm 😊

[t-townwilson]

Enjoyed making a couple of carves using this pattern. However, sanding the inside curves and limited access to some areas made for some difficulty. I realize every portion doesn't have to be super smooth, but I prefer that every surface be silky. Just my idiotsyncrazy!

Thanks, Steve, for your contribution!

[Bigtyme]

Nicely done, t-town. It looks great. I agree there is a fair amount of sanding but the results are worth it... Especially when you see the newlywed reaction...

[henry1]

that is nice don a good job and what kind of wood did you use

[zan29]

Looks like cherry maybe! It's beautiful!

[SteveNelson46]

It really came out nice. Good job on the sanding too.

[t-townwilson]

I made 2. Machine placed keyholes in wrong place on first. The pictured one is walnut, but I also did one in cherry. Thinking I might offer some for sale, hence I now have a sample😃