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Cut with spiral blades from a beautiful piece of mahogany that is 12" x 10 1/2" x 1 1/2" thick. Dick

Some of my greatest memories from when young, were the time spent Jack Rabbit hunting. Walking through miles of sagebrush, cheatgrass and around cactus. Driving my Dad's old jeep through the same with buddies on the front fenders, and on the roof, hunting Jack Rabbits. My Favorite of all my hunting experiences. This place was over run with them.. Then the farms moved in and the farmer did not appreciate feeding their crops to the Jack Rabbits. So they started poisoning them. Now days I get more excited seeing a Jack Rabbit than I do a deer, fox, coyote, or wild turkey. They are almost all gone. So when I received my Woodworker's Pattern Book by Jacob and Wayne Fowler, and saw this pattern of a Jack Rabbit, I stopped all other projects and cut it. My memorial to Mr and Misses Jack Rabbit. "Thanks For The Memories" Cut in Monkey Pod. Added a little of a dramatic background for affect.

Trivet #2 of 8 patterns by Sue Mey. I used 1/2" Walnut approximately 8" square. Cut on the Pegas Scroll Saw using Pegas #3 MGT blades. A light sanding with the Sand Flee and Mac Mop then dipped in diluted Shellac. One coat spray Lacquer Clear Satin. Comments welcome.

I made a wrinkly old man fishing for my pond out of tree limbs I was bored well I did scroll saw the fish. Roly

An easy cut with western red cedar, pattern from Sheila Landry

Been awhile since I posted. This last project took approximately 6 weeks to complete. Pattern by Lewis A. Jewell. Size is 45” w, 36” h. This is the third one I’ve done.

From what I see you need to slow your blade speed down a bit, and also slow down how fast you feed your wood to the blade. Go really slow, let the blade do the work, do not push. Pause frequently and back up a little. Speed will come later. Blade speed you will need to adjust depending on thickness and hardness of wood. Also, try using real wood as that looks like a composite. The glue will mess you up as you learn right now. Baltic Birch plywood is another good learning wood. Start with 1/2 inch. The thinner the wood, the tough it is to control at first and you get those blowouts you see on some of your lines. The main point is GO SLOW... nail those lines splitting them perfectly. Going slow you will also get smooth lines, focus on those two things first. Plan your cuts and turns too, know in advance if you are going to back up, change directions, do a nibble cut, or sweep into the waste area and then turn back to nail a 90 degree. Note the 3rd image and how I go past my line into the waste area and nibble out an area where i can turn my blade to the opposite direction. This way I get really sharp corners. Also, if you do not have a 5x magnifier I would recommend one. (4th image) See the image below. I go REALLY slow to nail lines.

These are a couple super heroes of one of my great grandson's that I made for him for Christmas presents. It is a lot of fun to see his face when he opens them, even though he has just turned 3 years old a month ago.. Dick heppnerguy

Clean it with mineral spirits and wax it with paste wax. Don't use wax designed for cars. Johnson's Paste wax is my go-to for this, but they stopped making it. Silicon and woodworking tools don't go together well. If the silicon gets on your project, you could have issues with finishes not sticking.

The minute it feels like you have to push the wood into the blade as opposed to it "melting" into the blade, or you start have difficulty controlling the blade, time to change. And like all things there are a lot of factors. You cannot put a time limit on it. What your are cutting, What wood you are using, what type blade you are using. I Probably, and I have never timed it, just a guess, but I would say on average I may get 20 minutes out of a blade. But again I do not set a timer, when I feel in the slightest that I am having to work to get the blade to go where I want, it is time for me to change. Right now I am cutting in 1/2" Monkey Pod, a little harder than Popular, maybe, but what I am cutting I want to be precise, I am using a #1 size blade and I have probably changed the blade every 10 minutes at the most. That is just me, your mileage may vary as they say. You may not want to go by what I say,, I have broken lots and lots of blades! But I am often trying different blades, different technics, different woods..expect to break blades.

So here is the next cut for my “Lion Project” it had to be reduced quite a bit to fit into the greater plan. It was also not a free standing pattern I got Russ’s approval to modify the pattern to be free standing, have not done this before it was all free hand drawing on the pattern. Difficult cut due to the reduced size but when you see the whole project completed you will understand my insanity. Cut with a #1 Niqua straight pin less blade. Soaked in Danish Oil drained and excess wiped off. Ready now for detailing. At the end of the day very hay with the final result.

I "discovered" something pretty awesome with my new hegner. You can feed the blade in off the table and slide it into place. No more bending down to see under the work piece. I've been flipping the piece over and sliding the blade in for those hard to get at portions of the board such as in the middle.

Mini Model A Cars. 6 models. Size is ¾” x 1 ⅝” x 2 ⅞”. Replenishing my stock. Toy cars, trains and planes I sell a lot of at the trade shows.

