Frustrating beginnings

[Edward Henry]

Hi, I am VERY new to wood working and sadly chose a way above my level first project, though I am determined to try and finish it. My main issue is that I do not cut along the lines and make all those sharp turns I see in youtube videos as I am terrified I will snap the blade or damage the project so I been hogging out the large sections then barely touching the edge of the blade I scrape away the excess to the line as smoothly as I can as a result it takes me forever to do anything. my first project is a wolf image that I think I am over 15 hours on that I am sure the pros can finish in a few hours. and I am not 1/3 finished yet. I am hoping to find local scrollers to come walk me through this and past my fear but until I do are there any suggestions?

I already learned that I should not have cut out the largest sections first but cut the smaller details in middle and work my way out. as a result of cutting large first it is more difficult to do the small details but hey! I learned it all by myself LOL. I can not recall what size blades I swap between a flat 0/2?? and a spiral but my spiral is too large for the finer details of the fur so already messed up alot.

 

 

Edited November 15, 2017 by Edward Henry
forgot info

[OCtoolguy]

1 hour ago, Edward Henry said:

Hi, I am VERY new to wood working and sadly chose a way above my level first project, though I am determined to try and finish it. My main issue is that I do not cut along the lines and make all those sharp turns I see in youtube videos as I am terrified I will snap the blade or damage the project so I been hogging out the large sections then barely touching the edge of the blade I scrape away the excess to the line as smoothly as I can as a result it takes me forever to do anything. my first project is a wolf image that I think I am over 15 hours on that I am sure the pros can finish in a few hours. and I am not 1/3 finished yet. I am hoping to find local scrollers to come walk me through this and past my fear but until I do are there any suggestions?

I already learned that I should not have cut out the largest sections first but cut the smaller details in middle and work my way out. as a result of cutting large first it is more difficult to do the small details but hey! I learned it all by myself LOL. I can not recall what size blades I swap between a flat 0/2?? and a spiral but my spiral is too large for the finer details of the fur so already messed up alot.

 

 

Edward, you are doing fine. Take your time. Just remember, once the pattern is removed, there will be no lines for anybody to see. You can make a lot of mistakes and nobody will ever know. I'm in the same boat as you as far as experience goes. I am doing a wall plaque that will be a gift and I'm really taking my time and trying my best not to make a mistake that's really obvious. Keep up the good work and post your finished project.

Ray

 

[Scrappile]

Edward, welcome to the forum.  So glad you joined.  Ive been to Springfield, Mo.  My Father-in -law was from near there.

Now, my advice would be to set this picture aside for a little while, get some practice with different techniques, different blades and then go back.  Start at the beginning and work your way forward.  That way you won't get discouraged and give up.  That is a pretty difficult picture for a first attempt.

[WayneMahler]

Welcome to the village Edward. 

Paul gave some great advice. Start with something simpler and get the feel for things. Blades, movement, control and the like. There are some simple patterns around to help get you started. Starting of on something like this could take away from the fun you will. Also you will learn tons of things along your learning journey. But please keep in mind if you have a question feel free to ask. With time, patience and experience you'll work your way to complicated patterns and enjoy them at the same time.

[Lucky2]

Edward, welcome to the Village, it's nice to have you here. If you do as Paul (Scrappile) has suggested, you shouldn't have any issues. For a first piece, you bit off quite a big bite. You should have some practice under your belt, before you tackle a piece like this. It's a lot like life, you had to learn how to walk before you could run. Well you have to do the same when scrolling, practice practice and practice even more. With all of that practicing you will soon improve, you'll improve so much  that you'll become a pro.

Len

[crupiea]

3 hours ago, Edward Henry said:

 

You will break some blades, its just the nature of the beast.  Some days you can use the same blade all day, other days you will go though half a dozen in an hour.  Just the way it is.  You are doing fine with this. Its just a matter of getting over the fear of it.  Worst case, you dont produce a masterpiece.  No one does their first time out. Just have fun with it and keep up toe good work. looks good so far.

 

[Bill WIlson]

12 hours ago, Scrappile said:

Edward, welcome to the forum.  So glad you joined.  Ive been to Springfield, Mo.  My Father-in -law was from near there.

