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Just made one and now all the secretary’s at work want one lol

Hello everyone, I found the pattern for this lidded basket in a book. "Classic Fretwork Scroll Saw Patterns" it's my first project with an assembly, I'm not unhappy. Eric

Hard to answer I guess. Mood, amount of detail in the picture, what ever I feel I need to use to get the effect I want. Stupidity, I really do not have a set of rules. Blade are tools, I use the tool I feel I need at the time. There are things I can do with a spiral I don't think I could do with a straight blade and visa versa. Someone else could but I know I could not. I could not have cut this picture with a straight blade. Others maybe able to but not me. You just have to uses what you feel works for you. Do not look for rules, it is open to you.

I am new to this group. I do wood & wood repurposing. I love doing scroll saw patterns.

I have used spirals but to me it feels like skating on ice. so I tend to use flat blades on everything. Spirals are brilliant I think but I never persevered with them enough to feel comfortable with them. I find I can everything with flat blades, usually a #3.

98% straight, 2% spiral. I just like the feel of straight blade cutting.

All of you who cut portraits/ landscapes what do you use straight, spiral, both? Tips and tricks please .. I know I'm not that skilled yet but I want to dive into something complicated, just for the experience and learning curve even if it ends up in the trash. I'm finding out the only way to learn is to do.

Cute!!! Finally got these done. Steve Good pattern. Larger one is his small pattern at 80%. The 4 smaller ones, not sure what size. Cut with #1 blade out of MDF. Shaped using a rotary tool with sanding disc. Painted with acrylic paints and top coated with Osmo satin. Took longer than I expected/hoped.

Since I cut my finger almost all the was off, I have been a fan of pushbocks for the tablesaw. I usually just use a leftover stick or my plastic one. Here is the first one that I made in my shop. I have another one in the works.

The real differences to look for... Florescent bulb or LED, plastic lens or glass. Which ever works best for you. the harbor freight, in my opinion best for the price. Glass lens and led cost more, may be worth it for your eyes.

I have an Ottlite that I got at Joann Fabrics. It has two interchangeable glass lens. I had the Horrible Fright one and the lens was plastic and hurt my eyes. I can use my Ottlite with my bifocals and no problems. Mine also has a 3X and 5 X lens but i typically use the 3X. Mine has a fluorescent light but would love to have one with LED adjustable brightness. My recommendation is to try one at the store and make certain yours eyes are happy with it. Peoples eyes vary a great deal and important to find the right one. Best use for mine is digging splinters out.

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.

Hi everyone. I just want to give a big shout out to Paul (Grampa). When he first tried to make this pattern, the photo wasn't that great but he said he would give it another try and sure enough, he did wonders. It was a tricky one to cut. I'm gluing the backer on now and then I'll give it a few coats of poly. Thanks again Paul. You made the impossible happen.

I'm in the "BOTH" camp as well. The majority of my cuts are done with a straight blade. For some text, especially if it is near the bottom or top of a cutting, and cursive, I will use a spiral. I also use spirals for widening features (Veining). I don't like them on solid timber, as Jarrah is to hard and it takes forever and Pine leaves heaps of "Fuzzies"

I use mainly straight blades. Just a preference. Both have a proper time and place for usage. Best to experiment on scrap wood to get the feel and understanding of each. Depending on what I am doing I swap back and forth between the two types. Experience is the best teacher.

Thanks Paul, good answer makes sense, I guess it a easier choice when you know what your capable of

I use both, normally. when I do veins like in leaves, or feathers, like in bird wings, I will first cut them with a small straight blade then go back over them with a small spiral.. great way to easily in crease the kerf, just enough that it shows better. but not too wide. And like I said in another post, I I shave to thicvkness things like grass blades, whiskers, small twigs with them. A Flying Dutchman 3/0 or a Pegas 2/0 is great for this.

Same here, Bob. Carter guides on both. When I first used those guides I was blown away by the improvement in accuracy. I no longer need to account for drift when resawing. Of course a good blade goes a long way in that regard.

