Rubber Band Powered Canon Scroll Saw Pattern.

This little canon packs a pretty good punch. It uses two rubber bands to ram the firing pin into the barrel propelling the shell down range.

The tricky part of this project is drilling out the barrel. It uses a 3/8" dowel for the firing pin. The pin needs to slide into the barrel smoothly. I used a 25/64" drill bit to drill out the barrel which is just bigger than the firing pin. A drill press is almost a necessity for this project. You may be able to do it with an hand drill but it will be a challenge to get it bored straight.

The shells are cut from the same 3/8" diameter dowel and rounded over. I would have preferred small wooden canon balls but I could not come up with an easy way to make them. 

I did my best to give instructions in the pattern with lots of pictures but it is actually easier to study the pictures first. The written instructions were not easy so they may be tough to follow. These four pictures give everything you need to understand the construction.Despite it's small size I would give this pattern a moderate rating just because of the need to bore the barrel. If you have a drill press and a centering jig the project is easy.

Also keep in mind that the drilling operation can be dangerous. Holding the dowel with only your hand while drilling runs the risk of the bit getting wedged in the dowel. When this happens holding the dowel is not possible and it will spin in your hand and possibly give you a burn or cut. Be careful and do it right.

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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

You can purchase either of my "Wooden Vases on the Scroll Saw" books by visiting this link. 

Each digital book is available for download immediately after payment.

The books are $12 per edition and contains eight unique patterns each.
Click now and make a family heirloom this weekend.

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. The 2014 update DVD is $7.50 and has another 223 patterns.

"He asked.. I said yes". Scroll Saw Pattern.

"He asked.. I said yes". My daughter will be getting married later this year so I wanted to make her something for her desk at work. It's simple but I think she will like it. At least she will tell me she likes it. :)

This pattern requires two 2" picture frame inserts. As I looked around for inserts I noticed that the 2" picture frame inserts have different specs for the mounting hole. The ones I used in this pattern require a 1 7/8" diameter hole. Sloan's Workshop carries the ones I used. Just look under the (clock insert) category. If you buy something different you will need to adjust.

  
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

You can purchase either of my "Wooden Vases on the Scroll Saw" books by visiting this link. 

Each digital book is available for download immediately after payment.

The books are $12 per edition and contains eight unique patterns each.
Click now and make a family heirloom this weekend.

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. The 2014 update DVD is $7.50 and has another 223 patterns.

First Kiss Scroll Saw Pattern.

This pattern kind of reminds me of a Norman Rockwell painting.  Rockwell has always been my favorite painter/illustrator. When you looked at one of his painting there was always a story happening. He could capture the moment in time that told the story better than any other illustrator.

I'm not saying the pattern is anywhere near the illustration genius of a Rockwell but as I was drawing it I thought of Rockwell and that made me smile.

This is an example of how I sometimes design a pattern. In this case there was no plan. No idea of where I was going. I had the car and was thinking about a safety type pattern. Then the teens popped into my head. That led to the kiss. Then the cop came knocking. It's just free association. It does not always lead to a great pattern but it's a fun way to be creative.

When you design patterns every day the ideas are by far the hardest part of the process. I have all kinds of tricks that I do to make an idea happen. Sometimes it works and sometimes it flops but It's always fun.

There probably won't be many people cut this pattern but sometimes I just have to let it go where it goes.
 

 
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

You can purchase either of my "Wooden Vases on the Scroll Saw" books by visiting this link. 

Each digital book is available for download immediately after payment.

The books are $12 per edition and contains eight unique patterns each.
Click now and make a family heirloom this weekend.

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. The 2014 update DVD is $7.50 and has another 223 patterns.

What time is it? Beer time.

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This clock requires a 2 3/4" clock insert with a 2 3/8" mount hole. Make this clock as a gift for your favorite watering hole. It should also go good in your man cave.

Q: What is a rednecks last words? 

A: "HOLD MY BEER AND WATCH THIS!"

Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day.

A hamburger walks into a bar and the bartender says, "Sorry, we don't serve food in here."

A soccer ball walks into a bar. The bartender kicked him out.

An Irishman walks out of a bar. Hey, it COULD happen!

Update:
I had several readers let me know that the hold down clamps I used for the dowel cross cut jig are available at Harbor Freight and Menards considerably cheaper than Woodcraft. The Harbor Freight ones are under $6. 

 
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

You can purchase either of my "Wooden Vases on the Scroll Saw" books by visiting this link. 

