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I found this B&W image on-line a while ago. There is no Artist, owner or originator listed. The image is a little different with the fire-like border and skyline at the bottom. Not sure if the Dragon is contemplating destruction or guardianship. Anyway, I converted the image into a 11” x 14” Scroll Saw Pattern and have been trying to decide whether to cut it or not for several weeks now. My lady liked the Image but, wasn’t sure the thin linges of the wings were going be seen well against the white background, so I decided to add a second color, Grey, to highlight the wings and other features of the dragon, but still be mainly a B&W presentation. The cut panel is 5/32" thk. Solid Core Birch Ply affixed to a 1/4” BB Ply Air brush painted backer. Small details were cut using a Pegas #2/0 Spiral blade while the bigger cut outs areas were done using a Pegas #1 MGT R blade. Even with the many close parallel line cuts, the cutting was easier than expected. The Panel is set into a museum style narrow, ¾” wide, rail Floating Frame that was also painted black. And as usual, the assembled panel was protected with multiple coats of Deft Clear Gloss Lacquer. I'm tempted to break my own rule of only cutting a pattern once. I think I could do wonders with some coloring...red/yellow flame border, hazy smokey Red/Orange sky background like the city is burning, maybe different color for the wings. Would be a fun project. Comments and critiques always welcome. This project was an example of efective multi-tasking. I was cutting and paintig this project while the glue and paint dried on my Halloween Lantern Project. EDIT: Pattern posted in Pattern Exchange EDIT #2: Patterns posted in Pattern Exchange have been revised and reposted.

Just finished this beautiful patter by Russ Beard, double stack cut on 4mm Birch Plywood using a #0 Niqua straight pin less blade. Needs to be varnished and framed. I have cut another five Russ Beard pattern but I’m not ready to post them yet. My workshop is in turmoil at the moment as we are packing and relocating to Cape Town, South Africa. So I’m very limited as to what I can do at the moment. Love doing these Fretwork Complex cuts, gives me great satisfaction.

Just a few started, still need to sand and stain or paint.

My next Nativity scene WILL DEFINITELY include a rooster.

Any saw can cut master-level patterns, all it takes is a pilot hole small enough to get the blade in. Then, its one-hole-one-cut. Some patterns just have more holes. For a beginner....you're doing INSANELY well. I look back at some of my first projects (been cutting for 8 years or so), and I can follow the blade around corners as I backed out, came in from another direction, and left little scuff marks all over the corners. Do other people see those marks? Or the flattened sides of curves where I lost direction? Mostly....no, they don't. But for those that do, that's what differentiates something hand-cut from something mass-produced. They show heart, soul, and love poured in to the project. Anyone can plug in a saw, hit "print", and then go watch TV while the computer does all the work, but you get the exact same thing as everybody else gets....the same soulless piece (and a little bit dumber from what's on TV these days). Same thing with AI, anyone can tell an AI to write a song or poem or story or generate a picture. But it takes skill, heart, soul, and love to create these yourself. If you're going to watch anything on TV, look for "The Craftsman" on Magnolia Network (on Discovery +, if you have that). Guy's an all-around woodcrafter up in Eureka, CA. He started off one episode answering the question about perfection. "All you can do is the best that you can do with the knowledge and skills that you have at the time. You learn a little bit more each time you create something, and add on to your skills. Perfect? The TREE was perfect. All we can do is the best that we can." (paraphrasing)

Actually, with this NATO display and any other flag presentation, this is one time the Flag protocol of the USA is not followed. It's the same with any NATO flag display. All 31 Alliance member countries of the Alliance are equal to each other and to the NATO Flags. Even at NATO HQ SACT which is hosted on a US Navy base the US flag is at equal height to all others. The only time a country flag is features is on "National Days", or other special country events and the flag is moved to the middle section of Flag Plaza. Still, all flags remain the same height. Below the first photo is a front view of HQ SACT FLag Plaza (I work on the top floor of the "Blue Cube"). Photo 2, The Sunrise one I took with my back to the building looking out to the North East. Photo 3 is from the middle of the plaza looking out.

