This pattern book has two hot rod patterns. The hanging sign is almost 14 inches wide. The second pattern is about 10 inches wide.
Wood Species that I use on the Scroll Saw:
I get this question a lot. My quick answer is whatever I have laying in the shop. I have cut dozens of od species of wood. There are some species that I will never use again and some are my go-to species.
I had a species named ipe in my shop a few years ago and tried to cut it on the scroll saw. It was like trying to cut steel. It was fun to try but I'll never do it again. It is just too hard and not worth the effort. It is really not a nice enough looking wood to be worth the cost and trouble.
One wood that I really like the look of is Bubinga. It is a beautiful deep red with nice grain. I will never have it in my shop again. I am allergic to it. When I cut it I have the symptoms of a cold. I built a writing desk out of Bubinga once and felt terrible for a few days. When I get a splinter from Bubinga it is like getting stung by a bee. It swells and hurts for a day or two.
Red Oak is very common in America but I am not a fan of using it on the scroll saw. The grain is so wide and open that it just does not cut well. It also tends to break along the grain.
Two of my favorite woods to cut are Walnut and Soft Maple. They both cut extremely well. Cherry, Mahogany, Poplar, and many other domestic species cut well.
I don't use a lot of exotic species because they are so expensive. I do like Red Heart, Yellow Heart, Zebra wood, Purple heart and more. They look beautiful. Some cut well and some don't.
I use a lot of Baltic birch plywood. Many times I am cutting a prototype so using a less expensive material is important. I make hundreds of projects a year. 90% of them are used for a picture then stored in a box. My attic is stuffed with projects.
Even though I use BB ply for prototypes there are many projects where it is fine for a finished project. Christmas ornaments are a good example. People seem to like the look of the ply in Christmas ornaments. Toys, holiday decorations, jigs and shop projects are good projects for BB ply.
Baltic birch plywood cut very well and is strong. Scroll saw patterns that are very detailed are perfect for BB ply. You just don't have the problem of things breaking along the grain. There really is no grain. If you want a material to practice on BB ply is perfect. You can get a sheet of 5' X 5' X 1/4" at most lumber stores for around $20 to $25. You can so a lot of cutting with that much material.
You can also buy 12" X 12" sheets of BB ply at Woodcraft or even Amazon. It's more expensive than the lumber yard but way more convenient. Cutting down large sheet of 1/4" plywood is a pain.
Probably the toughest problem new scrollers have is finding thin boards. In the scroll saw hobby we use a lot of 1/4" and 1/2" boards. If you do not have the tools to dimension your own boards them you normally have to buy them online. Not many lumber yards sell thin boards.
Buying online makes it easy but it also is more expensive. Shipping always adds up because of the weight. The good news is that scroll saw projects often use small amounts of wood.
Never throw scraps away if you have a place to keep them. You will be surprised how many scroll saw projects can be made from very small scraps of wood.
If you are just getting started them use whatever you have available. Almost all woods can be cut and with care even the difficult species are fine. I don't like Red Oak but it is used in scroll saw projects all the time because it is so common.
I live in Kentucky and I watched with a heavy heart the terrible storms that hit Tennessee a few days ago. The loss of life was tragic and it will take years for them to clean up the mess. I am praying for all of you. Tragic events often make us think of "What if that were me?"
One thing I have never taken the time to do is set up emergency supplies in case of a natural disaster. I have decided to work on that between now and summer. This is my first purchase. These are foldable water containers. The largest ones hold over 5 gallons of water. Two of them cost $26. My plan is to keep them stored and fill them when there is a chance for severe weather. I figure I will have time to get water before we lose it.
The advertisements look good but they are out of stock until the 16 of this month so I won't be able to test them for a while.
My plan is to start with the water supply then move to heat next. I already have a nice large kerosene heater but I want to educate myself on safety and stock up on Kerosene. Then I will move to food.
I don't plan on prepping for the end of the world. I don't want to stick around if things get that bad. I just want to take reasonable precautions for medium length shortages.
Do any of you have expert suggestions on how to be prepared? Tripwires and flame throwers are not my cup of tea but I do want to have supplies. What do you think about these water containers?
Something I am looking for. Not Scroll Saw Related. This is an affiliate link.
One thing I have never taken the time to do is set up emergency supplies in case of a natural disaster. I have decided to work on that between now and summer. This is my first purchase. These are foldable water containers. The largest ones hold over 5 gallons of water. Two of them cost $26. My plan is to keep them stored and fill them when there is a chance for severe weather. I figure I will have time to get water before we lose it.
The advertisements look good but they are out of stock until the 16 of this month so I won't be able to test them for a while.
My plan is to start with the water supply then move to heat next. I already have a nice large kerosene heater but I want to educate myself on safety and stock up on Kerosene. Then I will move to food.
I don't plan on prepping for the end of the world. I don't want to stick around if things get that bad. I just want to take reasonable precautions for medium length shortages.
Do any of you have expert suggestions on how to be prepared? Tripwires and flame throwers are not my cup of tea but I do want to have supplies. What do you think about these water containers?
$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 its 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 2007-2019 on DVD
This DVD has over 2,900 patterns published from 2007 thru 2019.
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 in an easy to use 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 in an easy to use thumb drive. The USB thumb drive option is $23 plus shipping.
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.
My Sponsors:
Support the businesses that support our community.
Home of Pegas scroll saw blades.
Ad: Affiliate