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Just a little something. I am so rusty doing scroll saw work anymore.

I made another Steve Good Strato caster guitar for a friend and mailed it off today without photographing it first but I also finally got around to cutting a Russ Beard pattern that I have had my eye on for a long time. I am really into fret work right now but can not always get around to cutting them. Having been gone for about a month and away from my shop I have not been able to much of anything in my shop. That said, I cut this Mountain Sheep just to finally give it a try. As you can see, I still have the framing to do. I had purchased one for it but the pattern turned out to be a little larger than I anticipated. After I finish the framing and finish work, I have decided not to post that as this shares the part I am really interested with this project. I have a request for one of my farm combines so I may put off the finishing touches on this one until I get it done. I have to add that I am anxious to cut yet another of Russ Beards pattern as soon as i can. Dick heppnerguy

This was the 57th puzzle that I test cut for the "20 minute puzzle book" . It is not in the book but a separate mini book and it took more than 20 minutes. I also did not color it, the staff at FC did. I label each animal with my small desktop laser engraver. 3/4 Maple and I cut all of the puzzles with a Pegas MGT 1 (13 TPI) as I wanted minimum gaps between the pieces.

Cut from 5/8" Red Oak using Pegas #3 and #5MGT blades. Size is 8" x 14" design by Sheila Landry (I love her patterns). This one was way more challenging then I expected it to be. I planned on selling it, but the wife already grabbed it LOL.

Hey Everyone! In this fun scroll saw project video I make an awesome design from the old Creative Woodworks & Crafts Magazine to celebrate Shark Week 2022! I Also show off some shark stuff at the end. Hope you all like the video! #ArtisanPirate

After I did the epoxy fill clover made of hard Maple as a sun catcher a coworker asked if I could make one for them. Except they wanted dark wood and on a stand to use as a center piece for a table. The clover is Walnut and the stand is hard Maple. Chris

I was excited to get the 20 Minute puzzle book. I originally wasn't going to buy it because if exchange and shipping rates. Found it at my local bookstore when I was there with my cousin. She purchased it for me as a thank you gift. She was staying for a family wedding. I got some cutting time today and knocked this one out. It did take me longer than 20 minutes to cut. And much longer to finish. This is 3/4"Aspen, cut using #5 mg blade and finished with Osmos finish (1 coat).

To be clear, these are intended to be rustic and use nearly free material. Why nearly free? There is some cost involved in using this material, as with any reclaimed material, there are processing costs that you would not have if using prepared wood. I have just started putting these in my shop. I haven't sold one there yet, but sales are extremely slow. However, I sold one cross before I had listed any of them.

Finished this pattern today, will need to source some new frames as this one is a bit tatty. Should be delivered to my friend tomorrow. Thanks again to grampa for a great pattern.

When using really small drill bits, Clip the bottom end off so only just enough sticks out of the drill to make it through the wood. This way they dont break just under the weight of the drill and drive you nuts.

Adding to my flower themed Art pieces, I was able to convert this illustration of Iris Flowers Into a scroll saw pattern. Due to the proportions of the illustration my pattern became 9” wide by 19” tall. The cut panel is 5/32 solid core Maple Ply mounted on a Hand Painted ¼” x 12” x 22” BB Ply backer. Again, Artist Acrylics were used to do the coloring. Most of the cutting was done with a Pegas #1 MGT R Blade except for a few small cuts that were done with a #0 Spiral. The assembled panel was protected with multiple coats of Deft Clear Gloss Lacquer. Because I planned to paint the Frame, I used good grade of ¾” Pine, instead of my usual Poplar, that I ripped down to 1¾” widths. More cost effective. The well sanded frame was primed painted and then finished painted with Glidden rattle can Max-Flex all surface ultra-durable finish, this time a color called Black Elegance (really a dark Grey)/satin. Comments and critique always welcome. FYI, I will post my review of the Glidden product in the TOWN SQUARE/ GENERAL SAW SAWING topic.

