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Fine Hand-Crafted Wooden Puzzles
Here is a sign you can make for the office of your favorite fisherman. You can add a few fishing lures to the sign to give it that little extra touch.
I'll be doing the drawing for the giveaway Saturday night. Make sure you get your entries in for a chance to win.
This months book giveaway is "Making Wooden Baskets on your Scroll Saw". This is one of my favorite books. I love basket patterns and the ones in this book are exceptional.
In this video review I demonstrate the Olsen ScrollSanders. This product replaces the blade in your scroll saw with a sanding strip. The strip can then be used to power sand small hard to reach areas in your fretwork.
I will show the product in action and give you my pros and cons.
You can find the Olsen ScrollSanders at many woodworking stores. Here is the link to the product on the Woodcraft web site. Olsen ScrollSander
There are a lot of ways to have fun in your workshop. One of the best is to work with a child or grandchild. The younger they are the shorter their attention span usually is. Very simple projects that they can help you with are the best for these young woodworkers. Just make sure you keep safety foremost in your thoughts as you work.
You won't get much more simple that this crayon hauler but you will end up with a project the child can enjoy. You will probably need to cut the body but the child can help assemble the wheels, paint and decorate as they like. Maybe even help drill all the holes for the crayons.
The truck is designed to be cut from a construction grade 2 x 4. The wheels are 1 1/4" diameter and can be cut from the pattern or purchased. You can buy the wheels from many craft and woodworking stores. I included a link to where you can buy them online.
I kept the truck in the picture above very simple but you can add fenders, head lights, spare tire, caution light, smoke stacks and anything else you or your youngster can think up. Remember to keep the age of the child in mind when adding parts that could come off and be swallowed.
This pattern was requested from a reader. The pattern requires a technique called veining. For those of you new to scrolling this is just making a cut in the wood that draws a line to enhance the image. To do this sometimes requires an interior hole to be drilled. This hole starts the vein/line.
You want to conceal the entry hole as much as possible. Use micro drill bits that are just big enough for the blade you plan to use. You can sometimes blend the entry hole into the line with your blade. I have even used the saw dust from the cutting mixed with a little glue to make a filler putty for the holes.
Veining shows up better on lighter wood. Using a larger blade will make the veining show up better because it leaves a wider kerf.
The 2010 World Equestrian Games will be held in my home city, Lexington Ky. This will be the largest equestrian event ever held in the United States. The games are held every four years. Over 100 countries are involved in the events. Events this large can bring in millions of dollars to the area where the games are held.
Any time something like this happens it can be an excellent opportunity for craftsmen. You have to be careful not to violate any trademarked logos or slogans but with a little creativity you can make some money. I will probably design a few equestrian patterns and make some projects for the event. It's been a long time since I have done any production cutting but the opportunity is too good to pass up. I only have a couple months until the event so I won't be able to get a large inventory cut. I have talked to a couple establishments where tourist should be frequenting. They are at least willing to take a look at what I make so we will see what happens.
Murphy's law says "Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong". I had one of those days today at work. It was one of those days when you say "Murphy was an optimist". It's nice to stay positive but some days you just have to give in to the Gods of negativity and kneel down to Murphy and give him his dues. The good news about a bad day is they are only possible if you know what a good day is. I had my bad day now I can look forward to a good day. I am pessimistically optimistic that tomorrow will be great.
After posting the Corian example the other day I have received several emails with tips and suggestions. Thanks for all the info. These pictures are from Barb Schmidt. She has cut many Corian projects and had tips to share. You can see the rest of her work here.
I will be trying several of the tips this weekend and see which work best for me. I'll let you all know the results.
One question I want to put out is sourcing for Corian. Other than hitting up local installers and ebay do any of you have a good online source for Corian? Because it is so expensive to buy and ship I would like to find someone selling small blanks targeted to crafters. Any ideas?
These Chinese character pendants make nice pieces of jewelry. The characters stand for family, love and strength. You will need to add a jump ring and chain and you have a quick gift.
You can also use the Inlace or polymer clay inlay technique I have discussed before to add a nice touch.
The scroll saw is great for jewelry making. You can make bracelets, rings, pendants and other items that look nice and are cheap and quick to finish.
I don't cut a lot of Corian. It's a fun product to work with because it's so different from wood. I decided I should spend a little time learning the ins and outs of cutting the product and making it look nice.
The first thing to know is that Corian can be expensive. It runs about $20/sf. The good news is that most scroll saw projects are small so you don't need a lot of the material. It's best to try and find your local counter top installer and buy or trade for their scraps. You can also find scraps of Corian sold on www.ebay.com. It's also heavy so shipping charges are high.
Using the correct blade is important. A skip tooth blade like the Flying Dutchman Polar blade will cut Corian well. I also used the "True Cut Blades Hook Tooth GT" with good results.
