The task I found most complicated to make the Christmas tree shaped lamp was to cut the tree shape into two equal and symmetrical halves. I had to “resaw” it. Getting this piece of wood divided into two symmetrical halves, with a clean and precise cut, required a bit of a pulse and a lot of patience not to rush and to keep the saw on the cutting plane.
Don’t miss the video summary in English on “How to make a led lamp in the shape of a tree“.
Sometimes, like in this case, we have to make cuts that are better made with hand tools rather than with power tools. This “resaw” cut seemed complicated at first, but with some woodworking tricks I managed to make a good cut to divide this piece of wood in two. So I am very happy with the result I got.
The first step was to mark the cutting line well centered on the outer edge of the tree shaped workpiece. It is a simple thing to do with a pencil on top of a wood sheet. The tip of the pencil is just at the correct height in the middle of the edge of the workpiece. Just slide the sheet with the pencil on it on the worktable while drawing the entire cutting line all around the tree shaped workpiece. Now put the other face of the tree on the table top, and if the tip of the pencil coincides with the line then the cutting line it is perfectly centered.
Mira cómo hacer esta lámpara led para ver todos los pasos.
Para poder cortar con precisión es necesario tener la pieza de madera bien sujeta, con el inconveniente de que necesitaba ponerla en vertical. Esta es una tarea que no creo que pudiese realizar con la suficiente comodidad sin el tornillo de apriete que instalé en mi banco de trabajo.
With the tree shaped workpiece now securely clamped, I started cutting on the line little by little. I first placed a fingernail next to the cutting line, and centered the teeth of the center of the saw on the cut line at the top of the tree shaped workpiece. Next put the nail next to the cutting line at the tip of the saw, and centered the teeth of the front of the saw there. Moving the saw back carefully I made a first light groove right on the cutting line. That helped me guide the saw, and started cutting gently to deepen the groove a bit before beginning to cut with just some more force.
By keeping the front of the saw in the groove, I can cut with the center part of the saw following the cut line with the confidence of knowing that the saw will stay in the cutting plane. Staying on the cutting plane, and using this saw with lots of small teeth which makes fairly clean cuts, I know I just have to be patient and cut a little at a time to get a precise cut.
A good idea to make a good cut, and avoid jamming the saw while trying to cut accurately, is to keep open the part of the cut already made. To do this, when I turn the tree shaped workpiece to cut on the other side, I use the square blade to keep open the kerf I just cut.
Now it was just a matter of keep cutting the piece of wood, turning it when needed, until the tree shaped workpiece was completely divided in two. Well, in fact, you must also take into account that there comes a time when you have to press the wood in the area where it is already cut. And if you do not put inside the cut some veneer with the same thickness of the saw blade, the cut will close making it difficult to finish the cut.
Anyway, to accurately cut a piece like this you have to be patient, but when we get a good result we get a smile on our face. One of those smiles that you always say I never show in my woodworking and DIY videos 😀
