Best Friends. A gift to be treasured Scroll Saw Pattern.

Best Friends. A gift to be treasured. 14" X 4".

I lost one of my best friends today. It was a short illness. He did not suffer and he had his family with him at the end. I was fortunate to be able to visit and say goodbye before he passed. He was not awake but I believe he knew I was there. Rest in peace friend.

In Memory of

Kenneth L Fortney

Son, husband, father, gentleman and my best friend. 

I had mentioned yesterday that I would make a final decision on my travel to the MidWest Scroll Saw and Woodworking Trade Show. I have decided not to attend the show. I need to spend this time paying my respects to my friend and his family. I hope all of you who attend the show have a great weekend.

Delta 40-694 on sale again at Amazon. $351.80 7/31/2018.

Affiliate Link. Click to buy on Amazon

I keep an eye on the price of this saw on Amazon. It regularly goes on sale for a great price. Right now it is marked down from $399 to $351.80. 

I watch this saw because I think it is a very good price to performance machine. Is it the best saw on the market? No. Will it give you good results and a good experience for a price that does not break the bank? Yes.  

One of the most common emails I receive is "What saw should I buy?". There is no one answer to that question. I have to know what you want to do with the saw. How much can you afford? What are your expectations? I could ask several questions before I was able to recommend the perfect saw for you. 

Most of the time a new person to the hobby can't answer these questions because they don't know what they want. That's where a saw like the Delta 40-694 comes in. It is a good general purpose machine at a slightly above entry level price. 

One thing that kills me about Amazon is that their pricing never makes any sense. If you use the link above you will see that the machine does not come with a stand. If you order the machine and stand combo the price jumps to almost $700. What???? That's an expensive stand...

If you want the stand, Amazon does sell it separately for $119 at the following link. Still expensive but closer to reality.

Delta Scroll Saw Stand

Exciting News. We have another giveaway for this month.

Click to Enter

There are just hours left for you to enter. Don't miss out on a nice prize just because you forgot to enter. 

Stephen over at Bear Woods recommended that we do a giveaway in conjunction with the Midwest Scroll Saw and Woodworking Trade Show. You do not have to be at the show to win.

We will have three winners.

#1 will receive a $300 gift certificate from Bear Woods sponsored by the Scrolsaw Workshop

#2 will receive a $150 gift certificate from Bear Woods sponsored by Bear Woods.

#3 will receive an incredible scrolled piece of art by Charles Dearing. This artwork will be cut live at the show. After the show, it will be packaged and sent to the winner. You will love this artwork.

The contest is open to the world. Enter once per day.

The entries will end 7/31/2018 at midnight. Winners will be drawn during the show.

We will try to stream the drawing live if we have a decent internet connection.

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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. 

www.scrollsawworkshop.blogspot.com

Products for your consideration:

Scroll Saw Pattern Design Tutorial: DVD
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  

Every Scrollsaw Workshop Pattern from 2007-2017 in DVD

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.

Click here to Order. 

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. 

Unique Wooden Vases:
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. 

My Sponsors:

Support the businesses who support our community.

Shop Bear Woods for your craft supply needs.

Home of Pegas scroll saw blades.

Visit Heritage Wood Specialties

for you scroll saw ready boards.

This House is Full of Nuts Scroll Saw Pattern.

This house is full of nuts. 

Important Update on the MidWest Scroll Saw and Woodworking Trade Show:

I have not made a final decision yet but I may not be able to attend the show as planned. My closest friend is gravely ill. He was admitted to the hospital Friday and it has gone downhill from there. The doctors have said he may have only hours to live.

My friend and I worked closely together for more than 30 years. He has been a mentor and practically a second father to me. We both retired but still get together often for lunch and talk. I look forward to those get-togethers. 

It has been my experience that we only have a few very close friends in our entire life. I'm talking about friends that are loved as a family member. I am feeling quite a bit of grief just thinking about losing him. 

I need to be here for his family and for myself. I will make a final decision in the next 24 hours as to my plans. 

I was looking forward to getting together with my scroll saw community friends at the show. If I miss the event I hope you all have a wonderful time. 

Custom Signature Coins:

Order fulfillment is going better than expected. I am getting orders out very quickly. I send an email when your order is ready to ship. The email has the link for payment. Thanks to everyone who is placing orders. All orders on or before Sunday have been shipped or will be shipped today. 

The money from these orders is going to purchase a much better laser engraver. This investment will allow me to produce these coins and other future products quicker. Thanks to all of you who are placing orders.

These coins are $12 per sheet of 12 coins plus 3.50 shipping. The envelope can hold two sheets for a total of 24 coins. There are four styles of coin to choose from. They are shown on the order page.

Many of the projects you make will be handed down from generation to generation. Often they will be treasured one of a kind family heirlooms. You need to treat these projects like the treasures they are. 

These signature coins show exactly how proud of the work you are. For a little over a dollar, you can put your mark on the project that will let your great grandchildren know exactly who made the project for them. Simply use a 1" Forstner bit to drill a 1/8" deep hole and glue in the coin. 

Shipping inside the United States only. I have looked into shipping internationally but the cost is just too high. 

ORDER SIGNATURE COINS


- -

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. 

www.scrollsawworkshop.blogspot.com

Products for your consideration:

Scroll Saw Pattern Design Tutorial: DVD
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  

Every Scrollsaw Workshop Pattern from 2007-2017 in DVD

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.

Click here to Order. 

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. 

Unique Wooden Vases:
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. 

My Sponsors:

Support the businesses who support our community.

Shop Bear Woods for your craft supply needs.

Home of Pegas scroll saw blades.

Visit Heritage Wood Specialties

for you scroll saw ready boards.