I agree with Richard on the wood type and thickness of wood and size of blade. Easier to stack cut something like that and it will make it easier to control the blade. With those types of cuts you need to slow down a little and let the blade do the work. If I was cutting something like that I would probably stack cut two or three 1/4 inch B/B ply using a # 3 or 5 ur blade. Other than that you did pretty good. Practice makes perfect.

Having tried those types of magnifiers, I find them cumbersome to use. Got me a head mounted one that's really useful for me. They're light and use ear pieces like glasses. I wear tri focals so, they're removed, first. Mine came from Amazon. I can't seem to get the web address to show up here.

For me it is a few things. I hear a tonal change in how the wood is cutting, I also find that the blade starts to drift more and becomes more difficult to control, and I also find that I am pushing harder, or I have to turn the speed up more. Really, it is something that comes the more you cut. Just talk to yourself as you cut, and note how the blade works when new, and after so many inches or minutes of cutting (depending on wood hardness too).

Hi all. Let's remember that this scroll saw challenge is all about celebrating creativity and craftsmanship, not about policing each other's interpretations of heroes. The theme 'Heroes' is intentionally open-ended to allow for a diverse range of projects that reflect what heroism means to each of us. Some may find inspiration in comic book and movie superheroes, and that's absolutely valid. These characters can represent symbols of strength, courage, and hope. On the other hand, many of us also admire and appreciate everyday heroes who make a real difference in our lives – be it nurses, firefighters, military personnel, or anyone else who selflessly serves their community. By showcasing our projects, we're not discounting the importance of one type of hero over another. Instead, we're taking the opportunity to share our passion for scroll saw work and honor the heroes who resonate with us personally. So, let's keep the spirit of this challenge positive and inclusive. Let's celebrate the diversity of interpretations and the skill that goes into making these projects. Happy scrolling, and let the creative heroics continue!

Saw this on Facebook. It isn't mine but I thought it was kinda cool and might inspire someone. Or crank up the old creative engine so to speak.

I feel paste wax is the best option to go with. I've been using it on my table saw and sander table as well, for years.

I've used paste wax with good results for years.

Now that I think of it though I suppose you could do that with any saw. You just wouldn't have the blade clamp but that doesn't matter really. Don't know why I never thought of this before.

Very nice work. You always get so much detail in your work. It’s always fun to see what you do next.

It seems my deer plaques do pretty well so I knocked this one out today. This is 1/4-inch Maple ply with a 1/4-inch Pine backer. The piece is stained with Minwax Red Oak and the backer is stained with Ipswich. It was cut using 2/0 and 0 Pegas spirals and MGT. The ornaments are at the request of the wife as small items to sell at craft events. They are stained with various colors and the 3D pieces are painted and then coated with glitter paint. The dog piece is 1/4-inch Birch ply stained with Minwax Espresso with a Lauan backer stained Natural. These are all Steve Good Patterns.

I use them over and over until they break or are too bent to use anymore. Sometimes you will notice that a blade just doesnt seem to be working the way you want so when that happens I swap it. I have some blades I have used for years. They are all rusty and old looking but hey, they are still cutting so I keep using them. These I just use to cut pieces to size and stuff like that, not for the more technical work. I think it equals out when some days I will break like 6 in about a 10 minute span for some reason.

Absolutely agree with what's been said so far. Before buying the hegner I rarely broke a blade. I would notice it not cutting as well and change it. The hegner has a learning curve apparently and I'm working through that curve as we speak. It's getting better but for a while there I heard the twang and rattle of a blade breaking in my sleep... Lol it still startles me every time it breaks one.

For me and the blade I use the most ( FD Polar #! ) I use the following criteria: 1. feed rate slows down 2. blade won't track right 3. blade won't make tight turns 4. blade "wanders" 5. when changing holes the blade is either bend front to back or has a noticeable kink side to side 6. when changing hole I will gently run my finger against the teeth, if I can feel a difference in the sharpness from where the blade is cutting and what does not cut.

You never cease to amaze me with all your pattern making skills and the results you achieve in cutting your projects. Dick heppnerguy

For me, it’s easy. When the blade no longer cuts the way I want it too, it gets changed. It has nothing to do with time, or distance, if it isn’t cutting the way it was when it was new, I change it. Like was mentioned above, I have even changed a brand new blade because it did not cut the way it should. At the very least, I replace the blade before starting another project, I replace blades after each session, I replace the blade when the cut starts getting ragged, I replace the blade when it won’t track properly. This is why blades are sold in bulk…. Packages of 144 or a gross. I think once you start changing blades more often, your scrolling will become more enjoyable.

that would do it for me as well, but that I have not seen. I'm about to go out and see how a new blade feels as opposed to my yesterdays blade.

That will do it. I forgot about the smoke.

