Travis

I would say that's just right. You did a great job on it. One thing to do before cutting it out, print your pattern full size and closely look at it. Is there any areas that are too tight for you? If so, circle the area with a red pen, then go back and fix the potential problems. If everything looks OK, cut it out. I look forward to seeing the finished project.

I don't bother finishing the edges. Most of the time, people don't even notice the edges. They're too busy looking at the picture you just cut. Plus I like the look of the plywood. To finish, I just put on a clear coat of acrylic spray and back it with black felt. Then I usually frame it (behind glass).

I've seen some of his patterns. Amazing talent. I'm sorry to hear he's not with us any more. My thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time. Thanks for the update.

15yo is pretty old. Even unopened in the box, I'm sure after 15 years things will deteriorate. I'd also shoot Hawk an email. See if they have the manual for something like that. See if it has the same bells and whistles as well as replacement parts. I'd certainly wouldn't buy it without a test drive first. Also, check eBay's ended listings and see what they have sold for in the past.

Hi Huseyin. Welcome to the Village. We're glad you found us. Lots of friendly folks here that are willing to help out. If you have any questions, please ask. Welcome aboard. Jump in and have some fun!

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

Hi Martin. Welcome to the Village. We're glad you found us. I agree, you're never too old to learn anything. I think that's one of the joys in life. You can check out this site: http://www.stevedgood.com/school/sss.html Its a video tutorial giving you the basics on the scrolling hobby. You can also check out his other videos and videos from others on youtube. That should give you the confidence to jump right in. Even though it looks difficult, its really easy and produces very impressive results. So I'd say, jump in and try it. When you get stuck, ask some questions. Scrollers are very friendly and willing to lend a hand. Anyway, welcome aboard. Jump in and have some fun!

Hi Roy. Welcome to the Village. we're glad you found us. I think you'll have a great time with your new hobby. Its amazing what a simple tool can accomplish. Anyway, welcome aboard. Jump in and have some fun!

Great resource. Thanks for sharing!

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

I'm not a photographer, but I think where you'll want to watch is the color temperature of the light. Most regular bulbs throw off a yellow light, whereas daylight is a bit more blue, florescent can be green, etc. So I'd try to use all the same kind of bulb. Then look to see if your camera has a white balance. If it does, hold up a piece of white paper and white balance off that. that will correct the color when taking a pic. I use those cheap clip on shop lights (they cost about $9 each). Then get some daylight bulbs. I do a basic 3 point lighting setup. One light shines on the subject and spills to the background (more on background than not, or you can backlight the object). One light on the product, then a fill light from further away to soften the shadows.

Hi Sam. Welcome to the Village. We're glad you found us. It sure is nice to sell a few things to keep yourself in saw blades and buy an occasional tool. Plus, people want your stuff, so that's reaffirming. Anyway, welcome aboard. Mump in and have some fun!

Hi Mario. Welcome to the Village. We're glad you found us. Lots of friendly folks here to talk shop with. Welcome aboard and jump in and have some fun!

I've done that more times than I'd like to admit.

Hi John. Welcome to the Village. We're glad you found us. Lots of friendly folks here. I think you'll fit right in. Welcome aboard. Jump in and have some fun!

Did you use the Trace Bitmap option (Path>Trace Bitmap)? You'll need to convert it to a vector file first. Then you can change the color.

This is the one reason I haven't decided to sell toys. I really enjoy making them, but handcrafted toys might become obsolete. Keep an eye on http://www.handmadetoyalliance.org/ This is the group that is lobbying to keep the CPSIA from shutting down small-run toymakers and cottage industries. They have a Facebook page that I like to watch that has updates. I know some things were passed recently, but I don't know the details. I think the law goes in full effect in October (but I could be wrong). Another place to get your questions answered is on Etsy. Lots of people make their living by making stuff for children. So, naturally, its a big concern. http://www.etsy.com/teams/7722/business ... ype=titles

I agree, your booth is nicely laid out. You can see easily what you have to offer. Some booths are so crowded or organized in such a way that you're not sure what they have to offer. I'm glad to hear you did well. Keep it up!

Here's a list of software: http://www.scrollsawvillage.com/wiki/in ... e=Software Check the Resizer section at the bottom. It looks like there's 3 options.

I have a few articles on my blog about home-made scroll saws. Perhaps one of them will work for ya: http://www.scrollsawgoodies.com/2009/03 ... nder-tool/ http://www.scrollsawgoodies.com/2008/08 ... croll-saw/ http://www.scrollsawgoodies.com/2007/12 ... croll-saw/

I think one thing to watch out for in car wax is to make sure it doesn't have silicon. My understanding is that when wood comes in contact with silicon, it will inhibit glues, stains and finishes.

Howdy All. I've been working on a new website; How To Design Scroll Saw Patterns (http://www.designingscrollsawpatterns.com) Quite honestly, its the exact same information as provided in the Village University. So why create a new website? There's a couple reasons: [*:3d001upx]First, I wanted a more pleasant presentation of this information (It looks pretty. ). You'll find the layout much easier to read and view the videos. The illustrations in the written instructions are also easier to see. I think the navigation is much easier, moving from one lesson to the next. [*:3d001upx]Second is for search engine purposes. While the lessons in the Village University do show up in search results, this new site is better optimized for search engines. Hopefully this will make the information a bit more visible. At the end of the day, I really want people to find these lessons and learn to create their own patterns. I think it adds a whole new dimension to the scroll sawing hobby. I'm proud of the lessons, and I want to share it with as many people as possible. I added a couple new features to the new website. At the top of each lesson, I've added links for you to download the actual video file (I also have listed them here in the Village University). I get a lot of requests for this option, and I find it easier to provide a link rather than explain how to do it. I also have a link to the written instructions in PDF format for you to download (I'm still working on that. I'll also provide the links in the Village University when they're complete). Many people find it easier to print the instructions and follow along with a hard copy. Just to be clear, the information in the Village University will remain there. I'm not closing that section down. All classroom discussions and questions from How To Design Scroll Saw Patterns will still be directed to the Village University forum. So there you have it. The new website. If you have your own website, feel free to link to http://www.designingscrollsawpatterns.com (it would be most appreciated. ). If you know anybody who wants to learn to make their own patterns, please direct them there or to the Village University. Enjoy!

I use Johnson Paste Wax too. I do it mostly for the slickness. I also add the wax to my wood zero clearance inserts too. I find it helps with the friction. I suppose it depends on how often you use your machine. If you use it all the time, I think 3-4 weeks sounds about right. I'd just do it as often as you feel needs it. Between applications, you might want to clean off the previous wax with WD-40 and a scrub pad. The wax will attract fine dust and over time will make it a bit gritty.

I agree with Dan. Blade speed is really dependent on your own comfort. Its not a big deal to have the blade speed turned down while cutting. The only thing to watch out for if you are scrolling at a slower speed is make sure you're not putting too much side-to-side pressure on the blade. Sometimes, I'll release the pressure on my project to see if it springs back. If it does, I know I'm putting too much pressure on it. The blade will do the cutting, you're job is to guide the project. The type of blade, material, and thickness of your wood will also make a difference on the blade speed. Here's a quick rundown on what I do: I keep my saw at lower speeds when: [*:177s4arl]cutting thin wood [*:177s4arl]cutting lots of detail [*:177s4arl]sharp corners [*:177s4arl]want to be extra careful. I speed it up when: [*:177s4arl]cutting thick wood [*:177s4arl]cutting dense wood [*:177s4arl]cutting long lines or curves [*:177s4arl]roughing out shapes [*:177s4arl]I'm impatient.

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