Scrollsaw Workshop: 01/01/2014

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Did you have a bad day?

The Scrollsaw Workshop is primarily supported by donations. If you enjoy this Blog and would like to make a donation please click this link. Your support is greatly appreciated. Make A Donation

If you are reading this in the email newsletter please visit the blog for more content. All previous patterns are saved in the free online catalog. Free software, videos, Community forum and more.
Scrollsaw Workshop Blog

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Music to my ears.

Monday, January 27, 2014

Tea Light Stand Scroll Saw Pattern.

Please only use battery operated tea light for safety.

This pattern book has eight different designs for the tea light stand pictured. If you just have a few minutes to get out in the shop then this pattern might be just the ticket. If you follow my designs you know that I tend to do easy patterns. There is a good reason for that. I have the attention span of a 3 month old puppy.

I used to design and build furniture in my shop. It would sometimes take weeks to finish a project. I almost quite woodworking because I could not stay focused on a project that long. I migrated to spending most of my time on the scroll saw because I could design a pattern and often finish the project that same night. That bias still comes out in most everything I do. I love to see those large cathedral clocks and read about how they took months to cut but that's just not my cup of tea.

The video below is another Gwinnett Woodworkers Association Scroll Saw Sig meeting. In this demonstration Hans shows basket making techniques on the scroll saw. Hans shows a few different types of baskets and how easy they are to make. I believe most of the patterns in the video are mine so if you are interested you can find them in my catalog. As always Hans does a fantastic job. The video is long so get a cup of coffee and enjoy.

If you are reading this in the email newsletter you may not see the video. Click this link to watch it in your browser.

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Cold War Veteran Scroll Saw Pattern.

Over the years I have designed many military inspired patterns. I have tried to be inclusive of as many of those who served as possible. I will never be able to recognize everyone who deserves our respect and appreciation. I received an email from JimmyP today asking if I could design a plaque for all the Cold Wat Veterans who served from 1945 until the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. The Cold War turned hot a few times during those years. Luckily the men and women of all the armed forces were ready and able to respond when our country called. Because of them freedom lives. Thanks JimmyP.

Heart Tray Jigsaw Puzzle.

If you have never cut puzzles before then consider using Flying Dutchman Superior Puzzle blades. It's important not to leave a large kerf or the pieces won't fit snugly together. The Superior Puzzle Blades are the perfect solution for a good fit and they last longer than most brands. I buy all my blades from Mike over at http://www.mikesworkshop.com/.

I have know Mike for several years. He provides an excellent product and very good service. I can highly recommend him as a source for blades.

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Family Together Forever Scroll Saw Pattern.

Our daily lives go by very fast. Friends come and go. Jobs start and stop. Material possessions are here and gone. Family is forever. The second you are born you are part of your family. The day you pass you will be missed by your family. Make every day with your family count.

Thursday, January 23, 2014

You Hold The Key To My Heart.

Valentines day is just around the corner. Time to hit the scroll saw for your sweetheart. This is a simple little pattern that wont take too much wood. It takes a little longer to cut than you might think The letters take some patience. I used a #1 blade for the entire cut. You need a small blade for the letters but you also want the key too fit back in snug after it's cut out.

I cut the backer board and the front as separate pieces. If you have trouble following the pattern line they wont fit together well and you will have to sand that much more. If you thing that will be a problem then stack cut both at the same time. Use the front pattern and cut the key for both. Then when you separate the front and back you can cut the key off the backer. Then you will have two perfectly matching parts. You can cut the letters after you remove the backer.

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Laptop Stand with Keyboard holder.

If you use a laptop on a desk you know that the height of the monitor is not ideal. I have a table that I use for electronics experimenting. I like to have my laptop there to look things up on Google as I work. I also like to connects a real mouse and keyboard. The keyboard can get in the way.

I decided to design a laptop stand that would solve the monitor height and hold the keyboard out of the way when not needed.

The prototype below is what I came up with. I used 1/2" Thick MDF but I plan to cut it again in some nice looking wood. The cross brace has slots cut in each end to hold the stands. If you do a good job of making the fit tight you won't even need to glue the cross brace. That way you can disassemble it for storage or travel. The holes are to reduce the weight as much as possible without making it weak.

I wanted to pass along the link to my pattern catalog on DVD. These two DVD's have every pattern from the Scrollsaw Workshop catalog since 2007. There are hundreds of patterns of just about anything you could want.

Let me make it clear that these patterns are available for free on my blog. These DVD's are for your own archive. I had many requests to make them available on DVD. I recently created the 2013 update to the original DVD. This link take you to the order page for both DVD's. The first disk has 2007 to 2012. The second disk is the update for 2013. They are $20 for the first disk and $7.50 for the update.