For me, it's when I see smoke rising from the cut. Seriously, as the others have mentioned, it's more of a feel thing than any sort of measurable condition. I suppose, under controlled testing circumstances, one could arrive at some sort of objective standard as to when a blade arrives at a particular state of dull, but there are so many variables at play, that this would prove difficult to measure, in practical terms. Most scrollers learn to gauge it by how the blade is performing, in the moment. Blades aren't always consistent. Sometimes a brand new blade will seem to last indefinitely and sometimes a different blade, from the same pack will under-perform almost right away.

Any and all criticism would be truly accepted, I want to be better at this.

This is just my thoughts. I typically cut thick woods which are 3/4" and even thicker. I do mainly Intarsia and accuracy is the primary concern so that fit is tight. I aim at cutting half of the line. Also, some of the woods are difficult to cut. I change blades quite often as a dull blade results in inaccurate cuts. I really do not care about the price of blades. I may only cut one piece with a blade and make no attempt to reuse a blade. I use either FD Polar #3-#5 blades. I also use PS Woods SuperSharps. My saw is a Hegner I can tell when I am pushing too hard just by the feel. I have had blades go dull in just two inches. The point of all this is that the type of project makes a huge difference. I might have a difficult time knowing when a blade is dull on a fret work project or other thin wood with different blades. What blade to use and how long it lasts depends on your saw, blade type, material type and thickness, your style and a bunch of other things. One needs to experiment and carefully watch how your blades are reacting. There is no secret formula or rule.....just lots of experience.

this is a super interesting and beautiful project. I love your idea of carving the outsides of the project subject. I am going to have to give that a try soon. Thanks for sharing your wonderful project Dick heppnerguy

All things I would not have thought of, at least as of to date. I will keep these in mind, and my wife has a lighter magnifier on a stand and I don't think she uses it. I will have to borrow it, she won't notice.

I had been saving this pattern to cut with the new Pegas. Some of the cuts are extremely thin and while I trust and could have used my WEN, I wanted this to be the first on the Pegas. Besides, the size (11X19) would have been a little large for the 16-inch WEN. I used a combination of blades, 3/0 and 2/0 spirals, 2/0 MGT and 2/0 double skip. The blades were all Pegas except for the 3/0 spiral which was Flying Dutchman. (To my knowledge Pegas doesn't make a 3/0 spiral.) I used 1/4-inch Pine for the cutting and a 1/4-inch Lauan for the backer. The Pine is stained with Minwax Ipswich as well as the Pine frame that was custom made. They both were finished with 4-coats of rattle can Polyurethane sanding with 320 grit sandpaper between coats. The backing is sprayed with gloss black. The pattern is by Jeffrey L Flick. The Poodle piece was a commission using 1/4-inch Lauan for both the cutting and the backer. The cutting is stained with Minwax Natural and again, the backer is sprayed black. The frame is cut using pre-fabricated framing material cut to size. Both frames were given splines to add strength. The pattern was made by myself from a photo provided by the owner. The new Pegas cuts fantastic. I had to make a few altercations out of the box, but I believe I have it where I tuned in pretty well. Initially the blade was set to the most aggressive angle which was corrected by rotating the motor. Also, the clamps were not properly adjusted so that the blade was in the center of the hole in the table. The saw runs smooth and quite with no vibration throughout the entire speed range. The saw is a BEAST and mega heavy. Now I have to figure out how I'll fit it with casters to move it out of the way when I decide to pull a vehicle into my shop.

If it is not with the paint, look in the cleaning supplies. That is where my local Ace Hardware had it when I stocked up on my Johnsons Paste Wax.

When my blade stops cutting well, tracking well, etc, the first thing I do is reset the tension. If that doesn't work, then I replace the blade.

Never ever use silicone on any woodworking tools! As BadBob mentioned, silicone will interfere with some finishes. As was mentioned, use a paste wax that does not contain silicone. Most car wax’s contain silicone. Use a paste wax designed for woodworking. You can find paste wax in the paint section of most hardware stores or paint store.

I'm always late to the party but I recently binged all the seasons of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul in a little over a month. Mike Ehrmantraut, a nice hit man , played by Jonathan Banks, was probably my favorite character. I worked from a painting/drawing I found on Pinterest.

Never have done it that way but I knew the split in the table was for the blade. I have, on other excalibur type saws but the blade through the wood and then put the project with blade on the saw as you mention.

Congrats on the new saw. Both pieces are very nicely done; but the motorcycle is a beauty.

Cute. Great work. Marg

I looked at many of my project pictures and thought about what heroes means to me. The Corsair was flown by World War 2 heroes. This project was donated to a local veterans support group for a silent auction fundraiser. The eagle picture was made as a father's day gift for my hero, my dad.

That's awesome! Great job!!

My Hero is the person pictured in the center picture. He and many others gave us the freedoms that the other two pictures represent. Our Freedom to do as we choose whether it be who we vote for, pray to and live our everyday lives. Those are my hero's.

This pattern was made by Sasho.

Here's one of Deadpool I did when the movie came out. Regular portrait style, but I did stain some of the wood for some extra color. Captain America shield and Ironman Mask were done with a lathart style, which was kinda fun.