[Closed] Any woodworking experts got any tips for Elf?

I thought you knew everything???

Birch ply is the best and consequently the most expensive. With cheaper plywoods you tend to get more internal voids between the laminations.
Birch ply has a beautiful edge to it when polished.

As with anywoodworking, you want to do it in a ventilated area with a decent dustmask, do not skimp on this. You want one with a 'P2' rating.

You can finish it how you like really but avoid heavy build varnishes particularly if the item is small and intricate. Sand bacl between coats. I am much more into more natural looking matt finishes. Danish oil is a lovely and durable finish. Apply it, and then apply a small amount of wax and buff to a good shine.

With plywood, I'd be careful with wax. Any holes in the ply edges will fill with wax and look duff...

[img] [/img]
Are you turning the ply on a lathe or purely hand-shaping?

Normal Far Eastern (exterior ply) has a very pithy grain structure and doesn't sand well across the grain. Birch Ply is perfect for the job and smells great when you machine it. Often used for shop fitting where a light coloured timber is required and looks fine with no fore-edges on it (very time consuming doing these!) Normally sold by sheet material wholesalers only, but some independent timber yards may have the odd sheet or two. Expect to pay 65 quid for an 8 by 4 though!!

I thought you knew everything???

No I don't that's why I'm asking for advice, innit? Gah... 🙄

Kayak; some great advice there, thanks. I've only just started using ply, but hope to progress to more complex and ambitious projects. Probbly going to be looking at professional manufacture of component parts then hand assembly and finishing.

Oh, and any tips for glues to stick sheets together? I'm using dowel 'pins' to lock layers in place, but standard wood glue ok?

Purely hand shaping. Any tips on a small lectric hand sander? Would be useful to have something that fits in the hand. Just for when I need to sand back quite a bit, saves time. Fine finishing done with just a bit of paper and small piece of wood block. Any tips on good sandpapers? Or just owt easily available?

Like the oil/wax idea. I'll look into that. Blimus; some of the varnishes and oils etc aren't half spensive eh? 😮

Expect to pay 65 quid for an 8 by 4 though!!

I am becoming aware that materials in relatively small quantities are quite expensive! However, from a sheet that size, I could produce a fair number of items and the accumulated finished item unit cost would mean the original materials cost is a relatively small fraction. Quality of materials used is paramount however.

Anyone got any examples of their own work? Different stages of the process?

Any tips on a small lectric hand sander?

You can spend a lot, but to be fair, I got a £25 palm-sander from B&Q and its great and if it breaks, back it goes.

Any tips on good sandpapers?

[img] [/img]

As with anywoodworking, you want to do it in a ventilated area with a decent dustmask, do not skimp on this. You want one with a 'P2' rating.

Plus one for this. Carcinogenic innit.

I know nuffink about woodwork, but a bloke down the pub makes these, which are rather nice.
[img] [/img]
Wasted on a chickens though.

I've got one of these;

[img] [/img]

[url= http://www.axminster.co.uk/bosch-bosch-pmf-180e-all-rounder--240v-prod656314/ ]http://www.axminster.co.uk/bosch-bosch-pmf-180e-all-rounder--240v-prod656314/[/url]

let's you do cutting and sanding, not a bad bit of kit - been great on some windows I had to cut bits out the frame on.

mogrim - Member
I thought you knew everything???

Nothing useful though 😆

Serious tho'
you'll need to glue the layers carefully, and use some sort of clamp to bind it all down - what can happen when you come to stain/oil is that as you're staining the cut faces rather than the finished surfaces you may cause swelling of the layers and worst case, delaminating or warping.

Personally I'd follow up sanding with a good buffing using a floppy mop, then finish with beeswax as that tends to 'sit on' rather than 'soak in'

Not good with wood myself but the late FIL used to make guitars, lutes and wooden da Vinci clocks, all the movement was made of wood as well, cogs n everything,
I'll post a pic when I get home later

[img] [/img]

If you are looking at small production runs chat up a friendly signmaking business and get them Cnc route stuff for you in quite periods. That way you get reliable repeats of your blanks before you hand finish them. Get full sheets of ply delivered direct to them and that way you're not lumbered with full sheets, or the dust and offcuts. Or...... Learn how to work with routers and templates and get a template Cnc'd and route blanks from that - serious quantities of dust this way though. As above birch ply is where it's at, there are varying grades though, make it clear that you want boards without voids because some grades can still be quite gappy.

