This eagle clock features a blue sky background. It is cut from 1/4" thick Baltic birch plywood. I used a sky background for this clock but I also included a U.S. flag as an alternative.
The clock uses a quartz clock movement. You need a movement for a 1/2" thick dial. Here is a link to what you need from Bear Woods. You will also need a set of 3-inch hands.
The photo of the sky is included. Print it on high-quality photo paper. We will use spray adhesive to affix the photo to the backer board. Carefully center the photo on the backer board.
The photo is sized to leave a rim around the backer board for gluing on the clock face. I used super glue and spray fixative to glue on the face. I only glued around the rim.
Drill to hole for the clock movement after you finish assembling the clock. I used a spray acrylic finish. This protects the wood and does not harm the paper dial.
Install the clock movement and you are finished.
Let's talk about Baltic birch plywood.
The picture above is what my $200 haul of 3mm and 5mm Baltic birch plywood looks like after I cut the 60" X 60" sheets down. Most of the sheets are cut down to 12" X 12" sheets. I cut a few sheets to 16" X 16".
I love hardwoods. I think hardwood is one of the most beautiful materials we can make things from. Unfortunately, hardwood can also be very expensive. On top of that, it is difficult to find hardwood boards in the thickness we often need as scroll saw artists. Hardwood will always be my favorite thing to cut on the scroll saw.
Baltic birch plywood can be a nice alternative to hardwood. It's not right for every project but for many projects it is fine. You can buy it in the thicknesses we need and it is relatively inexpensive.
You can build a lot of scroll saw projects with the amount of plywood in that picture. For many folks, this would last a lifetime. That much hardwood would cost a small fortune if purchased in these widths.
Let's talk about the cost for a minute. I spent $200 on the plywood in the picture above. If I had purchased it online it probably would have cost between $300 and $350, maybe more if I had to pay to ship.
I have a local hardwood supplier in my town. They sell 60" X 60" sheets for ~$20. You want to search out a local supplier if at all possible. It's worth a long drive to save 75%. If you cannot find a local dealer then Amazon is a good source. Here is a link to BB Ply on Amazon.
There is a problem with buying locally. 60" X 60" sheets are not going to fit in your car. They will fit between the wheel wells of most pickup trucks. My experience is that most hardwood dealers do not offer cutting services.
Another issue you may have is cutting the sheets down to manageable sizes. If you look at the picture you will see that the sheets are sitting on my table saws outfeed table. I cut these 60" X 60" sheets down to size on my table saw. It's not an easy job if you don't have help. I have long arms so I am just able to manage the cut. I highly recommend getting help.
If you do not have a table saw or just can't manage the large sheets then you can use a circular saw. The cut won't be as good but it is more manageable. Buy a 4' X 8' sheet of foam insulation. Lay the foam on the ground and the plywood on top. You can now make your cuts with the blade protected from the ground.
My experience with using BB ply for projects has always been surprisingly good. I always thought people would see the plies and think less of the project. The reality is just the opposite. When I cut Christmas ornaments for BB ply many people like them better than the ones cut from hardwoods. They rarely if ever complain that they are just made from plywood.
If you are just getting started in the hobby of scroll sawing then find some Baltic birch plywood. It will save you lots of money and let you learn without being worried you will ruin a nice piece of hardwood.
Bear Woods Sponsored Giveaway:
Entries are going strong for the Bear Woods Giveaway. We have over 3,000 entries with 16 days left to enter. If you have not entered yet them click the link below and maybe you will be the winner.
The 1st Winner will receive a $100 Bear Woods gift certificate.
The 2nd winner will receive a completed Charles Dearing artwork
$12 per sheet of 12 coins plus $3.50 shipping
Inlay with a 1" Forstner Bit.
The perfect way to sign your work.
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.
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.
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.
The DVD is $20 plus shipping. Ships to 60 countries around the world.
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.
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.
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Home of Pegas scroll saw blades.
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