Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Thoroughbred Race Horse Scroll Saw Pattern.


Happy Valentines Day.

I have lived in central Kentucky for nearly 40 years. All the surrounding counties are filled with horse farms. Many of the farms are stunningly beautiful. It's a real treat to drive through the countryside on a nice spring or summer day and see the new foals running through the fields.     
This pattern uses a lot of veining for detail. The are a few places where I edited the pattern after I cut the project. Some of the veins made the piece too fragile. You will still need to be careful when you back the blade out of some of the veins.


Setting up a scroll saw workshop to mill scroll saw ready boards:

Table Saw

Thickness Planer

Band Saw

Jointer

I am going to keep this discussion very general and basic. I know that almost everything I mention in this write up has alternatives. There are different techniques that can be used to accomplish all of these tasks. Trust me when I say I have probably tried most of the alternatives. This discussion is not aimed at those of you who already have workshops and have been down this path already. This is for those who have just begun the journey. 

If you have been in the scrolling hobby more than a couple days you have discovered that wood is expensive. On top of the expense it is also difficult to find boards in the thicknesses we often use on the scroll saw. The big box stores have very limited selections and even worse prices.

Many scrollers need to look online to find what they need. That's a great option and you can find what you need but the cost can go even higher because of shipping costs. 

There comes a time when many scrollers want to be able to buy lumber in the rough and mill it to the thickness they need for a project. That is almost always the cheapest way to get thin boards.

If you are new to woodworking you may want to know what tools you need to mill your own boards. Which tools should you buy first? How much do you need to spend for those tools?

There are four primary tools used in a small woodworking shop to mill boards to size and thickness. Table Saw, Band saw, planer and jointer. 

The heart of every woodworking shop is the table saw. It is primarily used for rip cut and cross cuts. Rip cuts run the length of the board and cross cuts are across the grain. In a limited way you can also resaw a board on a table saw. Resawing, is cutting the board to make it thinner. If the board is no wider than the height of the blade times two you can stand the board on edge against the rip fence and saw it in half.

It is nearly always my recommendation that you start your shop with a table saw. If your primary craft is scroll saw work then you do not need a very expensive table saw. A decent contractor saw will get the job done nicely.

The second toll I suggest for a scroll saw workshop is a thickness planer. Using a planer to make boards thinner is extremely wasteful. If you need a 1/4" thick board and you have a 3/4" thick board you are going to waste two thirds of the board. With the planer you can at least get a ready to use thin board. The next tool helps eliminate the waste of the thickness planer. 

For a casual scroll saw workshop a lunchbox style planer like the DeWalt above will do fine. 

The next purchase gets a bit tricky. To eliminate as much of the waste as possible from the planer you need a band saw. With the band saw you can take a one inch thick board and resaw it in half. Then each half can be passed through the planer to clean up the rough surface left by the band saw.  

This is where the situations can start to get expensive. Slicing through several inches of wood is a tough task. If you want to resaw a board that is eight inches wide you will need a decent band saw and a good resaw blade. Most bench top band saws are just not up to the task. Because of the high cost of a good band saw most woodworkers put off adding this tool to their shop. Just consider that wood is expensive and if you are throwing much of it away as saw dust then the band saw can start to look cheaper by the inch.

The last tool in this discussion is the jointer. Most scroll saw workshops can get by without a jointer. The jointer is used to give a board one flat reference edge.  That's important for building furniture and other large projects but many scroll saw projects can make do without it. One are that it can come in very handy for scroller is being able to clue up larger panels. The jointer is used to give a flat edge that is glueup ready. If you can afford a jointer then it's nice to have but definitely something you can live without. An entry level jointer will usually be fine for a dedicated scroll saw workshop.

There are plenty scrollers out there who do not own any of these tools. They are able to enjoy the hobby and make projects without any thought of spending hundreds of dollars to finish out a full workshop. There are thousands of project that can be made from 3/4" thick lumber purchased from Home Depot. 

If you do want to upgrade your workshop then maybe a few of these suggestions will help. 


- -

Email Newsletter Readers: Remember that the Newsletter is just a copy of the daily blog post. To see the post in it's proper formatting click this link. If you ever misplace a pattern or any item you see here you can always find it on the blog. Everything stays on the blog forever. 



Please support our monthly giveaway sponsor. Bear Woods,
your source for Pegas scroll saw blades and craft supplies.


Visit Heritage Wood Specialties
for your scroll saw ready boards.

Let me teach you to create a beautiful wooden portrait pattern. I will show you everything you need from start to finish. The video will show you the free software program you can download for Windows or Mac OS. I will show you how to install the program and configure it for best results. 
Then I will show you the technique to take your photograph and make a pattern from it. When the pattern is complete we will go in the shop and cut it.
The DVD is $10 plus shipping. This is a data DVD that you will use on your computer to watch the video tutorial  



Purchase the entire Scrollsaw Workshop pattern catalog for offline access.
This DVD has 2,300 patterns published from 2007 thru 2017.
The DVD is $20 plus shipping. Ships to 60 countries around the world.

If you use the DVD on a Windows PC there is a simple viewer program to browse through the patterns.

The DVD also works fine on a MAC. The viewer program is not MAC compatible but there is an included PDF with all the patterns shown as thumbnails for easy viewing. 

