FrankEV

David, Try this. On some scrap ply, draw some free hand variopus size round, oval, irregular and some other shapes for cut out. Drill blade holes, and position the cut area directly in front of you just like when using a straight blade. Hold the work with both hands on either side and try to gently proceed the blade to the cut line allways starting in the same direction. I always go counter clockwise aroung the cut as this works best for me. Let the blade gently follow the line controlling the slow movement with both hands. I find I almost need to "think" which way I want the blade to go to help my hands (something like how the mind controlls the hands when playing on a Weegee board). I will often stop and and reposition the work if the line I'm following goes straight away or towards me as I find this is the hardest to controll. I'm much more comfortable when the blade is traveling somewhat sideways along the cut line. Although the aim is to follow the line, I tend to err towards the waste side of the line as I can allways go back and shave off as necessary to get back to the line...this takes gentle hand control and practice also. It won't take much practice to learn to control the spiral blades. Then select an Animal or bird Pattern with 300+ holes and by the time you are done you will be a master...guarenteed .

I guess after talking about cameras on smart phones, I just found your statement "Older Technology" amusing. Wasn't ment to be derogatory at all. I totally agree, simple is often better.

This is the way I do it from my android phione, very simple. Assuming you do have a PC USB to Phone cord, with both the PC and Phone turned on and the cord connected to both just bring up two separate File Explorer windows. In one, open your file where you want your photos to reside. In the other find your phone listed in the left hand column...usually under "This PC" and click on it. Your phone may or may not have an SD card, if it does click on"Card" , if not Click on "Phone". A list of folders will apear, clic on" DCIM". Another list of folders will apear click on "Camera". A listing of the Photos that you have taken will apear listed as .jpg's. I sort by date so you can fingd the latest you just shot. At this point you can just drag and drop (Copy or Move) the photos from your Phone to the folder in the other Explorer window on your computer. However, here (on the phone) if you click on your photo, it will open in "Photos" editor where you can crop, rotate, etc. After croping I "Save a Copy", renaming it and saving it in the photos folder on your PC. I know there are other ways this can be done, but this works for me. Not sure if all is the same if you are using an IPhone, but the procedure shoud be similar. Someone else may be able to verify that.

I think you did a fine job with the spiral blade....it looks great. I enjoy, and i'm getting quite comfortable with, spirals for portraits, especially of birds and anamils. Feathers and fur don't need straight lines . For straight lines, smooth curving lines and most font (block or script), I much prefer the standard type blades.

I'm catching up with him also...78 and getting older every day. That is a beautiful job on that BD card. He will really love it, I'm sure. Unfortunately we here on this side of the pond are still on the feet and Inch system and I could not visualize 24cm X 22CM, so I had to use my converter software to get 9 1/2IN x 8 3/4in.

A colored backer is nice but I agree with RabidAlien, I think a darker backer would read much better.

Great Idea. Sure wish I could do something like that in my front yard. Not in my neighbohood. Need to get a permit to even have a yard sale and can only do a few a year.

This is what I did not want anyone to think when I offered these suggestions. As I said, MOST will not have a digital camera, tripod or photo light sourse. However, with a few simple considerations many can do some things to make a posted photo much better.

This subject is not about doing Scroll Saw work itself. It is about taking photos of your work to post in this forum, especially in the Bragging Rights Forum. I love looking at the work of others. The photos can be as informative, if not even more so, than the write up about the piece. However, when the photo is taken on a busy cluttered background, too dark, skewed, or shown in an unfinished condition, I just want to scream. Please do not think I’m on a rant here, but would just like to offer some suggestions for consideration: 1. You can easily and cheaply purchase a large plain white poster board to use as a background or a roll of white backdrop paper. a. Most of our projects will fit within the size of a large inexpensive poster board. b. If possible hang the poster board so the wall hanging projects can be hung vertically, without any tilt or skew. c. Before posting, crop the photo to eliminate any excess area included in the original photo. d. White roll backdrop paper can be found in places like Hobby Lobby or Michaels and is used to shoot photos of projects that sit on a surface by draping the paper over a combination of a vertical and horizontal surface (like a chair). 2. Try to shoot the photo with indirect natural daylight if possible. a. Don’t use a flash as you will get to much bounce back. b. Don’t use a household incandescent light source as this will change the color of the wood in the panel. c. You can use the ISO setting to shoot the photo in low light situations. 3. Most of us will use the camera on our smart phones, but if you have a digital camera and tripod the quality can be much improved. a. Taking the photo with a smart phone is OK, but it is very difficult to frame the image and keep the camera lens square with the project panel in order to prevent skewing the panel in the photo. b. Taking the photo with a digital camera mounted on a tripod will make framing the image and keeping the lens square with the panel much easier. 4. I would much prefer to see finished projects, rather than just a cut panel, in the Bragging Rights Forum. a. A cut panel without a proper backer is not really much to see or admire unless the piece is intended to be open. However, this is most often with thicker wood, not ¼” or less ply. b. Again, even without a frame, if the project will be framed, it is not much to look at. c. There are other forums to show work in progress rather that in Bragging Rights.

I sign and date (month/year) on the back with a wood burning tool.

I've mentioned this in a few replies already. Like a lot of others you can buy the Baltic Birch ply from various sources you can find on E-bay. They are the 12" x 24" panels in 1/8 and 1/4 thicknecess by the box load. It is OK and I do ues it but I actually prefer to use Columbia Forest Products 5/32 in. or 1/4 in. x 1 ft. x 1 ft. 7 in. PureBond Plywood Project Panel (10-Pack) available from Home Depot with free delivery to your home. They are available in various wood (Cherry, Oak, Mahogney, Maple and Walnut)at a cost about $30 per box of 10 depending on the wood. I typically use Maple and Walnut for the contrast. The Walnut works good when stained with a Walnut stain to get a nice darck rich backer for those portaits like eagles and other anamals. These panels cut well and finish nicely. I always sand my panels with 600 grit paper before applying a shelf liner material that the pattern is then afixed to with spray adheasive. This prevents any material lifitng when the liner material is removed. The liner also keep the top layer from being picked up by the blade. Hope this info was a help.

