What's in your Scrolling tool box?

[new2woodwrk]

As I take on more difficult projects, I was thinking of what tools and materials I would need going forward.  Would you all like to share your opinions and contents of your tool box and work bench specifically for scrolling?

My current list includes:

• Of course the Saw
• Dust control - I have my saw hooked up to my HF
• Spray Adhesive
• Painters tape and packing tape
• Blade assortment
• Holders for blades - I have those tubes set into a pegboard holder I made
• Sanding sticks and sanding paper
• Disc and rotating sander - I also have one for my drill
• Files - does anyone use needle files?
• Assortment of Finishes - I have Tung oil, Danish oil (natural) and mineral spirits
• Assortment of stain colors - I also use prestain
• Assortment of acrylic paints - I'm using model paints at the moment
• Drill press - I only have my dremel at the moment since my craftsman took a dump.  I'll replace it soon with a Wen most likely
• Awl - I've been using this on the tiny holes to make them large enough to thread the small blades through
• Band saw - I have the Skil 9" - it's not a great saw, but seems to do the job for scrolling - not so much for other woodworking
• Glue/spray box
• Table saw - I use it to cut my sheets down to size
• Patterns of course
• Wood/material supply

Anyone else care to elaborate?

Thanks in advance

Edited February 21, 2018 by new2woodwrk

[MTCowpoke22]

As far as scrolling goes, that's a pretty good list. I noticed you asked about needle files. I do have a set of riffler files I use all the time. They're great for removing the fuzzies and touching up pieces after they're cut. Only other thing I would add is lighting. Adequate lighting is needed around the saw, which usually requires some type of extra lighting beyond the normal shop lights.

[Scrappile]

I use various X-Acto knives a lot. 

[Bill WIlson]

Clamps - the size, type & qty will vary, depending on the type of projects you do, but I would start out with a few one handed bar clamps and an assortment of spring clamps.  You can expand from there.

[RangerJay]

The only things you haven't mentioned that I use on a reasonably regular basis are below  - I've added an asterisk to the ones I use a real lot.

- magnifying lens for the saw (*)

- 1" belt sander (*)

- sanding mop (*)

- abrasive buffs for the dremel tool

- carving burrs for the dremel tool

- various sized drum sanders for both the dremel tool and the drill press

-  assortment of router bits for the dremel tool and trim router

- trim router 

- range of carving tools

- cordless drill (*)

- range of wood clamps

- planer

- jointer

- mitre saw (*)

Think that is about it ....

 

Jay

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

So many of those things are used for other woodworking projects and being I have a shop full of tools I just grab what is needed at the time. The biggest and most important thing on the list is a good efficient scroll saw that is easily used.  

[tgiro]

Most of my scrolling is for my intarsia so I can add a bunch of drum sanders of varying sizes to the list. Everything from a 3/4" Dremel drum up to a Sandrite 8" drum.

[WayneMahler]

I have a full shop. About the only thing I don't use for scrolling is my lathe. Most of the other tools get used for a purpose just not every day. 

[loftyhermes]

A 14" bandsaw and thicknesser for ripping down wood.

[fredfret]

2" machinist square, 6" try square, 12" straight edge, mechanical pencil, small straight blade screwdriver, Used blade collection can.

Fredfret

[new2woodwrk]

6 hours ago, Scrappile said:

I use various X-Acto knives a lot. 

What/how do you use them?

[MrsN]

I use a small torch to burn off fuzzies on the back of a piece. I wouldn't be with out something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/AMRIU-GF-851-Micro-Butane-Lighter/dp/B073MDYM89/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1519314664&sr=8-3&keywords=micro+butane+torch&dpID=51kzHykz3AL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

x-acto knives are small hobby knives, and useful for all sorts of things.

https://www.amazon.com/Xacto-X3311-Precision-Knife-Blades/dp/B0000DD1N4/ref=sr_1_5?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1519314790&sr=1-5&keywords=X-Acto+knives&dpID=41MdF0VxB0L&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

[tomsteve]

On 2/21/2018 at 9:27 AM, new2woodwrk said:

.  Would you all like to share your opinions and contents of your tool box and work bench specifically for scrolling?

 

im in the middle of a bathroom remodel so  no- dont wanna show my workbench. LOLOLOL

i think my tool box it on it,though.  

specifically scrollsawing....hhmmm. id have to say the mini drill chuck is only used for scrollsawing.

and my benchtop drill press. i dont seem to use that much for anything else since i got a floor model.