Feed rate and blade speed are also important. If you feed too fast you will cause friction heat and melt the Corian as you cut. This heat will fuse the material back together. You will know this has happened when you try to remove the piece from the waste area. It won't come out. Even using the correct feed rate you can get some fusing. In the test piece above I used packing tape over the pattern of the man but not on the base. I had no fusing with the tape but without it fusing occurred. This caused a lot of sanding to get the base edges smooth after I had to break it out of the waste. Always use the tape.
Sanding and polishing are a work in progress for me. You can see on the test piece above that there is a difference in the gloss from the pre-finished front and the edges I cut and sanded. It's not severe but noticeable up close. After researching online I have found that there are products to remove scratches and polish the Corian to a high gloss finish. Some online sources suggest a buffing wheel to get a really nice high gloss. I'm working on that.
Cyanoacrylate(Super Glue) is the glue for assembling Corian pieces together. In the test cut there is very little glue area between the base and the foot but the CA glue made the joint strong.
I love cutting wood. I like the natural beauty of the grain. I like the way it feels. I like the way it smells. I like the way it cuts. I just like wood but Corian gives us another material to add to our arsenal. Small art pieces, key fobs, name plates and desk sets are just a few of the projects that come to mind using Corian. If you get a chance, give it a try.
This video is a quick review of the Wixey digital angle gauge. Here is the Woodcraft link to the purchase the tool.
Roger Covert was one of the two winners. Here is Roger with two of his other passions, his scooter and his beautiful granddaughter. Congratulations Roger.
Here is Richard Leighton, the other winner working away on his DeWalt scroll saw. Congrats to you also Richard. I'll get the packages in the mail tomorrow guys. Thanks to everyone for entering.
This project requires a 6 inch glass dome. Sources are available for the dome in the pattern. Prices range from $8 to $13 for the dome depending on where you buy it. I found mine at the local Woodcraft store in the woodturners section. Woodcraft does not appear to carry the dome online. There is an online source available here. Their 6 inch dome is $8 plus shipping.
The plate in this project is cut from Corian. Make sure you use the correct blades when cutting the Corian. The Flying Dutchman #7 Polar blade works fine. It's also helpful to have some micro sanding pads but any 220 grit sand paper will give you pretty good results on the Corian if you need to sand the edges. Mine required very little sanding.
I attached the plate to the wood with two part epoxy.
If you have never cut Corian before you will be surprised how well it cuts with the right blade. Finding Corian can sometimes be difficult. Some sources are Ebay, and your local counter top installers. They often have scraps left over that they throw out. I also know a woodworker in Tennessee that might be a source but I'm not sure of the price yet.
Corian is food safe a reasonably durable. It can be cleaned with ordinary dish washing detergent. It is now porous so it does not hold odors.
The videos below are the drawings for the giveaways.
Easy to cut bud vase holder. You can use the inexpensive bud vase from Wildwood Designs. They come in three different colors and only cost .45 apiece.
I will be doing the drawing for the "Making Wooden Baskets on the Scroll Saw" book Saturday evening. I will also draw for the "Giveaway the Giveaway" contest the same time. Make sure you get your entries in for both. Look for the video of the drawings sometime Saturday night.
This is not an ad. I don't get any money from this I just wanted to pass on a deal I just found. A reader was looking for an older version of Corel Draw to design scroll saw patterns. I was telling him about the Home/Student version and that it might also be an option for him. When I went to Amazon to check prices I noticed it had been marked down from $129 to $69 with free shipping.
They are likely clearing out X4 because X5 is shipping now. If you have ever thought about using a high end vector graphics program to design patterns this might be a good opportunity. Don't buy this unless you are ready to spend the time to learn it. It requires a little effort like all high end software. The more computer skills you already have the quicker you will catch on. This is the program I use for all my patterns.
At the time I am posting this it is in stock and shipped from Amazon.
You can take a look here. Corel Draw X4 Home/Student.
The folks from SAW were there in force to welcome everyone to the EXPO.
The Scrollsaw Association of the World (SAW) is an international, non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of scrollsawing. It is made up of individual members, local chapters, and a nine-member volunteer Board of Directors. Scrollsawing is defined here as any woodworking that is produced with the use of a scroll saw.
Their fundamental purpose is to provide education, information, and organization to those interested in the art of scrollsawing. Membership is open to anyone with an interest in scrollsawing. They have attained Not-For-Profit status from the Federal government of the United States of America to further these goals.
Your paid membership in the Scrollsaw Association of the World includes a subscription to Their newsletter, SAW Dust, a copy of their Resource Directory, and all specialty publications. Memberships run for a 12 month period beginning with the date that membership is received at the Home Office.
If you are interested in a membership you can find the SAW web page HERE
This was a special moment for me at the EXPO. I have respected the work of Judy Gale Roberts for years. I remember seeing her work for the first time in the 1988 edition of Wood magazine. I had never seen intarsia before. I don't think many other woodworkers had either. Getting to talk with Judy was such a pleasure. I also remember the 2001 issue of Scrollsaw Workshop Magazine that featured Judy on the cover showing her "Indian on Horseback" work. It was incredible and I think responsible for many of the intarsia artist today. Without Judy, intarsia might very well be an art lost to history.