Now, my advice would be to set this picture aside for a little while, get some practice with different techniques, different blades and then go back.  Start at the beginning and work your way forward.  That way you won't get discouraged and give up.  That is a pretty difficult picture for a first attempt.

Excellent advice!

Practice on something you aren't afraid to mess up.  Don't worry about breaking blades.  We all broke and still break our share.  Comes with the territory.  After a little while, you learn what to do and what not to do.  Having a mentor or watching YouTube videos is a great way to learn, but there's still something to be said for good old trial & error.  The lessons stick a little better, IMHO because just as important as knowing what works and what doesn't is why.

Good luck and have fun making sawdust!

[MrsN]

Typically when a blade breaks, it won't damage the project. It will make you jump, and make a lot of noise, but if you can keep the project on the table it should be ok.

Don't be afraid of breaking the blade. as you practice you should break fewer and fewer. Blades wear out and break a lot. I buy blades by the gross (144 blades) multiple times a year.

You mentioned the biggest lesson about a piece like you are doing. Start with the details, then work your way out. Think about how to keep the piece as solid as possible for as long as possible. 

another thing to remember is that the pattern line is a guideline. once you take the pattern off, no one will know how close or far you were from the line. Look at the back of the piece, I bet you will be able to see the wolves.

[Jim McDonald]

There are NO mistakes on the scrap side of the line. And minor mistakes on the other side are generally known only to the cutter!

[bandaideman]

Experience is the best teacher. Advise given is very good to have. I am sure you would be surprised at what we all started with. I had a dremel scroll saw with 2 speeds boring slow and scary fast and with pin end blades. With pin no making little holes to get through so i started with cutting out perimeter patterns cats. Bears small praying kids I am sure you have seen those patterns and the inside cuts had to be large to get the blade through but could do some veining if cutting from the big cut out inside cut. Painted some. Started on boring slow graduated to scary fast and then moved on to Dewalt 788 and never looked back. Enjoy your trip it is well worth it. 

[lawson56]

Edward a Big Welcome.A Lot of Great Advice up there.I started with simple patterns.Some just had 4 to 5 cuts.Then worked my way up from there.We all make mistakes,brake blades,thats part of scrolling.Don't give up.This is a Fantastic Hobby.Your gonna Love it.

[Edward Henry]

Thank you all for your advice, I have yet to break a blade but tend to bend the ends badly so when I swap holes it is harder or impossible to get the blade back in. I THOUGHT I was just snugging them down but seems I am over tightening them.

[EarltheScroller]

Yes, on many saws it is easy to over tighten them. Also, you find with scroll sawing that blades don't last long. Unlike your table saw, if you are doing a lot of intricate cutting you will need to put in new blades every few hours or more often. If I'm working a couple hours a day, I will put in a new blade every day. Once you get the hang of it, you will find that you are following the line fairly easily, then pretty soon it will be difficult. Time for a new blade. They are an expendable item so keep a lot on hand.

[Bill WIlson]

11 hours ago, Edward Henry said:

Thank you all for your advice, I have yet to break a blade but tend to bend the ends badly so when I swap holes it is harder or impossible to get the blade back in. I THOUGHT I was just snugging them down but seems I am over tightening them.

The blade bending may be a symptom of an issue with the clamps.  Not sure what saw you have, but on saws like the DeWalt, the clamp uses a fixed set screw and a thumbscrew to clamp the blade.  If the fixed set screw is set incorrectly, it causes the blade end to bend into what looks like a hockey stick.  If you have this kind of blade clamp, you may want to adjust the thumbscrew so it is just slightly proud of the inner wall of the clamp block.  Put a little blue Loctite on it to make sure it stays put.

[Edward Henry]

Bill I have the Dewalt DW788 and yes lots of hockey sticks. I bought $6,000 worth of tools at two Grizzly Tent sales this year to try and build my first wood shop in half of my garage and still do not have it all together. I can use the Scroll Saw, drill press, tablesaw, jointer and sander. (Once I learn how) but not the lathe and Bandsaw yet. I got it in my head that I could get this shop and learn enough wood working to earn an extra $500-$800 income after expenses of supplies, wood, blades and such but not looking too promising at this time as I am trying to learn it alone so as not to bother anyone. I am a disabled Veteran and I do think if nothing else it will help ease my PTSD.