 

[CharleyL]

My scroll saw tool box has two clamps that I use for compound cutting, A Pair of scissors, an old toothbrush, a roll of double sided tape for stack cutting, a roll of blue tape, a bottle of rubber cement, because I don't need to remove patterns when compound cutting, a small plastic protractor, and also a set of the scroll saw angle gauges, A pill bottle containing finger nail files. another pill bottle containing a red, black, and fine black sharpie markers., and 6-9 pill bottles containing my most used sizes of scroll saw blades. I have a second larger box that usually stays in the shop that contains about 26 more pill bottles of my lesser used sizes of scroll saw blades.

Charley

Edited February 24, 2018 by CharleyL

[Chiloquinruss]

Full wood shop here, but I have three sets of general tools.  A set at each end of the shop and another on a roll around utility cart.  What I really use the most is clamps!  Can never have to many clamps!   For scrolling I have a small blade holder and an OTT light on a stand with the magnifier (old eyes).  Russ

[Hawk]

1 important item in my shop I've not seen mentioned is my small fridge filled with little bottles of water...

Chris

[3Dface]

i love my wen drill press... recommended 

i drill my holes and then flip it over have use a counter sink on every hole to aid in pushing the blade in. 

my shop dust collector is a frankin-vac. here is a video (a bad one... lol) of what i used to use on my craftsman. now i use it for my drill press and general clean up.

sense i got my Hawk i am using a dedicated household cyclone vac plugged into my foot switch.

the other tools i use the most are about what everyone else listed but could not do without my hot glue gun and love i can now boy 10" sticks.

[Ron Johnson]

Like most I have a full shop of tools. But the tools I use the most when it comes to scrolling is a Dremel flex shaft along with a Dremel drill press. Two items I definitely wouldn't do without. A bandsaw would make it three and four would be a disc and belt sander. Scraper blades are amazing items. I use very little sandpaper and they help my lungs and shop stay cleaner. Not to mention they are better at finishing than sandpaper. Proper lighting, good quality dust mask and ear protection can add years onto your scrolling and wood working life. Of course decent seating can extend your time at the saw which may or may not make your partner happy. So judge your seating accordingly. The list can go on and on, so help me out. 

 

 

 

[Scrappile]

On 2/21/2018 at 2:28 PM, new2woodwrk said:

What/how do you use them?

I use X-acto knives the one like below  to cut patters to the size I want to glue to the wood, clean fuzzies where the sanding will not reach, open the plastic bags the blades come in, clean wood out of cutouts, scrape things.  I use one often.

A bigger handle with this blade to clean glue, as a small chisel, remove  patterns from the wood. 

I have also found I can easily sharpen the blades so I don't have to buy them often.  I have a set of the little "Dia-sharp" diamond cards and I can sharpen these blade to sharper than they were new.  Fact the blades I'm using now have been in my handles over a year and still work fine.

 

[munzieb]

Ron, your list is pretty complete. I do use a lot of 2 sided tape when there is not a lot of room for a clamp or I only need to hold something temporarily for marking or small pieces when I don't want my fingers getting too close to a blade. I make a fair amount of boxes and Rocker's squares are perfect for glue ups. Several years ago I bought some  1/4" thick glass shelving. When we moved, I lost the dowels but kept the glass. (safety) They are great for perfect flat surfaces and glue ups. Any residual glue cleans up with a razor blade. I also use them for lapping uneven surfaces. I'll double side tape a sheet of sandpaper to the surface and start sanding in a figure 8 pattern. I'll mark up all the surface to be sanded and when the marks are gone, the surface is even.

BTW, I also use a white pencil when ever I'm working with dark wood.

I also use artist/draftsman clear plastic squares and French curve kits along with various circle and square templates.

Most hobby or art supply stores carry them.

[munzieb]

22 hours ago, CharleyL said:

My scroll saw tool box has two clamps that I use for compound cutting, A Pair of scissors, an old toothbrush, a roll of double sided tape for stack cutting, a roll of blue tape, a bottle of rubber cement, because I don't need to remove patterns when compound cutting, a small plastic protractor, and also a set of the scroll saw angle gauges, A pill bottle containing finger nail files. another pill bottle containing a red, black, and fine black sharpie markers., and 6-9 pill bottles containing my most used sizes of scroll saw blades. I have a second larger box that usually stays in the shop that contains about 26 more pill bottles of my lesser used sizes of scroll saw blades.

Charley

Charley. I really like those Box joint boxes! Did you build them? I have built a few small ones but those are really nice. The edge guards and hardware make them pop!

