HI NEED ADVICE

[carmel]

I am wanting to start using a scroll saw and have just purchased one but i am a complete novice to this and dont really know what to do or how to go about things so please forgive my ignorance but how would i start to make anything ie a single letter plaque/name

i have just had a go and done a letter "a" i have done it but the way i did it is i printed a letter off from my pc and put that on top of the wood (mdf) with sticky tape at each end of paper but the paper was shaking so i didnt get a clean edge and my question is am i to do it a diff way as i said i am a beginner

 

really hope you can help

[dj21817]

hi welcome.i have found it best to cover the wood with tape and then glue the pattern to the tape.that way it stays still without getting glue on the wood and then when you peel the tape the pattern comes off to.if your going to tape pattern directly to the wood then you will need to use clear tape and cover the whole pattern.hope this helps.other members here have better ways of doing it but it all depends on what works for you .

[mikesscrollsaw]

Hi welcome to the site.....

 

here's what I do: I print off the pattern from the computer, I use blue painters tape on the surface of the wood. I've used regular masking tape but it's much harder to get off the wood, sometimes it even pulls small pieces of the wood out. I'll use it when it's a large piece without much detail. for the projects with alot of fragile pieces I strickly use the blue painters tape. (like portraits or anything where a piece will be thinner than a quarter of an inch)

 

then I use 3m spray glue to adhere the pattern to the tape. I spray the glue on the back of the paper wait 5 seconds and then stick them together, then wait about a minute and your good to go. I made a little cardboard easil from a box to spray the patterns otherwise the spray glue gets on everything.

 

i've used clear tape over the whole project to hold the pattern on teh wood but I find that if you have intricate detail the paper will come up more and more as you cut the project. i went right back to using spray glue.

 

I've also glued the pattern straight to the wood, you just have to sand all the glue off, again not bad on large items but anything small you run the risk of breaking it with all the sanding.

 

when I started i went to the library and found some books about scroll sawing, I picked up alot of great ideas, they also had some scrollsaw magazines I could read there. That's a great way to learn more.

 

Hope that's helpful!

 

Mike

[grampa]

Hi Carmel, I think the best way is to watch someone, so if you go on youtube and type in "how to use a scroll saw" you should get plenty of video's to start you off, infact if you look for STEVE GOOD he has a lot for the novice, just to get you going get your self some masking tape (low tack) and some peel off lables, print your pattern on the lable then wrap the wood in a layer of tape then stick your pattern lable on it and away you go.... Here are some to try just to get you used to moving the wood around, Let the saw do the work don't push the wood to hard and try different speeds..........good luck. Paul

[qlty]

Keep reading posts on the many websites pertaining to the subject as well as googling its amazing what you will keep learning even after you think you know it all.JMHO

[amazingkevin]

i spray temporary tack glue from elmers on the pattern and let dry and spray again and apply to the wood and press down everywhere.

[Clayton717]

I use the spray glue, I spray it onto the pattrn then apply the pattern directly to the wood. I use a quick spray of mineral spirist to break the bond once it is cut. and again to clean any residue off if needed. been doing it this way for years with no problems.