Travis

I think any hardwood would work well. I think oak would look really nice.

I'm not sure if carvers use a special kind of tape or not, but I'd imagine you can use the bandage tape in the pharmacy area next to the bandaids It comes in a little roll and used to secure gauze. I would think that would work.

Great article, Chris. Thanks for sharing!

That's awesome. I'm glad to hear you did well. Keep up the good work!

If you tackle this project, can you take some Work In Progress pix and put them in the Work In Progress forum? It would be fun to see it come together.

You can start with church or charity sales. Nice thing about that is you can see if there's any interest in your products. If you want to sell just a few things here and there, you can try Etsy.com. Problem with Etsy, is that you can get swallowed up in a sea of crafters. So unless you're constantly promoting, it's hard to make any sales. You can also try Ebay or Craig's List.

I like that one. Pretty clever! I've seen ones with a hand grenade with a number on the pin and it says "Complaint department, take a number."

I think there are a few people on Etsy making children's toys are making a living. There might be a few here and there. But I'm guessing that most people who sell a lot are making what a part-time job would normally provide. Not to sound discouraging, but I'd expect it'll only pay for your hobby, a few new tools, or perhaps a vacation.

I can only comment on the squaring since I don't have an Excalibur. I've run into this problem too and its frustrating. I'm sure gone through these things already, but I thought I'd write again, just in case. [*:1m27548j]For squaring, I'd buy a small, cheap protractor from an office supply store. You can find one that will fit under the arm. A great way to check to see if the blade is square. [*:1m27548j]Turn on the machine at its slowest speed. Look straight on (from the front) and watch to see if the blade goes side to side at all. You'll know if it is because it looks blurry. [*:1m27548j]Make sure you have the blade tight. When you pluck it, it should almost sound musical. You can download the Scroll Saw Blade Tension program from the Downloads page (program by Steve Good). It has sounds of what a proper blade tension should sound like. [*:1m27548j]While you're cutting, release a little pressure on your project and see if it springs back. If it does, you'll know that you're putting side pressure on it. Many times, I do this without even realizing I'm doing it. So I do this exercise many times while I cut. [*:1m27548j]Sharp blade, making sure the teeth are facing down. [*:1m27548j]On 3/4" stock for puzzles, I use either a #5 or a #7. Might want to try a #7 to see how that works for you too. I'm sure I repeated what other's said, but that's all I can think of.

Hi Ray. I guess it depends on what you mean by Mantel Clocks. Are you talking the highly detailed Victorian style mantle clocks? Or are you talking the smaller desktop clocks that takes the small clock inserts? I'm also assuming you're interested in selling the clocks themselves and not the patterns. I think you're more likely to sell the small desktop clocks with the clock inserts (like this one). Those type of clocks appeal to people who are looking for gifts. I'd focus on clocks that cater to an interest. Dog breeds are always popular, cats, golf, sports, cars, motorcycles, and hobbies. Also, sports silhouettes with a jersey number next to it will be popular with proud parents. For generic ones, I'd have one or two (or more) available. For specific/custom ones like dog breeds or sports w/ jersey number, I'd make a sample and take custom orders. I wouldn't count on cutting anything while there. You'll be too busy talking to customers. If you like more detailed mantle clocks, I'd do a few. You might sell one every once in awhile, but more often than not, they make great eye candy to bring the customer in the booth. Once there, they're more likely to purchase a smaller, cheaper clock. If you don't have it already, I'd recommendMiniature Wooden Clocks For The Scroll Saw. Variety is the spice of life. I'd have lots of things for folks to look at. Make sure they know you take custom orders too.

I look forward to seeing what you come up with. A couple years ago, I carved my own pipe. I might carve another one this spring and would love to have a hancrafted stand too.