Jerry Here's what mine looks like with 3 flags. Here are the two things I think you should do if you are going to do 3 flags. First scale up 40-50%. Next, for the two outer holes for the flags, I would angle 15 degrees outward, this will give the flags a place to open up. Below is how this one looks according to the PDF. I think I am going to make another. I gave this one to our cleaning lady, and she was so thrilled.

I know I haven't posted anything for a while but I have been working, just forgetting to post, so when I get chance you will be inundated with photos. Anyway this is what I am working on at the moment. 29 names for a customer, some will go to Ireland, some to Norway and the rest will stay in Australia. They are all made from 1/2" pine and they will have a clear finish. Blades were no. 3 PMG. (Pegas Modified Geometry) Marg

you don't think chickens believe in Christmas?

I found groups of Halloween images that were available for making papercut lanterns. I put together various images to create scroll saw patterns for a four sided Halloween Lantern with four different sides. I already had some Transparent Orange Acrylic Plastic from my Previous Night Light project that I added the Drafting Velum to, to make it translucent. I used 1/4“ Solid Core Birch Ply. The lantern is 5.5" square by 8" tall (not including the 1 1/2" hight hanging pinicle on top). I used my typical mitered corners construction technique and the box was painted Black inside and out. Not happy with the finish as there are blemishes that are visible in the Photos below. I wanted the lantern to be lit with a battery operated LED light of some kind. I was looking at various products in Hobby Lobby and came across this small ‘Bottle Twinkle Light set with 10 LEDs’ for $2.99. The battery compartment is shaped like a cork for use in a bottle. I drilled a 5/8” dia. Hole in the bottom of the lantern. I inserted it with the Lights bunched up as you can se in the Photo below, so it acted like a lightbulb and is easily inserted and/or removed. Perfect amount of light. I plan to buy some very lightweight Black, 12 to 18" long, chain and hooks for hanging. Comments and critiques always welcome.

Nothing wrong with having a chicken, that's why their are 31 flavors of ice cream, RJ

Yes, I agree. I was hoping your wouldn't change your Dragon... very little or not at all. I do believe you will make a fantastic background....looking forward to seeing it if you do decide to go that way. mc

Mighty fine cutting

Wonderful presentation

But a long way to drive, Norm!

Marie, it’s all one scroll saw pattern, and the Leopard and tree were stained with a local product we get here in South Africa. The Leopards colouring can vary from area to area.

nice job

great job

Awesome! The grey behind the wings is perfect.

Well it is like this. LOL I make a ornament pretty much every Christmas for our pets and we have 3 dogs, 1 cat, 1 rabbit and 5 chickens..................hence the Rooster pattern. I will do a hen one as soon as I find one I like. I tried to talk Steve Good into doing different animal Christmas ornaments last year but he didn't go for it......................LOL However he did make me a bunny one. ps. Some people do eat Chicken for Christmas dinner ")

I have looked at boat-load of color images. Every color combination you can imagine is out there. This pattern, with its unique border and bright white bacgroud just cries to be seen in color. I don't think I would do much to the dragon, but it is the bacground that needs to be enhanced to make the STORY (we all read into this piece) even better.

Being new to woodworking, especially with less than three weeks experience with scroll sawing my projects look okay if you don't examine too closely. I liked using my band saw to make things but even though it cut smooth it lacked the ability to make tight curves. Using the scroll saw makes the tight turns but my straight lines aren't straight and my curves are choppy. I end up spending a lot of time sanding things to fix the flaws. I'm sure over time (if I live that long) I will improve. Was in Hobby lobby last week and saw some small intricate cut items priced at less than two bucks that would have taken me forever to make. Not to mention a home laser is darn near perfect. To the seasoned scrollers: Do your projects pass the close up look test or am I expecting too much?

Very nice Frank, striking pattern made better with excellent cutting and colorization. I can visualize it in B&W and can see that the grey highlights for the wings and body make a big difference. I would also be interested to see it in color, so please post that if and when you decide to do it.

