Saturday, August 11, 2018

Dress up your QI Charger with the Scroll Saw.



When I purchased the new iPhone this year I was happy to see that they now supported QI charging. For those of you not familiar with QI charging let me explain. A QI charger charges the smartphone by simply laying the phone on the charger. No connection to the phone is necessary. They are very convenient.  The newer iPhones support QI charging as well as many Android phones. Check you smartphone specs before you buy a QI charger.

One problem though. They are usually ugly. I decided to dress mine up a little by making a wooden enclosure for it. The enclosure also makes it easier to line up the phone with the charger. If they are off center charging will not start.

This is the QI charger I purchased from Amazon. It is an incredible buy at $8.99 as of this writing. This pattern is designed around this charger. You probably won't find one cheaper so this is a good one to experiment with. The first one I purchased was over $50. This one seems to work even better than the expensive one I purchased. 

Installing this charger in the enclosure has not impacted the charging time at all. The top of the wooden enclosure is around 1/16" thick and does not seem to affect the charging at all.


 I milled the top as thin as I could get it then sanded it to the 1/16" thickness.
The purchased charger is approximately 3/8" thick. I used 1/2" thick wood and just shimmed the charger until it was flush with the top. We want the charger as clos to the phone as possible. 
 I just used a small piece of wood for the shim. I sanded it until I got the righ heigth on the charger.
I installed the back plate with screws. I want to be able to remove the charger if needed. Notice that I countersank the pre-drilled holes. I did not want the screw heads scratching my desk. Rubber feet can be added if you prefer. 
 I great tip for driving these soft brass screws is soap. Apply a little soap to the tip and it will screw in with ease.
 I made a mistake here. I put glue where the lightning bold fretwork is on the top. I had to wipe off some of the glue. Pay more attention than I did when applying the glue.
Lots of clamps are called for. You want the seams to disappear as much as possible. After the glue dries, sand the edges until flush. I gently rounded the corners and broke over all the hard edges. Apply the finish of your choice and you are ready to charge in style.

Currently $8.99 on Amazon.

Brian Hall and Son Painted project.

I have said it before but I'll repeat myself. I am not a big fan of painting wood. I love the look of natural wood. I have also seen too many poorly painted projects. Painting is difficult to execute well.

I received this picture in an email today. It was from Brian Hall. Here is what he wrote. This is one case where I think this project looks very nice painted.  Brians son definately does a nice job with his airbrush.

Hi Steve,
I am new to scrolling and have been watching some of your videos on YouTube. I found your fish bowl pattern that you kindly supplied on your website and thought you might be interested in the finished result. What makes it different is that my son, who is a dab-hand with an airbrush, painted it and I think he did a brilliant job.
Regards


Order your custom signature coin:


Laser engraved with your name.
$12 per sheet of 12 coins plus $3.50 shipping
I can only ship inside the US.
Inlay these coins into that special project
using only a 1" Forstner bit.

I did not make it to the post office today in time to get the outstanding orders shipped. I will take them to the post office first thing Monday.

I'm starting to get feedback from customers now. The response has been very positive. People seem to like the new design. Thanks for all the orders.

Order your 3D nameplate.


I'm still taking orders for the custom 3D nameplates
These are $5 per pattern. 
Use first and last name or two first names.
Patterns delivered by email.
Pay on delivery.

- -

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. 
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.

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. 
http://www.stevedgood.com/donate2.html

My Sponsors:
Support the businesses who support our community.
Home of Pegas scroll saw blades.



Living Hinge Scroll Saw Box.



This is a small round lidded box. It is unique because the walls of the box are wrapped around the bottom and top rim. The 1/8" thick plywood is cut in a way to make it bendable. This is sometimes called a living hinge.

Living hinges are usually cut with a laser. I'm not sure it has been done on a scroll saw before but it works quite well. 

This was a bit of an experiment. I wanted to make sure it would work on a scroll saw. This technique can be used to make much larger boxes. It's just a matter of cutting a whole bunch of straight lines. Maybe we will try a large box later.

Here you can see the series of cuts in the wall of the box. I cut these with a #1 blade. I also used a micro drill bit to keep the interior entry holes as small as possible. 

 The lid of the box is made in two layers so it sits on top of the box.
This picture shows a good view of the cuts that make the living hinge. These cuts go pretty fast once you get started.
I will say that gluing and clamping the box is the biggest challenge to the project. I thought about using a two hose clamp after I finished. That may be the best option.




The reason for yesterday's poll.

Click image to enlarge.

Yesterday I posted a poll. The questions was:
(When you install a new scroll saw blade do you put the blade in the top or bottom clamp first?)

This write-up won't make much sense if you are not familiar with the Jet scroll saw.

I had a reason for asking this question. The Jet scroll saw has a unique clamping system. Some folks love it and some are not so crazy about it. The part that some don't like is that the bottom clamp has to be removed to install a new blade. 

Pegas listened to this complaint and made a new lower clamp that replaces the stock clamp. Replacing just the lower clamp with the Pegas clamp keeps the unique upper Jet clamp in place and solves the lower clamp problem.

It did present a new problem for me. With the new Pegas lower clamp installed you have to install the scroll saw blade in the lower clamp first. I never do it that way. I always install the blade in the upper clamp. Then I drop the blade down through the table and insert the blade into the lower clamp. I find this way easier because it lines up the blade with the lower clamp and I don't have to look under the table or fiddle with doing it blindly. It's just the way I do it.

I actually thought that this is the way most scrollers install a scroll saw blade. I was apparently wrong.