Those are really cute. You did a good job on them. Usually bees wax and oil are mixed into a paste for a food safe finish. It just depends on how eco-friendly you want to get with your finish. Bees wax and jojoba oil are a popular combination for toymakers on Etsy. People use jojoba oil because it's a natural oil (unlike mineral oil which is a byproduct of refining petroleum, which isn't a renewable source). Here's a video on making this kind of bees wax paste: Here's a couple more sources for ya too: An article by Amber Dusick w/ recipe on how to make beeswax/oil polish: http://www.amberdusick.com/woodmouse_lo ... ecipe.html A nice article on some natural finishes for toys: http://www.make-baby-stuff.com/natural-wood-finish.html

If your cutting 2x, I'd suggest either a #5, #7, or #9 Scroll Reverse blade from Mike's Workshop. Have you thought about cutting 3/4" poplar? Its pretty cheap, found in any big box store, and it cuts really nice. I think it works great for lettering. It also takes paint really well. I usually cut 3/4" with a #5 scroll reverse.

I'm just guessing here, but I would make sure to dry it slowly. Paint the ends of the log with some latex paint. That forces all moisture to escape through the bark, which is a slow process. I think it takes a year or so to dry this way. I'd Google drying techniques that wood turners use since they often like to retain the bark for natural edge bowls. I think some species shed their bark easier than others, so that might make a difference too.

Thanks, Clayton. It looks like I got credit for the purchase. That's awesome. That really helps me offset the costs of running SSV. I appreciate it. Have fun playing with the new saw! I look forward to seeing your first project on the new saw.

Congrats, Clayton! That's an awesome Christmas present for yourself. Its nice when your hobby can buy you some new tools.

If you're looking to adjust the font on your screen, press CTRL and the Plus key. To shrink is CTRL and the Minus key. To reset to default, CTRL and the zero key. If you're just looking to do the forum font size, there's an icon right above the Logout button by your name (upper right corner in the tan bar). The icon looks like an A with a couple arrows on each size.

I use the Craftsman 16" too. I clamp it down to the table and that cuts down the vibration. I would love to have a nice scroll saw, but my old Craftsman works fine for me. Stack cutting is probably your best step. Don't get it too thick or the flex of the blade will cut the top different than the bottom (especially if you have a tendency to put too much side pressure). I keep mine around 1/2" thick. I use box tape to cover the fragile areas (you can add to the bottom too). That adds a fair amount of support. Try to keep the pieces that would normally fall out and tape them back in. That adds more support. Its a bit tricky when stack-cutting though. I always work center to edge. Cutting the smallest areas first before moving onto the larger areas. With really tricky areas, I make sure I have been at the saw long enough to "warm up" my skills. I'll even change to a new blade to make sure I have maximum control. And lastly, don't be afraid to fudge the lines a bit. I'm guessing if the pattern you have has that many fine areas, the lines don't have to be precise to make the picture work. Feel free to thicken up the bridges a bit but cutting 1/8" inside the line. You can also enlarge the pic to get thicker bridges too (ie 8x10 to 11x14).

My understanding is fretwork refers to any design with interior cuts. Usually these designs have a geometric or patterned design. Many Victorian designs are fretwork. However, nowadays, fretwork and scrollsawing are used interchangeably.

Get Mike's Sample Pack: http://www.mikesworkshop.com/AssrtPk.htm My workhorse is the #3 Scroll Reverse. I use a #5 Scroll Reverse on 3/4" stock. You might want to try a #3 spiral...some people love them, others hate them. I only use the spiral on portrait style cuttings that have lots of wavy lines. Mike's sample pack includes the #3SR and the #5SR. Just ask mike to send a sample of the #3 spiral (He'll usually include a sample of 2 blades if you ask).

Nobody said hobbies were cheap. They're a money pit. Good thing they're so much fun. If it makes you feel better, my dad's hobby is fishing. He has a $30k boat sitting in his driveway that he puts into the water 4-5 times a year.

I dug out my FD#1 last night and had the same problem. I just felt the blade the best I could and hoped for the best. I've been finding that I enjoy the FD Puzzle Blades the most with those tight cuts. They're pretty aggressive, but I'm stack cutting and that helps.

Hi Ricky. Here's a tutorial that should answer your questions. Enjoy! viewtopic.php?f=11&t=1350#p7829

Is this what you're looking for? http://scrollsawworkshop.blogspot.com/2 ... croll.html

Hi Asterios. Welcome to the Village. We're glad you found us. Lots of friendly folks here to talk shop with. I think you'll enjoy it. Anyway, welcome aboard. Jump in and have some fun!