EarltheScroller

Geez, I could have whipped that thing out in a couple of hours! What took you so long? Ha, Ha, I lie a lot, too. That is a beautiful box and I can't believe how long it would have taken. Great job.

Beautiful work.

Not sure if this should go in the Atheist thread but figured it might get lost there. Here is my contribution to that thread. I chose Casey's design but I might still do Don's. Moderators can move this. Somebody can also put the design in the appropriate place. Thanks.

Yes, please, let's just discuss different ideas for scroll sawing and keep quiet with all the editorial comments about religion or non religion. Our challenge was to come up with different scroll sawing ideas for all religions or non-beliefs. Anybody here of other religions than Christianity? I'd love to see your ideas, too.

Casey & Don, I like them both. I will be travelling for a week and when I get back I will cut one or both of them. Thanks for the ideas.

Boy does that ever sum it up. That's the best idea I've seen floating around for selling at craft shows.

It's too bad I just don't have the where-with-all to design a plaque. If I could it would include a modernist graphic of two or three people with each other and the saying: " Humanism: Because all we have is each other. " Any takers? If I like the idea I'll cut it and post it here.

Most people (including my wife and I) go to craft shows to find unique things at low prices. They won't leave orders because they are buying on impulse. Similar to intarsia in being labor intensive, I create pine needle baskets, often with fret work bases or lids. I used to sell them at a gallery for $100 and up. Now I sell them at craft fairs for 1/3 or even less...offering "unique things at low prices." Others who make similar items have gotten upset with me because I am selling art at craft prices. But I love making them, end up with boxes of them and want to move them to make more of them. I may be selling at bargain prices but I usually end up making several hundred dollars at each show, which gives me the $$ to feed all my hobbies. At 76 I'm just not into the art for art's sake anymore. I have no argument with those who will disagree with this...just presenting a little different approach to think about. On edit: one more thing to think about. My wife used to get upset when I would take things off the wall or baskets we were actually using, dust them off, and sell them. I always say if she or I like it enough I can make another one for us. It's actually sort of nice to get rid of some of those things and put fresh new stuff on our own walls. Again, just another point of view.

I like it!

Wow!!! Great job. I would love to be the owner of one.

Good idea, Travis. I'll have to put some thought into that.

I think you have put it best and most clearly. While there are a few aggressive and evangelistic atheists or agnostics that really try to convert the religious to non-religious most of us non-believers feel no need to convert others. I simply have no interest in cutting or scrolling anti-religious themes. However, now you are piquing my interest in doing some positive Humanistic saying.

Very interesting topic. I do think that the absence of patterns for other religions or non-religious is simply the fact that Christianity is the majority religion in the US and the majority of people say they are "Christian" even if they don't practice it. It is always safe to cut out and give or sell a Christian themed piece. This site also seems to have quite a few vocal conservative Christians that post patterns and make comments that support their beliefs. I'm a Humanist so just pretty much ignore those posts or patterns. I guess if there were a whole bunch of us vocal Humanists on this site, then you would see a lot of comments and patterns from us..but I suspect I'm the only one (or one of very few). Most of us that are Humanists, atheists, or non-Christian evidently just don't feel the need to do a lot of sign cutting proclaiming our beliefs or non beliefs. No judgment here...we all do our own thing.

I lived in my RV for several years and packed the DeWalt with me. But I did hesitate taking it out unless I was going to be stationary for a couple weeks. It is heavy. And I always worried about getting it out of whack by carrying it the wrong way. If I were not doing anything really intricate I would sure take a lighter saw along and use it. If I were you, I'd go with the Harbor Freight.

Nice job. I like it.

I've heard a lot of good things about the Polar blades but have not tried them. Guess I'll order some. Thanks, Kevin, for the push.

Somebody actually took advice from a forum? Must be a first. The advice paid off and you created a great looking box. Well done.

That looks like a great stand. It should work well. I have casters on my stand and got the locking ones but have found I don't need to lock them. The stand just sits there no matter how fast I run the saw.

The American Woodworker is a PBS show. Do any of watch it? Husband and wife team and they did scrolling like I've never seen before. I have looked all over for books or patterns like they did and can find nothing. First he cut out a tree life from a large board. First he designated what he wanted to be foreground, put the saw on a 2* angle and cut out the trunk and some of the branches counter clockwise. The angle allowed him to push those pieces towards the front of the board but they wouldn't pop out, giving him a raised area. Then he cut more of those sections clockwise which allowed those piece to push toward the back but not pop out. Finally he cut other piece at 0* which came out completely leaving a void. The result was a 3-D effect. Then she cut her tree of life out of four layers of 1/2" wood. The first layer was the foreground, the second layer the middle ground and finally a third layer that was the background. So the tree was in 3-D with branches of leaves in each layer. Finally she painted a sort o abstract sky and ground on the fourth backer board, stacked all four layers and had a stunning 3-D tree. Have any of you see these techniques? You can watch the show on your computer here: http://video.wbgu.org/video/2365634080/

You have been busy. Nice job and everybody will love the gifts.

Love it. Nice job.

Have to admit this was my first reaction. Spar varnish is going to be fine but Baltic Birch is not great. I built a small lighthouse to be displayed outside in the hot AZ sun. It's painted so all the edges are will protected and after three years it is literally falling apart. I would use only solid wood or maybe marine plywood if the owner is willing to keep refinishing like an avid boater will do.

Beautiful job. Love the painting.

Thanks, all. I do appreciate all the comments.

I made this sometime ago but thought I would share it as it is one of things I'm quite proud of. The scene is cut from basswood on the scroll saw, then carved and sanded to around 400 then glued to a slab of Walnut.