Make a keepsake in just a few minutes. People celebrate dates. Birth years, anniversaries, retirements etc. Here is a simple project that you can make for that special year. Search out a penny with the date you wish to celebrate. Cut out this two-part key fob patterns and in minutes you have your keepsake gift.
This project is cut from 1/8" thick wood. I know many of you have a difficult time finding thin wood. On a project, this small you can use your table saw to resaw the board. See the information below.
I did polish this penny just a little. It was pretty beat up.
I also made one of these and used a two-part resin to cover the penny. It is not cured yet but I'll let you know how it turns out.
If you need the split rings and the bead chain here are links to Amazon.
Resawing thin boards on your table saw.
I recently produced a video showing how I take rough lumber and make thin scroll saw ready boards. It required expensive tools and is hard work. If you only need small boards for projects like the key fob above here are a couple of techniques that work well.
If you have a table saw then you can safely resaw thinner boards up to the capacity of double the thickness that your table saw blade will rise.
This is only a safe cut if your table saw is set up correctly and you use proper technique. If you are not knowledgeable on the table saw technique and setup then don't make this cut. You are responsible for your safety.
Raise the blade to slightly over haft the thickness of the board you will be cutting. Run the board through the blade using push sticks to keep your hands safely away from the blade. A feather board can also be helpful with this cut. Stand to one side of the board and out of the line of fire in case you have a kickback.
Flip the board and make the second cut to finish the operation.
If the saw is set up correctly and you are using a good sharp blade you will get a decent finish on the cut surface.
I got a little blade burn so the board will require some sanding to get a good surface.
Don't Have a Table Saw?
For a small project like this key fob and other jewelry, you can easily resaw the board on your scroll saw. Strike a line on the edge of the board to the thickness you need.
You can freehand this cut but I find it much more reliable if I use my compound cut jig to hold the board.
Use a good quality blade. Make sure the blade is square to the table. Go slow. Let the blade complete the cut without pushing too hard. The cut will distort if you force the cut. Did I say go slow? Go slow.
The cut quality will vary depending on the blade you use and your ability to cut straight. In general, you can get a decent surface but will also need some sanding for a good finish.
You do want to avoid cutting off the line too much. It will be difficult to get a consistent thickness from sanding after the cut.
Place sandpaper on a flat surface. Move the board around until you get the surface you want.
Rotate the board in different directions to try and maintain a uniform thickness.
Here is the final scroll saw resawn board. You can see that the thickness is pretty uniform.
Don't make the mistake of buying poor quality blades. High-quality blades can make a world of difference. The crazy thing is they are often less expensive than the poor blades. I use and recommend two brands. Pegas and Niqua(Flying Dutchman).
The Pegas blades are a Swiss made and the Niqua blades are manufactured in Germany. Both of these countries have a reputation for extreme quality control. That is exactly what I see with these scroll saw blades. High quality and consistent. They are sharper and last longer than other blades.
The link above is an affiliate link. I do get a kickback if you buy from Bear Woods using that link. I was using both of these brands of blades before I entered my association with Bear Woods. I entered that agreement with Bear Woods because they offered quality products that I could trust recommending to my readers.
Do yourself a favor and try one of these brands of blades. Let me know what you think after you try them. Most scrollers tell me that they feel like they just upgraded their scroll saw when they use these blades.
$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:
Every Scrollsaw Workshop Pattern from 2007-2018 in DVD
This DVD has over 2,600 patterns published from 2007 thru 2018.
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.
All the same file but on an easy to use a thumb drive. The USB thumb drive option is $23 plus shipping.
Now Available on USB Thumb Drive
Don't have a DVD drive on your new computer. No problem. Buy the catalog on a USB thumb drive.All the same file but on an easy to use a thumb drive. The USB thumb drive option is $23 plus shipping.
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
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.