Each digital book is available for download immediately after payment.

The books are $12 per edition and contains eight unique patterns each.
Click now and make a family heirloom this weekend.

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. The 2014 update DVD is $7.50 and has another 223 patterns.

Scroll Saw Dowel Cross Cut Jig. Final Version.

This is a simple dowel cross cutting jig for the scroll saw. It features a hold down clamp, stop block clamp, steel insert to prevent wear and a printable right to left tape measure.

For this project to be clear you need to watch the video linked below. The video will give you the details you need to build and use the jig.

The jig is for making consistent and repeatable cross cuts of different size dowel rods. You won't use this jig every day but when you do it makes the job easier.

You don't have to add the clamps to use the jig. They add convenience but they are not that cheap. You just have to decide if you would use the jig enough to make them worth the price. On Amazon they are about $8 apiece. Woodcraft sells them for $14. This style clamps comes rated for different pounds of force. This application requires the lowest rating and they are cheaper.

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

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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

You can purchase either of my "Wooden Vases on the Scroll Saw" books by visiting this link. 

Each digital book is available for download immediately after payment.

The books are $12 per edition and contains eight unique patterns each.
Click now and make a family heirloom this weekend.

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. The 2014 update DVD is $7.50 and has another 223 patterns.

Dolphins Scroll Saw Pattern.

The adult dolphin is about 8.5 inches long. I used 1/8" diameter wooden dowels to hold the dolphins. Everything is cut from 1/2" thick maple.

I had an email the other day asking a question I had not had before. I was asked to explain the difference between the blog and the newsletter. They also ask what a blog was.

These are great questions and I had never considered answering them before. Let me answer the second question first. A blog can be thought of as a journal. The author of the blog can use it to put down thoughts at a regular time period. In a written journal you may write your daily activities. Some blog authors do just that. In my case I use the blog to post patterns and other content like video.

You may ask what is the difference between a blog and a regular web site. The main difference is the way the author of the blog updates it. Blogging software is designed to be easy to update on a regular basis. When I do a blog post I just open the editor and start writing, adding images and other content. A regular web site is generally more difficult to update. The blog can be navigated all the way back to the very first post 10 years ago. Everything stays on the blog forever or until I decide to delete it.

Now for the first question. The difference between my email newsletter and the blog post is simple. They are identical content. Well almost identical. When you sign up for a subscription to my blog you start receiving the newsletter. The newsletter is an automatic feature of my blogging software. When I do a blog post the software copies the content and puts it in an email. The email is then sent to everyone who subscribed to my blog. If you ever misplace the newsletter or miss one just visit the blog and see what you missed. If you misplace a pattern it's always available on the blog in the catalog.

Anytime someone ask a question there are always more people who have the same question and have just not ask it yet. If that's you I hope this explanation is of some help.

 
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

You can purchase either of my "Wooden Vases on the Scroll Saw" books by visiting this link. 

Each digital book is available for download immediately after payment.

The books are $12 per edition and contains eight unique patterns each.
Click now and make a family heirloom this weekend.

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. The 2014 update DVD is $7.50 and has another 223 patterns.

Say "Thank You" to your dog groomer.

I received an email this morning from a reader named Vickie. She wanted to let their groomer know how much they appreciated her taking care of their service dog. Vickie's timing was good because I have been thinking about our puppy all day.

Yesterday we woke up and Holly was favoring her right rear leg. She would put almost no weight on it. We took her to the vet immediately. The vet diagnosed it as a luxating patella. Holly has only a mild case and probably will not have to have surgery. He thought that the stress of the condition and the fact that we have been outside running so much caused cramps. I'm a little worried because after two days on meds she is still not putting much weight on the leg.

Dogs play a special part in so many lives. For some it's hard to understand but they really do become a part of the family. I know that in our family our dogs bring a lot of happiness.
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Bigfoot  Products Press-N-Grip.

I have recently received a few emails asking about cutting compound cut projects. Specifically about how to hold the projects. One product that I like is the Bigfoot Press-N-Grip. I have demoed this before but it's been some time ago. Below is the video demo for those who are interested. You can take a look at the product at this link. 

You can make your own and I have but this one is just easier to use. The springs make loading and unloading faster and easier. Make sure you watch the video to see the details before you buy.

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

  
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

You can purchase either of my "Wooden Vases on the Scroll Saw" books by visiting this link. 

Each digital book is available for download immediately after payment.

