Hobby or Addiction?

[jimmyG]

I don't know, maybe I'm just going for it since the weather is nice to work in the garage, while it lasts.   Maybe because there's a bunch of scraps laying around.  I see a pattern that looks interesting and the next thing I know I'm logging many ass hours at the saw again.  My closets are full with hundreds of "things" I just had to scroll.   I believe I'm right at the line between hobby and addiction!

[Jim McDonald]

Not "addiction", but "obsession".

Although, I am sort of addicted to the aromas of sawdust and lacquer.

[daveww1]

very nice phone holder

[jerry walters]

It's an addictive hobby Jimmy.  I'm caught up in it too.

Jerry

[jimmyG]

2 hours ago, daveww1 said:

very nice phone holder

Guitar holder

[FrankEV]

To me it is definately an addictive/obsessive hobby, as I too, have a lot of my past projects in storage boxes.  That being said, I do find this 'hobby' can be quite boring if cutting patterns is all one does.  I need constant new incentives and motivations to get me into the shop to produce more projects.

I'm not a pure Artist, but as a past career in Civil/Structural/Architectural Engineering, I have many related talents and craftsmanship skills that allow me to produce various Art pieces using a Scroll Saw.  Since moving to Florida I have down sized from my previous large woodworking shop that I had In NC to my now very tiny shop where, I can still make sawdust, but my project sizes are very limited.  To prevent getting bored, I have gone to great lenghts over time, to make this 'hobby' more than just about using the Scroll Saw to cut a pattern.  Here are just a few of the things I have done and continueto do regularly to make this 'hobby' less boring, more challenging and keep me motivated (or maybe addicted/obsessed) to do more projects.

• I spend many hours making my own patterns using Inkscape. I have used other's patterns in the past, but cutting a pattern, that I made, is much more rewarding...of course, only when it comes out good!
• When cutting my art pannels, I really prefer to be cutting many (5 to 8 hundred) hole patterns, rather than simple patterns. 
• Then, of course, I have painstakingly added color to my work in various forms.  I have currently graduated to using an Air Brush and Acrylic paints.  Getting better with the techniques needed but still need a lot of practice.  
• I also make frames for each of the Art Panels that I do.  This is somewhat an art in itself trying to make perfect miters and getting professional quality finiishes of all kinds.  Adds considerable time to a project, but breaks up the monotony of just scrolling.
• I have tried my hand at various Scroll Saw related projects such as Sculptures, Lamps, Boxes, Vases, Signs, etc., in between scrolling my art panels.  Most recently, I have begun to dabble in Intarsia, which is proving to be quite interesting and enjoyable while being somewhat artisticaly challenging.   The down side of this part of the Scroll Saw 'hobby' is that the Scroll Saw work is a minor part of the project.  It takes a back seat to the art of selecting the wood for its color and grain, sculptuing the pieces and assembling them into a beautiful wall hanging. 

I hope I haven't taken this post too off topic.

Edited August 26 by FrankEV

[jimmyG]

1 hour ago, FrankEV said:

To me it is definately an addictive/obsessive hobby, as I too, have a lot of my past projects in storage boxes.  That being said, I do find this 'hobby' can be quite boring if cutting patterns is all one does.  I need constant new incentives and motivations to get me into the shop to produce more projects.

I'm not a pure Artist, but as a past career in Civil/Structural/Architectural Engineering, I have many related talents and craftsmanship skills that allow me to produce various Art pieces using a Scroll Saw.  Since moving to Florida I have down sized from my previous large woodworking shop that I had In NC to my now very tiny shop where, I can still make sawdust, but my project sizes are very limited.  To prevent getting bored, I have gone to great lenghts over time, to make this 'hobby' more than just about using the Scroll Saw to cut a pattern.  Here are just a few of the things I have done and continueto do regularly to make this 'hobby' less boring, more challenging and keep me motivated (or maybe addicted/obsessed) to do more projects.

• I spend many hours making my own patterns using Inkscape. I have used other's patterns in the past, but cutting a pattern, that I made, is much more rewarding...of course, only when it comes out good!
• When cutting my art pannels, I really prefer to be cutting many (5 to 8 hundred) hole patterns, rather than simple patterns. 
• Then, of course, I have painstakingly added color to my work in various forms.  I have currently graduated to using an Air Brush and Acrylic paints.  Getting better with the techniques needed but still need a lot of practice.  
• I also make frames for each of the Art Panels that I do.  This is somewhat an art in itself trying to make perfect miters and getting professional quality finiishes of all kinds.  Adds considerable time to a project, but breaks up the monotony of just scrolling.
• I have tried my hand at various Scroll Saw related projects such as Sculptures, Lamps, Boxes, Vases, Signs, etc., in between scrolling my art panels.  Most recently, I have begun to dabble in Intarsia, which is proving to be quite interesting and enjoyable while being somewhat artisticaly challenging.   The down side of this part of the Scroll Saw 'hobby' is that the Scroll Saw work is a minor part of the project.  It takes a back seat to the art of selecting the wood for its color and grain, sculptuing the pieces and assembling them into a beautiful wall hanging. 

I hope I haven't taken this post too off topic.

Not off topic, spot on...