This is a picture of the PS Wood Machine booth. Barbara travels all over the country showing what they have to offer. She is a great champion for the scrolling community and a very nice person to speak with. Check out their web site HERE. Also check out their video page that show much of what they have to offer.
This intarsia project by Kathy Wise was one of those jaw droppers at the show that just made you stop in your tracks and drool. Kathy has been featured in many magazines and has won awards for her beautiful pieces of art. Kathy has a new book out now. "Intarsia for beginners". Make sure you check out her web page HERE.
Bushton Manufacturing was there and showing off their line of HAWK scroll saws. In the picture above they have the saw mounted to their wheelchair accessible scroll saw stand. Scrolling is a perfect hands on hobby for those with many different disabilities. It's nice to see companies that recognize the needs of all their customers. Check out their web site HERE. 
Seyco was their with their line of Excalibur scroll saws. Ray Seymore is the President of Seyco. Ray has a reputation of having the best customer service in the industry. I only had a few moments to say hello to Ray but it was obvious from watching him with show attendees he was every bit the gentleman I have always heard about. Check out Seyco HERE.
I think Ocooch Hardwoods had the busiest booth at the EXPO. I saw a lot of wood being carried out to waiting cars in the parking lot. Ocooch Hardwoods was started in 1994 by Floyd and Carol Hacker. This is another small business that has one of those reputations for quality service and good products. Ocooch sells scroll saw ready wood. For those of you without the tools to dimension lumber to the thickness you need for your scroll saw projects give Floyd and Carol a call. Their prices are very good and don't forget how important their reputation for quality service is. You can find Ocooch Hardwoods HERE.
I purchased some Walnut and Western Red Cedar while I was there. I have had a hard time getting nice walnut lately and theirs was very nice.
This was and cool looking set of chess pieces. All compound cut hand tools. Sorry I can't give credit for many of the pieces I took pictures of. I was running my mouth so much I just did not take enough notes.
Another nice looking project at the EXPO.
In this last picture I am taking some video of Jim Stiek getting ready to do a little cutting in the scroll saw coral. I have only personally met Jim and his wife twice but they are the kind of people who make being involved in any hobby such a pleasure. When you meet them they make you feel like you have known them for years. I could have set and talked with them all day. Wonderful people and great ambassadors to the art of scrolling.
Thinking about meeting all the wonderful people at the EXPO reminds me of something I think is important. Many hobbies tend to be solitary endeavors that can keep us to our selves for long relaxing hours. Nothing wrong with that but you really understand how much more rewarding a hobby can be when you get together with other folks who share your passions.
If you have a chance to attend a scroll saw picnic or EXPO do yourself a favor and make the trip. Don't go with expectations of a large event. Our hobby is a niche and the money is just not there for big shows. What makes the trip worth the effort is the people. Leave your shyness at home and start up conversations with the vendors and people walking the floor. Your going to meet some of the best friends you could ever want. You will also meet a few characters you won't soon forget but that's what make the world go round.
Jeff Powell and his daughter proudly holding the "Best of Show" and "Scrollers Choice" ribbons received at the 2010 SAW EXPO. The intarsia project is Jeff's design and it is stunning in person. I feel terrible that the picture below does not do the cutting justice. The intarsia is displayed on a beautiful natural edge wood slab. The image is of a fairy sitting on a bed of flowers with a bees nest above. Jeff's daughter was his inspiration for the fairy.
I want to say a huge thank you to all the folks from SAW who put in the time to make all the EXPO attendees feel welcome and comfortable. There were not large crowds but it was steady and everyone seemed be be having a a nice time looking, talking and shopping.
The EXPO was set up in sections. The vendors had their space to demonstrate and sell their products. There was the scroll saw corral for visitors to sit down and saw a while. The scroll saw clubs had their tables and of course there was the contest area.
The snack bar area was a favorite spot to hang out and talk. I have to say that getting to meet and talk with more of you than I can count was my favorite part of the show. When I ask you guys to stop and say hi if you saw me there I had no idea what I was asking. I think I have a small idea of how a politician feels now. I must have met and shook hands with over a hundred wonderful people from all over the country. To each and every one of you I want to say thanks. You all made my day.
A few highlights of the show for me were getting to meet Judy Gale Roberts and see her intarsia in person. Her work is truly amazing and she is such a delightful person to speak with.
I spent several minutes speaking with Jim Nye from Bushton Manufacturing. Jim and his partner seemed very enthusiastic about putting the Hawk line of scroll saws at the top of the list for high end scroll saws. They had their new juniorHAWK scroll saw on display. It's a 16 inch saw with the features of the G4 and Ultra series of saws. It sells for $850. Here is a link to the Bushton web site 
I'll get more pictures from the EXPO up sometime this week and hopefully get a few video clips edited and posted also.
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.
