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I was able to knock out a couple of puzzles today, hope you like:... Not sanded or finished, that comes later in the week Update: Forgot to add - Cut from Maple, with Pegas #3 M.G. Thanks as always in advance for reading

One more down another drying on the workshop table. Should be able to post it tomorrow, I hope This is another of the request pieces from a cousin for Christmas presents. This is also a Steve Good pattern that she picked when she was with us a couple of weeks ago. I have to say, it was a fun and easy one to cut and I found that I enjoyed it when it was finished. I would have never chosen to cut it just from looking at it on Steve's page, but now I have to say, I am glad she did choose it. Dick heppnerguy

What kind of saw you running? A very aggressive cutting saw can / will do the same thing if there is a lot of front to back motion of the blade..

Are you absolutely sure that your blade is square to the table. Sounds like it's off to me. Unless you are really pushing your work through. I've cut 1 1/2" mahogany without that problem but I'm sure the hardness of the maple has something to do with it also.

Our Granddaughter is going to be having her first baby in a couple of months. Her husband is a hard working cowboy. He herds cows and mends fences and ropes, you know all the cowboy things. My granddaughter buys, breaks and sells horses for her income and does quite well with that. She has ridden and owned horses since she was able to walk. Her mother was also that way growing up and also today. With that background, I asked her if she had a theme going for her new babies bedroom. Of course, it is a country theme. I decide to make a 'cowboy Teddy Bear' to give to her for the babies room. I used a JGR pattern and modified it so it fit with my purpose. I know from my granddaughter's rodeo time, barrel racing, (which she still does) that the belt buckle is an important thing in her and her husbands life, so I had to make one with a horse on it. I used bloodwood, Aspen, and Cedar to make it. The Bloodwood, I found to be quite dense and took extra effort to shape and sand, but since it was the main part of the bear, I had to keep at it until it was as I wanted it to be. I believe it should add and interesting touch to the babies room and I hope one the baby will grow to cherish even after I am gone. I know, I would have loved to have something my grandfather made for me, but I do not. Anyway, here is the first piece of intarsia I have made in quite some time and I may try another once I get my ordered items done. Dick heppnerguy

Lots of youngsters are studying the art of Karate not just to weaponize themselves but to understand what it is all about. As Mr. Myiagi says: “Lesson not just karate only. Lesson for whole life. Whole life have a balance. Everything be better.” This sort of suggested this sign for me. You have to be fully immersed in the art in order to understand and use it fully. I cut mine from a nice piece os poplar and used the off cut to make the base. If you are not familiar with my method of improvising bases, you can check out a short video where I touch upon this subject. Pattern in my Free Page

easiest way to check for blade being square to the table is to get a thick piece of scrap and cut into it.. then swing the board around to the back of the blade and if it's squared to the table the back of the blade should slide right into the slot you just cut.. If it doesn't then you need to make adjustments and try it again..keep repeating until you get it..

I don,t want to spend alot of time just to get a thank you or a smile so here,s some quality time I spent just for that!!!

Ralph there is more to the blade than just square to the table, plumb is important, see the attachment clamp set up.pdf

After finishing a rebuild of a teak swim deck for a friends ski boat I have finally had a chance to get back to my scrollsaw (hooray!). The first design is courtesy of amazingkevin, cut from walnut and given a dip in DO, thank you sir. The second is a design baggetta posted yesterday that I really liked. Cut from poplar, dipped in DO with the base getting a med walnut DO vs Natural. The last is a wedding sign done for a church friend who is getting married. The design is done by Keegan Wade (my son) and cut from bb with the back out of mdf. Now to find my next project although I do have some more Sue Mey bunny letters to cut for Easter. Have a great day and be blessed.

I have been on a portrait jag for a while, mainly based on Charles Dearing patterns. I tend to torture myself by making them considerably smaller than the artist had designed them to be, often reduced by 50%. It’s become a sort of personal style that I like for the challenge, and the finished product isn’t quite so overwhelming. When using Baltic Birch, I almost always use 1/4”, and back them with a dark stained 3/4” piece of poplar, oak, or pine with a keyhole slot cut in the back to hang them. On this BB King, I cut it 9” x 9” square, which made the the guitar’s fretboard very tight. Other than the long outer cuts I used mainly 2/0 Pegas spiral blades, except a few cuts with #1 spirals. I hope you all enjoy it.

It should be explained in your owners manual. Least it did in mine when I owned an Excalibur. I think there are some Youtube video explaining it also. People do it to reduce vibration. There are people on here that have done it, I never did, so they can give more info...

The knob at the back of the saw hasn't been free spinning has it? They are known to adjust themselves out of wack.. I'd start with checking to be sure the upper arm is paralleled to the table.. and be sure the saw is tuned as it should be.. My EX-21 did this to me..

Rotating the motor changes the front to back blade motion.