Of the people who answered the poll, 395 install the blade in the upper clamp first. 647 install the blade in the lower clamp first. This is way different than I would have predicted. Neither way is wrong. I just had it in my mind that I knew the most common technique. 

The good news is that the new Pegas/Jet clamp should work for most people.

$12 per sheet of 12 coins plus $3.50 shipping.
Four designs to choose from.

These wooden signature coins are embedded into that special project using
a 1" Forstner bit. Show the pride you have in your work with a special
signature. What better way to sign a woodworking project than with wood?

- -

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. 
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.

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. 
http://www.stevedgood.com/donate2.html

My Sponsors:
Support the businesses who support our community.
Home of Pegas scroll saw blades.



Ad: Affiliate

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


  • 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

This is the end of the daily posts. Keep scrolling for lot's more scrolls saw fun!






https://www.bearwood.com/
Bear Woods has been around since 1987 serving our hobby. They offer a wide range of craft products including Pegas scroll saw blades, clock inserts, toy parts, workshop supplies and much more. In my ten years of writing the Scrollsaw Workshop blog I have never received a complaint about Bear Woods. I get thousands of email a month so that's saying something about their customer service and quality products. Please support the people who support our hobby. Click now and visit Bear Woods.

Heritage Wood Specialties. Scroll saw ready boards!


Heritage Wood Specialties is a nationally recognized supplier of superior quality hardwoods to fine woodworkers across the US and Canada. Novice hobbyists and experienced enthusiasts alike can enjoy the high quality woodworking materials and kits available from Heritage Wood Specialties. Great source for scroll saw ready boards.

Seyco

http://seyco.com/
Seyco began business in 1986 with the goal to supply the best customer support and quality products in the scroll saw industry. I have worked with Seyco on many occasions and I can tell you they are simply the best. Please do yourself a favor and click the image above. Steve Good

Free Pattern Catalog. 1000's of free patterns.

http://www.stevedgood.com/catalog/

Thousands of FREE scroll saw patterns. No registration or signup required.

The projects form these patterns can be sold without restrictions. The patterns cannot be sold.

Click here for the Free Online Catalog.

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Wooden Vases on the Scroll Saw Book $12 Each

http://www.stevedgood.com/woodenvases.html
Each digital book is available for download immediately after payment.
The books are $12 per edition and contains eight unique patterns each.
Watch the following video to see how easy these beautiful scroll saw vases
are to make. 

Order the $3 pdf Catalog

This is a PDF of all the patterns in my free catalog. It is for Windows only and has a program to automatically download the pattern to your computer. Please watch the video below before you order. Click the picture to order.
http://www.stevedgood.com/swpd/swpdorderpage.html
You do not need a PayPal account to order. At the bottom of the PayPal page is a button that will allow you to pay with a credit card. After successful payment click the Return to Merchant button for the download.

Stencil Printer 1.7

Stencil Printer Instruction Video.

The Scrollsaw Workshop Stencil Printer 1.7 is my latest software for creating patterns. It will create key chain fobs, desk name plates and more. Click the image above to download the latest version. It is free to use donationware. This software is for Windows PC only.

Scroll Saw Pattern Printer update 1.1

Scroll Saw Pattern Printer update 1.1
Download the Free Scroll Saw Pattern Printer Version 1.1. Create name patterns in seconds. Windows PC only.
Download Version 1.1
Please consider a $5 donation for The Scroll Saw Pattern Printer v1.1.

Scroll Saw Keychain Pattern Maker

Use the Scroll Saw Keychain Maker to start a small keychain business. Build yourself a nice display and make up severl keychains with common names. Sell at craft shows, on Ebay or at work. Everyone needs a keychain. Take custom orders. Heck just make them and give them away as gifts. It's all made easy with the Scroll Saw Keychain Maker. Watch the video demonstration then download the file below and get started with the fun.
The following link will start the download process. After the file download is complete just click the setup file and the program will be installed. Please consider a $5 donation for the program.

Download the Oval Keychain Pattern Maker.

Enjoy designing and printing these great personalized key chains. Give them as gifts, make them for fun or sell them at craft shows. It's easy, just watch the video demo then download and install the program. You will be designing these fun projects in minutes. Windows PC only.
Download the Free Oval Key Chain Pattern Maker. Create Oval key chain patterns in seconds.
Download Version .9a
Please consider a $5 donation for The Oval Key Chain Pattern Maker.

T-Shirts and More.

T-Shirts and More.
Show your love for the hobby and support the Scrollsaw Workshop. Safe and secure order fullfilled by CafePress. Take a look. You are sure to find something you like. CLICK THE IMAGE to visit the store.

The Lifter

Papa's Custom Patterns.

www.papasworkshop.net

Philip Lowndes Noah's Arc Pattern Available. Watch the video below.

This video is from Philip Lowndes. He is the designer of this beautiful Noah's Arc puzzle pattern. If you would like the pattern follow the link below.
Buy This Wonderful Heirloom Puzzle Pattern

Think Safety

Remember to keep the safety of yourself and others in your work shop in your thoughts at all times. Always wear eye and ear protection. Follow all the manufactures warnings that came with your power tools. If I demonstrate something on this web site that you don't feel is safe, don't do it. Your safety is your responsibility. Fingers are handy things, try to keep all of them.
__________________________
Disclaimer:
The Scrollsaw Workshop Blog is in no way affiliated with or sponsored by Scroll Saw Woodworking and Crafts Magazine formerly (Scroll Saw Workshop Magazine) or it's publisher Fox Chapel Publishing.

Scroll Saw Woodworking and Crafts