Friday, April 30, 2021

Simple House Numbers with Frame Scroll Saw Pattern.


 
Click to Enlarge
Download the Pattern below

Scroll saw projects tend to get a bit over the top sometimes. This pattern is just about as basic as one can get. House numbers with frames. Just mount them to a backer board and you are ready to hang the sign.

This pattern book has two sizes of simple house number signs. The small frames are 5" tall and the large frames are 7" tall. Each number is sized to fit in the frames.

Remember to use waterproof glue like Titebond III and good exterior paint. It is also a good idea to mask off some small spaces of the frame with tape so you will have a wood-to-wood glue joint. If you lay the numbers on the frame and lightly trace around them with a pencil you can easily apply the tape to the right locations.

If you have some small brad nails they will also improve the bond.
 

 

Is the table saw the most important tool in a woodworking shop?

Buy on Amazon
Buy on Amazon

You have probably heard the saying "Buy the best tools you can afford.". There is obviously some wisdom to that saying but there is also wisdom in "Don't buy more than you need.".

The table saw is often the most used tool in the shop. If you build furniture the table saws will do a large majority of the work. If you are primarily a scroll sawyer then the table saw takes second place. 

You can potentially enjoy the scroll saw hobby and never need a table saw but they sure come in handy for sizing material. 

So if the table saw is not going to be used for high precision or heavy-duty work then you probably don't need to spend $3,400 for the SawStop table saw. That does not mean I don't want one. I would love to have one. The $400 DeWalt DWE7485 job site saw will get the job done.

You can even buy a very low-end table saw for $150 but that is probably pushing your luck. The DeWalt shown above is a solid performer for the price. It gets very good reviews on Amazon. I have used this saw before and was impressed with the quality. 

You can even use your new table saw to build a nice stand and outfeed table like pictured below. This gives you mobility for easy storage out of the way when you need to get the car in your garage.

 

My shop has an older Craftsman contractor table saw. I paid under $1,000 several years ago. I have many times been at a trade show and tempted to upgrade. I always talk myself out of the purchase. My saw has always done what I need it to do. The demands I put on the saw are just not that high as a primarily scroll sawyer.

If I upgraded it would be more about ego than need. My ego may eventually win out but for now, I am happy with what I have.
 
My old Craftsman table saw with a few upgrades. 

You will notice that my outfeed table gets used for holding stuff more than for outfeed. :) The primary upgrade was dust collection. I built a port under the saw so I can attach the dust collector. Efficient dust collection would be the primary reason I would upgrade to a cabinet saw. Mine is not very efficient when it comes to collecting sawdust. 

So to finish up, you may not need a table saw but they make life easier even for a scroll sawyer. If you have money to spend then buy the best you can afford. If money is a bit tight then you will likely do just fine with the DeWalt job site saw.

This is way out in the left-field but I had fun.

Download the Greed Installer (Windows Only)

A few days ago I published a pattern for cutting large dice. In that post, I mention a couple of games you could potentially play with the dice. One was an old game that I knew as Greed. 

For whatever reason, I started writing a program to play a version of Greed that I kind of made up the rules as I went. Basically, if you roll a one you bust that round and lose your points. If you press the pass button before you roll a one then those points get added to the total. Don't get greedy of the mean one will show up and bust you.

The game plays for ten rounds and the goal is to score as many points as possible. You see my record in the photo above.

The complete instructions are in the menu at the top of the game window. There are other rules like you can't bust on the first roll of a round. You have to start with a valid score, etc.

Don't expect a huge challenge. It is a brain time waster. There are probably bugs so don't be surprised
if it cheats or messes up. 

I ran the installer through the Virun Total site to check it against about 50 virus-detection programs. It comes back clean. Here is the VirusTotal link for the scan

This program is freeware. Install it, play a few games then you can laugh at me for killing the better part of two days writing the code in Pascal.

By the way. No tech support. If it doesn't work just delete it. I have installed it on a few computers and it has worked. It is not highly optimized so it may be slow on some computers.



$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 2007-2020 on DVD


Purchase the entire Scrollsaw Workshop pattern catalog for offline access.

This DVD has over 3,310 patterns published from 2007 thru 2020.
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.

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.


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.


The Scrollsaw Workshop is primarily supported by donations. If you enjoy this Blog and would like to make a donation please click this Button. Your support is greatly appreciated. 
https://www.stevedgood.com/donate2.html

My Sponsors:
Support the businesses that support our community.
Home of Pegas scroll saw blades.


for you scroll saw ready boards.

Seyco features the Seyco ST-21 scroll saw
Make sure you check out the Seyco Scrollers Drill



Thursday, April 29, 2021

Class of 2021 Scroll Saw Pattern.


Click to Enlarge
Download the Pattern Below

This pattern is obviously better if the student's name is included. I included the pattern in both styles above. The second pattern has a blank so you can add the student's name. 

If you wish to use the same font I used for "Kellie" in the image above here is a link to download the font. SDG FONT. You can use any stencil font for the project. Using the free program Inkscape you can add the name to the pattern. Inkscape Link. Here is a link to a video showing how to import my patterns into Inkscape. VIDEO LINK.

