Willow - parts not cut through

[LindaR]

I was excited to start my Willow this morning but my excitement didn't last long. The first piece I tried to punch out is not cut through. I tried an exacto knife but am not able to cut through the wood. Part of what I did manage to punch splintered. Luckily it is the first floor so the splintering will be under the house. Any suggestions how I can get the piece out.

Thanks in advance

Linda

[Starfire]

Use a x-acto or utility knife to cut through the pieces. You may have to trace over the lines several times. Make sure the blades are new.

[sparklepuppies]

Also try the exacto knife from the bottom, instead of only from the top of the wood. And yes, new blades are best. I also sometimes use a flat head screwdriver to help punch through, especially on the trim pieces.

Good luck, and have fun with your new house!

[uppitycats]

Yes, that's typical. They really aren't designed for directly "punching out". YOu do have to use the exacto knife. I have a couple of teflon gloves for the hand that is NOT on the knife, in case it slips..

[LindaR]

The exacto is hard for me to use because I have arthritis and fibromyalgia but I will keep working on it.

[Starfire]

Me too, Linda, You may find the utility knife easier to hold as it will have a fatter handle to hold on to. Easier on the fingers.

[Muriel]

Oh, I'm looking forward to pictures of your progress! I don't mind seeing dry fit or just a few bits stuck together pictures either. I don't need to see the finished product straight away, love progress pictures!

Good luck, I hope you find something that is a little bigger and easier to hold. And definitely use plenty of new blades, makes a big difference!

[Sherry]

If you have a scroll saw, put a fine blade on it and cut the larger pieces out that way. Less splintering and cussing.

[havanaholly]

I don't have fibromyalgia, but I DO have arthritis in my hands & wrists (and elsewhere) and several passes with the utility knife with a new blade will cut through the wood.

[firef2005]

The exacto is hard for me to use because I have arthritis and fibromyalgia but I will keep working on it.

I have the same problem (fibromyalgia), AND not being able to get some of the pieces out of the sheets. I use a utility knife with a new blade and just work slowly. Once you get it cut most of the way from the top, I've found you can turn the sheet over and there is an outline of the piece. Cut around that with the blade, and it should come out. It seems that the bottom of the sheets are harder to cut through, but once you've scored it enough to see the outline cutting from the bottom seems to work best for me.

[havanaholly]

Trying to remember that most of the kits are die-cut might help assuage some of your frustration; die-cutting is a stamping process, the pieces aren't supposed to be cut all the way through all the way around, so they won't fall out of the plywood sheets and get all mixed up (which happens anyway); as opposed to laser-cutting, where the pieces are cut all the way through and do fall out of their sheets and can get mixed up.

I haul out the utility knife and fill the handle with new blades!