Friday, September 7, 2018

Large Luminary Scroll Saw Pattern.


Over ten inches tall and room for a 4.5-inch candle.


684 interior cuts in under 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Am I bragging? Not hardly. I am far from a fast cutter. I am very average at best. I timed this project simply to show the potential of stack cutting. Because I used the stack cutting technique for this project I was able to turn 171 interior cuts in 1 hour and 45 minutes into 684 interior cuts in 1 hour and 45 minutes.

To put it another way, this project would have taken 7 hours without stack cutting. Probably longer because I would have experienced more fatigue.

Stack cutting can be used in two different scenarios. One case like this project allowed me to complete this project faster. The second scenario allows you to complete more than one of the projects at the same time. Both cases are very helpful.

Not every pattern will allow you to stack cut but when it does take advantage of it. 

There is a second advantage to stack cutting on this project. The sides of the luminary are cut from 1/8" thick Baltic birch plywood. If you have ever tried to cut material this thin you know that it can be a real challenge. The blade wants to run away from you. Stacking cutting four sheets together give much more resistance to the blade and make the cuts much easier and controlled.


You will notice that the left and right side are different than the front and back sides. This usually means that you cannot stack cut all four together. In this case, the only differences are the tabs. I will stack cut all four pieces with the tabs then modify two of the saide after the cuts are complete.
 171 holes to drill. It does not matter how long I look at the pieces when I have finished drilling. As soon as I get over to the saw I will find a hole that I missed. Never fails.

 In this picture, I am marking the tabs that I need to modify after the stack cutting is complete. 
 After two of the sides are marked I go back to the saw and carefull remove the tabs to create the slots.
I used rubber bands for clamps until the glue cured. I completed the luminary with spray acrylic.

NOTE: Caution. Candles can cause fires. Use candles supervised or use an electric candle.
Please don't email me telling me I should not publish a pattern with candles. Candles are used millions of time a day. They are perfectly safe when used correctly. 

Seyco ST-21 Sale and my updated thoughts.

Click Image to Enlarge


This is not a paid review.

I got a note from Ray over at Seyco this morning letting me know they have special on their Seyco ST-21 scroll saw right now. The Seyco ST-21 is currently priced at $879 with free shipping in the 48 contiguous states. This includes an LED light and foot switch. 

If you want a saw that will give you years of solid and reliable use the Seyco ST-21 is a good choice. 

Here is my review video of the Seyco saw from last year. It will answer many of the questions you may have.




Inlay with a 1" Forstner bit.
Make that project even more special.

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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.


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