I finished two (Stack Cut) Easter - He Is Risen" pattern by Keith Fenton. I used 1/4" Baltic Birch plywood for the face and 3/8" for the backer. Cut on the Pegas Scroll Saw using Pegas #1 MGT blades. The backer is stained black. The finish is one coat spray Shellac as a sanding sealer and two coats spray Lacquer Clear Satin with sanding between coats. Comments welcome.
Welcome to the forum from Tennessee. I would recommend the Ex21 as I have the 30th anniversary edition and it works great. As a Pegas dealer, I recommend Pegas, but the price on the EX21 is worth it.