Cribbage Board and Old Cuban Cigar Sign

[shilala]

These are two things I just finished up for my cigar club buddies.

The cribbage board is black walnut inlaid with cherry, sassafras, and oak.
The board you see beside it is a cover for the backside. It has magnets in it as does the cribbage board. Beneath the board lies a large storage area that's big enough for all kinds of cribbage pins, a couple cigars, and some cash. Or whatever.
I really struggled with the concept for the storage and cover. When I came up with using magnets, I thought they'd be far to strong to lift the lid straight up. So I made the lid the length of the board, and I can just slide it left or right to release the magnet's hold. It worked great.
For some reason I don't have a pic of the back once it was finished, but I do have a pic of it while I was making it.

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/null_zps781c16d5.jpg (http://s925.photobucket.com/user/scottshilala/media/null_zps781c16d5.jpg.html)

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/null_zpse170055b.jpg (http://s925.photobucket.com/user/scottshilala/media/null_zpse170055b.jpg.html)

Oddly, I do have this picture of the underside storage...
http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/bottom_zps4e79d5de.png (http://s925.photobucket.com/user/scottshilala/media/bottom_zps4e79d5de.png.html)

[shilala]

And here's the sign I did. It's a recreation of a gazillion year old sign that hangs in front of the Partagas cigar factory in Havana, Cuba.

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/null_zpsc5e15b3e.jpg (http://s925.photobucket.com/user/scottshilala/media/null_zpsc5e15b3e.jpg.html)

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/null_zps0f81697d.jpg (http://s925.photobucket.com/user/scottshilala/media/null_zps0f81697d.jpg.html)

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/null_zps197bcee2.jpg (http://s925.photobucket.com/user/scottshilala/media/null_zps197bcee2.jpg.html)

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/null_zpsb885c05d.jpg (http://s925.photobucket.com/user/scottshilala/media/null_zpsb885c05d.jpg.html)

[scottp55]

Scott, beautiful. Is the sassafras the lower curlicue inlay? Nice work. Shouldn't that cherry be a little Darker? :)

[shilala]

Thanks, Scott!!! :)
The sassafras is the curlicues, hashmarks between the pin holes, the name, and the lines up the sides.
That cherry really is light, isn't it? That's just because the inlay is fresh wood, probably 1/4" down into the lumber. I bet it'll darken a ton really quick. The reason I say that is that this particular batch of cherry happened to darken super quick. I had boards leaning against the wall and some were longer than others. They were by the door so they got lots of sun. Over a few months those exposed ends changed color dramatically. I thought it was pretty cool, that's why I remembered. :)

[scottp55]

Up here Sassafras is shrub that grows near the ocean, we only use the roots for tea (root beer smell), did not know it got big enough to use as lumber. Yeah, just faced some cherry to practice on the bot that had been in the sun 10 yrs and if it hadn't been for the flip side, the resin pockets and the heart/sap line would have thought it was this years pine. Was joking about darker, just thinking of your wife's preference. Nice inlay and don't let me near a paintbrush with paint on it.

[scottp55]

Scott, just noticed on the back of your sign a"friendly ghost" and "sort of" a dolphins head in the grain. Ain't wood wonderful. When that happens in opal we call it a "Picture Stone" and the sky's the limit on price. I know a stone carver here in Maine that noticed a piece of agate that had a "picture" of a small pond surrounded by pine silhouettes with the fog rising from the water. He put gold around it(back when gold was$350) and put a price tag of $1000 on it "cause he didn't want to sell it,Used it on his web page header for years. Once again, Nice.

[shilala]

I can't see the ghost or the dolphin, either one. I even made it bigger. It doesn't surprise me, I never see stuff in clouds, either. :)

[scottp55]

Sorry Scott, I cut opal and we see stuff. There are "picture stones", "chinese writing" stones you name it. Told one guy that the stone he was holding almost had text written in an outer layer of a 3" Yowah Nut, I said he could probably find his initials if he looked hard enough, Sure Enough, he did. One of my favorites was "Sydney Harbor Bridge" and if you squinted sure enough. One of my quirks.

[chiloquinruss]

How was the semi domed look achieved on the main lettering on the sign? Russ

[genek]

Nice work Scott. Loved the design... nice find on the ghost and the dolphin.

character in wood does demand a higher price.

[genek]

How was the semi domed look achieved on the main lettering on the sign? Russ
Russ knowing Scott. He used the two rail sweep, not 100% SURE BUT SCOTT WILL TELL YOU. SCOTT IS GOOD WITH THE 2 RAIL SWEEP. I HAVE SEEN HIM IN ACTION WITH THE TWO RAIL.

[waynelocke]

Nice work. I used to be able to get Sassafras boards. I loved it. The wood was nice. It was fun to say and the shop smelled of root beer. Who could ask for anything more?

[jerry_stanek]

Put the bard out in the sun for a couple of days and the cherry will darken faster

[genek]

You still can get sassafras lumber. The saw mill that I buy from have boards of it as wide as 16 inches. up to 8/4 thick. on my dads farm there are several that are at least 36 inches diameter. I also gather young sassafras trees to make walking sticks out of. What I gather this winter, will air dry for three years before I cut them to length buff them and varnish them. The reason I gather my wood in the winter is so that the bark will stay on the walking sticks. I get $7.00 for each walking stick wholesale. You can gather other woods to make walking sticks out of. I also gather trees about the size of my lower arm to make wooden cups out of.

[shilala]

How was the semi domed look achieved on the main lettering on the sign? Russ
Russ, the small letters are "domed" as well, it's just not as prominent because of the size. Not as noticeable unless you're near the sign.
I give all my letters some contour of some sort, I think it's a lot more interesting.

You can make all sorts of looks; domed, pointy, angled, or just plain flat, and any adjust how strong the effect is by using the "Create Shape From Vectors" function under the modeling tab.
You just open the function, highlight the letters (vectors) you're working with, then set the shape, angle, base height (if you want one), and how you want the final height to work out.
I generally set a base height so the sides are flat, then scale the model to an exact height. That way the sides will be flat 1/2 to 3/4's of the way up the letter and then the rest of the distance will be the depth of the shapeliness.
Mess around with it for just a few minutes your eyes will light up once you realize the endless possibilities. :)
It really is super easy and I think it makes everything look better.
It's not just for letters at all. I use it to put pyramid points on lines and borders and all kinds of different stuff. Anywhere I want to make something just a little bit sexier. :D
Hope this helps!!!