It sounds to me like you're cutting at an angle. Is the blade 90 degrees to the table and is the table leveled? Those would be my guess. I make puzzles all the time with Maple and a #3 MG with no issues

I use FD Polar blades on thick wood as the skip tooth design clears the dust better.

I think that is SUPER NEAT-There Pardner!

If you used Hard maple, I would suggest to go to a #5 blades since the thickness of the wood is close to one inch. Using a #3 on maple you might force the blades a little bit too much and it will cause the cut to slanted.

I donddd't have a Hegar 22 but I would put wheels flat on the back.( locking Wheels) that would make youdr saw with the back raised ( which for me it is more confy to run.) with a handle on the front for moving the saw. the locking dwheels helpds getting awaay with any vibration it might cause. IKE

Just have one week left before we go back home to the white stuff, no more scrolling outside. The penny drop game seems to be popular ,made 2 so far and have order for 2 more. (Steve Good pattern)

Don't think I have a lot to add to what has already been said - but do offer a couple thoughts: - a project never screws up at the beginning - so be ever-more careful as the project nears its end. - the final finish is everything - a great cutting can be ruined by a lousy finish - conversely - mistakes in the cutting can often be forgiven by a great finish. - speed kills ..... take your time - start slow - find the sweet spot - finish great .... Jay

I am new to this site but have been scrolling for almost two years now and loving every minute. I think the first thing to learn and practice is patience, patience and patience. Like any new endeavor it takes time to learn, and that is one of the best parts of the process. Even after completing initial and basic projects the feelings of accomplishment and reward are fantastic and grow and continue with each successive project and difficulty level. Like a lot of others, i was drawn to scrolling and went out and found an old craftsman at a garage sale for $40.00. After a lot of practice and experimentation I knew that this was something i would enjoy. So I invested in a DW788 and made a comfortable work space in my shop and haven't looked back. I think that is very important too, if your going to be spending a lot time at it, make yourself comfortable. Get a good comfortable and supportive chair, get the lighting that you need, get the ventilation that you need & you HAVE to have your music. One of the other big factors that I have learned is to not be afraid to experiment, the potential for this tool is only limited by your imagination and sense of adventure. With sites like this and other avenues, there is a large resource out there. And no matter what your level is or the level that you want to get to, get yourself some good equipment, make yourself comfortable, be safe and amaze yourself at what you can learn and are capable of. Mike These are an example of some the patterns that are available online and with patience were not that difficult.

I work with hardwood and make sure the wood is flat. I Plane both sides and sand with 220 grit. This is so the wood does not wobble as I cut. Sanding is important, so I'm sanding wood before I drill, after I drill, between each cut and a final sanding. Especially to get rid if burrs. Finishes are important, read directions and take your time. A good eye for painting is quite useful. I don't have that talent and often wish I did.

In the beginning, I often sanded to the line on projects rather than cut directly on the line... risking the chance of cutting into my piece. I know this was counter-productive... but it led me to an awesome sanding discovery! I had bought one of those Bladerunner Jigsaw Tables for $90 and realized it was useless for cutting... it was just sitting there collecting dust for two years. A quick internet search led me to a German company named Neutechnik that sells a similar saw setup... along with accessories. They have a kit that comes with two t-shank adapted sanding sticks (one flat and one curved). Both “sticks” have loop and hook velcro to hold sandpaper... and the shanks themselves are made of tougher steel. I ordered the kit (I believe about $35 shipped to USA). By cutting the stock red blade clearance plate of the Bladerunner larger... the sanding sticks fit! This sander helped me salvage poorly cut projects while I learned to scroll. I still use this saw/sander to soften edges (both interior and exterior) and I want to modify a regular t-shank blade to hold sandpaper so I can reach even smaller interior edges. I will attach photos of this setup in case others want to try it!

Hi all... not to brag but... I sold two of my creations today!!! I'm feeling pretty proud considering that I'm technically a three week newb. I know that I didn't even make near enough to cover my time and material costs, but hey... it's worth the feeling I got from the fact that someone actually thinks it's good enough to pay me for it. These are the two pieces I sold... they are both Steve's patterns.

Dumb question...why are the slots on the motor mount? What difference will it make if I move the motor?

This is sure to round -up some nifty comments on your themed work!!! Your really quite good at this sort of intarsia. As always keep your great work coming!!!

I.m using ex 21.

Well done Jes. Like the dragon.

Ronald I have an excalibur on that kind of base ( which I put to an angle ) and with rollers, front ones can be locked . Work perfectly! planeur

Are you looking for a way to simply move it out of the way to make room in the space it currently is? I was at Harbor Freight the other day and was looking at moving pads that go under the legs, sit flat on the floor and make it easy to slide around. I may buy a set so I can move my saw to another spot in my shop occasionally. Obviously if steps are involved that wouldn't work but sometimes keeping it simple works.

A friend wanted a Gone Fishing sign, found a picture on Google images, this is the result

Finally completed Hunter. This was the second time around. Had him about 3/4 done ,was sanding fuzzies and broke a chunk out. I did my Jag, but this one was even more fragile. Think I'll do an easy one next.

