Monday, June 30, 2014

Gary Parks introduces Dee and Walt.

Okay a couple days ago I got an email from a Gary Parks. When I opened it I actually laughed out loud. Gary had sent me a concept for a pattern. They are a couple named Dee & Walt. Their only purpose in life is to hold up the DeWalt Dw788 upper arm so you can easily change blades. If you own a DeWalt you know the problem. 

Now this might not be a replacement for The Lifter from Papa's Workshop but it sure is cute. If you are still using a block of wood to hold the arm up grab it and cut this couple. They will do the job for you. Notice the grain direction. This gives them plenty of strength from my short test. No warranty or guarantee but hey their cheap to make. If you break one just cut another. It was nice of Gary to include one for a female and male scroller.

Admit it, you laughed when to saw the very cool project.

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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 would like to have all the patterns in the Scrollsaw Workshop catalog you can buy the first six years DVD and the 2013 update DVD at this link. DVD #1 is $20 and contains over 1,100 patterns. The 2013 update DVD is $7.50 and has another 178 patterns.

Sunday, June 29, 2014

It's almost our birthday America.

Be safe on the 4th of July. You need both hands to run a scroll saw. Leave the fireworks to the pros. 
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 would like to have all the patterns in the Scrollsaw Workshop catalog you can buy the first six years DVD and the 2013 update DVD at this link. DVD #1 is $20 and contains over 1,100 patterns. The 2013 update DVD is $7.50 and has another 178 patterns.

Wooden Vases on the Scroll Saw Digital Book. (Almost Ready to Ship)

I have been working on a project that I'm really excited about. Sometime in the next few days I will be releasing a new digital book. The book will contain eight unique wooden vase patterns. These are simple to make and they look great. People who see them will wonder how you made them. The book will contain the patterns and all the instructions you need to complete all eight of these beautiful wooden vases. I really believe these are going to make incredible gifts. They are easy enough to complete that you should also be able to make a few dollars selling them in your arts and crafts shows. They range in size from 7 inches up to 10 inches.

I have to finish up the photography and get the instructions completed and it will be ready. I hope to get that done tomorrow or Monday. I try to keep most patterns that I design free but in this case I will be asking a small fee for the book. The money from the book will help me offset the costs of maintaining the blog. Don't worry the daily patterns will always be free here at the Scrollsaw Workshop.
 
The price of the digital download will be $12. The book will be available for instant download after payment. Payment will be handled through secure Paypal transactions. You do not need a paypal account to order the book. You will be able to use your credit card for the transaction. I will also be accepting cash and checks through the mail if that is more convenient. I will email the link to the book when I receive payment.

Like I said at the start I'm excited about this project. I think these are something different that you don't see coming from the scroll saw. Thanks for listening to my blatant ad. I'll get back to more free patterns tomorrow. 

Friday, June 27, 2014

Fretwork Vase.

This fretwork vase is 7.5 inches tall. After I cut this sample I did go back and make one change. I think I would like it better if the back of the vase did not have fretwork. I don't like how the back cuts show through. I think it is distracting. I'll leave it up to you to make it the way you like.   

I used 1/4" Thick walnut. There are instructions in the pattern on how to assemble. The one thing I want you to watch for are the sides. The angle causes the bottom not to be flat. You could cut the sides to the angle on your table saw. I find it easier to just let the sides over hang while gluing and flatten them at the end on my disk sander. The instruction show this process and an alternative.


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 would like to have all the patterns in the Scrollsaw Workshop catalog you can buy the first six years DVD and the 2013 update DVD at this link. DVD #1 is $20 and contains over 1,100 patterns. The 2013 update DVD is $7.50 and has another 178 patterns.

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Meet Dave Kettunen, Master Scroll Saw Artist.

- Here is a treat for you guys. I want to introduce you to Dave Kettunen. Dave is a scroll saw artist who enjoys just a bit of a challenge. In this post Dave gives a run down of what it takes to build the York Minster Clock. The pattern for this clock is available here Wildwood Designs.

Thanks Dave for the wonderful look into your shop.
The images are of the York Minster laid out on the floor of my work shop (minus the floors of the clock) and the syringe with florist's clay for sealing the needle. me at the saw, another of just my saw and red oak cut offs ready for resawing and planning.  I got a hell of a deal on red oak cut offs from a local high school wood shop ($50 for a pickup bed filled).  I use pine runners to eliminate snipe waste from these short pieces.  On most of my clocks, if you don’t make your own boards, you probably won’t be able to afford the wood to make these clocks.  Also resawing allows me to “book” mark boards for gluing to make wider boards.