If you buy a sander look at the shape of the dust extraction port, most come with a filter that is useless, what you want to do is plug a Hoover into it, so a round port will allow you to bodge a connection. I use cheap royobi random orbit sanders for the shape of their dust port alone- and they do the job just fine

If you want a electric sander for nothing, I have a spare (or 2 - a builder left them behind).
This sort of thing
[img] [/img]

Birch ply is the best. I make loads of stuff out of it. Sometimes with the wood on show, sometimes just as internal structure.

Here's a bit being shaped, but not by hand
[img] [/img]

Here's a interactive pulley exhibit with a birch ply table: [img] [/img]
[url= http://www.interactive-exhibits.org/?p=408 ]interactive exhibits - pulley table[/url]. This is finished with sanding sealer.

Find someone who CNCs it and they will have loads of offcuts for messing around with. Might be useful if you do decide to go into production, too. I know a few round here but none in that London.

If you want to stick up a few layers then wood glue is fine but you need to clamp it up tight or vac bag it. A bit of weight is not enough.

Also, although birch is typically stocked by more specialist outlets, sometimes b&q have it on the shelf, and at a pretty sensible price. It's heavy stuff, much weightier standard hardwood ply. They only sell it in full 8x4 sheets but you can get it cut into transportable sizes for free.

These are the clocks
[IMG] [/IMG]
[IMG] [/IMG]
[IMG] [/IMG]
[IMG] [/IMG]
They work and keep good time as well

^^^wow!

elfin.... have a look at Glulam timber beams.

i had a few lumps of it at home after someone got their measurements wrong and i had to lop a bit off two massive (6m) glulam joist bearers.

looks like a massive, 18x8", lump of laminate.. well, that is exactly what it is.

some do vary in layer thickness. heavy stuff, too.

OK worked on the proto type bags Angelina Jolie used in Tomb Raider
with Victori bags, these was two bags one had the gadgets that fell
out the bottom and another held other gadgets But in the film it looked
like one bag.

For me to advise you need to let me know what your trying to achieve
IE is it to be turned etc
I don't want you loosing a finger or two!

Regarding Dust be very carful you'll find the most toxic dust in cheap
ply wood so a EN 149 rated mask is only to be used.
I have plenty of those you can have for Free !

In saying the above what your trying to active you'll need a 4 or 5 axis CNC router
off the top of my head I thinks there is a place near Dalston

i can put you in contact with contracted spray finishing company in Tottenham

Ooh forgot all about this thread, and I started it! What a tit. 😳

Khani; I actually need that clock. Give to me it please.

Amazing...

Some great tips and advice here, thanks loads. Really helpful. 🙂

Dezinald; once again that's extremely kind of you; actually they could be replacments for some of the gear what got stolen from the community garden. Some scumbaygs nicked our generator and some power tools. 🙁 Any thing like that would be most gratefully received.

I spoke to someone last night who might be able to put me in touch with a few contacts for manufacturing. Should be able to find someone here in That London though. Hopefully this recession will mean they're not too spensive....

Only stuff what will be done here at home will be prototypes and some finishing. So small scale stuff, not too much dust and that. Appreciate the info re masks, can get loads off a mate who works in a science lab. I won't be working with the stuff all the time, so less exposure and risk.

With ply, someone mentioned different grades. What's the best stuff? And any tips on how to look for decent stuff/defects etc?

Grantway; any more info on the CNC place in Dalston?

He made four, two here and two ooop norf, if I gave one away I truly believe the mrs would stab my face up...
An I'm ugly enough...soz. 🙁

il have to do some checking tomorrow fella
was a Two year back of knowing of it.
Pretty good prices too.

Regarding tooling you best use Diamond Tipped cutters as the resin in the glue will kill
the TCT type cutter.
Best place to buy them is North London Saws there near Waltham Abbey they will make any shape
you require left or right handed.

I use
William T Eden in Rochester for all my panel products including Birch Ply which I use for drawers
fit and forget material.
There is Blumson in Ripple Road Barking but sell little panel products.
Also you have James Latham near Purfleet But i don't use them they let me down

Nice one Grantway.

Some lovely stuff made out of plywood.

Look, beautiful:

[img] [/img]

You'd have trouble with this one though I reckon, Khani...

[img] [/img]

...it's slatted. 😐

Some lovely stuff made out of plywood.

Look, beautiful:

[img] [/img]

😆

Elfin you might have to spell out what your doing a bit more I'm sure it can't be that top secret.

