Wednesday, August 19, 2020

Cheat Chain Scroll Saw Pattern.


Download Below
Click to Enlarge
This is a sample. You can make it as long as you needed.

Yes, we are going to cheat.

Hand carving a wooden chain from a solid block of wood is fun, challenging, and time-consuming. I have carved chains and I have used a technique to make them partially on the scroll saw. 

I was in an email conversation with a reader the other day who needed a six-foot wooden chain. She had seen the video I did years ago on how to make a chain from a solid block of wood with the scroll saw. Obviously, that was not going to work very well for a six-foot chain. Hand carving would also have been too time-intensive. 

My suggestion to her was to cheat. If you are looking for the end result and not the challenge then why make it difficult. The links in the photo above are half links glued up. With some careful glue-ups and sanding they can look pretty convincing. Yes, close up you will see the joints but from a couple of feet its hard to tell they are not solid.



The two links above show two of the joints. Number 1 shows a joint that needed a better fit or more sanding. Number 2 is a successful joint. Even close up number 2 looks good. Not perfect but good enough. Even the number 1 joint will be fine for many projects. I believe the project my readers was working on was a nautical themed anchor display. This would be fine for a project like that.


You want the edge of the board to be nice and true for the best joints. Each link is cut. Obviously, you need to cut two for each link. The links on the 1/4" thick chain are two inches long. You lose a half-inch for each length because the links interlock. You would need about 50 links to get a six-foot chain. You could cut that is one sitting. The assembly and sanding will take some time.


I used this stair-step jig to help with the glue-up. It held the pieces in place while I glued the next link into the chain. 


I did not use clamps. I just held finger pressure for a couple of minutes until the glue tacked up. One solution would be to have a number of small rubber bands. Wrap one around each link after it tacks up. Just be careful that the link halves stay aligned. Now just continue the steps until you get the desired length. CA glue eliminates the clamp problem but if you get squeeze out it is harder to sand away than wood glue.





Several years ago I did a couple videos showing how to make wooden from solid blocks of wood with the scrollsaw. The links below are to those videos. The video quality is pretty bad but that is what YouTube was like back then. The technique is basically the same as is used by woodcarvers to make the chains.



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Inlay with a 1" Forstner Bit.
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Products for your consideration:


Every Scrollsaw Workshop Pattern from 2007-2019 on DVD


Purchase the entire Scrollsaw Workshop pattern catalog for offline access.

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.
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.

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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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for you scroll saw ready boards.

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This is the end of the daily posts. Keep scrolling for lot's more scrolls saw fun!






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Free Pattern Catalog. 1000's of free patterns.

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Wooden Vases on the Scroll Saw Book $12 Each

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Each digital book is available for download immediately after payment.
The books are $12 per edition and contains eight unique patterns each.
Watch the following video to see how easy these beautiful scroll saw vases
are to make. 

Order the $3 pdf Catalog

This is a PDF of all the patterns in my free catalog. It is for Windows only and has a program to automatically download the pattern to your computer. Please watch the video below before you order. Click the picture to order.
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You do not need a PayPal account to order. At the bottom of the PayPal page is a button that will allow you to pay with a credit card. After successful payment click the Return to Merchant button for the download.

Stencil Printer 1.7

Stencil Printer Instruction Video.

The Scrollsaw Workshop Stencil Printer 1.7 is my latest software for creating patterns. It will create key chain fobs, desk name plates and more. Click the image above to download the latest version. It is free to use donationware. This software is for Windows PC only.

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Scroll Saw Pattern Printer update 1.1
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Scroll Saw Keychain Pattern Maker

Use the Scroll Saw Keychain Maker to start a small keychain business. Build yourself a nice display and make up severl keychains with common names. Sell at craft shows, on Ebay or at work. Everyone needs a keychain. Take custom orders. Heck just make them and give them away as gifts. It's all made easy with the Scroll Saw Keychain Maker. Watch the video demonstration then download the file below and get started with the fun.
The following link will start the download process. After the file download is complete just click the setup file and the program will be installed. Please consider a $5 donation for the program.

Download the Oval Keychain Pattern Maker.

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The Lifter

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Philip Lowndes Noah's Arc Pattern Available. Watch the video below.

This video is from Philip Lowndes. He is the designer of this beautiful Noah's Arc puzzle pattern. If you would like the pattern follow the link below.
Buy This Wonderful Heirloom Puzzle Pattern

Think Safety

Remember to keep the safety of yourself and others in your work shop in your thoughts at all times. Always wear eye and ear protection. Follow all the manufactures warnings that came with your power tools. If I demonstrate something on this web site that you don't feel is safe, don't do it. Your safety is your responsibility. Fingers are handy things, try to keep all of them.
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Disclaimer:
The Scrollsaw Workshop Blog is in no way affiliated with or sponsored by Scroll Saw Woodworking and Crafts Magazine formerly (Scroll Saw Workshop Magazine) or it's publisher Fox Chapel Publishing.

Scroll Saw Woodworking and Crafts