If you are so happy with the 788, why are you selling it for only $25? OH, maybe yiu are talking about the plaque? Cost for our work is very subjective, what the market will handle and what return you are expecting or need.. You need to ask yourself questions like: How much is the material investment? How many hour to cut? What is my hourly rate? Do I want to make a profit or just trying to get my cost back? Etc.! With regard to the plaque, the scroll work is very nce but the project seems unfinished to me. Backer? Hangers? Frame? Selling for outdoor use...weather proof finish? Panel looks thin for outdoor usage. For example, a backer painted bright orange would look real good. Maybe an Orange Frame also.

Subject outstanding!!!! Cutting beautiful!!! If you add a frame, post a follow up photo.

Your "friend" is definately on the dark side...he will realy like this cut. You did a great job. I'm with your wife on the frame! Just me, but I'm not into the burnt finish Might have been better if just distressed.

Like the song says it 5 o'clock some where...therefore, it is also wine time somewhere! My lady was looking over my shoulder and read it the same way I did at first; coffee "WITH" wine. Took us a double take to read the "UNTIL'. The font for the word until is not, IMHO, the best choice. If you added the extended line before the "u" , had it been at the bottom it may have read better. Capitols for the first letter of each word may have also made it read better. BTW, nice scroll work. Where will it hang...over the coffee pot?

I find spiral blades work great for portraits like the eagles and others, but I just cannot make them work for straight or curved smooth lines, especially when cutting fonts or the like. Thanks

My lady uses a local Chiropractor who is a real nice friendly guy. She has been showing off my projects to him and he wants me to use his watting room walls to display some of my work, which I plan to do. In between other projects I put together a pattern for this 5 1/2" X 21" Plaque to hang in his office. I used two layers of 1/4" thick Poplar. Backer layer painted Black. The small script font is Birds of Paridice Font from dafont.com. Scrollable by just adding a few bridges with Pegas 2/0 MGT blades. Did have a couple of repairable problems that you can see if you look close....on the wall from a few feet away it wont be noticeable. My bigest problem with this plaque was trying to cut toward the ends with the panel rotated directly at my stomach...my arms are really not long enought to see and control the cut. When rotated the other way the panel just cleared the saw but my light arm kept getting in the way. Gotta be more careful about the project size in the future . The second project is a slightly modified Russ Beard Eagle (#1) pattern downloaded from the laibrary. The modification was to eliminate the small frame as part of the pattern and added a little detail to the bottom to make the patten 11" X 14" friendly. Top panel is 1/8" BB Ply and the bottom layer is 1/4 Walnut solid Core plywood staind dark Walnut. Lacquer Finish. Pegas #2/0 and #0 Spiral balades The panel is set loose into a store bought frame from Hobby Lobby. I know, lots of Eagles! Kinda my thing...still have a bunch more eagle patterns waiting.

Yes the answer is to sand before applying the shelf liner. I've forgotten to sand and get the same results. I actuately sand using 600 grit paper to get a very smooth surface. And, BTW, don't forget to remove the sanding dust from the panel before applying the liner. if you don't then it will not adhear very well and will lift. I use the clear shelf liner from Walmart and never have a problem with it lifting from the panel. I do rub it on well but don't try to really burnish it on. I have more problem with the spray adheasive releasing the pattern paper from the liner during cutting small/tight areas. One other suggestion is to remove the pattern and liner in the direction of the grain when possible. Pulling it off cross grain can cause the stringy surface to lift also. And, one more thing. Is the Duck Shelf Liner noted as "repositional". I would not use liner that cannot be repositioned. The adheasive grabs to strongly.

I'm with everybody else...great cutting and very nice subject.

That is absolutely terrific and a very neat idea.

Great job, great subject. Half the size meanes half as much cutting...yeah right!!!!

Am I your Friend?????????? VERY VERY VERY NICE!! I did one early on when I first started scrolling. Ued the actual Bar & Shield pattern and realized after getting started I had floating pieces that I had to glue to the backer seperately. Mine looks good from 20 yards away but up close, not so much. Hangs in my workshop where only I can see it.

Veryy very nice. Horse and dogs, how could it be any better? Just me personally, I think I would prefer a darker contrasting frame. To my eyes the panel gets a little lost in the frame.

I use natural window light when I shoot the pics of my projects on wall in my sunroom. All the pics come out a little on the dark side but if I use flash there is toooo much harsh light bounce back. I need to get a better photo light source. Next I'll be probably have to build a photo studio to take pics of the projects.

Yes, it is only three layers. The center layer seems to be a dense wood celuloise (sp?) material. Cuts relatively clean if you are careful at sharp points. Works well with both regular and spiral blades. I believe the panels are intended for use with Laser cutting equipment. I get them delivered to my home free in boxes of ten from Home Depot. They are called Columbia Forest Products PureBond Plywood Project Panels and come in 5/32" thk or 1/4" thk and are 12" X19". They can be gotten in various woods. I typically use Maple and Walnut. The walnut when stainded with a wallnut stain can be made very dark for good contrast between the top and bottom layers of a project. About $30/box or $3/panel, depending on the thickness and wood type. IMHO it cuts nicer/cleaner and finishes better than BB Ply.