Anyway http://cutlasercut.com/ may be able to cut you out pieces to minimise the sanding. Alternatively the RCA certainly have the tools you may be able to pay to use them, the same goes for Ravensbourn and Bucks out in High Wycombe.

Ask local exhibition design companies they might have a CNC or will know someone who will. If the item is more of a cylinder then a CNC lathe or a man in his shed will help. You can make a sort of lathe with a power drill in a vice, I have used this for model making. Actually even Ercol in Princess Risborough do private work.

As above BIRCH PLY is the the good stuff, ply can be veneered with cherry, walnut etc at cost. Not much use to you I think.

I'd be using wax or sanding sealer as it's easy and not to messy.

Anyway got to go play footy will try add more later.

The strength limitations of glue-lamming small pieces together is perfectly illustrated in the new bulding at the Botanical gardens in Edinburgh: the spiral staircase up to the upper level was meant to be strong enough with just the glue-lamm spiral balustrade and handrail...it now hangs off a couple of threaded bars slung over the roof beams!
A bit like James May trying to make beams from Lego really..

I'm no expert but these lot are... http://www.john-boddy-timber.ltd.uk/

You could always fone em, or, come aall the way up her to see them, about .755 of a mile from me. (bring a coat though, might be a bit chilly for a suvvener) 😉

[img] [/img]

This one is very easy to make focus on the sections not the whole thing.

There is a small furniture company on the other side of Brick Lane that makes this type of stuff
more flat like but ply wood furniture.

Effin this is the furniture company

[url= http://www.untothislast.co.uk/ ]Until Thist Last[/url]

Why you laugh Ernie? You do not know beautiful things . 🙁

I'm sure it can't be that top secret.

It is actually [i]top secret[/i].

All shall be revealed in the Fullness of Time....

it's slatted

Elffin try these near `opposite brick Lane

[url= http://www.untothislast.co.uk/ ]Unto This Last[/url]

Why you laugh Ernie?

'cause it looks shite 😀

No, YOU look....

Best not say it really. Don't want to descend to your level. 😐

Why can't you just be nice and helpful like everyone else on this thread? Why you have to be so nasty? 🙁

Grantway; I thought that was who you were on about. Simple, stylish gear but overpriced imo. Might go and ask them about getting small parts done actually.

Na these was on Kingsland Road

Think those guys only have a three axis cnc machine you can tell by there designs.
fourth axis costs an arm and a leg or two

I'm far from an expert - but ime - when you try and sand down b&q type ply (external £27 a sheet) it turns to woolly fluffy nappy stuffing.

I guess all the above was done with quality stuff - probably not from b&q!

My Dad(who is a potter) was telling me about someone he met at a show recently who was making something with that process (cant remember what). He went to China and found some factory who does it for him for pence and is now coining it. My Dad being a start to finish craftsman (of some fame within ceramic circles) was not impressed.

i imagine someone in that london must have something made of ply by tony cragg. i would travel some distance to see that again

Great thread, given me loads of ideas of things to make. I've got into woodworking recently, I think could recite the Axminster catalogue off by heart.

I like the finish on the pulley table nickjb, is that using finishes like these (last 3 items) [url= http://www.toolsandtimber.co.uk/Results.cfm?category=27&secondary=205&third=168 ]Chestnut Finishes[/url].

Interesting thread this.......

I have always liked the idea of working with wood & am going to an open day at a local college next week to see what evening classes they do.
I know they do one on carpentry, but I don't know if that is going to be more to do with joinery stuff like how to hang a door etc. rather than tinkering with wood in an artistic sense.

I'll see what they have to offer anyway. If there is nothing suitable, then I'll see what they have in terms of photography instead.

[url= http://www.rpsgroup.com/getdoc/a17008bb-df18-4d16-b0c6-36caf37496b6/What-is-Face-Fit-Testing.aspx ]any dust mask must fit properly. beware just buying any old mask. there is a test method[/url]

I've got some of these dust maks with the valve, if the valve operates I assume it's a tight fit, although probably not fully air tight!

