scrollin'fool

hello mr. from UK welcome to the site! YAY for the English!

I am delighted with my dewalt scrollsaw type 788 made in taiwan. when life seems tough and the birds are crapping on the car again, my dewalt type 788 scrollsaw made in taiwan never ever fails to do as I wish. she is quiet, never arguing or even murmuring in her sleep, submissive to my every wish. she doesnt mind getting a little dirty for me, even humming sweetly when I am demanding much of her. she is so quiet I dont think the neighbors even know I keep her in my bedroom. she is always brightly dressed in her finest yellow frock and her table really enjoys swinging out with me for beveling little toy sailboats. I feel relaxed and comfortable when nestled in her arm. she complained not one jot when I deflowered her of her silly little finger guard, and has never even dreamed of biting me. I only wish I knew where to lubricate her holes when she is getting dirty for me. yes, she was expensive at first (I paid 350 for brand new!) but we've spent many happy hours together already, and she never complains that I dont take her out enough. I must admit I am worried about changing her bushings when her times comes. there is probably a youtube video available on how to do just that. In short, Bertha is a good and true friend, worth every penny I spent on her. I recommend this scrollsaw most wholeheartedly.

Im afraid I dont know where you can get this product but maybe if you post this thread a few more times someone here might be able to help you

Im sorry for posting here, as I really dont know anything about this topic I just wanted to point out that its fun to say the words self stick shelf liner three times really fast

yeah my dog would eat that

higher humidity makes the grain stronger drier wood cuts easier

I just wanted to say congratultions and thank you for choosing to use more recycled wood instead of new good luck with the metal detector

the King got Excaliber from some watery tart

lol! which would not be too easy anyway, with blood dripping all over the attachment screws

it seems I'm not the only one who feels that the scrollsaw is a very safe tool. and yes, those toy banjos are my own design. all the toys Ive made, and will make, are of my own design. these toy banjos were for the crowd at the philly folk festival, and thats the philly folk festival banjo face painted on the drums. they dont actually play, I couldnt get the strings tight enough. but theyre made entirely of recycled materials, and they were only ten bucks each. pity Ive got about 22 left. I only made a hundred bucks from them so far.

maybe because I am the scrollin' fool, but I am beginning to believe that someone would have to actually force their finger on purpose against the blade to hurt themselves with a scrollsaw while cutting wood. I dont use the finger guard. I dont wear special eyeglasses. I sometimes get to work just minutes after awaking. at times I am working on cutting tiny little parts with my face just inches from the blade. Ive have two scrollsaws and have been using them for fourteen years now, and have never once hurt myself with the scrollsaw. I've sometimes hurt myself with the other tools I use to make the toys, but maybe someone out there can set me straight. maybe I am just lucky with this craft. has anyone here ever hurt themselves with a scrollsaw while cutting wood? maybe a few scary stories will set me back on the straight and narrow.

thanks for all the replies I'll have to pick up some and try them. and when youre using nothing but scrapwood that people have thrown away, you often find some festhering no matter what blade youre using. especially softwoods.

I saw in a book that regular emery boards can be used to great effect as sanding tools when attached to the scrollsaw as a blade. has anyone here done this? goes it work and are there any general tips on how to do this?

the IRS can have all my sawdust if they pay for postage

if youve got allergies in your ears you got a lot worse problems than keeping accurate notes of saw blade history. but now you mention it, it might be a good idea to start something like that

wow, how can you scroll in that kind of heat? good luck with the new arm and the puzzles

YAY, now the fun can begin. the beginning of a project is always so exciting. good luck

dude, you need ALL the blades! all the blades that olsen makes are for intricate work. some are for straight intricate cuts, some are for curves, some get rid of the feathering, and those spiral blades are great for intricate curves, too, and can gives great results on some kinds of work. the blades are pretty cheap,too, so if you invest thirty or forty bucks on an array of blades, you will be prepared for anything you decide to make.

that is interesting. seems like craft supplies are pretty rare in Ireland. you may find it interesting that in america, where I am, there are many many craft stores. why, there are two stores devoted just for crafts within five miles of me right now. and theyre huge! its kind of like a large supermarket when you enter, fairly overwhelming in fact. please do not think I am trying to put america over Ireland in any manner. I'd pack up and head for the bonny green isle in a second if I could. folks are real friendly over there, from what I hear. besides the food, its probably one of the best places to live, expecially if you like Celtic music as much as I do! say, what kind of beer are you drinking over there now? a nice cold Guiness Stout, or Beamish? maybe youre into scrumpie?