[Rockytime]

6 hours ago, munzieb said:

Ron, your list is pretty complete. I do use a lot of 2 sided tape when there is not a lot of room for a clamp or I only need to hold something temporarily for marking or small pieces when I don't want my fingers getting too close to a blade. I make a fair amount of boxes and Rocker's squares are perfect for glue ups. Several years ago I bought some  1/4" thick glass shelving. When we moved, I lost the dowels but kept the glass. (safety) They are great for perfect flat surfaces and glue ups. Any residual glue cleans up with a razor blade. I also use them for lapping uneven surfaces. I'll double side tape a sheet of sandpaper to the surface and start sanding in a figure 8 pattern. I'll mark up all the surface to be sanded and when the marks are gone, the surface is even.

BTW, I also use a white pencil when ever I'm working with dark wood.

I also use artist/draftsman clear plastic squares and French curve kits along with various circle and square templates.

Most hobby or art supply stores carry them.

Thanks for the reminder. I have piece of 1/4" glass I used for a surface plate which I no longer use. Has been sitting around for several years. Gonna get it out and use it.

[CharleyL]

15 hours ago, munzieb said:

Charley. I really like those Box joint boxes! Did you build them? I have built a few small ones but those are really nice. The edge guards and hardware make them pop!

Thanks.

Yes, I make many boxes, with different designs depending on the intended purpose. For shop tool boxes, they are almost always built the same as these, but with different dimensions depending on what will go inside them, and different stains, so I can quickly find the tool that I need by box color. For the box joints, I use an Incra I-Box jig on my Unisaw, usually cutting them with a Freud SBOX8  box joint blade. These boxes were made from 1/2" Baltic Birch for the sides and 1/4" Baltic Birch for the tops and bottoms. 

The first two photos are a gun box that I made for my daughter-in-law.

The third photo gives you a pretty good idea of how good you can make box joints using the I-Box jig and the Freud SBOX8 blade set, even in Baltic Birch plywood. Who ever said "you can't cut box joints in plywood"? I don't have any problems when doing it this way.

The last photo is a box for another tool, but it's not finished inside yet, so no stain or poly on the outside either. I like using box joints for general purpose boxes and tool boxes because of their strength, I have a lot of Baltic Birch drops left over from making larger projects, so I'm using it up to make boxes. I'll be making a bunch of parts bins for staging "in process work" from 3/8 Baltic Birch this coming week. I just have to decide what the best dimensions will need to be for them, but they will all be the same size, and stackable.. 

Charley

[munzieb]

The precision of the cuts is amazing. My Freud regular stack dado doesn't come close to this detail. I guess I'll have to put it on my Christmas list.

Nicely done,

Thanks for sharing.

[CharleyL]

For really clean cuts you need a flat tooth grind and the Freud SBOX8 blade set has it. The set is actually two blades. Assemble them like a dado blade with the printing facing out and it cuts a 1/4" clean box type joint. Assemble the two blades with the printing facing in and the blade set cuts a 3/8" wide box type cut. Te teeth of both blades extend further out from the blade blank on one side further than the other, so they fit into each other when assembled to cut the 1/4" kerf width. But this blade set can't cut clean if you aren't using a sacrificial backer and a zero clearance insert in your saw. The sacrificial backer is designed into the Incra I-Box jig and you can slide it sideways to expose an un-cut area after the jig is set up and the saw blade height is correct for the joint that you will be cutting. Just before you make the first box joint cut, move the sacrificial strip until an un-cut area is in line with the saw blade. Tighten the two screws to hold it in position, and then pass it over the blade. Then you can cut your box joints and they will all turn out perfect and nearly splinter free, until you make a change in blade height or the pin/cut width setting of the I-Box jig.

Freud also makes a 10" flat tooth blade for ripping that cuts great 1/8" wide box joints. The tooth width is actually 0.126, a thousandth wider than 1/8", but when used with the I-box jig (the bottom limit of the I-Box capability), it makes great 1/8"  box joints that look great on really small boxes. (Freud # LM72M010).  Stumpy Nubs did a review of this blade and he is recommending it for not only ripping and box joints, but also for general cabinet making over the ATG (Alternate Tooth Ground). Blades. I haven't yet tried this.

To my knowledge, there aren't any dado blades that will cut perfectly flat bottomed kerfs, but I have used my I-Box jig with my dado blade set for cutting 3/4" wide box joints and the size of the box and the joints made the non-perfect joints less obvious.

Charley