How To?

[sooty]

Hi I have had a Scroll/Fret saw stuck in my shed for more than 2 years (never had enough room to put it anywhere) its nothing fancy just a single speed Powercraft saw from Aldi.

Looking through the forums both here and in America! There is some wonderful work and I would like to try my hand at it.
I have made some room in my shed and got the saw out of mothballs and purchased a set of 60 assorted blades from Axminster.

But how do you start?
Where do I buy pattens from?
Can I make the pattens myself if so how?
So many questions just dont know how to start hope you can help
Phil

 

[chrispuzzle]

Phil -

Congratulations on reclaiming the saw

A lot of us started with John Nelson's Scroll Saw Workbook which has good exercises and a range of "beginner" patterns. It tells you how to hold and move the wood and how to choose blades and so on, as well as providing patterns.

The prolific Patrick Spielman has written a number of patterns books which are very popular.

Both authors are available through Amazon and currently in print: always a good thing

There are quite a few web sites through which you can order patterns. http://www.chrestensenburghoutdesigns.com/ is worth looking at simply for inspiration - Toni and Sue are right at the cutting edge, so to speak, of modern decorative scroll saw design.

 

[Gill]

Hi Phil

That's pretty sound advice from Chris .

...
But how do you start?
Where do I buy pattens from?
Can I make the pattens myself if so how?
...

How do you start? You jump in at the deep end and waste some cheap wood! I suggest you use a bit of construction grade ply and be prepared to break a few blades. Relax, and try not to worry if you don't follow the pattern very accurately. Beginners often find themselves veering off the line and over compensate, making the cut look bumpy or jagged.

Where do I buy pattens from? Nowadays, there's no need for a beginner to buy patterns! Simply take a peek at Steve Good's blog and you'll find lots of lovely free patterns plus some instructional videos. Steve's newsletter is well worth subscribing to. As time goes by you might want to acquire different types of patterns. I'd look at the Fox Chapel website which publishes all sorts of pattern books and sometimes has clearance sales. There are links on the site to other pattern resources too.

Can I make the pattens myself if so how? Yes, you can make your own patterns but it's not as easy as experienced pattern designers might lead you to believe. First you should master your saw by using patterns which other people have designed and which have been shown to work.

Happy scrolling .

Gill

 

[sooty]

Thanks for the replies
I am going to have a go at Steve Goods Table Clock and see how it comes out
Wish me luck
Phil

 

[Grinding One]

Hi I have had a Scroll/Fret saw stuck in my shed for more than 2 years (never had enough room to put it anywhere) its nothing fancy just a single speed Powercraft saw from Aldi.

Looking through the forums both here and in America! There is some wonderful work and I would like to try my hand at it.
I have made some room in my shed and got the saw out of mothballs and purchased a set of 60 assorted blades from Axminster.

But how do you start?
Where do I buy pattens from?
Can I make the pattens myself if so how?
So many questions just dont know how to start hope you can help
Phil

Get yourself a camera ,take a picture,copy it,paste it on a board (thin one) cut it out no copyright problems....or a magazine,paste it to the board and cut it out.Should not be a copyright problem unless you try to sell it.
Just enjoy your little machine,take your time pushing the wood thru the blade,let the blade tell you when it wants to go...one more thing wax your top to help the board slide into the blade.

 

[big soft moose]

Get yourself a camera ,take a picture,copy it,paste it on a board (thin one) .

you can also trace over a picture then transfer the lines onto your board (5mm lime is good , but for practice any bit of thin ply, hardboard, or mdf) then cut out and reassemble

the problem tends to come with deciding what lines to cut along - you are fine if its something obvious like a zebra , but with more convoluted pics a beginer could have issues with deciding where to cut.

btw : sooty if you did want to try this suggestion i have a nice pic of two zebras (close up on the heads) which i'd be happy to send you if you pm me an email addy - taken by myself so there are no copyright issues. (tho that said i'm not posting it here as although it is a photo not a scroll saw patern it could be used as such and i completely understand that the mods would have no way of verifying it beyond my word)

 

[Gill]

I'm looking forward to seeing the outcome of this! It's definitely an unconventional approach to pattern design :lol: . For myself, I think I'll stick to the more conventional techniques which have been tried and tested.

Gill

 

[big soft moose]

I think I'll stick to the more conventional techniques which have been tried and tested.

Gill

at the risk of taking this thread off topic (again) what are these coventional techniques of which you speak ?

I dont normally do pattern based scroll sawing - i use mine to make clocks etc and have always drawn up plans then transfered the different shapes to boards to be cut out, so i'd be interested to know what you more experienced types normally do.

 

[Gill]

I'll start a new thread!

Gill