Here are two PDF files that list all the patterns on each DVD.
Catalog 2007-2012
Catalog 2013

ORDER DVD

http://kunaki.com/MSales.asp?PublisherId=134145

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The Scrollsaw Workshop is primarily supported by donations. If you enjoy this Blog and would like to make a donation please click this link. Your support is greatly appreciated. Make A Donation

If you are reading this in the email newsletter please visit the blog for more content. All previous patterns are saved in the free online catalog. Free software, videos, Community forum and more.
Scrollsaw Workshop Blog

Monday, January 20, 2014

What's a mouse without a cat?

Several days ago I posted the pattern for the mouse. I never got around to designing the cat until tonight. Here he is. If you need the mouse pattern here is the link for him. www.stevedgood.com/mouse.pdf .

I needed a bit of a break so I have not done much work on the blog the last couple days. That means I am miles behind on answering email. I'll be trying to get to as many as possible the next couple days.

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Word Art Scroll Saw Pattern.

Coffee Sign Scroll Saw Pattern.

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Metro ED500 DataVac Electric Duster Video Review.

In this video review I will talk about the Metro Electric Duster. Is it worth the money? Is it a useful shop tool? Watch the video and find out.

Here is a link to the product on Amazon.

If you are reading this in the email newsletter you may not see the video. Click this link to watch it in your browser.

Jewelry Tree Scroll Saw Pattern.

Here is another easy to cut but useful project. This jewelry tree is 10.25 inches tall. She can hang her necklaces and bracelets on the tree limbs. The pegs are for rings. Make sure you use at least 3/4" thick wood for the base. You want it to have some weight so it won't tip over. The tree is 1/2" thick.

Let me talk a minute about the base. One tool that can really add to your projects appeal is a router. On a project like this the base looks clunky if you just leave it plain. Using a router to put a nice decorative detail on the base will really help. A router table is great but even just using the router hand held will work. If you can add it to your tool budget its worth the money.

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

You and Me Heart Puzzle.

This is a simple puzzle with a simple message. Take 15 minutes and cut this for that special someone in your life for Valentines Day.

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Congratulations Florida State, 2014 BCS National Champs.

College football fans saw a great football game tonight. Undefeated Florida State staged a comeback to beat the miracle prone Auburn Tigers 34 to 31. Auburn controlled the first half and looked like the better team. FSU gambled on a fake punt late in the first half and turned the momentum in their favor. The late first half FSU touchdown made the score Auburn 21 FSU 10. The underdog Tigers took every punch landed by FSU in the second half but came up just short of another miracle.

I pull for the SEC but you have to give FSU all the credit. They never gave up in the game. Their Heisman trophy winning quarterback kept his cool after a so so first half. He is a freshman and you would have expected him to fold under the pressure of a poor start. Winston went 20 for 35 for 237 yards passing with 2 TDs and 0 INTs. Not the stats he is use to but good enough for a championship.

You have to give Auburn their due also. They were double digit dogs before the game started. I think their game plan was right they just came up one big play short to a very good team. It's been a good run for the SEC in the BCS championship games.

Monday, January 6, 2014

Flying Eagle Scroll Saw Sculpture.

I enjoyed cutting this ten inch tall flying eagle sculpture. The eagle has 72 interior cuts which gives it a nice fretwork look. I took my time so it took me about two and a half hours to cut. The eagle is cut from 1/2" thick wood and the base is 3/4" thick. I wanted a thick base to give the piece some weight. He is pretty fragile and I don't want it to tip over easily.

Like much of the country we are expecting severe cold weather tonight and tomorrow. -2 degrees F with wind-chills as low as -20 degrees F. We don't see temps like that here in Kentucky very often. It's probably been 20 years or more since I can remember anything this severe. Most winters I never even break out a heavy coat. I just wear a jacket. I guess the big coat will come out of the closet in the morning. For all of you who are experiencing the same type of weather be careful. Check on your neighbors especially the elderly. Make sure your animals are protected. It's a good time to heat up the shop and just make some saw dust.

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Ace of Spades Scroll Saw Pattern.

6" X 8" Ace of Spades.

Friday, January 3, 2014

Ribbon Cross Scroll Saw Pattern.

This Ribbon Cross is the first pattern for 2014. I just finished adding up the total pattern downloads for 2013. 2,893,206 patterns total. The 3dHead pattern was the number one pattern for last year. It had about 20,000 downloads. It was a strange pattern but I guess it was something different so it caught every ones attention. If you missed it just click the picture of the head above to take a look. I would guess a small percentage of the downloads ended up with a finished project for the 3d Head.

I hope everyone had a nice New Year. Mine was the normal. I try to stay awake but don't succeed. My wife wakes me up a few minutes before the ball drops. I watch the countdown then promptly fall back a sleep in the recliner. It's a wild life I lead.

The login problem came back again today on the Community Forum. Sorry for those of you who could not get in. It is a bug in the forum software. It's working now but I'm still looking for a permanent solution. I'll spend some more time this weekend researching the problem. Hopefully the software authors can help me get to a final fix.