Questions about sideboard project

My mom is building a sun room and wants me to make a rustic red weathered sideboard for her. I really liked this one, but I would like to cut a specific design in the doors for her…maybe sunflowers? A woodland scene? A buffalo? OMG, she’d love buffalo out on the prairie! What if it could even be a continuous design across the doors?!

Anyway, getting ahead of myself here. I imagine cutting the designs— whatever they are— on the ShopBot, and wonder how thick of a wood it can handle.

Also, what would be the best wood to use? I’ll admit that I am thinking of just buying this one and replacing the doors, in which case the wood would need to be similar. So…oak, I guess?

1 Like

Might look up what people have available for scroll saw patterns. If you are gonna make it weathered, I suppose a similar color would is what you want… otherwise, you might do a complete contrast… like a lighter cabinet with dark doors would be pretty, I think.

1 Like

Oh, I’m definitely not cutting this thing with a scroll saw. That would be a train wreck. :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

I do have plans already for a sideboard, and (some of the) wood for it, so I could start building that and worry about the doors later. But time is pressing, which is why I was thinking about getting this one and replacing the doors.

As I said, she wants weathered red so I’d need to do the whole thing in that— basically get the same look as this turquoise, but red.

So I guess this is a question for @doug.wilson — would it be possible to cut doors like this on the Shopbot?

1 Like

+1 for scroll saw I’m learning mine and have cut myself more times with the Morakniv

Maybe not for this project but there is amazing things you can do with a scroll saw.

Oh, I have a scroll saw and have used it quite a lot. I just don’t trust myself to use it for a project like this. This is probably the most intricate thing I’ve done on the scroll saw and you can see how wonky it is.

To answer the shopbot question not join the scroll saw tangent.

4x8 area. Not positive about the height. I think 10-12in. Check the woodshop wiki.

The depth of cut will depend on the end mill or router bit.

If it is flat sheet and high detail 1 to 1.5 in. It may take a while to machine it all.

There are tons of options. Depending on your end goal.

If it is a project you are putting effort and $$ into I would suggest buy new bits that are sharp.

Do some small test cuts on scrap .

3 Likes

Oh… I didn’t mean do it with a scroll saw… I just thought to use the scroll saw patterns with a laser cutter. (Then you already have a pattern where you don’t have to worry about something that falls out accidentally.)

2 Likes

Definitely possible. Find a similar pattern online, trace it in Inkscape. Then import that design into easel. I’d use a cheaper wood, though, if you’re just going to paint it. I’d recommend poplar. With those bits we keep on hand, you can cut an inch thick.

Hope that helps.

Doug

1 Like

Last time I tried easel, I was limited to 11 X 11 area? Is this something new with free easel or operator error on my part?

You can change the size of the stock piece in easel, well beyond 11x11. Not sure if there is an upper limit or not. I don’t think that feature is particularly new.

I’m confused about why you’d need to trace the design in Inkscape. Couldn’t I just convert it to SVG and import that into Easel?

That’s what I mean. Create an SVG (typically done by tracing). If you already have a vector graphic, you can skip that step that I’m referring to.

Doug