[img] [/img]

[url= http://www.tools4trade.com/d-8014042-2pc-foldable-carbon-valved-dust-mask4-layer-a3630.aspx ]Dust maks[/url]

I also have a Sealy vacuum cleaner that I connect to my table saw and router, impressive to see how much it collects, it's got a cleanable filter as well.

i use stacks of birch faced ply at work (d&t teacher at a local school) and it's lovely to use. get some sort of extraction unit. at home when i'm turning wood i use a good quality face mask and prop a hoover tube over where the waste comes from. works quite well.
we use sanding sealer at work, thinned down to a watery consistency, glass paper smooth. then a THIN layer of sealer. glass paper again, then repeat. the thin layers allow it to dry well and save sanding stuff off too much.
looking at the benches pictured earlier they could be made (smaller) on the kit we have in school, either a laser cutter or a cnc router. build things in layers saves time and sanding and reduces waste material.
have fun.

I have always liked the idea of working with wood & am going to an open day at a local college next week to see what evening classes they do.
I know they do one on carpentry, but I don't know if that is going to be more to do with joinery stuff like how to hang a door etc. rather than tinkering with wood in an artistic sense.

Cue the plug...

I am an instructor on furniture making courses (City & Guilds) in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire. Re-training is a great thing to do and we have students of all ages from 16 to 75 who get on really well.

Yes, a carpentry course will tend to be more on the joinery side, hanging doors, roofing, skirting etc etc. We focus purely on Craft-based furniture making and our students get an awful lot out of it.

We run evening classes for leisure or qualifications and full and part-time days too. We cover all aspects of furniture traditional and modern including laminating. We also have Photography departments, Jewellery, ceramics and glass. A very creative place to be.

I'd recommend doing an evening class for sure if thats your thing.
[url= http://www.warwickshire.ac.uk/ ]Warwickshire College[/url]

kayak23 - Member
Cue the plug...

I am an instructor on furniture making courses (City & Guilds) in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire. Re-training is a great thing to do and we have students of all ages from 16 to 75 who get on really well.

Yes, a carpentry course will tend to be more on the joinery side, hanging doors, roofing, skirting etc etc. We focus purely on Craft-based furniture making and our students get an awful lot out of it.

We run evening classes for leisure or qualifications and full and part-time days too. We cover all aspects of furniture traditional and modern including laminating. We also have Photography departments, Jewellery, ceramics and glass. A very creative place to be.

I'd recommend doing an evening class for sure if thats your thing.

If I was over that way, I'd definitely be getting in touch. To be honest, your info has given me an idea. I think i was only looking for 'wood working' and 'carpentry', but perhaps searching college websites for 'furniture making' might yield better results!

Yeah, I'd like to do a woodworking class, yet sadly the only ones (reasonably) local to me are more to do with vocational training in joinery than craft/hobby type stuff. I've enquired about a few courses, but none of them involve stuff like inlay work or fine detailing and that, it's more geared towards commercial production.

Lots of fantastic, really useful info here though. Once again STW comes up trumps. 😀

Glad it's been enjoyable for others too. I'd still like to see examples of peoples' own work though!

I'd still like to see examples of peoples' own work though!

Here's a stool I made at work

[img] [/img]

Not quite finished mind - I've still got to sand it down.

I think ernie has had even more training than I have.
Loving the rustic look you've achieve there, coupled with the practicality of a sturdy piece of furniture.

How many seconds did that take to create?

I [s]Made[/s] bodged my woodstore, for the free hardwood offcuts from the boys work
[IMG] [/IMG]
EDIT they actually skip it and pay someone to take it away 😯

they actually skip it and pay someone to take it away

Khani I actually need those offcuts give to me them please.

No seriously I [i]need[/i] them. It's for the good of Humanity.

I see Ernie is still being horrible and mean and nasty. 😥

I've been Googling CNC machining, and it seems that's the perfect answer for what I need actually. Will enable a sort of mass-production style operation.

Also it will be ideal for other designs I've got. But I'm not going to rush it, I'm going to start small and build up...

[img] [/img]

Right; anyone know any good CNC places in That London?

Bloody hell...

[img] [/img]

😮

Even more wow:

[img] [/img]

No seriously check pon it:

http://nordicneanderthal.tumblr.com/post/598023334

I'm gonna buuuurnnn it all!!!!... mwahahaha!!!

I need to know the location of that skip

[img] [/img]

Look what you've done. Please don't.

[IMG] [/IMG]
There there........

That white 3 legged chair......looks well unstable. Are you actually meant to sit on it?

Elfin - check out this place: http://cncrouting.co.uk/

not near London, but have a gander at some of the projects.....!