one of the most rewarding perks of scroll-sawing is the smell of freshly sawed wood. many woods smell good to me, but I am wondering, what is YOUR favorite smell of wood? with so many experienced soul-scrawlers here, some of you might have experienced some delicious smell from some wood I dont know about. so far in my life, I'd have to say Cedar smells best.

yes, I too am interested in using those cloth dyes for staining birch tongue-depressors to make some of those scandanavian christmas tree decorations I saw in 'fun and easy scrollsaw projects' by spielman. the book says to use boiling water to mix the dyes, but Ive also heard about vinegar. havent tried the stuff yet, because I dont plan to make those christmas tree decorations until this fall. I am guessing that they give a nice bright color when done properly, as those pictures above me show clearly. I hear that the process stinks badly. I am also of the opinion that a nice light coating of polyurethane after the dye has dried would look very nice. yes, to the DOn Knots look-alike above me, I can really understand what you mean about untreated wood selling better than any kind of treatment, even just poly. mothers, I think, dont want their kids putting any kind of chemically-stuff in their mouths, and we might as well accomodate that wish. I guess untreated wood is more hygenic? who knows?!

thanks again, everyone, for all those comments of support and welcome. you make a fellow feel right at home real quick here. ah, to Kevin, the famous Sargent Schultz look-alike, yes, walking this dog is like sailing with strong and unpredictable tidal currents, pulling every which way on mere whims. fortunately, at only ninety pounds, hes a lightweight malemute

thanks everybody! yeah, Meflick, I understand what youre saying, and its what a number of other people have told me so far. the thing is, I like that feeling I get when some kid sees the bargain. as long as I can make a decent living, I'd like to make as many people as happy as possible. I'm just weird that way. call it socialism. Avanti Popolo!

Hello! I am Josh and I am scrolling full time now, trying to make a spartan living from making old fashioned wooden toys and musical instruments from scrap wood and selling them at fairs and festivals. Ive been scrolling for fourteen years now but only last March, I was fired from my substitute teaching job here IN philadelphia (too much arguing with the principals) and decided to try to start my own small business. So, I put money from the unemployement compensation office towards a brand new dewalt 20" scrollsaw and a nice belt-sander. I used to have an old scrollsaw from the 1940's called "the Driver" but it broke a few years ago. Anyway, my philosophy right now is to make as many nice toys as possible, and then to sell them at prices which are dirt-cheap. this way, I can be reasonably assured that I will sell-out at a show, thus giving me a set, predictable, albeit low, salary. Since march, I have made: 36 parachute men, with real chutes that work($3) ; 25 magic wands that dont work but look good ($6) ; 52 toy jets (phantom F4's, F16's and Mirage 2000's,) at six bucks each; 32 bamboo cannons (I had to make the springs which make them shoot); bamboo flutes ($10); toy shields for snowball fights; some pretty magic amulets; pencil-helicopters ($5); some decorative pieces like bunnies and flowers; dollhouse bookshelves (full of tiny books), and right now I am working on toy banjos. The philadelphia folk festival is coming up, and I want to have 36 toy banjos all ready in the next three weeks. they are so much work, though. I often find that I am working twelve hours a day. fortunately I have no other social or business obligations, besides walking the dog. I just hope I can make a decent living doing this work. all I need is about 1300 a month, to cover all my expenses. I hope to begin some highly decorative christmas and hanukah ornaments this autumn, and with any luck, by the time the unemployement compensation ends, I will be taking in a good amount of money from those ornaments. besides this work, I enjoy hiking with the dog in the woods, cooking and baking , reading, mostly old horror stories, and music. I hope to learn a lot from this site, and be able to share my own small experience with all of you as well. cheers! the Scrollin'Fool! (Josh)

Hello Jean Claude I am new here too, but I want to welcome you here all the same. I was also a pastry chef and baker for a few years, and now that I am scrolling full time, I noticed that there are many similarities between scrolling and pastry work. the embellishments and attention to small details are very similar in both trades, and I am sure you are a great scroller with all your experience in food. just dont try to cut the cake with the scrollsaw! it doesnt work too well!