Well, going by some of the so-called "art" in some of my wood
books, it's art anyway. It sure looks better than most of the stuff
that's supposed to be "art".

Actually, it's a further adaptation of the octaon cutting
jig/bandsaw sled I'd made a week or so ago. If it was put in a gallery
it'd probably be listed as an abstract wood piece. The people in the
real world would say it was a piece of 1/4: plywood, about 9"X9", with a
few randoml glued pieces of short and narrow peces of 1/4" plywood glued
on. In its own way, it is sort of art, in that it's totally functional,
and serves a useful purpose.

It originally started with a three pieces glued on so as to hold a
1 7/8" square in place so one corner could be lopped off with the
bandsaw, then the piece turned so another corner, and so on, until it
wound up as an octagon. Worked nicely.

But how to cut the squaes was an unanswered question. After
numerous thoughts, decided to adapt the original jig/bandsaw sled.
Started by gluing a strip across the back, so I could square the end of
a piece of scrap plywood - all I need is one corner at a precise 90
dgree angle, which this will give. Then on the front (would need to
rotate the jig to present this side to the blade), glued two pieces in
place, to hold a piece in place, then slice one side, then another, so
wind up with a square. This will let me make a square out of any
suitable sized scrap plywood, as long as it has one corner with 90
degree angles, then I can store them until I have a need. Some will be
made into octagons, for use as chess piece bases, some as spacers, or
whatever else I can think of. Oh yeah, octagon checkers too.

I'll drill a hole in one corner of it, then drive a nail into one
of the rafters to hold it when I don't need it. Maybe the best part is
that now I won'd even need to think to make my squares, then octagons,
just lay the wood in place, and cut. Oh yeah, for each cutting
posisiton I put a small block of layered pieces as a holdonto, so none
of my fingers will stray into the blade - I try to do something like
that on all my jigs/sleds. Gods above, woodworking at it's finest.



JOAT
You'll never get anywhere if you believe what you "hear". What do you
"know"?.
- Granny Weatherwax