Old & New - Scroll Saw Challenge

[Jim Finn]

My first inlay (Horse)and my one of my  latest: 

[Rockytime]

1 hour ago, Jim Finn said:

My first inlay (Horse)and my one of my  latest: 

Your inlays are always so aw-some. I wish someone could show me how to first of all how to make the boxes!

[Jim Finn]

10 hours ago, Rockytime said:

Your inlays are always so aw-some. I wish someone could show me how to first of all how to make the boxes!

Thanks for the kind words.  Making the box is pretty simple if you have a table saw, miter saw, sander, and band saw to re-saw the wood to 3/8"  I find the box to be simple to make but takes more time than the time at the scroll saw doing the inlay.

[Gonzo]

12 minutes ago, Jim Finn said:

Thanks for the kind words.  Making the box is pretty simple if you have a table saw, miter saw, sander, and band saw to re-saw the wood to 3/8"  I find the box to be simple to make but takes more time than the time at the scroll saw doing the inlay.

I have the above mentioned tools. I do t think I could make a box anywhere near yours Jim. And I just noticed the different woods for your Grinch box. That is so cool!  Your work amazes me 

[JimErn]

1 hour ago, Jim Finn said:

Thanks for the kind words.  Making the box is pretty simple if you have a table saw, miter saw, sander, and band saw to re-saw the wood to 3/8"  I find the box to be simple to make but takes more time than the time at the scroll saw doing the inlay.

Jim, do you use a jig of some kind to position the sides for gluing? or is there some hidden joint I can't make out?

[Jim Finn]

This is how I make my boxes after doing the inlay in the 3/8" top: 

     I use 3/8" thick wood throughout.  I re-saw the wood (I use eastern red cedar) to 3/8" and make the bottoms  to size.  My boxes are 6"x8" mostly. To make the sides, I rip the 3/8" cedar to 1 3/4" strips and then cut to length at a 45 degree bevel, on each end, to form the four sides.  Then I glue these four pieces together at the corners as they stand on edge on my bench.  I then put two rubber bands around this assembly to hold it in place until the glue sets. ( I also use a small frame to hold the sides in place as I install the rubber bands.  All you need is a board with two short strips  attached at ninety degrees).  I use Elmer's white glue.  It dries quickly, dries clear, and is cheap. $14 a gallon. (I go through two gallons a year) If the frame that is thus made is not perfectly square, not to worry.  It does not matter because the top and bottoms are a little larger than this side assembly.

       After the glue sets I sand the top and bottom edges, of this assembly, flat in my stationary belt sander.  I then put  very little glue on the bottom edge and  place it on the bottom and repeat this for the top.  I apply eight    3" spring clamps until the glue dries. (glue dries well enough to handle in an hour) The top and bottom are a bit larger than the side assembly is, so I cut off the excess in my band saw and then sand flat in the stationary belt sander.  This is where you may see some minor gaps in the joints so, I fill those in with a mixture of white glue and dust from my orbital sander to use as filler.

     Sand flat and sand the whole box with 100 grit sandpaper using  a random orbital sander including rounding off the edges a little. I then sand to 180 grit and apply clear lacquer from a rattle can.  After the finish is dry I take the box back to the band saw and cut off the lid using a tall re-saw fence,.  I make the lid  3/4" deep. (This 3/4"includes the 3/8"  thick top.)  I then sand the sawmarks out of the cut edge and install the hinges.  I use a spacer on the hinges side of this box to keep the hinge side from pinching before the front side touches when closed.  I use the thickness of two business cards for this.  I do not finish the inside of the cedar box but I often apply one more coat of spray lacquer on this box after the hinges are installed.  

     Hope this helps.  

If you have any questions you are welcome to email me .  I will be glad to help.

                                                                                                                                                                      Jim

 

Edited January 4, 2020 by Jim Finn

[JimErn]

Jim, thanks for the explanation, I see how you are doing it now, very clear explanation.  I'll have to think this through, I do not have a band saw, and very little room to put one anywhere either.  I never realized you built the whole box and then cut the top off, interesting

[Gonzo]

Thanks for the tutorial Jim.  I'll have to give it a try. 

