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Nothing to brag about, but I have not posted lately. Four Miniature Birdhouse Ornaments finished. The patterns are by Diana Thompson. The birdhouses made from Ash and the little birds from Purpleheart. Cut on the Pegas Scroll Saw using Pegas #6 Skip blades and #5R MGT blades. Comments welcome.

I have made a lot of these puzzle stools in different variations. I mortised the legs into the top on my scroll saw. Would be happy to share the pattern along with the lettering.

It’s time for me to make Christmas ornaments. Here is one. Pattern from Scroll Saw Woodworking abs Crafts magazine. Wood is 1/4” flame box elder.

I hear that sometimes, and can remember when I too was intimidated by a pattern. But then someone told me, "One hole at a time" and it changed my entire thought process. Besides that, things being fragile can pose a different set of concerns and there are a variety of techniques to help you there too. Taping waste pieces back inside fragile areas might be an option, cutting really long cuts out in sections rather than all at one time, and I'm sure others work as well. Point here is to not be intimidated or overcome. Like ole Dan George said in a movie, "Endeavor to Persevere". But if you still would like to make something less fragile, cropping a pattern might be an option for you. See what I did here, but don't tell the designer I messed with his pattern......

I made my grandson a chess board and now he wants me to make him the chess men. He wants the chess men to be made of padauk and hard maple. I made the king yesterday out of padauk and it was a bear to cut. To cut this I used the # 5 Pegas (MGT) Blades. It took me over 2 hours and about 8 blades. The king is 3 3/4" tall and 1 1/4" at the base. Here is a picture of the king I cut. I will have to do this over because there is a bad mistake on the other side.

My version of band saw box but made with a scroll saw.

I picture a light box is a box with lights inside that you can put negatives, picture slides, drawing on to look at and do something to the... 4" deep seem pretty narrow for a lightbox to take pictures of something in... Guess we need more detail.

Hello - I stumbled across the forum tonight and joined. I have been scrollsawing off and on since the late 80's. I started with a small Craftsman saw and then jumped to the Excalibur 24 inch saw of Sommerville Design in the early part of the 90's. I still have the EX. I have sawn nothing fancy; just puzzles and simple crafts for children/giveaways. Some lettering and signs. Pretty basic items. I hope to try more intricate work in the future and increase my skills.

This project has been haunting me for months. 1/2" Baltic birch ply, some Olson #2 spirals (about 14) FD new spiral #0/2 about 36), pilot holes with a #65 bit, min-wax classic gray 271 stain, DecoArt craft twinkles crystal (clear)(for the highlights),four coats Minwax clear satin finish, pattern by me (from a photo).

This great H. Botas pattern was slightly sized to fit a 13” W x 12” H panel. The cut panel is 5/32” thk. Solid Core ply affixed to a same size 1/4” thk BB ply backer. Both panels were hand painted with Artist Acrylic paints. The cut panel was cut using Pegas #0 Spiral blades. The assembled panel was finished with multiple coats of Delf Clear Gloss Lacquer. The Frame is a simple 1 3/4”wide Poplar, stained with Minwax Early American and protected with multiple coats of Minwax Clear Gloss Wipe-on Poly. Comments and critiques are always welcome.

Wait a minute, we still don't know what you are looking for. How about an explanation?

I have cut all those except bubinga. I guess I will need to go get a chain saw for bubinga.

I love bubinga, padauk and especially bloodwood. I have scrolled all of them. I use a FD UR #5 and due to isn’t density, I put painters tape on the back to help with the burning. You have to cut very slow and let the blade dictate the speed. If it still breaks blades, then opt up to a FD UR#7. If that still breaks blades, take a chainsaw to it and tear it up and then go online to see if you can find those pieces there. Good luck and nice board

Back when I first started cutting fragile fretwork patterns I would cut the most fragile or challenging areas first. My theory was If I was going to screw up I wanted it to happen before I had allot of time invested. I am one of those nut cases that if I messed up where it would be noticeable to me the piece became designer firewood. LOL

