Dog and Cat themed patterns are among the most popular patterns I have in the catalog. That's understandable because we love our pets. I try to keep the number of dog and cat patterns equal. Right not I have around 52 dog-themed patterns and 48 cat-themed patterns. Time for a new cat pattern.
This cat treat box is large enough to hold several cat treats. It is 1.5" deep. It is approximately 8" X 6".
If you don't plan to use it as a treat box just don't cut the letters. Then you just have a nice cat-themed box for the cat person in your life.
The lid is held in place by a lid retainer glued to the bottom of the lid. It takes some careful alignment of this retainer so the lid fits the box correctly. When the glue is still tacking up you can install the lid and make minor adjustments.
The box walls are 1.5" deep. If you do not have a board that thick you will need to glue up two 3/4" boards.
You can go about this in two ways. Glue the two boards together and then cut the walls. That will give you a perfect fit but some people have trouble cutting a thick board.
The second option is to cut the two haves of the wall separately then glue them together. That requires much better accuracy of the cut but it will be easier. You will have sanding after the glue-up to get the walls flush. I normally glue the boards up first but for this project, I wanted to test the second method.
I was able to cut the two halves, glue them together and sand the walls flush. They are not perfect but they are close. It's hand made.
By far the most common problem I hear about when cutting thick boards is warped sides. The blade will flex and bow as you cut. This causes the thick walls to be misshaped.
Some of this is normal but you want to minimize it as much as possible. There are four things you can do to help this problem.
1. Always use a new blade to cut a thick board. Go with at least a #5.
2. Make sure the tension of the blade is correct. Loose tension is really bad when
cutting thick boards. It needs to be tensioned a bit higher than you may be used to.
3. As you cut a thick board pay attention to how you are pushing the wood into the blade. Apply as little side pressure to the blade as possible. If you notice that the blade is starting to deflect, relax your grip and let the blade recenter.
4. Choose a species of wood that is easy to cut. Trying to cut 1.5" Australian Buloke(Hardest wood in the world) with a Janka hardness of 5,060lbf is asking for headaches. Cherry with is Janka hardness of 950 is a much better choice.
If you are curious:
The Janka scale is used to determine the relative hardness of particular domestic or exotic wood species. The Janka test measures the amount of force required to embed a 0.444" steel ball into the wood to half of its diameter. Woods with a higher rating are harder than woods with a lower rating.
$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.
Ad: AffiliateSanding Twigs (Pack of approx. 300)
These sanding twigs come in handy for sanding inside cuts on fretwork. I will often cut them to a point so I can get in even very small areas. The different colors are different grits. To be honest the grit is not that important for these twigs. You are sanding such a small area the the grit does not come into play much.
- Sanding Twigs contour and smooth narrow spaces
- Twigs are 1/8 inch square
- Cushion abrasive mounted on plastic substrate for good flexibility and durability
- Sold in plastic bucket containing approximately 300 twigs of assorted grits
- Each twig is 6-1/2 inch long