[new2woodwrk]

Here is one of the first things I ever cut - was using my intro saw the Wen then (which I still have):

I cut this almost 2 years to the day - January 2018

This I cut today on my Delta - January 2020

Getting better I think

 

Edited January 5, 2020 by new2woodwrk

[Rockytime]

6 hours ago, Jim Finn said:

This is how I make my boxes after doing the inlay in the 3/8" top: 

     I use 3/8" thick wood throughout.  I re-saw the wood (I use eastern red cedar) to 3/8" and make the bottoms  to size.  My boxes are 6"x8" mostly. To make the sides, I rip the 3/8" cedar to 1 3/4" strips and then cut to length at a 45 degree bevel, on each end, to form the four sides.  Then I glue these four pieces together at the corners as they stand on edge on my bench.  I then put two rubber bands around this assembly to hold it in place until the glue sets. ( I also use a small frame to hold the sides in place as I install the rubber bands.  All you need is a board with two short strips  attached at ninety degrees).  I use Elmer's white glue.  It dries quickly, dries clear, and is cheap. $14 a gallon. (I go through two gallons a year) If the frame that is thus made is not perfectly square, not to worry.  It does not matter because the top and bottoms are a little larger than this side assembly.

       After the glue sets I sand the top and bottom edges, of this assembly, flat in my stationary belt sander.  I then put  very little glue on the bottom edge and  place it on the bottom and repeat this for the top.  I apply eight    3" spring clamps until the glue dries. (glue dries well enough to handle in an hour) The top and bottom are a bit larger than the side assembly is, so I cut off the excess in my band saw and then sand flat in the stationary belt sander.  This is where you may see some minor gaps in the joints so, I fill those in with a mixture of white glue and dust from my orbital sander to use as filler.

     Sand flat and sand the whole box with 100 grit sandpaper using  a random orbital sander including rounding off the edges a little. I then sand to 180 grit and apply clear lacquer from a rattle can.  After the finish is dry I take the box back to the band saw and cut off the lid using a tall re-saw fence,.  I make the lid  3/4" deep. (This 3/4"includes the 3/8"  thick top.)  I then sand the sawmarks out of the cut edge and install the hinges.  I use a spacer on the hinges side of this box to keep the hinge side from pinching before the front side touches when closed.  I use the thickness of two business cards for this.  I do not finish the inside of the cedar box but I often apply one more coat of spray lacquer on this box after the hinges are installed.  

     Hope this helps.  

If you have any questions you are welcome to email me .  I will be glad to help.

                                                                                                                                                                      Jim

 

Thank you for your excellent tutorial. I have a 12" Craftsman band saw. I'll give it a try. Thanks again!

[barb.j.enders]

I am not sure that I have a photo of one of the first "bigger" projects I did but I made a nativity set for my daughters.  It was a Steve Good pattern.  I remember having difficulty cutting the straight lines for the manger.  Went out to try to find a fence for the saw!!! lol.  I also remember trying to figure out how to get the markings on the figures. I now realize that they should have been cut out.  I just used a sharpie to colour the lines in. . That was back around 2013.  Fast forward - this is my latest project

[Dennisfm56]

15 hours ago, new2woodwrk said:

Here is one of the first things I ever cut - was using my intro saw the Wen then (which I still have):

I cut this almost 2 years to the day - January 2018

This I cut today on my Delta - January 2020

Getting better I think

 

Looks like we both started about the same time with a Wen, and then at some point we both updated to the Delta. Maybe you are a brother from another mother. 

[grass1a]

I truly wish I could post a picture of my first project. But they didn't have digital cameras back in 1968. I do, however, have my first patterns That I ever bought and made. Would that count?

[RabidAlien]

19 hours ago, grass1a said:

I truly wish I could post a picture of my first project. But they didn't have digital cameras back in 1968. I do, however, have my first patterns That I ever bought and made. Would that count?

Close enough!

[Ninuninu]

Hi to all.

I have always loved the challenge that portraits provide when cutting with my saw.

Over time I have managed to refine my technique regards pattern making and try as much as possible to get a true likeness of the subject that I am cutting.

Apart from my patterns being better I feel that my cutting has also gotten better but feel that I still have a lot to learn.