Build your own CNC Router.....
Its not difficult
Bloke here at work has one set up in his dads Garage for furniture making / Carving
Cost him about £1500 all in IIRC 😀

http://buildyourcnc.com/default.aspx

Failing that any decent Signmakers will have a CNC router, just design what you want (Autocad/sketchup etc) and export as a DXF file and they can cut straight from that

HTH
Dom

cr500dom - Member
Build your own CNC Router.....
Its not difficult
Bloke here at work has one set up in his dads Garage for furniture making / Carving
Cost him about £1500 all in IIRC

http://buildyourcnc.com/default.aspx

Failing that any decent Signmakers will have a CNC router, just design what you want (Autocad/sketchup etc) and export as a DXF file and they can cut straight from that

HTH
Dom

WOW! The internet is a truly amazing place. I shall definitely be looking into that!!

As well as Khani's wood, I actually need a CNC machine now. 😐

More wonderful info. CNC 100% the way to go for my particular needs. In fact what can be achieved has made me reconsider some older design ideas I thought would be too difficult to realise.

Can CNC cutters use EPS files?

Whats EPS ? whats the system they are created in ?
Generally they work on g-code, but they can translate this from DXF / DWG files (Autocad 2d)
Step or IGES files (3d) can be used as well and I suspect you could actually create the form you need in Maya / 3dStudio Max and then export as an STL file which is generally layered cuts for rapid prototyping, if you played around with lowering the resolution to suit material thickness you could get some decent results that way if they can read STL ?
I`d see if Google sketchup can export as DXF and start there ;o)

(I`ve not used it as I have Catia V5 / Solidworks/ Pro-Engineer)
HTH
Dom

EPS = Encapsulated PostScript as used by Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and that. Uses vector graphics.

2D, but tbh the stuff I need is just 2-axis anyway really.

If I was over that way, I'd definitely be getting in touch. To be honest, your info has given me an idea. I think i was only looking for 'wood working' and 'carpentry', but perhaps searching college websites for 'furniture making' might yield better results!

Whereabouts are you? There is a few good places all over the country so I may be able to suggest somewhere.

I've been working with some maple ply recently. It's very expensive, I think around £250 a sheet. Imo its a bit bland although I haven't put a finish on it yet. Birch gives far more dramatic stripes.

It's very expensive, I think around £250 a sheet

😯

I'm going to try some birch ply. I've had quite a fruitless day trying to find a local CNC firm, but there must be some around.

All this info has really helped me shape my ideas and plans a lot more, and I've got a much better idea of how to progress. I've gone from knowing very little [i]indeed[/i], to knowing very little. 😀

Bin doing a fair bit of research into things last few days, and it's fascinating to see the amazing diversity of styles and applications. There's stuff out there, ye Gods the prices??!!? 😯

Feeling a lot more encouraged about it now, and more confident in my own ideas. So thanks to all who've offered advice and tips.

Right: Does anyone know how to turn a design in Illustrator into something that could be used by a CNC place? Is it possible to turn an Illustrator image to a 3-D Sketchup file?

And is Sketchup Pro a good start for software for this kind of thing?

speckledbob - Member
I've been working with some maple ply recently. It's very expensive, I think around £250 a sheet. Imo its a bit bland although I haven't put a finish on it yet. Birch gives far more dramatic stripes.

LOL what you have had done is had the ply sheet veneered in Maple.
The Veneer would be either in Crown cut or Quarter cut veneer or the cheaper cut of veneer we call Stripe
you have paid way over cost has you can buy pre veneered board a lot cheaper.

Effin could not get out to find out about the CNC company has in bed with Bronchitis

Ah what Grantway I need you fit and well mate! 😮

About a week ago, I had an idea then got all excited and went out to get stuffs.

Now, I'm sitting here bewildered by the sheer magnitude of choices and different processes. People say 'birch ply' but then there's different grades, different sources, Lord above.

So what's this Danish oil and beeswax thing then? How does that work?

Effin your rather lost give me till the weekend and il go through things
over a coffee with you.
I can't bare it I can give you commercial advice and numbers and how too
up to you.
Going to bed now.

You should be able to get something useful out of illustrator. I haven't got illustrator in front of me but IIRC you can export as a DXF, it might need a plug-in. Adjust the setting for the earliest DXF version as most CNC machines are pretty basic

Sketch-up is OK. There are quite a few plug-ins for importing and exporting but you might need the pro version. Its still a bit sketchy for my tastes rather than proper 3D cad but you might get on with it.