You could also cut out individual letters and glue them to the plaque. Another easier way to add the name is to purchase pre-cut letters from Amazon. These letters are pretty large at 1 1/8" tall. With the printed pattern size, you will only get 5 or six letters for the name to fit. For longer names, you will need to extend the blank or print the pattern larger.

I also included a link to pre-cut letters that are just over 1/2" tall. You could probably get up to 11 letters of that size on the plaque.
These pre-cut letters are 1 1/8" tall.

 

Why is the first inch of a tape measure short?

Click to Enlarge

I was in a discussion today with a reader and the subject of tape measures came up. If you think about that first sentence for a minute you will get an idea of how boring my life is. :)

This is a fact that many of you who have done any construction or woodworking will already know. The first marked inch of all tape measures is short by 1/16". 

It is 1/16" short because the hook on the end of a tape measure is 1/16" thick. If you push the hook up against something, that thickness would throw off the measurement. The simple solution was to remove that from the tape.

That causes a problem though. If you were to hook the hook over something then you are measuring from the inside of the hook so the measurement will not include the hooks thickness. 

They figured out how to solve that problem also. The hook slides exactly 1/16". If you hook the hook over something it slides out to make the measurement accurate. 

That explanation may be clear as mud but if you look at the tape measure you will see what I am talking about. 

There are other design features built into a tape measure but I'll save those intriguing facts for another day. 😀

$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 2007-2020 on DVD


Purchase the entire Scrollsaw Workshop pattern catalog for offline access.

This DVD has over 3,310 patterns published from 2007 thru 2020.
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.

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.


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.


The Scrollsaw Workshop is primarily supported by donations. If you enjoy this Blog and would like to make a donation please click this Button. Your support is greatly appreciated. 
https://www.stevedgood.com/donate2.html

My Sponsors:
Support the businesses that support our community.
Home of Pegas scroll saw blades.


for you scroll saw ready boards.

Seyco features the Seyco ST-21 scroll saw
Make sure you check out the Seyco Scrollers Drill


 
Ad Affiliate

eTape16 ET16.75-db-RP Digital Tape Measure, 16 Feet, Red


I bought this tape measure back in 2015. At first, it sounds silly to need a tape measure that shows a digital readout. After a while, I started to understand that it reduces errors. Not only does seeing the digital measurement help it stand out but the device has memory storage. I can't tell you the number of times I have measured something and forgot the number by the time I walked across the room. Save the measurement to the device's memory and that problem goes away.

  • The original digital tape measure, Measuring made easy the digital way
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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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Bear Woods has been around since 1987 serving our hobby. They offer a wide range of craft products including Pegas scroll saw blades, clock inserts, toy parts, workshop supplies and much more. In my ten years of writing the Scrollsaw Workshop blog I have never received a complaint about Bear Woods. I get thousands of email a month so that's saying something about their customer service and quality products. Please support the people who support our hobby. Click now and visit Bear Woods.

Heritage Wood Specialties. Scroll saw ready boards!


Heritage Wood Specialties is a nationally recognized supplier of superior quality hardwoods to fine woodworkers across the US and Canada. Novice hobbyists and experienced enthusiasts alike can enjoy the high quality woodworking materials and kits available from Heritage Wood Specialties. Great source for scroll saw ready boards.

Seyco

http://seyco.com/
Seyco began business in 1986 with the goal to supply the best customer support and quality products in the scroll saw industry. I have worked with Seyco on many occasions and I can tell you they are simply the best. Please do yourself a favor and click the image above. Steve Good

Free Pattern Catalog. 1000's of free patterns.

http://www.stevedgood.com/catalog/

Thousands of FREE scroll saw patterns. No registration or signup required.

The projects form these patterns can be sold without restrictions. The patterns cannot be sold.

Click here for the Free Online Catalog.

-

Wooden Vases on the Scroll Saw Book $12 Each

http://www.stevedgood.com/woodenvases.html
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.
http://www.stevedgood.com/swpd/swpdorderpage.html
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.

Scroll Saw Pattern Printer update 1.1

Scroll Saw Pattern Printer update 1.1
Download the Free Scroll Saw Pattern Printer Version 1.1. Create name patterns in seconds. Windows PC only.
Download Version 1.1
Please consider a $5 donation for The Scroll Saw Pattern Printer v1.1.

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.

Enjoy designing and printing these great personalized key chains. Give them as gifts, make them for fun or sell them at craft shows. It's easy, just watch the video demo then download and install the program. You will be designing these fun projects in minutes. Windows PC only.
Download the Free Oval Key Chain Pattern Maker. Create Oval key chain patterns in seconds.
Download Version .9a
Please consider a $5 donation for The Oval Key Chain Pattern Maker.

T-Shirts and More.

T-Shirts and More.
Show your love for the hobby and support the Scrollsaw Workshop. Safe and secure order fullfilled by CafePress. Take a look. You are sure to find something you like. CLICK THE IMAGE to visit the store.

The Lifter

Papa's Custom Patterns.

www.papasworkshop.net

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.
__________________________
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