Once away from the saw for awhile often causes me to wonder how it used to be so easy to do but after a little time it gets back to normal for me. Dick heppnerguy

Hi Dave: I have heard that advice for Watco Danish oil or other oil-based finishes. I have searched the archives of Fine Woodworking Magazine and the web site Lumberjocks. The longest cure time recommended there for Seal Coat (unwaxed) shellac is 1 to 4 hours depending on humidity (high humidity takes longer). Bruce

I have hit a run of finishing problems that threatens to ruin several plaques. Years ago a relative gave me a 36"x4"x4" piece of Cherry. I estimate this to be 40 years of air drying and it had a crack that I had to work around. Going from this stock to a plaque that was ready for its final finished involved a lot of work as only we scrollers can appreciate. Upon finishing I discovered this cherry had areas that absorbed lacquer like a sponge. In short I was never able to get a coat of lacquer across the entire surface. Here's a sample to show the issue: The picture shows 2 scrap pieces of this cherry which are "book cut" to provide identical surfaces for finishing. You can see the piece on the right with 4 heavy flow-coats of lacquer has a sizeable area where the lacquer has been fully absorbed. The piece on the left had 1 coat of sanding sealer shellac and 3 coats of lacquer. The difference shown in the picture doesn't do justice to the actual difference. I could do a light surface sand the piece on the left and apply the final coat of lacquer and it would be ready for the final hand rubbed finish. The piece on the right would take many more coats of lacquer which might defeat the spongy areas. Only a scroller can appreciate the frustration this causes. The sanding sealer shellac (a wax free shellac) eliminated the absorption issue. I applied a coat of sanding sealer shellac (which dries in 30 minutes) to the plaques I thought were ruined and then applied lacquer. I think I can salvage them. Going forward this will be my finishing routine. The shellac works equally well over properly dried "danish oil" as a sealer as well as on bare wood before the final finish. I love scrolling. I don't love finishing. Hopefully this will help others who are similarly challenged.

I had this cutting setting around for a while now. I was trying to find a home for it so I finally decided to paint it and use it as a refrigerator magnet. This was from an Alex Fox pattern that I made to have 1 layer and smaller. I also put the 45 deg angle on the outer edge. I found this difficult to do. Painting skills are poor. I had to mix colors to make pink and light blue hippie style. I wanted a grey military for the bottom text. Yellow green mixed to attempt spring green. Just winging it with paint scheme. Cheap hobby acrylic paint in tubes was used. Shrinking the design made cutting center of letters very narrow. 1/8 inch solid maple. Cut with 2/0 spiral Pegas. Outer edge was cut with MGT #1.

I ran across this pattern on a European scroll saw page and asked where I could buy the pattern. I was drawn into it at first sight. I never received an answer but posted that I was looking for it. Luckily someone responded and I was able to get the pattern. It was in a format that I have never seen and I was unable to use it. I have a good friend who was able to change it into a format that I could use. After I got it printed, I decided I was not skilled enough to make it. I was kidded a lot about when i was going to make the project. So I finally decided I would at least give it a try. This is the end results and fortunately for me, my wife really liked it and it is now hanging on our front room wall. Each feather has 50 holes and there are about 36 feathers in the project. That meany each feather was going to take in the neighborhood of an hour to cut. Well long story shortened, I finally got through the project. I was not happy with the painting on the body of the bird, but other than that, I am happy with the overall results. Dick heppnerguy

I am not sure when I read an article on this type of finish, probably late 90 or early 2000's. The author stated that he would wait at least over night, longer if possible between the last coat shellac and the first coat of lacquer, he then would wait at least a week before he would do any kind of buffing or waxing. He also stated that he would always use gloss lacquer to build up the coats then use semi-gloss or satin for the last one or two coats. This would give you the sheen you want without a "muddy" (as he called it) look to the finish.

you aren't late It's beautiful job

I think you may have put your finger on the problem. Spray lacquer is thinned (25% or more) to permit spraying. It could be that the spongy areas of the wood have a grain structure that prevents the thinned lacquer from "bridging across the cells". The shellac based sanding sealer goes on with a relatively thicker coat and since shellac is dissolved in alcohol the lacquer thinner does not disturb the seal coat. I will have to do some additional searching to test this guess. In any event, for me, a shellac seal is saving a lot of time and effort. For hang-on-the-wall plaques its durability should be more than adequate.

Hi Dick, How nice it is to look at your projects and this one is no different! Really good job scrolling it out, Thank you for posting, Bob

terrific job

Wow! Beautiful job

Too true with statement Dick

pretty darn cute little projects. Looks like you have not lost any of your magic at the saw. Dick heppnerguy

Frank, you continue to amaze me with your painting skills and it makes me want to keep trying with my colorization of my cuts but I always disappoint myself with my failures with it. Dick heppnerguy

great cutting job and I like Grampa's patterns too. He gives a lot of himself to others through his pattern making Dick heppnerguy