The books are $12 per edition and contains eight unique patterns each.
Click now and make a family heirloom this weekend.

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. The 2014 update DVD is $7.50 and has another 223 patterns.

Link to the video missing for the email newsletter. Sorry.

The link in Tuesdays post was missing. For many people the embedded video will not show up in the email Newsletter. I always provide a text link so you can get to the video online. That was not correct today. The link below is now correct. Anytime I mess up a post or you just miss something please remember that the Email Newsletter is just a copy of the daily post on the blog. You can always visit the blog and find what you missed. The video will always show up there. Sorry for the trouble. 

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

"Flight" Scroll Saw Pattern.

This birds in flight pattern will require a large board. Yoy will probably have to glue something up or just Baltic Birch plywood. Download below.

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A Prototype Jig.

You guys always have great ideas so I want to see what you think about this jig. Whenever I post something like this I always get emails with features and changes that I wish I had thought of. This time I'm going to ask first. I'm getting smarter in my old age.

The jig in this video is a very early prototype. It's not the most amazing jig in the world but I saw a need for myself so I put this together. Don't worry after 10 years of blogging I have very thick skin so if you think it stinks I can handle it. Of course I will delete your subscription from the newsletter and block your IP address. Just kidding, maybe.

Suggestions like adding a stop block or anything else is welcome.

Take a look and maybe we can come up with something useful. The video is less than two minutes so you don't need the popcorn.
  

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

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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

You can purchase either of my "Wooden Vases on the Scroll Saw" books by visiting this link. 

Each digital book is available for download immediately after payment.

The books are $12 per edition and contains eight unique patterns each.
Click now and make a family heirloom this weekend.

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. The 2014 update DVD is $7.50 and has another 223 patterns.

Cat VS Dog Scroll Saw Pattern.

Q: Why did the dog bring toilet paper to the party? 

A: Because he is a party pooper.

 

Q: Did you hear about the cat who swallowed a ball of yarn? 

A: She had a litter of mittens.

   
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

You can purchase either of my "Wooden Vases on the Scroll Saw" books by visiting this link. 

Each digital book is available for download immediately after payment.

The books are $12 per edition and contains eight unique patterns each.
Click now and make a family heirloom this weekend.

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. The 2014 update DVD is $7.50 and has another 223 patterns.

You have a beautiful glow.

Are you ready to get creative with your scroll saw. I took a simple Kokopelli guy and sprayed him with Krylon Glowz glow-in-the-dark paint.The 8oz can cost around $8 to $12 depending on where you pick it up. Here is a link to it on Amazon. I bought mine at Hobby Lobby for $8.

After I cut the pattern I gave the guy 4 coats of the Glowz. I tested it after each coat and decided four was enough. I read a couple of comments that it works better if you paint the piece white first. I did not try that but I will the next time I use the product.

I am actually very impressed with the product. I saw some bad reviews but I did not experience any problems.

I can think of all kinds of projects that could use this technique from fun to safety.

The pattern book has a few different designs. You could easily come up with other ideas including word art. Let me know what you think and if you have any fun ideas for the Glowz

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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

You can purchase either of my "Wooden Vases on the Scroll Saw" books by visiting this link. 

Each digital book is available for download immediately after payment.

The books are $12 per edition and contains eight unique patterns each.
Click now and make a family heirloom this weekend.

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. The 2014 update DVD is $7.50 and has another 223 patterns.

Delicate Butterfly Model Scroll Saw Pattern.

This butterfly model is fun to make. It uses 1/8" thick wood for the wings. I used poplar. If you do not have the tools to thickness the wood to 1/8" thick you could substitute 1/8" thick Baltic Bitch ply. It is readily available in that thickness. To make the wings quicker and easier to cut I stack cut both aat once.

The body is 1/4" thick. I used walnut. In the next picture I am doing a bevel cut on the top edges of the body at 25 degrees. This gives a flat beveled surface to attach the wings. 

The legs and antenna are just copper wire. Holes are drilled through the body and the wires are inserted and epoxied in place. The pattern books has a full set of pictures and instructions for cutting and assembling the model.

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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

You can purchase either of my "Wooden Vases on the Scroll Saw" books by visiting this link. 

Each digital book is available for download immediately after payment.

The books are $12 per edition and contains eight unique patterns each.
Click now and make a family heirloom this weekend.

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. The 2014 update DVD is $7.50 and has another 223 patterns.