Ad: Affiliate

MLCS 9080 Billy Pedal Foot Switch, Deadman Style

I am a fan of using a footswitch to control my scroll saw. I have one installed on all of my saws. It adds convenience and safety. I recommend the deadman style of the footswitch. You press the switch to start the saw and when you release your foot from the switch the saw stops. Instant control when something goes wrong.

• Hands-free router control means both hands on your work for safety and control
• No need to free a hand to hunt for your router switch
• 5 star performance and price
• Greatly enhances router safety
• MLCS quality guaranteed

Wolf Pack Scroll Saw Pattern.

Wolf Pack. This pattern is 11" X 14". 

There is a small town outside of my home city named Nicholasville Ky. They have a population of just over 30,000. This week I have spent quite a bit of time in Nicholasville. I have been visiting the Jessamine County Public library. 

The Jessamine Co library is the closest maker space to my house. I needed access to a laser engraver and they have one. The tube in my laser died and I have orders to fill so I needed a backup. I am ordering a new laser Monday but that was not going to get my orders out in time.

I just want to talk about the experience for a few minutes. I had to take an orientation class that went over the basic rules and procedures. They briefly discussed the equipment they have available and answered a few questions.

After the orientation they had you sign up for individual classes on the individual machines. They have the laser engraver, two CNC machines, multiple 3D printers, an audio/video recording studio as well as other accessory equipment. 

To say this place is impressive is an understatement. I was in tech heaven. Access to the machines is free and they even supply some supplies. Did I say wow yet?

The class that I needed to take to be able to use the laser was a few days away. I did not have that kind of time so I ask the young man in charge of the lab if I could use the machine since I already had lots of experience. He asked me a few questions to see if I actually knew what I was doing and signed me off. The guy was friendly and knowledgeable. He was there to help and he did.

The room with the laser also houses the two x-carve CNC machines. In the three days, I have been working there only a couple people have come in to use the machines. I have had almost unlimited access. They normally schedule time in hour blocks but allow you to keep working if no one else is in line. One day I was there for almost eight hours and they were fine with that. 

The only downside to this incredible facility is that they can only give people basic training. Laser engravers, CNC machine, and 3D printers are complex machines. To have success you need considerable experience. 

I was there when a small group of people were trying to use the CNC router to cut out the shape of Kentucky from plywood. It was a basic job for a CNC but they were not having much success. They wanted to produce a product but did not have the knowledge to do so with a complex machine like a CNC. They gave up. I offered to complete the job for them when I get back from Iowa next week and they were thrilled.

The problem with them trying to use the lab was that they wanted to create something. They were not really looking to learn. These maker space labs are for learning more than making. I just wish I had seen more people taking advantage of this wonderful facility.

I ask them if they would like to add a scroll saw to their lab if I could get one donated to them. They were interested so I am going to make that happen when I get back next week. Then I'll volunteer some time to do training for the staff.

The scroll saw is not as tech sexy as the laser or CNC machine but I can teach someone to use a scroll saw in a few minutes. To teach these other machines takes hours. It will be interesting to see how much the scroll saw gets used compared to the other equipment. I know one thing for sure. The people who were having a tough time with the CNC today would have loved to have the scroll saw there. I bet they would have left with a finished cutting. They left with some torn up plywood.

I am telling this story to let you know these facilities are starting to be more common. Look for them in your library or check to see if a maker space has opened in your area. They are wonderful places to learn about these machines.

Exciting News. We have another giveaway for this month.

Click to Enter

Stephen over at Bear Woods recommended that we do a giveaway in conjunction with the Midwest Scroll Saw and Woodworking Trade Show. You do not have to be at the show to win.

We will have three winners.

#1 will receive a $300 gift certificate from Bear Woods sponsored by the Scrollsaw Workshop

#2 will receive a $150 gift certificate from Bear Woods sponsored by Bear Woods.

#3 will receive an incredible scrolled piece of art by Charles Dearing. This artwork will be cut live at the show. After the show, it will be packaged and sent to the winner. You will love this artwork.

The contest is open to the world. Enter once per day.

The entries will end 7/31/2018 at midnight. Winners will be drawn during the show.

We will try to stream the drawing live if we have a decent internet connection.

Signature Coin Orders: 

As related in the story above I am working to get all the signature coin orders out before I leave for Iowa next week. I am on track to get them all finished. If you want to place an order now that's fine but I may not get to them until I return from the Midwest Scroll Saw and Woodworking Tradeshow.

ORDER SIGNATURE COINS

- -

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. 

www.scrollsawworkshop.blogspot.com

Products for your consideration:

Scroll Saw Pattern Design Tutorial: DVD
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  

Every Scrollsaw Workshop Pattern from 2007-2017 in DVD

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.

Click here to Order. 

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. 

Unique Wooden Vases:
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. 

My Sponsors:

Support the businesses who support our community.

Shop Bear Woods for your craft supply needs.

Home of Pegas scroll saw blades.

Visit Heritage Wood Specialties

for you scroll saw ready boards.

Ad: Affiliate

DEWALT DW788 1.3 Amp 20-Inch Variable-Speed Scroll Saw

The DeWalt is probably the most popular scroll saw ever. This yellow machine can get the job done. I have owned two of these machines. One I gave away and the other one is still in my shop and running well. It's 12 years old. If you are looking for a good, reliable saw then consider the DeWalt DW788.

• Double parallel-link arm design dramatically reduces vibration and noise for extremely accurate cuts
• Exclusive tool-free blade clamps allow blade changes in seconds. Depth of Cut (inches): 2 in
• On-off switch, electronic variable speed, flexible dust blower, and blade-tensioning lever all located on front upper arm
• Arm design pivots from back of the saw to front, shortening the arm movement for smoother, quieter operation
• Arm lifts so blade can be easily threaded through the material for inside cuts