Frank, this is excellent and your airbrush of the wings is very well done. I think the coloring of it is perfect in that it looks like it was taken at twilight with light showing thru his wings. It would be interesting to see it in color .... If it were me, I would look at paintings of dragons to see the colors I like the best without making it too busy because the silhouette of the dragon is already so captivating.... again, really nice.

Yes Mark it is my pattern. I have been doing them for about 15 years, they are very popular. They are approx. 6" x 4". Marg

it was a sheet with a solid core and a layer of birch on the front and rear of the sheet. It was a little less money then the BB Ply so I thought I would give it a try. I used to use a lot of solid core wood with a selection of color and I have been looking for more of it and thought this is just the ticket but the surface of the outer layer is so thin that the back side tears away as I drill or cut it. Not all of it but enough that I will not purchase it again. Not even sure what they called it. I got one sheet also with a black walnut surface. Dick heppnerguy

My perspective when quick glancing is that the dragons wings are transluscent. Then after seeing the silverish body skin armor my wing thought went to solid thick silver skin. When thinking of actual scene, the viewer is toast. Your projects brings my attention into the scene and feel like I am actually there. If you do consider making another version maybe coloring the wings different? I dont know. Me. Mark Eason

Great work colour would make it pop.

That’s awesome. A lot of detail in that piece.

Very nice, RJ

No the dog is from Steve Good. This is one of his Christmas Ornaments for 2023. The Rooster however is a SSV pattern.

Looks very nice. On more thing I would do. make it so the American flag it is the highest flag a little above the other two flags.

Great cutting Marg! But you forgot to do a Charlie.

Nice cutting Marg!

Very nice work, Marg !

Very nice, Marg. I'm sure some of those with a lot of letters were a little tricky having to cut those thin pieces.

This is really nice.

Super nice cutting!

Wonderful clean cutting Marg. Is that your own design?

Very fine cutting Marg.

Jimmy, I think your work is really nice. I love your choice of what you are cutting...great patterns. I have been only scrolling with my saw for about 6 months and I agree with @barb.j.enders take advantage of making cuts that are "mistakes" as an artistic impression. This form of artistic work is quite addicting. Enjoy!

I like that one Dick. My granddaughter would love that.

Then there is my shop where I often just give things away!

Dick, what type of wood did you use? It looks really white.

Really neat, Dick. I'm sure it will be well received.

Jimmy, I started scrolling in '85. My first saw was a Sears 13" "hobby saw" that used 3" pin end blades and there were only 3 types of blades. Since I have CDO (Compulsive Disorder, Obsessive) (it's sorta like OCD but the letters are in alphabetical order as they should be) I did nothing for the first three week but cut practice cuts, boring, yes, but the training was very helpful. My first cuts were not nearly the quality yours are, kudos. Here is a closeup of a fancy fretwork welcome sign. As you can see, the cuts are not perfect, but if you look at the piece as a whole it's difficult to see any errors. Most peoples eyes see the whole item and they don't see the individual frets. In fact, IMHO, most people can't actually see the details, their eyes just can't do it. Here's the whole thing:

Wow, that's perfect enough for me... I guess being 70 and just learning I'm trying to accomplish too much, too fast.. While I'm still kicking

Never tried a spiral blade before. I just cut some pine to make this people/animal thingy and the wood was a bear to cut through and it was the first time I tried a #7 10TPI 7R and it got the job done chopping through pine but it ended up still being smooth. Three weeks into this hobby and I guess I'm too critical of what I do.

@jimmyG, if that's your work, you're certainly not a beginner. That's some excellent cutting.

I've been mostly working with 1/4 Baltic birch plywood. I use good lighting and use a magnifer. Drilling entry holes, not using any blades past 3 or 4 and moving at a snail's pace. I understand it takes time but that's why my question was geared to the long time scrollers with many years of practice to answer if their current work, close up has flaws. I don't see close up shots of intricate work posted often.