This clock (York Minster in red oak) is the latest of the larger cathedral style clocks that I’ve cut.  The first being the Dome Clock with Base in red oak; two Orleans Cathedral Clocks, one in cherry and one in black walnut; Roman Cathedral in red oak and lastly The Chimes of Normandy in black walnut.  I have several copies made off all the plans I buy (local copier shop).  The original (marked as such) goes in a file and one of the copies is cut up and scanned into my computer.  I have a light table for taping patterns larger than 8 1/2 x 11”.  Since there are multiple pieces of the same pattern number you don’t want to pay for all those copies.  Also if you make a boo boo on a piece, just bring the file up and print out another.  I know it’s a pain to do all this work, but believe me, it’s worth it in the end.  The second copy is used as a reference for assembly.

I have three plans for intricate scrolling (York Minster, Amiens and the Shopiere) and of the three I decided to to the York Minster first (no special reason).  Here’s the specifics; about 16 hours to make all the boards (I resaw and plane my own lumber), about 5 hours of drilling the holes, 143.2 hours for all the scrolling, 103 Olson #3 Machine Speed Blades, 10 Olson #2 Machine Speed Blades and 3 #1 blades (mfg. unknown).  I don’t have an estimate on gluing the pattern to the wood nor removing the paper afterwards.  Because of the length of time between putting the pattern on the wood, cutting and removing the pattern I would NOT recommend putting the pattern on over painters tape.  The tape may not come off.  Incase anyone wonders about the cutting time, I have a resettable hour meter on my scroll saw (by the way it’s a Hagner V22) so when the saw is powered up, the timer runs.  Threading the blade and blade changing are all part of scrolling and that time counts also.

This plan calls for 450 pieces and 3,743 inside cuts.  About 95% of the clock is cut from 1/4” material with a few pieces 3/16”, 1/8” and - 3/32”.  There’s 16 Pinnacles cut from 1/2” and the cuts are double sided.  There is a lot of repetitious cutting (up to 16 identical pieces) so be prepared to get bored when tackling these.  You will need a router (in a table with a fence) and a 90 degree bit to route the face grooves in a number of pieces (there’s no other way to do this).  I also used this bit to bevel the 90 degree angles where called for.  There is beveling on some of the 1/8” pieces so keep a close eye on your fingers when beveling these small pieces.  I try to precut all the pieces to width and length to save time and fit up later but I still end up doing some trimming during fit up.  I used Elmers Carpenter Wood Glue thru out and found that a 12cc veterinary syringe with a 16ga needle (tip filed flat) to be extremely helpful in applying the glue.  I also use silicone rubber bands to hold the smaller pieces together while gluing.  These bands will not stick to the glue squeeze out.  Finally when the assemble was completed (I don’t have a time for assembly), I took it outside where I sprayed it with numerous coats of lacquer using a detail spray gun.  I still have to install the lighting yet.

On all future work I will be using a product called scrollers tape I get from Scroller LTD.  This is the next best thing since sliced bread.  It goes on easy, the pattern is applied/positioned to the wood and pressed down.  Saw and remove the pattern.  The tape leaves no sticky residue and you can leave the spray glue and mineral spirits in the can.  The tape is somewhat pricy but not breathing fumes is a lot more healthier.  I used this material on the thinner stock and had no problem with removal even on the 3/32” pieces. 

This tape really shines when it comes to cutting puzzles when it’s time to remove the pattern from the pieces.  You don’t need a separate cover sheet.  I use 1/4” 5 ply underlayment, two coats of varnish sanded between coats to seal the surface, apply the puzzle pattern with contact cement, spray the pattern with several coats of clear lacquer and apply the scrollers tape and grid and cut.

Here are a couple more clocks. The first one is The Dome Clock and the second is The Chimes of Normandy Clock. Both are available from Wildwood Designs. 

Yours,
Dave Kettunen

Heads up. License Plate Surround Pattern.

It has come to my attention that some states have a law banning license plate frames. Make sure you know your local and state laws before you cut the pattern I posted this morning. Apparently even when the dealer installs the frame with their dealer name those are often not legal. I can't tell from my readeing if the law just requires that the frame not block any part of the plate lettering or if they are just forbidden completely.

Wooden License Plate Surround Pattern.

