Using up offcuts

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GeoSpectrum
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Using up offcuts

Post by GeoSpectrum »

I've been looking at ways of using off cuts and as I have a CNC I have been making a few bits and pieces in between framing jobs.

I made this business card holder and thought perhaps members of the forum may be interested for their POS display? This one is made of two layers of oak with a layer of obeche in between. Finished in Danish oil.

I can also v-carve logos and text onto wooden items.
image1.jpeg
image0.jpeg
Alan Huntley
Ashcraft Framing
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Re: Using up offcuts

Post by Not your average framer »

Hi Alan,

I am into using up off cuts myself. They are already paid for, so just throwing them awauy, instead of making something saleable seems crazy. For me it saves waste and enables me to produce various saleable items. At times when business is a bit slack, selling a few bits made from waste can brighten up a otherwise disappointing day. I actually don't mind doing a bit of this and to be honest, there are days when sitting around not doing much is not good for my state of mind. I am somebody who needs to be doing something. Not doing something is just too boring! I don't always make a lot of money out of things that I've made from scrap, but I not particularly disappointed if I don't.

However, the are times when some things made from scrap can be quite profitable. One thing I don't like throwing away is oak moulding off cuts. Amost anything made from oak will sell to someone. I don't have to always use oak moulding to make frames and as I have a band saw and a table saw, it is very easy to slice off the rebate sight edge and it's now just a plain bit of oak and ready to use in a many different ways. I often do need to buy slips and spacers, but instead slice up something in the waste bin. I like to make up stacked moulding frames, but sometimes a couple of mouldings that you would like to use as a stacked moulding frame need something else to make the combination work. At times it's only a spacer, made left over waste.

When business is a bit slow, making a spacer using scrap material can save ordering something that otherwise is going to cost money, when you are trying not to spend unnecessary money. I never used to be so frugal, but as you get a bit older and you get the right tools, it becomes so quick and easy, that it often makes good sense to do it. My shop is a bit like stepping back into another era, but what else do you expect from a 68 year old framer, who is no longer bothered about moving with the times.

I've just had a new door made to replace an old one, which was made from weather beaten old tongue and groove planks which must have been nice and smooth at one time, but the weathering has converted the surface into a very natural looking driftwood. I'm currently seriously thinking of following the example of Prospero and making up some bit of very convincing looking drift wood moulding, with the aid of my table saw. Well, after all it's money for nothing, so what have I got to lose?
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
Not your average framer
Posts: 11014
Joined: Sat 25 Mar, 2006 8:40 pm
Location: Devon, U.K.
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Re: Using up offcuts

Post by Not your average framer »

Hi alan,

I've just seen you second post. Very nice! looks lovely and so stylish too!
:clap: :clap: :clap:
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
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GeoSpectrum
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Re: Using up offcuts

Post by GeoSpectrum »

This was made from obeche and oak I had in the offcut pile. I’ve just got to find somewhere to sell them now.
8AEBBF47-DCEE-48B0-94A5-A9E3C30EACAE.jpeg
Alan Huntley
Ashcraft Framing
Bespoke Easels and Self-assembly tray frames
http://www.ashcraftframing.co.uk
Not your average framer
Posts: 11014
Joined: Sat 25 Mar, 2006 8:40 pm
Location: Devon, U.K.
Organisation: The Dartmoor Gallery
Interests: Lost causes, saving and restoring old things, learning something every day
Location: Glorious Devon

Re: Using up offcuts

Post by Not your average framer »

WOW! Isn't that nice. What a lovey piece of work! It really looks great! I am also extremely impressed by the workmanship and the overall design. That's what I call class. I think that is something which should be very popular which the customers. I am very impressed by how you are putting oak and obeche together like this, such a clever idea in every way.