I had a cousin visiting us a few weeks ago and she left with a few requests. I have this one finished and although it is a simple Steve Good pattern, she thought it perfect for her daughter who has many chickens. So here it is. I have an order for several other items so I will follow with them as they get completed. It is so good to be working in my shop once more Dick heppnerguy

It looks great Dick I'm sure she will be happy with it. Marg

They all look terrific Kevin, well done. Marg

We all blame Scott for the puzzle craze. They are all terrific Kevin but the bull dog pups are my favorites, love them. Marg

My son and his wife met at a local tropical fish store where they both worked. I cut this Charles Hand trivet for their anniversary. It's two months away but I'm lousy at waiting so I'll probably give it to them early. I filled it a little over half way with black tinted epoxy resin. Still need to put a couple more coats of butcher block oil on the front. The back turned out looking pretty good too.

Models are the same, just different hard woods.

I believe Pine is too soft a wood for trying to cut well on a scroll saw. Your blade choose was too large also. If I were going to cut something similar to what I posted above, I would use 1/4 to 3/8 inch maximum thickness and use the Pegas 3MG or even down to a 1 MG blade. Go slow and do not push your wood but rather let the blade to the cutting. I would put my saw speed about 1/3 speed for control. Not too slow but not very fast either. Let me know how things are going for you with the Maple and the #3 blade you are using Dick heppnerguy

wouldn't the kids doing Karate love one of these inspiring pieces? Very creative Dick heppnerguy

Quality Blades Be mindful of the blade speed, it is directly related to cutting speed...Get a saw with variable speed!!! Chris

Love my 2005 Hawk G4-26. And my new used EX 16 with Pegas clamps. But If I were buying new, it would be the Pegas for the following reasons. 1. Better clamps than all of the other EX clones. 2. Tilting arm VS tilting table, if you do any beveled inlays you will really appreciate that . The Hawk and the Hegner have tilting tables, and yes I have cut a lot of bevel's on them both it takes effort to not push your work down hill. 3. The arm will tilt a full 45 deg both ways (note the dust port under the table needs to be removed to go the full 45 deg to the left (equivalent to right side table down) 4. And you can top and bottom feed without any gimmicks like the Dewalt addons. So all of the best features in one saw + I love the color.

A friend's young daughter that does not like TV much better than I do was here and bored. She rides a horse named "Casper". She wanted a sign for the stall in the barn. The idea was thrown around about coming up to the wood shop with me and figuring one out. Combination of efforts. Hers and mine. I cut the horses and she cut all the lettering--HAD NEVER ran a scrollsaw before--EXCELLENT student as the results prove. I do not know if she is more proud of it or if I am more proud of her fine work. I do know she really like the learning parts of it. The wood used is scrap plywood and rescued fence cedar, She did the cutting of the letters after we had drawn them together. Trying to figure a good way to hang it we decided on the rope trick. It is just about 32 inches long total. the horses are some images that I had modified previously and had made a template for. I goofed cutting for the stack cut, so had to modify them again. Lightly torched-- they will put a clear coat on it before hanging.

To Boldly Go

My pal just bought her wee girl her first pony so I thought what does every wee girl need? A horsey dream catcher above her bed so I took bits from the pattern library and drew the pony's head and put it all together, see what you think Gordon

After thinking about this topic today, I had to add a few other things. 1. The line on the pattern is only A suggestion! My scrolling today made me remember this! 2. No one else needs to know if you made a mistake, especially if you sand it off. 3 . A dremel can be a good friend to you in your shop for lots of reasons. 4. If you scroll what your wife likes/wants, you’ll get to scroll longer! 5. Good wood is hard to get. That’s what she said, I know I beat some of you from saying that!

I recently retired too from the military and was told to find a hobby. Scrolling sort of fell into my lap and I am glad it did. Like you, I am thinking of going to craft shows, but I am only doing silhouettes right now. Maybe one day, something more elaborate. Anyways, glad you found us and look forward to seeing your byproducts of making sawdust.

Hi folks... I have been working my tooch off lately these past few days. Since pictures of my work went up on Facebook I haven't stopped. I have already "sold" 4 other pieces and have 2 more ready to go. At present, another Sue Mey crescent moon/Merry Christmas piece is being cut. Time is getting short which is making me feel that I may have to stop taking any more orders. The fun part (yeah, right.) is about to begin. I've decided to do the painting on a few pieces at a time. My Mrs. let me know that she's selling them for $10.00 a piece. Hmmm... I couldn't believe it when my phone rang this morning and someone ordered 2 Noel/candle pieces... for next year!!!

A man & wife are looking at my intarsia at the craft show. Wife: "How do you cut the pieces, so they fit so tightly together?" Man: "He does that with a computer." Me: "No, Sir, I cut them with a scroll saw." Man: "That's impossible! No human can cut that precisely!" Me: "Ok" Sigh . . . .