Want to add a touch of class to your car. Add this wooden license plate surround to your ride and it will stand out. 
The surround will need some protection from the weather. I almost never stain a scroll saw project but in this case it was necessary. I cut the surround from 1/4" red oak. The natural wood did not stand out enough so I stained it with a red oak stain. After the stain dried I finished it with several coats of gloss Spar Urethane spray. The Spar Urethane has a UV protection to help prevent the sun from fading the wood. It also provides a water barrier. Make sure you stain and finish both sides of the project.
The surround looks nice on my Ford Supercrew truck but imagine how nice it will look on your 2014 Corvette.
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 would like to have all the patterns in the Scrollsaw Workshop catalog you can buy the first six years DVD and the 2013 update DVD at this link. DVD #1 is $20 and contains over 1,100 patterns. The 2013 update DVD is $7.50 and has another 178 patterns.

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Beer Sign Scroll Saw Pattern.

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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 would like to have all the patterns in the Scrollsaw Workshop catalog you can buy the first six years DVD and the 2013 update DVD at this link. DVD #1 is $20 and contains over 1,100 patterns. The 2013 update DVD is $7.50 and has another 178 patterns.

Monday, June 23, 2014

United We Stand, Divided We Fall. Scroll Saw Pattern.

The United States of America will be 238 years old on July 4th 2014. That is if you consider the signing of the Declaration of Independence as the birth of the United States. The adoption of the Constitution was in 1787. If you go by that date then we are going to be 227 years old. Either way we will be celebrating the birth and history of our union.

This plaque is 8 X 9.5 inches. The flag graphic behind the ornament is included with the pattern. Just print the flag out on photo paper and glue it between the ornament and the plaque.
  
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 would like to have all the patterns in the Scrollsaw Workshop catalog you can buy the first six years DVD and the 2013 update DVD at this link. DVD #1 is $20 and contains over 1,100 patterns. The 2013 update DVD is $7.50 and has another 178 patterns.

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Your Favorite Drivers Scroll Saw Patterns.

Most but not every driver is included. I'll work on more if the requests are there. These trophies are almost 7 inches tall.
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 would like to have all the patterns in the Scrollsaw Workshop catalog you can buy the first six years DVD and the 2013 update DVD at this link. DVD #1 is $20 and contains over 1,100 patterns. The 2013 update DVD is $7.50 and has another 178 patterns.

Friday, June 20, 2014

Tiger Art Scroll Saw Pattern.

There are a lot of places online to find nice graphics for inclusion into scroll saw patterns. It's important to follow the rules for their use. In this case I have modified a graphic from vectorportal.com. They allow for personal and commercial use but you have to provide a link back to their web site. There are other restriction for using their graphics so always read the license information. 

   

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 would like to have all the patterns in the Scrollsaw Workshop catalog you can buy the first six years DVD and the 2013 update DVD at this link. DVD #1 is $20 and contains over 1,100 patterns. The 2013 update DVD is $7.50 and has another 178 patterns.

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Worlds Best Barber Scroll Saw Pattern.

Okay guys, let's face it. Most of us visit the barber to talk sports or politics. As time goes by I need fewer and fewer hairs cut. I now have more hair on the back of my neck than I do on top of my forehead. Getting my eyebrows trimmed takes as long as trimming my side burns. Basically going to the barber is about as much fun as the yearly doctor visit after you turn 50. If you know what I mean.

So instead of talking about how global warming is causing my forehead to recede several inches a year we talk sports. Sometimes we talk politics but we quickly agree that they are all a bunch of bums and move the topic back to sports. Every so often my barber stops and explains to me how my cowlick does what it does because of the way I comb my hair. He seems to worry about that type of thing. I just tell him I never look back there.

When he is finished he always hands me a mirror so I can check out his work. I pretend to look and then say the same thing every time for the last 20 years. "I feel ten pounds lighter." He pretends to laugh. I'm not sure why he asks if it's okay. What if I say no it's too short? It's a little late don't you think?

I like my barber. I'm not crazy about getting a hair cut but it only last about 20 minutes and it's usually not too painful. It's not terribly expensive and I get to talk sports which is one of my favorite subjects.

When it's time for my wife to go to her beautician it seems kind of different. As best I can tell she looks forward to going. It take over two hours, sounds painful and cost over a hundred bucks. She won't tell me what they talk about but I'm pretty sure it's not sports. When she comes home she always ask me how it looks. I've learned over the years that that's a trick question. There are a lot of wrong answers to that question including "It looks nice". Tip for you guys. If you answer "It looks nice." there is a requirement that you actually look first.

If you like your barber then maybe you can make this project for him. The exchange will go something like this. YOU: "Hey I made this scroll saw project for you.". BARBER: "That's pretty nice. did you watch the game last night?".

That's just the way men are.   

