Question time

[LarryEA]

I never did a scroll piece just to learn.

All the scrolling I have ever done is because I liked it and my intent was to finish it.

I learned on a straight blade and stuck to it, changing blades to  accomplish what I needed.

Of course I did try spiral but i could correct straight blade mistakes but not spiral ones

[meflick]

5 hours ago, Scrappile said:

Okay now, be fair, you did not learn control with straight blades with just one or two tries either.  I think I started with spirals because when I first started I wanted do do detailed pictures and Charles Dearing was who I admired and watched.  He had never used a straight blade.  I love doing the detail pictures but no one told me no one would want them.. They look at them and hoo and ahhh, I say if you want it you can have it,  and they put it down and walk on...  Now I us straight blades the most.  They one thing in scrolling I never have been able to learn is top feeding.  Don't worry about it anymore because I only have one saw and it is bottom feed only.

Nope, you’re right. I tried cutting with my first scroll saw many many years ago. I had even less patience then, and two very small children. We didn’t have the online resources we have now, like the village and all its knowledgeable members. I didn’t know about the issue on cutting a straight line and couldn’t figure out why I couldn’t and was quickly frustrated and left that scroll saw untouched for probably 10-15 years!
 

It wasn’t until my children were grown, both in college, and the loss of my mom (had already lost my dad many years before)  that got me back to trying again.  We still had that same scroll saw. Fortunately, I had a little more patience, a little more wisdom, and a lot more access to help and information online. Plus’,  I essentially sit in Judy Gale Robert’s backyard so I was able to take her beginner Intarsia class which had a one day intro to scrolling just before. That and this forum and its members and their help and encouragement were some of the biggest help and the sawing helped me a lot in dealing with my loss. I can now usually control my blade, cut a straight line, turn a corner and usually cut on the line.  and I have expanded Into many other types of scrolling and woodworking I would have never tried.

Edited November 19, 2022 by meflick
Typos 😏

[OCtoolguy]

3 hours ago, meflick said:

Nope, you’re right. I tried cutting with my first scroll saw many many years ago. I had even less patience then, and two very small children. We didn’t have the online resources we have now, like the village and all its knowledgeable members. I didn’t know about the issue on cutting a straight line and couldn’t figure out why I couldn’t and was quickly frustrated and left that scroll saw untouched for probably 10-15 years!
 

It wasn’t until my children were grown, both in college, and the loss of my mom (had already lost my dad many years before)  that got me back to trying again.  We still had that same scroll saw. Fortunately, I had a little more patience, a little more wisdom, and a lot more access to help and information online. Plus’,  I essentially sit in Judy Gale Robert’s backyard so I was able to take her beginner Intarsia class which had a one day intro to scrolling just before. That and this forum and its members and their help and encouragement were some of the biggest help and the sawing helped me a lot in dealing with my loss. I can now usually control my blade, cut a straight line, turn a corner and usually cut on the line.  and I have expanded Into many other types of scrolling and woodworking I would have never tried.

And so glad you did.

[Gene Howe]

21 hours ago, Roberta Moreton said:

I use both as well.  It depends on the size of the pattern too. 
I also use spiral blades on vinyl records. I can not use flat blades on them.
 

Your cutting is really nice. The record piece is intriguing. What problems do you encounter using flat blades with the vinyl?

[Roberta Moreton]

When using flat blades, the vinyl glues back together behind the blade. I might be doing something wrong. I just use spiral and I don’t have the issue. 

[Eplfan2011]

On 11/19/2022 at 10:37 AM, LarryEA said:

I never did a scroll piece just to learn.

All the scrolling I have ever done is because I liked it and my intent was to finish it.

I learned on a straight blade and stuck to it, changing blades to  accomplish what I needed.

Of course I did try spiral but i could correct straight blade mistakes but not spiral ones

LarryEA, 

I don't cut anything I don't like, unless my wife or kids ask me too, my problem is most of the stuff that really appeals to me is way above my skill level

 Of course my aim is to finish it, but unless I challenge myself to try them I'll never get there. If it ends up as firewood oh well, I've tried and learned something. Some wise person once said the road to success is paved with failure.