Draftsight might be a better option to create 2D shapes for cutting. If you get a DXF out of illustrator I'd still download something like this to check it or modify it.

grantway

The client specificaly asked for a maple core ply for a project I am involved with. I'm simply saying other types of timber board are available but at a cost.

speckledbob - Member
grantway

The client specificaly asked for a maple core ply for a project I am involved with. I'm simply saying other types of timber board are available but at a cost.

Sorry fella but yep that is true

How many of these pieces are you looking at making then elfin, couldn't you make a prototype by hand? What did you say it is you're making again? 😉

I'm loving the effects that can be got from ply, the topo table is amazing, I'd have the topo side up with glass over it. I keep thinking of things I'd like to make from it but I don't think I have the skills yet, having an image in your minds eye and getting it made can be very different things, I'm not the most patient either to put it mildly. I like to finish everything in a day or i dont sleep at night 😐

2D, but tbh the stuff I need is just 2-axis anyway really.

If its just 2d cut outs you're getting cut then a sign shop will be all you need, the one who does work for me works straight from Illustrator files - their client base will be more graphic-designery so thats the kind of file they'll more used to receiving and working with.

People say 'birch ply' but then there's different grades, different sources, Lord above

An 'A' will be the face ply being as near as dammit flawless, a B will have any flaws neatly and pretty much invisibly patched, C is getting a bit more honest looking. However for what you seem to be doing the faces don't matter much, so you need to ask the supplier for whichever board has the least internal voids

So what's this Danish oil and beeswax thing then? How does that work?

Danish oil and wax as finishes work in different ways. Wax essentially sits on top of the wood, oil gets drawn in. Both are moderately durable but you wouldn't want to put your cup of hot tea down on them.

Danish oil is applied by thinning the first coat with some white spirit which makes it easier for the wood to suck in that oily goodness. Subsequent coats can be put on 'neat' though some prefer to thin subsequent coats in diminishing ratios of oil to spirit.

Danish oil gives a lovely matt sheen when the coats are built up and it is burnished(rubbed hard to build up friction-heat)
Because of the dull sheen it leaves, some like to add some wax over the top to bring more of a shine to it and to add a further layer of protection. Something like 'Black Bison Wax' (don't worry, its not made out of bisons) is a lovely wax and will add to the quality of the finish although waxes are notoriously hard to apply really well with a very even sheen.

Also, I'd avoid waxes on intricate pieces with corners as its all too easy to get a build up of wax in the corners.

Finish really comes down to final useage.
Something like a dining table wants a durable finish, pre-catalysed lacquer or something is ideal(even this can be applied matt and then have wax over the top for a more natural-looking finish, as lacquers often look 'plasticky' if too high-build/thick)

If your item is a decorative item such as a small sculpture, then the finish is going to be more of an aesthetic consideration than a practical one. Where I've made small woodturned items i've pretty much just wanged a bit of Danish oil on them and left them at that.

For large numbers of items which you are alluding to, I'd say you'd be better off approaching someone who'll do it for you, in a finishing shop.

Have you seen [url= http://www.lathamtimber.co.uk/images/Literature/Birch%20Ply.pdf ]the guide to birch plywood grades on James Lathams site?[/url]

kayak23 - Member

Whereabouts are you? There is a few good places all over the country so I may be able to suggest somewhere.

Thanks. I am near Peterborough, but work in Letchworth. So, I was thinking some kind of evening course near Peterborough or somewhere lik Bedford, Huntingdon etc. which are pretty much on the way home.

A fantastic thread. I've been wanting to do an evening class too, but the one round here is more Joinery based.

I've just built my MIL to be a dovecote out of the timber from my old bed and a few bits I found. I made a dovecote before for my parents (my dads a carpenter) and he gave me lots of pointers. I've got an old canvas wardrobe in my shed I'm going to turn the frame into a bird table for myself. Id upload photos but my internets broken and I'm on my phone with no 3G 🙁 if I remember I will do it over the weekend.

The clocks posted are amazing, really impressive and intriguing, No doubt with huge sentimental value too.

Elfinsafety - Member
EPS = Encapsulated PostScript as used by Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and that. Uses vector graphics.

2D, but tbh the stuff I need is just 2-axis anyway really.

(pedant)its only 2D until you need to cut it 😀 (/pedant)

According to my other half who is also a felt tip fairy and has a Sign company supplying the trade, they can take Adobe Illustrator files and cut on their CNC Router and Laser cutter.
whether thats uses a conversion in some other software or not I couldnt tell you, but its possible within the sign trade at least

We're in Norfolk if that helps, not that far from that there London 8)