FrankEV

Nice work. Yes, you are being too critical. While under the mag light, every little bugger will be seen. When checking how a piece looks view it from about 4 feet at eye level. If it looks good, it is. We all try for perfection, but none of us ever gets there.

Very nice work. I like the trick you gave in your reply to Marie.

Nice cutting.

I already use the Dremel tool in their drill press. I use my setup for dilling the blade holes in patterns and have posted a write up on my setup previously. I'm happy with my setup but I want a small Drill press for the more normal kind of drilling purposes. I would like to use larger bits to produce more true and accurate perpendicular holes in all kinds of projects. I would like to use Fosner bits, Spade bits as well as regular wood and metal Twist bits.

Believe it or not, after the cutting was finished, the fuzzies were all well sanded off and I even uesd a torch to get rid of those little fuzzies that hide in the small crevices. I have recently found that when using regular rattle can spray primer and paint, it tends to lift more fuzzies that are very difficult to see until the panel is glued to the backer...then it is too late to do anything about them. I found this happened on two different projects now. This dosn't seem to happen when I just apply Artist acrylics. I think I'm going to stop using the rattle can paint on these types of projects and go with the Artist Acrylic Air Brush paints. And, BTW, in real life, unless you get up real close, the fuzzies are not noticeable but I agree that is no excuse. When and where I found the image, there was no indication of who the artist/owner of the image was. Also, anyon can put the note 'Coyright' on sometning, but as you and I both know it is a very expensive to actually copyright something. I may be nieve, but when I find an image on-line that has no protections from being copied, I feel they are fair game to be used, with implied consent, to create a Scroll Saw Pattern from it. My work is a replica of the original Image and not a copy of the original used for some profit or gain. Yes, the Orangy flame color to the background is what I felt it needed. However, in the pic you included, the wings need some fill, like the grey I used, or, I would have to believe the wings and cut out parts of the body is made of clear glass or the like. Just dosn't make sense and dosn't work for me. Thanks for your coments and critique.

Anyone using a WEN 4208T 2.3-Amp 8-Inch 5-Speed Cast Iron Benchtop Drill Press about $110 on Amazon ( A little more at Lowes). I need a small drill press and the WEN would work. My shop is small and a DP can not take up a lot of room. I have found info on a Mini Drill Press that is even smaller then the WEN, at almost the same cost, but reviews were not too great with mfg QC being the major issue. Any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks

Is this what you tried to make (3.5" dia). I think I could cut it using a Pegas #2/0 blade. I would probably use a #2/0 Spiral. May not be able to stack cut more than maybe 2. Christmas Snowflake Ornament Pattern .125 - Good.pdf I

My Box-O-Lanterns and a Hanging Halloween Lantern

Checking your Profile I see you live in Colorado. And given you were a High School athelete in 1958, makes you close to my age...OLD. Why the heck are you still in CO, you too could be a transplant to Florida. I'd welcome a Scoller Neighbor. I'd even bake you cookies at Christmas.

I made four of these large, 7” diameter, Snowflake Ornaments by Steve Good, that I will be giving away to some of my neighbors with my cookie trays that I do each year just before Christmas. We all have carports, and these will be a nice decoration to hang under them. (IMO they are too big for a typical indoor Christmas tree.) To make them I stack cut four pieces of 1/4" BB ply for each half. Cutting with Pegas #5 MGT R was a slow go. Took three blades to complete each half as they got dull quickly. Although I thought I sanded the halves well, after they were assembled, glued and pin nailed together, as soon as I primed painted them, fuzzies appeared. After drying, I had to knock the fuzzies down with my sanding mop, but there are still some visible where the mop could not get to. As the saying goes: “You won’t see them from Brooklyn”. I painted them with a finish coat of Krylon Glitter Shimmer, but the glitter did not show well. Retacked the surfaces and added some “White Body Glitter Powder”, that my lady had, and then recoated with Krylon Glitter Sealer. Now the sparkles are more visible in real life, but not so much in the photos. At least this year I got my Holiday projects completed way in advance. Now I can concentrate on my Art Panels. Comments and critiques always welcome.

I have looked at boat-load of color images. Every color combination you can imagine is out there. This pattern, with its unique border and bright white bacgroud just cries to be seen in color. I don't think I would do much to the dragon, but it is the bacground that needs to be enhanced to make the STORY (we all read into this piece) even better.

Can do later this AM

NO! It is just not a animal I usually associate with Christmas. Donkey - yes, Turkey - yes, Raindeer - yes, Lambs - yes, maybe even a cute kitten or puppy ...but I have never even seen a chicken in a Nativity Scene. Maybe if it was shown in a Roasting pan, I could agree.

You are absolutely correct. It is/was used as a typing shortcut as is often done. No disrespect intended.

Nice Work BUT......A Turkey maybe, but what does a Rooster have to do with Christmas?

I found this B&W image on-line a while ago. There is no Artist, owner or originator listed. The image is a little different with the fire-like border and skyline at the bottom. Not sure if the Dragon is contemplating destruction or guardianship. Anyway, I converted the image into a 11” x 14” Scroll Saw Pattern and have been trying to decide whether to cut it or not for several weeks now. My lady liked the Image but, wasn’t sure the thin linges of the wings were going be seen well against the white background, so I decided to add a second color, Grey, to highlight the wings and other features of the dragon, but still be mainly a B&W presentation. The cut panel is 5/32" thk. Solid Core Birch Ply affixed to a 1/4” BB Ply Air brush painted backer. Small details were cut using a Pegas #2/0 Spiral blade while the bigger cut outs areas were done using a Pegas #1 MGT R blade. Even with the many close parallel line cuts, the cutting was easier than expected. The Panel is set into a museum style narrow, ¾” wide, rail Floating Frame that was also painted black. And as usual, the assembled panel was protected with multiple coats of Deft Clear Gloss Lacquer. I'm tempted to break my own rule of only cutting a pattern once. I think I could do wonders with some coloring...red/yellow flame border, hazy smokey Red/Orange sky background like the city is burning, maybe different color for the wings. Would be a fun project. Comments and critiques always welcome. This project was an example of efective multi-tasking. I was cutting and paintig this project while the glue and paint dried on my Halloween Lantern Project. EDIT: Pattern posted in Pattern Exchange EDIT #2: Patterns posted in Pattern Exchange have been revised and reposted.