Great job on the chess board and game piece. Padauk is a very hard wood and will always change color(darken) after time. Most of what I have cut is either 1/4 or 1/8" and it will handle smaller blades but they do wear out fast. Padauk has a sort of peppery smell when cut. It didn't take long to figure out I should be using a mask because it did affect me after a while. I actually prefer Bubinga. It is also a hard wood but retains its color and has a beautiful sheen when lacquered. (still use a mask)

I cut this from 1/2 thick Aspen and attached it to a 1/2 thick back board that is painted black. This is the Aspens natural color, it only has a clear protective coat on it. The entire project is about 10" high and 8" wide,

Here is a good reference you might wish to copy and refer to as time goes on. https://woodandshop.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/janka-wood-hardness-wood-and-shop.pdf

Denny, yes I found my issue and got the pattern, thx RJ

With thick hardwood I always wrap with box tape. I seems to help. I also experiment with blades. If my go-to blade, FD-UR #5, doesn't work I try the MGT or my best luck comes with the FD polar blades. As Denny says you do not want the reverse teeth. Padauk is 1725 on the hardness scale and purple heart is 2090 which I have cut bird houses with polar blades. (slowly)

My new project - Mechanical butterfly, and two more similar projects. What do you thing aboul such style? Mechanical butterfly pattern Video of making project

What is a light box? I'm picturing something similar to a downdraft sanding box but with a clear or opaque top that allows light to come through so that you could lay a pattern on top of it and do a tracing. Am I on the right track?

I have flat led panel light in my garage. Here is a link for flat 2x2 ft. with 4000k. I have 2ft x 4ft different brands. I bought mine from home depot. https://www.amazon.com/Panel-Light-4000K-Ceiling-Dimmable/dp/B08GYMQX3D/ref=asc_df_B08GYMQX3D/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=487296721115&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4863919218002314782&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032140&hvtargid=pla-1103180866736&psc=1 Ok extra bonus about a LED lights. I am in 3 percent of the population group that can see 120hz light pulsing. this is twice the ac wall frequency. Some led lights have ac line frequency that pulses the leds. These kind light can be annoying to me, and if the use 60hz it can give me a sea sick feeling. There is rules that led lights (or any light) should not be pulsed with frequency lower than 300Hz. But cheap led lights manufactures don't bother. It is less electronics inside thus making cheesier lighting. I am an electronic engineer that designed led light electronics circuits. When my company started cheesing out and made pulsing drivers I quit. Then they went out of business.

Well, I was thinking the same thing.. which is why I was really confused. Your idea of a lightbox makes much more sense.. Never would have thought of that one...

If this need for a light box is for tracing.... make a wooded frame using 1x2. cut plywood for bottom and paint white. A better bottom would a aluminum 1/16 inch thick but not needed. apply led strips to bottom. Attach 1/4" plexiglas OR glass to top. Led strip choice. all white leds are not same color of white. colors are described as a number with a K. 4000k is a very good white. Also called neutral white. 5000k looks bluish. 3500k looks a bit yellow. The size of glass top might need some middle support. if needed get clear plexiglass 1/4" square pieces from plywood to bottom of glass. polish the support pieces top using 2000 grit. here is an amazon link for cheap led strips. you can also mount leds strips on inside of frame for less glaring indirect light. https://www.amazon.com/Kebinfen-Natural-Non-Waterproof-Flexible-Multifunctional/dp/B06Y67D1JH/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?dchild=1&keywords=white+led+light+strips+4000k&qid=1631465394&sr=8-7 if you used clear plexiglass for top and it is too clear then you can lightly sand top with 600 grit to give frosted light dispersing top.

Yeah, I'm not sure what you mean by "lightbox" ? as in a box to get proper lighting for taking pictures? That's what I think of by the term lightbox..

OK: Thanks all of you for your reply.

You should try posting this request in the "Pattern Request" section of this forum.