With the change in hours at work, my time on the saw has been limited... very limited! I finally finished this cut from a BirchBark pattern using Maple with a Birch backer. The frame is pre-shaped Walnut and I shimmed the corners for strength. The cut is stained with Minwax Natural and the backer is stained with Minwax Espresso. The frame was pre-finished although I did touch it up with Minwax Dark Walnut stain. For the first time I used my new air sprayer with Polyacrylic and was pleased with the results. I cut it using Pegas #2/0, #0 and #1 spiral blades. I stack cut this but the other piece was Birch and delaminated in places when removing the shelf liner. I hope to paint it in the near future in hopes of hiding the delamination. I've about decided to start placing my wood face to face when doing cuts. I know I could only do this on pieces that were not limited in left or right such as patterns with words. But doing so will prevent delamination from happening on the face of the projects. For instance, the Jim Blume Stagecoach I cut was a double stack and faced different directions. I tell people one stage is going east and the other is going west.

Anyone recommends or know where I could find a good magnifying light for my scroll saw? Thanks, Juan

I bought mine at Manards and it works fine I paid 1111445 for it but now it would be $100 +

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.

Welcome to the SSV. It's the best scrollsaw site on the web. Lots of great folks and tons of knowledge and experience here. I found it about 8 years ago when I was a scroll newbie.

Thanks Ray - I do have a stethoscope but that didn't seem to help. I'll try getting it clamped downand using it again. How far back did you remove material on the underside of the cover? Rick

I tried spirals at least once maybe twice. I had trouble with control as I recall. I will try again at some point probably. I don’t cut a lot. Of fretwork, especially large detailed patterns and I think that is what va lot of folks use them for. As I recall seeing, a lot of folks who use them use them on large patterns where it would be difficult if not Impossible to be able to turn the wood as needed with a flat blade. There are some people I have seen that learned with and only use spiral blades no matter what they cut. I believe it is definitely a “learned” touch.

I have the Carter Stabilizer on one saw and the Carter Guides on the other. The stabilizer doesn't work the same on a Shopsmith bandsaw as it does on other band saws but it does work. I cut this chicken from a piece of 2x4.

I use Timber Wolf blades and order direct.

I use both. It depends on what I'm cutting, mainly a cut in rivers etc. or one I can mess up and you'd not be able to tell. Otherwise the rest is done with flat blades for letters etc. I have used spiral on letters in a piece that is way to big to turn on the saw. You just have to make sure and stand back far enough to not really see how crooked the cut is. Like on the other side of the room.

Not to hi-Jack this thread, but, WOW! Those are some impressive pieces you folks have shown.

very nice

Down the Rabbit {Gnome} hole you go

You did a fabulous job Barb, it looks great. Marg

Great team work by the two of you. Looks great. Marg

Sorry ...I got that the first time ... What I meant was what makes you choose a spiral or a straight blade or do you only use spirals for widening viens?

For veining It is easier to control a straight blade, so I follow the pattern line with a small straingt blade. Then go back over it with a small sprial, it s quick because the spiral blade will follow the first cut. And for the other reasons I went back and edited into my first response.

I have completed 36 stand up puzzles to add to the cache. These are 4 new designs that I have cut from 30mm Radiata Pine, using Olson #7 Mach for outside cuts and a Olson PG #5 for inside cuts Two coats of gloss lacquer over acrylic paint. Boats 170 x 150mm. Cat 215 x 130mm, Utes 230 x 100mm, 3 little pigs 220 x 170mm

I just love your creations. Don

Thank you each and all. I'll keep up my vigil. I saw Jet's sale on large purchases but not for small timers like me... Don

Still looks great Ray.

I love it. Came out great.

That looks great. I love the wood.

Didn't take you long to cut that! turned out great.... Paul is amazing! Not me Paul, the other other talented Paul!

For about seven years, I used a no name Laser. When it died, it wasn't immediately replaced as we were in the process of selling our home and moving. I now have a still in the box Ortur with a more powerful Neje laser unit. I had visions of doing some cutting but, with this gifted DW 788, that idea has been somewhat discarded. So, the laser will be relegated to simple engraving tasks. As kmmcrafts noted, engraving a logo on one offs are hardly worth the effort.

The last push block I made, I gave to my brother. This one I made for myself unless someone buys it. Poplar and alder handle, Rough cut oak base, replaceable cedar cleat. Finished with satin poly.

I like your job, Bravo

Love the piece, that is a great backer board on it. I need to cut that pattern.

That is a quality push stick, to nice to use.

Wow! That looks like it could have been a production piece in a mill. Excellent Tbow.

I made this napkin basket for as a gift for my wife a few years ago. She usually receives many compliments on it when we have guests.

I just sign my initials "BE" in my cursive writing. I have dated some items but then I thought if I am selling them, someone might look at the date and say "you have had this awhile - can I get a discount? I don't date anything anymore!!