:clap: :clap: :clap:

Just a thought, have you considered putting together bits of obeche and oak in the same way to make up bits of moulding, which you could use to make some frames, or perhaps some really tempting little boxes. Obviously I don't know how viable this sort of work is for you in terms of how much work is involved in making items like this, vs how much you can sell them for, but I am thinking that items like this tick a lot of the right boxes. If as many people are expecting, difficult times are coming, items like this may be a very helpful way to keep this moving in the right direction.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
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GeoSpectrum
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Re: Using up offcuts

Post by GeoSpectrum »

Thanks, boxes are on the list and not too hard. Frames might be an option, but probably smaller, higher end phot frames, if these is such a thing.
Alan Huntley
Ashcraft Framing
Bespoke Easels and Self-assembly tray frames
http://www.ashcraftframing.co.uk
Not your average framer
Posts: 11014
Joined: Sat 25 Mar, 2006 8:40 pm
Location: Devon, U.K.
Organisation: The Dartmoor Gallery
Interests: Lost causes, saving and restoring old things, learning something every day
Location: Glorious Devon

Re: Using up offcuts

Post by Not your average framer »

Hi Alan,

I'm doing some smaller high end frames as well and I'm mostly using up some older style high end moulding and off cuts, which I have already got in stock..Boxes is a bit hard to decide what size and style that them need to be, I will be probably wanting to make a few boxes, but I have not decided how I want to do then just yet.

I'm aiming to run a few older style mouldings which are already in stock, through my band saw and give them a more modern look. Essentially I am hopefully making some otherwise dead stock look much more exciting. I quite often cut discontinued mouldings down to change the profile. Discontinued mouldings can be a very good deal, but they were discontinued because they did not sell very well and so I give them a make over and a much more attractive look.

The following photo shows an example of the sort of things I get upto when I am changing the look of one moulding to look like something else. There's nothing particularly clever about it, just a little bit of lateral thinking, or maybe a moment of inspired imagination. I think most of us get these idea, but don't always take them any further.
DSCF0112.JPG
I'm sorry that the image is a bit fuzzy, but It's not a very good camera. One piece of moulding shows what the original pice looked like, complete with rounded raised section, but the other is after the rounded section has been slice off with a band saw ant given a quick sanding down to produce a nice clean and smooth finish. I've painted one end and trimmed a little off that end to make the profile more visible. This is a very cheap moulding and I've got lots of it and slice it up in different ways to use it in different ways at different times.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
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GeoSpectrum
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Re: Using up offcuts

Post by GeoSpectrum »

More offcuts being put to good use. An ash and black walnut chopping board made of moulding offcuts from Lion. I ripped the rebate off of both mouldings on the table saw and glued and clamped overnight. I smoothed and cut the resultant board on my CNC. Oil to come. These can be made with basic tools. This one is 200x300x20mm
D7CF9850-7716-4F01-9269-76E6B24C4CB4.jpeg
Alan Huntley
Ashcraft Framing
Bespoke Easels and Self-assembly tray frames
http://www.ashcraftframing.co.uk
Not your average framer
Posts: 11014
Joined: Sat 25 Mar, 2006 8:40 pm
Location: Devon, U.K.
Organisation: The Dartmoor Gallery
Interests: Lost causes, saving and restoring old things, learning something every day
Location: Glorious Devon

Re: Using up offcuts

Post by Not your average framer »

Hi Alan,

Very nice idea and nicely executed. I kie it very much, but I'm not so sure about the best way to market something like that. Marketing an item of kitchenware is a little bit different, to framing and art related items and perhaps the financial return on such an item might be a bit of an issue as well, but perhaps not. It certainly ticks the right boxes for quality and distinctiveness and a lot of keen cooks don't mind spend the extra money for something extra special, so why not!
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
User avatar
GeoSpectrum
Posts: 2151
Joined: Fri 01 Oct, 2010 11:49 am
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Re: Using up offcuts

Post by GeoSpectrum »

Early days. My wife has her eye on this one.
Alan Huntley
Ashcraft Framing
Bespoke Easels and Self-assembly tray frames
http://www.ashcraftframing.co.uk
Not your average framer
Posts: 11014
Joined: Sat 25 Mar, 2006 8:40 pm
Location: Devon, U.K.
Organisation: The Dartmoor Gallery
Interests: Lost causes, saving and restoring old things, learning something every day
Location: Glorious Devon

Re: Using up offcuts

Post by Not your average framer »

Your wife has an eye for something special. Just a thought, is African walnut non-toxic and safe for this sort of use. am I also not aware whether ash is normally used for this sort of use either, so it might be worth checking it out too!
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
User avatar
GeoSpectrum
Posts: 2151
Joined: Fri 01 Oct, 2010 11:49 am
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Re: Using up offcuts

Post by GeoSpectrum »

Plenty is used for this sort of thing but I’ll do some more research.
Alan Huntley
Ashcraft Framing
Bespoke Easels and Self-assembly tray frames
http://www.ashcraftframing.co.uk
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