 

The first pic, (which I have already posted here), is of my wife's daughter, the first ever portrait that I cut and the second is of one of the Maltese villages Patron Saints. It is of Christ the King of the village Poala which I cut last summer.

 

Thanks a mil

Tony

[Ninuninu]

On 1/2/2020 at 11:08 PM, Jronn65 said:

I’ve posted these before so I guess these will look familiar to some.  That deer really needs some help!  I think I cut it around 2011, which is when I first started scrolling.  The Sue Mey nativity scene was cut just before Christmas.   

That is beautiful work. I need to try one of these sometime.

[RabidAlien]

8 hours ago, Ninuninu said:

Hi to all.

I have always loved the challenge that portraits provide when cutting with my saw.

Over time I have managed to refine my technique regards pattern making and try as much as possible to get a true likeness of the subject that I am cutting.

Apart from my patterns being better I feel that my cutting has also gotten better but feel that I still have a lot to learn.

 

The first pic, (which I have already posted here), is of my wife's daughter, the first ever portrait that I cut and the second is of one of the Maltese villages Patron Saints. It is of Christ the King of the village Poala which I cut last summer.

 

Thanks a mil

Tony

Awesomeness!!!  Portraits are still my nemesises (nemesees?  nemesiis?) with regards to pattern making, but I've enjoyed cutting one or two of them.

[spirithorse]

@drolstad  @JeffT @bigdave

It is really nice to see new members participating already!
Please introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about yourself.

God Bless! Spirithorse

[BadBob]

In the beginning, I started with a little AMT cast iron scroll saw made in Taiwan. I cut out hundreds of animal shapes, reasoning that not only would I get practice with the saw, but I would have toys for the kids. I still have a lot of these. My grandson plays with them.

 

It didn't take to long until I had modified the saw to use pinless blades and moved into cutting fretwork. I made a lot of shelves from pallet wood. I could get all the pallets I wanted for free, and it was the only hardwood I had access to at the time.

 

I started making toys for my girls, nieces, and nephews. Not always using the scroll saw but incorporating it where it made sense. I sold a few and bough more tools.

 

 

After a long dry spell, mostly due to my job, you don't do much woodworking when you're working 60 hour weeks. My grandson was born, and as soon as he started pushing things around the floor. I made him a car. I just sketched it out on a board and cut it.

 

Odin, my grandson, was fascinated with helicopters, so I made one for him. He called them wop-wops.

 

A progression of toys followed. I made small toys mostly and a rocking horse. Then one day, someone said, "You should sell these." I thought about it and decided that was what I wanted to do after my upcoming retirement from my job as a Linux Systems Programmer/Administrator. Today my shop is my fulltime job. I'm not making a profit yet, but It's coming.

 

[Jim McDonald]

This is not my first project. I cut a pinewood derby car for my son first with a pawnshop single speed Delta. But, this is probably from my first run of Christmas ornaments. 

Second shot is six Steve Good nativities. 

Edited January 10, 2020 by Jim McDonald

[ianm60]

Started scrolling March2019 and did the skull first ...Latest project on 3mm aluminum is this Tiger

[RabidAlien]

Ver' nice!!!  What blades do you use for metal?  Just curious if the normal Pegas or Flying Dutchman  UR blades would work, or if there's specific blades for metal cutting.

[Jim McDonald]

3 hours ago, RabidAlien said:

Ver' nice!!!  What blades do you use for metal?  Just curious if the normal Pegas or Flying Dutchman  UR blades would work, or if there's specific blades for metal cutting.

There are special blades for metal work.  I know because I bought a few as Sloan's was closing.  Haven't used them, don't have a project in mind yet--but I've got the blades!

[RabidAlien]

8 hours ago, Jim McDonald said:

There are special blades for metal work.  I know because I bought a few as Sloan's was closing.  Haven't used them, don't have a project in mind yet--but I've got the blades!

 

I figured that was the case.  Thanks!

[Matt E]

I just got a scroll saw for Christmas, so this picture is both my first and most recent project.  We were short a trivet for Christmas dinner, and my kids love Harry Potter, so that was the inspiration.  I used an image from the internet as a pattern with a few tweaks to add support.