Putting brads or nails in negative space

[al and toni]

Here is something we do to help us reduce the amount of possible tear-out we could have while stack cutting six or more pieces of baltic berch.

once i have the blanks all cut to the same size, i apply the pattern to the top board, i make sure there are no plugs in the following five boards, i check this two more times, it is easy to miss them if you are focusing on the middle of the board.

after the pattern is secure, i run packaging tape made only in the US or Canada, the tape made elsewhere is sub standard to these North American companies, and will usually allow dust from drilling to seat between the tape and the pattern due to the poor quality of adhesive used. I always over tape the previous layer by half the first layer, this gives me a good coverage and more lubrication to the blade.

after that, i brad my four corners, i use a brad small enough it does not catch on anything while scrolling, yet long enough to go through all six layers and leave a small enough head to take them back out when I am done.

after all this is done, i will start adding brads to all the negitive or balck areas that will take a brad, if the area is to small between drilling and putting in the brad i will try to get as close as i can. I will put as many of these in as i can and more than four in large open or areas that have a lot of detail and edges.

by taking the extra time to add these 98. cent brads, in the past i have no idea how many portraits we have cut or 22 sheets worth, i have only had one tear our and that was because the blade broke while i was pushing a dull blade into a tight corner, which i know not to do, but i did it anyway and out came a huge section destroying four of the six patterns i was cutting.

this may take a few extra minutes, cost a bit more, or if you have a pneumatic nailer/stapler you can get a box of brads at harbour freight and place them that way, if you use this method and have a good brad nailer, have a hard surface under the baltic, since the brads can be shot all the way the wood, which again means you have to fix the mistake, i have done this one as well thinking i could get more prepped and ready a lot faster, the end result, i had six sheets of bb that could only be made into ornaments.

happy scrolling all

al toni and baby

[Kepy]

I often use brads when stack cutting and usually nail on a metal table or an old circular saw blade which will clinch the brad if it comes through.

[al and toni]

that is what i do or i use my old table saw and run them into the cast part, it not only stops the brad but makes the ends blunt so they cannot catch on the plate of the saw or worse case or in my case, i stab myself with the brads

al

[mick]

Al and Toni, I use brads all the time for my stacks but don't understand why you place them in the corners. You then have 4 holes to fill.

Mick

[al and toni]

mick,

i put the brads in the corner as close to the edge as i can, here i s why, when the pieces are bradded to cut out the interior as the parts that are black are removed are cut if there is nothing to hold all the sheets will start to move, the corner brads hold everything tightly toagther, then once i am done i pull the bottom sheet off very carefully, then gently push the brad back out the front then continue to remover the back sheet, since there is as you said holes there, these are hidden by the frame whan the frame is made, since i try to have a 3/8 route on the inside the frames there is no holes visable now i have jad the brad holes show when the framing boards warp before i we get the frame sanded, the backer material on and rhe portrait behind glass,


we now have a great digital camera so i will take pics and post here,

please ley me know if this made andy sense


ak

[mick]

Al and Toni, thanks for the reply and yes it makes sense to me. Your corner brad holes hidden by the frame is a good idea. When I get near the end of a cutting that I have used brads on I wrap tape around the corners to hold it all together for the last few cuts.

Mick

[EclipseScroller]

I do much the same except I use a 23 ga pinner.  They are available at Harbor Freight for about $40.  Being that the pins come in various lengths up to 1"  or it works great for stack cutting.