Edited November 16, 2017 by Edward Henry

[Bill WIlson]

Well Ed, I wish you success in your venture.  It's an ambitious one.  If you have questions, please feel free to post them.  There is a wide range of talent here on this forum, so even woodworking questions that aren't scrollsaw related will likely get responses.  There are several other really good general woodworking forums that you could take advantage of as well.  Please don't feel you are bothering anyone with your questions.  That's what these forums are for.

Good luck and have fun making sawdust!

[SCROLLSAW703]

Welcome to the forum Mr. Ed, & thank you for your service, Sir! First, let me say that if you don't have much patience going into your scroll saw endeavor, your saw will happily teach you the patience you need to it.

 I'll probably set a few farms a fire before I'm done, but, there are ways to learn this, & then there are ways to get yourself in trouble, too. I may sound like a hard a**, but were I in your shoes, I'd keep cuttin' on the pattern you're workin' on. From what I can see that you've done to this point is spot on! But, as already mentioned, always start in the center of the project, no matter what it is, & work out in a circle. Keep your project as stout as possible for as long as you can. 

I see you're drillin' your entry holes a little big, imo. Try to keep them as small as possible, & drill in a spot where you can start right in cuttin'. Try not to make them to far from where you want to cut into the pattern, or where you have to turn before you can start cuttin'.

Cut your small detail first, if you can. I know what you're thinkin', but if you cut the small details first, especially around the outside, your project still has the strength of the wood to stay together, & be easier to move around. Then move to the center & start cuttin'. 

As mentioned also, you're goin' to break blades. Learn from it. Tension? right blade?  Your hockey stick ends could come from your blade not bein' all the way up in top holder, then over tightening. Make sure the blade goes all the way up in to the blade holder, & at the back side of the holder.

I wouldn't give up on the project you're workin' on, though. You're doin' a good job so far! You'll learn more by finishing it out that by settin' it aside & messin' with other things. You can do that after you've finished. 

my apologies for the length, but just from lessons learned. keep scrollin' & God Bless.

 

 

[Fab4]

Hi Edward:

Tons of good replies here for your to read
I wasn't going to get in on this topic but hit a nerve so I'm replying
As mentioned, your venture is an ambitious one but achievable in the long run
Here's where you struck a nerve:
"I'm trying to learn it "ALONE" as to not "BOTHER" anyone"
Well mister, this is your first mistake....LOL
Feel free to bother the Villagers,anytime, and become a real P.I.T.A.
You are not alone here and we really don't mind being bothered
Trust me, you'll like it here.
Between you and me there are a few crazies among us, just giving you a heads up

Oh yeah, almost forgot.....Welcome to the Village

Fab4
 

 

[munzieb]

Welcome to the village. You can already see that there is a lot of good information and also encouragement here.

So here is my 2 cents of knowledge, blades break, it's the cost of making something beautiful. Heck, Michelangelo had to throw out brushes when they were worn out. If he had an errant hammer blow with a chisel, it was tough to put it back on, you have CA or super glue. It's a whole lot easier to fix wood. If you notice that it gets harder to move the blade through your piece, it's gone dull. It will start to wander and slow you down. Don't wait for it to break, just change it out.

Blue tape  is your friend. If your project is getting too floppy or wobbly, save your cutout pieces and tape them back in place (without obscuring adjacent lines) It will stabilize your work and helps when you are sanding the back to remove the fuzz.

Nature is perfect... or not. Leaves, plants, trees, landscapes and even animals have curves, radii and irregular shapes. If you wander a little, it's not a problem and won't be noticed.

Man is hung up on straight lines and sharp angles. If you make a mistake, do it in the waste area, you can always go back and nibble away with your blade and clean it up.

If you are cutting where there are 2 sharp converging lines, cut to the point and then slightly deeper (the thickness of the blade) back out the blade and cut into the waste area to reverse the blade and  back into the point and continue cutting in the new direction.