 
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 would like to have all the patterns in the Scrollsaw Workshop catalog you can buy the first six years DVD and the 2013 update DVD at this link. DVD #1 is $20 and contains over 1,100 patterns. The 2013 update DVD is $7.50 and has another 178 patterns.

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Memory Plaque Scroll Saw Pattern.

This is a request pattern. I don't get to do many patterns from request because they are often not something that most readers will want also. I don't have the luxury of extra time so I usually can't help. In this case the request kind of hit home. I also knew that others could use the pattern also.    

I received and email asking if I could make a pattern with the Hibiscus flower for a young lady who had passed at the very early age of 23. Most of you know I just lost a nephew who was just 34 so it hit close to home.

I can't take credit for the words on the plaque as I have seen this saying for years. I do think it has a wonderful message so I decided to build this plaque around it. The way it is displayed is just a suggestion. The gold name plate just let's it be a personal plaque.
 
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 would like to have all the patterns in the Scrollsaw Workshop catalog you can buy the first six years DVD and the 2013 update DVD at this link. DVD #1 is $20 and contains over 1,100 patterns. The 2013 update DVD is $7.50 and has another 178 patterns.

3D Swan Scroll Saw Pattern.

Here is something simple. Only one interior cut on the base. You can stack cut these from 1/4" thick Baltic Birch ply. All the construction is just simple slot and tab. The swans are 4.75 inches tall but you can change the size to suit. If you cut them from thicker material just make sure you change the size of all the tabs and slots so they fit together.

If you enlarge them by 2X the slots and tabs will work on 1/2" thick stock. You would then have a swan nearly ten inches tall. Might make a nice ornament for a table centerpiece.

I used Baltic Birch because I wanted a color close to white. Maple would be another good choice. 

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 would like to have all the patterns in the Scrollsaw Workshop catalog you can buy the first six years DVD and the 2013 update DVD at this link. DVD #1 is $20 and contains over 1,100 patterns. The 2013 update DVD is $7.50 and has another 178 patterns.

Monday, June 16, 2014

James Eckert Wooden Flute Plans.

James Eckert over at http://jeplans.com/ has put together a nice project that I think many of you would love to try. I saw his video on YouTube and thought I would pass it along. James has plans for this wooden flute. I purchased and downloaded the plan. The cost was $1.75 which I think is a bargain. The download is a .pdf and is done in fine line. Instructions are included in the plans. The following video also shows complete cutting and assembly instructions.

James uses an integrated Paypal solution for payment. It worked flawless. Please remember you do not have to have a Paypal account to make payment. Just follow the simple instructions on screen to use your credit card through Paypal's secure online payment system.

After payment your download is available in the members folder. You do have to sign up with your email to make the purchase. You can choose to receive Jame's newsletter or not. 



 
 
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 would like to have all the patterns in the Scrollsaw Workshop catalog you can buy the first six years DVD and the 2013 update DVD at this link. DVD #1 is $20 and contains over 1,100 patterns. The 2013 update DVD is $7.50 and has another 178 patterns.

Saturday, June 14, 2014

I'm on my way back.

Before I talk about Father's Day and this pattern I want to take a minute to thank a lot of people. On the 1st day of this month I started feeling bad. Not terrible but I knew something was wrong. That was Sunday. By Tuesday night I was sick, really sick. I have never had the flu in my life and I take a flu shot every year so I was sure it was just a quick bug. It didn't take long before I knew it was going to be worse than a 24hr bug.

To make a long ugly story short I spent ten days in bed freezing one minute and burning up the next. No food except apple sauce and some toast for eight days. Doctor finally put me on a strong antibiotic and I think I'm heading back in the right direction. Still have a terrible cough and I'm weak but I'm moving a little.

I want to thank my wife and tell her how much I love her. She has a serious permanent back injury that makes life tough enough for her without having to take care of me. She pushed herself to her limits taking care of me.

Second I want to thank all of you who sent email expressing sympathy for the tragic death of my nephew while I was sick. The emails of prayers for my speedy recovery were also so appreciated. As you can imagine I have not read many email in several days but just know I saw many of them. I'll read through them as the days go by. Thanks you.

I may still be a little slow getting back into the blog for a few days so stay with me.

This pattern says it all about dad. It's nine inches by four inches so it's big enough to stand out. You have plenty of time to cut this so let dad know you love him.



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 would like to have all the patterns in the Scrollsaw Workshop catalog you can buy the first six years DVD and the 2013 update DVD at this link. DVD #1 is $20 and contains over 1,100 patterns. The 2013 update DVD is $7.50 and has another 178 patterns.