Want to create beautiful wooden vases on the scroll saw?
My two "Wooden Vases on the Scroll Saw" books make it easy.

The books are $12 each and available for instant download after purchase. Click for Video Demonstration.


The Scrollsaw Workshop is primarily supported by donations. If you enjoy this Blog and would like to make a donation please click this Button. Your support is greatly appreciated. 
http://www.stevedgood.com/donate2.html


This is the end of the daily posts. Keep scrolling for lot's more scrolls saw fun!






https://www.bearwood.com/
Bear Woods has been around since 1987 serving our hobby. They offer a wide range of craft products including Pegas scroll saw blades, clock inserts, toy parts, workshop supplies and much more. In my ten years of writing the Scrollsaw Workshop blog I have never received a complaint about Bear Woods. I get thousands of email a month so that's saying something about their customer service and quality products. Please support the people who support our hobby. Click now and visit Bear Woods.

Heritage Wood Specialties. Scroll saw ready boards!


Heritage Wood Specialties is a nationally recognized supplier of superior quality hardwoods to fine woodworkers across the US and Canada. Novice hobbyists and experienced enthusiasts alike can enjoy the high quality woodworking materials and kits available from Heritage Wood Specialties. Great source for scroll saw ready boards.

Seyco

http://seyco.com/
Seyco began business in 1986 with the goal to supply the best customer support and quality products in the scroll saw industry. I have worked with Seyco on many occasions and I can tell you they are simply the best. Please do yourself a favor and click the image above. Steve Good

Free Pattern Catalog. 1000's of free patterns.

http://www.stevedgood.com/catalog/

Thousands of FREE scroll saw patterns. No registration or signup required.

The projects form these patterns can be sold without restrictions. The patterns cannot be sold.

Click here for the Free Online Catalog.

-

Wooden Vases on the Scroll Saw Book $12 Each

http://www.stevedgood.com/woodenvases.html
Each digital book is available for download immediately after payment.
The books are $12 per edition and contains eight unique patterns each.
Watch the following video to see how easy these beautiful scroll saw vases
are to make. 

Order the $3 pdf Catalog

This is a PDF of all the patterns in my free catalog. It is for Windows only and has a program to automatically download the pattern to your computer. Please watch the video below before you order. Click the picture to order.
http://www.stevedgood.com/swpd/swpdorderpage.html
You do not need a PayPal account to order. At the bottom of the PayPal page is a button that will allow you to pay with a credit card. After successful payment click the Return to Merchant button for the download.

Stencil Printer 1.7

Stencil Printer Instruction Video.

The Scrollsaw Workshop Stencil Printer 1.7 is my latest software for creating patterns. It will create key chain fobs, desk name plates and more. Click the image above to download the latest version. It is free to use donationware. This software is for Windows PC only.

Scroll Saw Pattern Printer update 1.1

Scroll Saw Pattern Printer update 1.1
Download the Free Scroll Saw Pattern Printer Version 1.1. Create name patterns in seconds. Windows PC only.
Download Version 1.1
Please consider a $5 donation for The Scroll Saw Pattern Printer v1.1.

Scroll Saw Keychain Pattern Maker

Use the Scroll Saw Keychain Maker to start a small keychain business. Build yourself a nice display and make up severl keychains with common names. Sell at craft shows, on Ebay or at work. Everyone needs a keychain. Take custom orders. Heck just make them and give them away as gifts. It's all made easy with the Scroll Saw Keychain Maker. Watch the video demonstration then download the file below and get started with the fun.
The following link will start the download process. After the file download is complete just click the setup file and the program will be installed. Please consider a $5 donation for the program.

Download the Oval Keychain Pattern Maker.

Enjoy designing and printing these great personalized key chains. Give them as gifts, make them for fun or sell them at craft shows. It's easy, just watch the video demo then download and install the program. You will be designing these fun projects in minutes. Windows PC only.
Download the Free Oval Key Chain Pattern Maker. Create Oval key chain patterns in seconds.
Download Version .9a
Please consider a $5 donation for The Oval Key Chain Pattern Maker.

T-Shirts and More.

T-Shirts and More.
Show your love for the hobby and support the Scrollsaw Workshop. Safe and secure order fullfilled by CafePress. Take a look. You are sure to find something you like. CLICK THE IMAGE to visit the store.

The Lifter

Papa's Custom Patterns.

www.papasworkshop.net

Philip Lowndes Noah's Arc Pattern Available. Watch the video below.

This video is from Philip Lowndes. He is the designer of this beautiful Noah's Arc puzzle pattern. If you would like the pattern follow the link below.
Buy This Wonderful Heirloom Puzzle Pattern

Think Safety

Remember to keep the safety of yourself and others in your work shop in your thoughts at all times. Always wear eye and ear protection. Follow all the manufactures warnings that came with your power tools. If I demonstrate something on this web site that you don't feel is safe, don't do it. Your safety is your responsibility. Fingers are handy things, try to keep all of them.
__________________________
Disclaimer:
The Scrollsaw Workshop Blog is in no way affiliated with or sponsored by Scroll Saw Woodworking and Crafts Magazine formerly (Scroll Saw Workshop Magazine) or it's publisher Fox Chapel Publishing.

Scroll Saw Woodworking and Crafts