If you notice a weak or floppy piece in the area of your cut, do them first. You will remove the load on that piece especially if the remaining piece is larger.

If you are cutting parallel cuts with narrow strips between them, cut the line next to the piece you just removed. It will also remove the load on that narrow piece. If it looks fragile, tape it back in with blue tape.

When starting a cut on a piece, avoid blending a cutting into a curve or straight line. Start at converging lines or a point in the piece. It will make for a crisper cut.

Don't be afraid to drill more than one hole in a cutout. You can relieve pressure on some fragile pieces.

These are some self learned techniques that work for me and I know the members can add to this list to make you cutting more interesting and rewarding.

Keep making saw dust and enjoy!

[Blaughn]

Hi Edward:

I was working with my grandson teaching him to make sharp turns and stumbled across an exercise that sped up the process.  Using a piece of scrap, drill a hole, insert the blade and practice rotating the workpiece with very slight pressure on the back of the blade.  You will discover that this simple exercise will help you to acquire a feel for the art of making sharp turns.  Done correctly, you can rotate the workpiece in both directions without enlarging the hole.

This also helps when cutting small radius turns.  You will find that on these you need to starve the teeth of the blade just slightly to stay on line. You do this by introducing slight back pressure on the blade which slows the rate of cut.

There are two kinds of scrollers - 1.  those who have screwed up a project and  2. those who about to screw up a project.  

Edited November 17, 2017 by Blaughn

[Kragax]

Hi Edward,

The folks here have helped me more than I can tell you, and they still do. This is a learning process we all go through. I do other woodworking and try to make some money but it's tough unless you have an outlet and original ideas. I haven't had an original idea since 1969 and it wasn't a great one. Take your time and ask all the questions you want that's what got me going. Woodworking can be relaxing, I'm disabled as well and I can just lose myself in my work. Don't get frustrated it all takes time. Welcome to the village, and thank you for your service.

[tomsteve]

very impressive 1st scrollsaw project and love the tools ya purchased,edward! asking questions is NOt a bother to anyone. i did quite a bit of learning woodworking and scrollsaw on my own,too. but also got a lot of advise along the way. i went from making big pieces of wood smaller and having them end up in the fireplace to making some nice stuff. 

 

one thing i would suggest:

no matter how far along ya go, look at what youre doing with woodworking as practice. even though ive been scrolling and woodworking for a few years now, im still just practicing.

[OCtoolguy]

Edward, here is a Woodcraft store that may be near you. If they are like the store near me, they have classes in all phases of woodworking. I might suggest you look into what they have to offer. My neighbor goes to the scroll saw class once in a while and she tells me she always learns something from it. Good luck with your endeavor and thank you for your service.

CONTACT US

314-993-0413

Fax:

314-993-7029

Email:

stlouis-retail@woodcraft.com

West Port Area
2077 Congressional Drive
Saint Louis, MO 63146

 

Edited November 17, 2017 by octoolguy

[Edward Henry]

My not be a bother comment was actually ment to be that I want help badly but try not to bother local people for hands on help, hence my Bandsaw has been in the same state for months waiting for the tables to be leveled (tried for hours and failed) fence put on, wood Lathe needing assembled etc.

[meflick]

Welcome Edward. Most people would not consider your request for help as a bother so if you have someone local who can help you finish getting your new tools setup, please ask them. If not, check for local store or group who might have someone who can help.

you've gotten good advice and help already here, not more I can add to that probably as I am a relative newbie myself to the scrollsaw. Yes, the piece you started with is ambitious, but looks like you are doing well with it. Just take your time and don't worry about little miscuts as already noted, probably only you will know once the pattern is removed any way.

The main thing I wanted to say though is thank you. Thank you for your service to our country and to the world. As a disabled vet, you have paid a large price for all of us and our freedoms. I am sorry for your injuries that caused your disability. I am sorry that as a result of your service you suffer with PTSD, but wanted you to know that I and my family and so many others appreciate you, your fellow servicemen and women, and your families and your sacrifices. 

I look forward to your participation here in the Village and seeing what you learn to do with your tools. Good luck and God Bless.