A miter saw has a large circular blade to ensure that you can make long, straight cuts. Alternative: If you don’t have a saw at home, ask to have your wood cut at the store when you buy your supplies. Put on safety glasses before you use any power tools to protect your eyes from dust and wood chips.
Make the lines lightly so you don’t leave any indentations in the wood and can easily erase your marks.
Marking the squares helps you see which ones you need to cut out at a glance so you don’t make a mistake.
Scroll saws have narrow blades so you’re able to cut out curves and more intricate pieces without damaging the saw. Alternative: If you don’t have a scroll saw, you may be able to carefully cut out the pieces with a hacksaw instead. Try cutting the squares out in multiple pieces if you have trouble trying to remove them as a single piece. Be careful not to push the wood with a lot of force since you could damage the saw blade or get injured.
Drilling the hole in the last wood piece lets you saw the squares without cutting a line in from the edge. Forcing the bit through the wood could damage the drill or the wood, so work slowly if you feel resistance.
Keep your fingers to the side of the saw blade as you guide the wood so there’s less risk of cutting yourself. [8] X Trustworthy Source University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension program of the University of California system devoted to educating and improving local communities Go to source
You can also sand over the grid lines that you drew to remove them instead of using an eraser.
You can use any photograph or print a picture off on a sheet of paper to use for your puzzle. Set your picture and plywood on a scrap piece of cardboard to protect the surface underneath from the spray adhesive.
If you don’t want to draw your own puzzle pieces, print off an 8 in × 10 in (20 cm × 25 cm) puzzle template and tape it over the picture.
Try not to rush through cutting the pieces since you could easily make a mistake or damage the saw.
Be careful not to over-sand the puzzle pieces since it could prevent them from interlocking or having a tight fit.
Work outside or in a well-ventilated area to protect yourself from fumes.
Make sure the outline doesn’t touch or extend past the edge of the plywood. You don’t need to draw the individual puzzle pieces just yet.
Making a hole in the plywood gives you a place to start cutting with your saw so you don’t have to cut in from one of the edges.
Avoid putting your fingers directly in front of the saw blade. Keep your hands out to the sides as you guide the wood instead. [18] X Trustworthy Source University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension program of the University of California system devoted to educating and improving local communities Go to source
If you glued a design to the plywood to follow, rub the paper with your sandpaper to remove it.
The MDF acts as the bottom of the tray so you slot the puzzle pieces into the cutout without them falling out.
Since tray puzzles are usually simpler and meant for toddlers, opt for fewer larger pieces so the puzzle is easier to complete.
If you have trouble putting the pieces together, it’s a good sign that you should sand them a little bit more.
You can also paint the bottom of the tray the same colors as the puzzle pieces to make it easier for kids to find where they fit in.