I had a man, several years ago, that saw an animal puzzle I had posted and he asked me where I got the pattern. I told him that I had made it and he asked me if I would sell the pattern to him. I replied that he was more than welcome to have it for free. He then told me he was new to scrolling and was looking for more animal puzzles to cut so I made him several and sent them to him. He was very excited about having them. They are so easy to make and cut. I, personally have not been very interested in puzzles so I rarely cut any, unless it is a request for a great grandchild of ours. I am always amazed when I see others cutting projects that I don't bother to cut and often they sell a lot of them. Puzzles are a good example of what I am talking about. It just proves to me that I should not try to second guess about other peoples likes and dislikes and instead I should not judge my likes to be like everyone elses and give more attention to cutting all sorts of items. You have a much better handle on this subject then do I. Keep right on cutting those puzzles and so many other things that I have chosen to ignore and perhaps I will 'wake the hell up', as Jeff Dunham would say. Dick heppnerguy

Your so kind!!! Thank you!!!

Met a nice talkative person in the record aisle at the thrift store 3 blocks from my shop. He was interested in what I was telling him about cut records. So I made his name on one to see where it goes!!!

Doesn’t look like you’ve missed a beat. Going to make someone happy.

I would like to make a suggestion that will eliminate your problem with wood pealing. I put my patterns on my boards like this.... 1.first I sand the board with 220 grit paper until it is smooth to the touch. 2. then i remove all the saw dust with a dampened paper towel until no sawdust is left 3. next I spray the back of my pattern with a spray adhesive and let it set for a minimum of 3 minutes. 4. I apply the pattern to the wood and rub it down to make sure it has no air bubbles in it and everything is adhered. 5. after i am finished sawing my project I rub a paper towel dampened with Mineral Spirits, making sure all surfaces are damp and let it set for about a minute. 6. The pattern almost falls off all by itself 7. I use a paper towel, again dampened in Mineral Spirits over the cut pattern to make sure all adhesive is removed 8. wait a few minutes to make sure the surface is dry, then I can finish it. 9. I do not use any tape under or over the pattern and following what I just told you, i do not have any pattern lift when I cut nor wood grain lift when I remove the pattern from the finished project I hope you give this a try. any questions just ask me. Dick heppnerguy +

Hey Bob, I heard you had your problems with the computer. Yeah I,m getting old but myself is not the same. Thanks for looking!!!

Been down to long and it's hard to get going again , thanks!!!

I find this strange, that shellac will seal the timber but lacquer wont. I was taught that "Sanding Sealer" really just takes the place of coat number 1, but in the case of gloss finishes, it will cut back easier. I have never used it and neither have any of the polishers I have worked with. The only explanation that I can think of regarding the lacquer soaking in and requiring so many coats, is that it was thinned to much. Glad you found a solution to the problem.

They are fabulous. You obviously have not lost your touch. Marg

I got 2 yesterday and 2 earlier in the year. If he had a Go Fund Me page I would donate to that too. Marg

The only shellac I've used to this date is the Zinnser's spray. Should there be something regarding wax on the can? I'll check it out but is it that easy? Another question comes to mind. These boxes are BB inner and outer. I want to leave the inner box natural but with some sort of finish applied to it just to seal it off. Then the outer BB is where the pattern is cut. This is the part that will be either stained or painted. In this case, it will be stained so you've answered that question. What can I use to seal the inner box but still be able to attach the outer panels with Weldwood glue?

Ray, when I am staining BB, I always apply a coat of WAX FREE or dewaxed shellac then lightly sand with 320 after it is completely dry, tack cloth then stain. It is important to use dewaxed shellac as waxed shellac does not play nice with water based or solvent based final finishes. The amount of sanding you do can be played with is you want a less consistent stain job, play with it and you will figure it out quickly.

Love those. Great job painting.

Great cutting and another great pattern by Gramps.

Great pattern by Grampa and excellent cutting on your part. Your friend will be thrilled.

Welcome “home”. Nice work.

Very nice! Painting/finishing is my weak area and not fun.

beautiful job

There was a large stack of flooring. Unfortunately, most of it was vinyl with some rubbery backing that was glued to that was glued together in a multilayer sandwich. It cut easily, but the rubber mixed with the glue and left a black sticky residue that I could not remove without damaging the vinyl. I stacked it out by the road, and someone took it all, so even those did not go into the landfill.

Those are neat, they bring a smile to my face.

What a conversation piece!!! You scored lots of brownie points this time!!!

Don't know who made 'that' pattern, but if you have Inkscape it would be simple enough to do.

Wow....What an amazing piece of art work!.....Take a big bow , you did good!

WOWIE WOW WOW!!! That is Awesome!!!!