Fifty years ago man achieved the greatest adventure in our history. Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins visited the moon. Men, women, and children all over the world found televisions to watch the events as Armstrong took that first step on to the moon. "That's one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind".
This Apollo 11 plaque is 10" X 8" and is three layers thick. Each layer is 1/4" thick. I suggest Baltic birch plywood. The back layer is painted black.
If you have three hours to kill and want to relive the first moonwalk then check out this video. I still get goosebumps when I see Neil take that first step. I was 11 years old. We still had a black and white television and I was glued to it.
Top Feed VS Bottom Feed:
I received an email from a reader who is pretty new to the hobby. He had a question about top/bottom feeding of scroll saw blades.
When you have an interior cut to make with the scroll saw you drill a starter hole. The blade is then released from one of the clamps and passed through the hole, reclamped and the cut made. This process repeats until all the interior cuts are made.
In the image above the red line represents the scroll saw blade.
The top image is an example of top feeding. The blade is released from the bottom clamp and raised. The blade is lined up with the hold on top of the board. The blade is passed down through the board and reclamped.
The bottom image is an example of bottom feeding. The blade is released from the top clamp. The board is placed over the blade and the blade is passed through the board from the bottom. The blade is reclamped in the upper clamp and the cut completed.
Advantages and disadvantages.
When top feeding the blade it is very easy to find the hole in the board. When the project board is large top feeding can be especially helpful.
Top feeding is slightly more difficult to reclamp the blade. You are clamping under the table and out of view. You get better at this with practice.
Bottom feeding is simpler when reclamping the blade. The blade is in easy view. It is also a little easier to make sure you get the blade positioned in the clamp for proper tension and lined up top to bottom.
When bottom feeding it is more difficult to find the starter hole. Sometimes you cannot see the hole and have to find it by feel. This problem gets worse as the board gets larger.
There is no right and wrong way to feed the blade for interior cuts. I suggest you practice both techniques. You will probably feel more comfortable with one technique or the other. Use what works best for the project you are cutting.
Apollo 11 50th Anniversary T-Shirt:
Buy on Amazon $18.99
$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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