I found groups of Halloween images that were available for making papercut lanterns. I put together various images to create scroll saw patterns for a four sided Halloween Lantern with four different sides. I already had some Transparent Orange Acrylic Plastic from my Previous Night Light project that I added the Drafting Velum to, to make it translucent. I used 1/4“ Solid Core Birch Ply. The lantern is 5.5" square by 8" tall (not including the 1 1/2" hight hanging pinicle on top). I used my typical mitered corners construction technique and the box was painted Black inside and out. Not happy with the finish as there are blemishes that are visible in the Photos below. I can't sand and repaint with the plexi in place and the box all glued together. I wanted the lantern to be lit with a battery operated LED light of some kind. I was looking at various products in Hobby Lobby and came across this small ‘Bottle Twinkle Light set with 10 LEDs’ for $2.99. The battery compartment is shaped like a cork for use in a bottle. I drilled a 5/8” dia. Hole in the bottom of the lantern. I inserted it with the Lights bunched up as you can se in the Photo below, so it acted like a lightbulb and is easily inserted and/or removed. Perfect amount of light. I plan to buy some very lightweight Black, 12 to 18" long, chain and hooks for hanging. Comments and critiques always welcome.

I found groups of Halloween images that were available for making papercut lanterns. I put together various images to create scroll saw patterns for a four sided Halloween Lantern with four different sides. I already had some Transparent Orange Acrylic Plastic from my Previous Night Light project that I added the Drafting Velum to, to make it translucent. I used 1/4“ Solid Core Birch Ply. The lantern is 5.5" square by 8" tall (not including the 1 1/2" hight hanging pinicle on top). I used my typical mitered corners construction technique and the box was painted Black inside and out. Not happy with the finish as there are blemishes that are visible in the Photos below. I wanted the lantern to be lit with a battery operated LED light of some kind. I was looking at various products in Hobby Lobby and came across this small ‘Bottle Twinkle Light set with 10 LEDs’ for $2.99. The battery compartment is shaped like a cork for use in a bottle. I drilled a 5/8” dia. Hole in the bottom of the lantern. I inserted it with the Lights bunched up as you can se in the Photo below, so it acted like a lightbulb and is easily inserted and/or removed. Perfect amount of light. I plan to buy some very lightweight Black, 12 to 18" long, chain and hooks for hanging. Comments and critiques always welcome.

A clear Acrylic or Lacquer protective coating should help deter rapid fading. Unfortunately, direct sun will fade almost anything ovrt time. If you like dying your pieces, there are wood dyes available, both in powder and liqud forms. I have used them a long time ago. They work like a water based Stain. And, they do rasise the grain requireing additional sanding. Back then, I would coat the dyed project with Poly or Lacquer as a permanent protective finish. Better verity of colors than typical mineral sperit stains.

Very Nice. The cutting looks great and the coloring is spot on. Curious, what is the Backer? Dosn't look like wood. Looks like poster board or the like. Kind of too plain for my taste.

I apologise. I feel when something needs to be adderessed we should not hesitate to say so, and just not want to hurt a feeling. Sorry, but I did see cutting flaws. And, the painting was.... I was just trying to help. Store bought wood is kiln dried. And, that being said, I often find the wood from places like Lowes is not completely dry. Wood cut from a trees localy and not kiln dryed needs about 3-4 years to dry and must be properly stacked so air can get around all the time. Usualy does not happen. If you want good project ready wood, order from Ochooh or the like. You pay for what you get.

Just a 7W equivalent LEd Bulb in a candelabra base.

Just Google. Sorta like if you wanted to cut and color an image of a Parrot...search for photos of parrots to see their real life colors. Then pick and choose your paint colors accordingly. In yor project, you sorta used a flesh tone in the face area. I don't think it was intended to be a cartoon, so it just is not the color I would chose to use there.

A couple of things. I'm not a puzzle make. But, for what its worth, someone on here recently mentioned some mfgr makes a puzzle blade. I know nothing more. I think you really need to concentrate on your cutting skills. I see too many cutting boo-boos. Turning corners is tough to do cleanly, but it is a must for this kind of work that you have attempted. Slow down YOU and the saw speed. And, ofcourse, don't push and do use sharp blades. Then, the paint work is poor, and that is being kind. Not sure what wood you use, but it seems the pieces were not sanded adequately before you painted. If the wood is very grainy, soft or porus, a prime coat, sanded smooth, is needed befor painting. For small pieces like these I might use the small artist spray cans that come in many colors rather than brush work that just can't get the look you were after. As I said, I'm not a puzzle maker, but would think if pieces are to be painted, all surfaces of the individual pieces should be painted. Don't really know what the protocol is. I hope you take my critique without offense. I think the project is very unique and could be outstanding. Your attempt and decision to scrap is/was very brave. BTW, small pieces of solid wood, if not dry, can be further dried in a microwave. Thirty secons on high, let cool 5 minutes, repeat until dry. Really need a moisture meter to know. To be considered dry, moisture content should be under 7%.

I guess Square Jack O Lantern would have been a better name.