Scroll Saw Shells Ammonite 3

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[mjremy]

This is an amazing piece of art! What skill to make this ammonite shell, wow. You are a master craftsman. I learned a very useful thing from you today. I normally do not buy Wipe on Poly as it is pricey and wasteful. I buy Varathane Oil Based Clear Interior Satin (or gloss) Polyurethane and dilute it with Mineral Spirits/ Paint Thinner to be very thin usually Poly 40:60 Thinner.
Subsequent very thin coats are applied using a thicker mix of Poly 60:40 Thinner so you have a build up and gloss. The initial thin coats are meant to soak into the wood and harden it up since I do vintage furniture restoration, and the pieces are cracked, dry, old, and need strengthening. But your use of Naptha is something new. I read that Naptha is refined Mineral Spirits, does not have much oily residue, dries faster, and levels out better. All good points for my work. I will test and likely switch to Naptha now instead of Thinner for diluting my Poly. Great tip!

By the way, in case anyone else is doing the same thing as me, I use Oil based wood stain or Boiled Linseed Oil to condition the dry wood of my old pieces. Most of my pieces are old and dry not fresh timber. The oil or stain relaxes and moisturizes the wood before I seal it off permanently with coats of Poly. I never use Water Based Poly which feels like plastic, or any of those quick drying disgusting Gel Stains that are like goop and not transparent like oil stains. They are horrible. Oil Based Poly dries hard and is very durable and easy to recoat anytime to cover up scratches.

The fact that you spray this on using a hand held sprayer is eye opening. Clever idea. Catches the drip at two points and levels out on complex curves, and is thinned enough not to pool anywhere as it is very runny. I would have thought the opposite.

[dmaschy]

I love these shells and how they are made.This is a good pasdtime for a person who has patience.I can do it because I have made segmentent vases

[andrebourque]

Just found your wealth of videos and I am enjoying your mixture of engineering and craftsmanship. Great stuff and thanks for sharing.

[ohbombo]

I made a Nautilus shell as a Christmas gift by watching your Shells 2 video. You make it look easy (I used my band saw with a thin blade). It had some "character" but my brother's family loved it. Your wooden ammonite shell is awesome and enormous! Thanks for sharing your talent and process with us.

[MultiTom]

Hi Steve, it as beautiful as it was years ago when I first saw it. 😊 wish I could make one 😊. Thank you so very much for sharing .

[marlawhite]

WOW using a spray bottle for the finish!!!! it looks great I would never thought a spray bottle finish could look that good!!!

[horrienixon]

Much simpler and very neat, cant wait to make start this project, thanks Steve

[Ryder]

U are back cool i love these shells, Please keeping on making these they are so neat

[chrisferguson]

Genius workmanship! Liked, Subscribed and eventually imitated :)

[sapelesteve]

Awesome work Steve! Beautiful shells! Wish that I had that kind of patience as that looks to be a significant amount of work.

[antoniofesta]

Muy ingenioso y espectacular como todos tus trabajos. Felicitaciones Steve, desde Tres Arroyos!!!!

[JohnathonWhittaker]

Some great sanding tips on there Steve! Looks beautiful!

[garybeasley]

Great job as always! The router step can be done with sandpaper for those without access to a router. Tape a sheet to the work surface and use another sheet floating with the shell as a spacer under the part not sanded and work the high end down to level then touch up both sides on the same sheet.

[JimsonMakes]

Stunning, and lots of work.
Cheers
Jim

[mrebpropertiessobota]

Steve, Good evening. I've been watching your info for about a year now. Glad to see you post this video, been looking forward to your demonstration of the process. By the way, great info on yer site dude.

[cynthiaswearingen]

I'm a new subscriber and a seashell lover! I so enjoyed your video, and am thinking of giving this a try myself. Thank you for sharing with us!

[royball]

Minwax wipe-on poly is very expensive here in the UK, at £45 for a small can. Naphtha is not available at all. If any of your UK viewers know of tried and tested alternatives, please let me know.

[bomberofr]

Y are a master. I d love e to purchese one of your product! I follow you such a long time ago and you closed the schell fanjtastic. you a master!

[MrBonners]

Are you putting the wedge right angle face or the hypotenuse face down on the scroll saw table?

[kurtmann]

I wonder if you would rotate each piece by a small degree, the entire piece would take a twist resembling a rams horn?