FEATURES PROJECTS

DEPTS. 40 Toy Race Cor

4 Editor'sNote 12 Wooden Paintings
Leonard Locatis uses reclaimed wood This fun weekend build can be made
6 Letters entirely from scraps
to create depth, dimension, and texture
9 Coming Features
in his portraits By Brad Anderson
10 Reader Gallery
By Hannah Rachel Carro/1
15 Tips &Techniques
17 Product Review
30 Tackling Tough Fretwork
70 Ad Directory
72 Sawdust
Cutting a crazy-delicate piece on TECHNIQUES
the scroll saw? With these helpful tips
and tricks, there's no need to fret 45 Making Turning Blanks
COVER By Rolf Beuttenmuller and Charles Hand on the Scroll Saw
Nine Fun Stocking Spruce up conventional pen designs
Stuffers •• . 26, 28, 40, 33 The Impossible Fretwork with a multitude of accent stripes
45,62 of Fiona Kingdon By Barry Gross
Woodland Magic ..•20, One day, she rescued a scroll saw from
36, 66, WEB the trash. Now, she uses it to make 52 Polka-Dot Bowl
Classic Nativity jaw-dropping depictions of nature
Scene ... 38 Stack and sand colorful rings to
By Kaylee Schofield create a one-of-a-kind addition
Easy-Scroll Christmas
Tree••• 23 to your kitchen
Compound Cut Jewelry
49 The Drum Sander: By Carole Rothman
& Ornaments ••• 28, 62 A Tool You Didn't Know You Needed
Spaceship-Themed Pre-sand blanks or refine scrolled
Puzzles •• .43 projects without breaking a sweat
By Carole Rothman

2 Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts

 PATTERNS
20 Grizzly Bear lntarsia 40
Power carve the fur to add texture to
this fierce face of the forest
By Brad and Hazel Eklund

23 Two-Piece Tree
Ease your way into fretwork with a
festive freestanding design
By Ghylenn Descamps

26 Stylish Fretwork Ornaments

This year, deck the halls with simple
st atement pieces that celebrate brightly 43 Rocket and UFO Puzzles
colored hardwoods Scroll two out-of-this-world designs
By Dan Wilckens for your little future astronaut
By Sarah Lyn Chamberlain
28 Compound-Cut Earrings
Don these decorative baubles and 59 1940s Jeep
look as snazzy as the Christmas tree This intricate WWII-era vehicle
BySueMey is a win for extreme puzzlers
By Eric Van Malderen
36 Bread and Cheese
Practice cutting thin bridges 62 Compound-Cut Ornament
in hardwood with this charming Test your precision on a wicked,
avian duo wire-thin project that pulls
By Fiona Kingdon no punches
By Clayton Meyers
38 Layered Nativity
Start your own traditions with this 66 Buddy the Sparrow Fretwork
stunning take on a classic
German Christmas arch
What this winter bird lacks in size,
he makes up for in personality
72
By Beatrix Brockman By Charles Hand

Find these free extras at

SCROLLSAWER.COM
• Bonus Pattern - Visit our website to
down load the design for a majestic
fretwork wolf.

• Free Projects- For more wintry projects,

visit t he How To section on our website.

• Woodimal Plans - What's puzzle, animal,

and word art all in one? Find out with this fun
freestanding design.

IJ @ @
Search for Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts
on Facebook, Pinterest, and lnstagram

saollsawer.com • WINTER 2020 3

• • EDITOR'S NOTE

Reeping the Shop Lights Burning fN&Odworki

&cRAOQ
i'nnunlheUSA

It seems to be a deep human impulse to meet the darkest Winter 2020

Volume 21, Number4 (Issue No. 8t)
weeks of the year with a combination of color, activity, Internet: Scrollsawer.com
and light. As the days shorten and the air gets colder, we Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts Ma9nine
surround ourselves with beautiful things, craft keepsakes 903 Square Street Mount Joy. PA 17552
Phone: 717·560·4703
for those we love, and leave lamps burning late into the ed1tors~crollsawer.com

night as a reminder of longer, brighter days ahead.

Our Mission
Woodworkers have a head start on all of this. The To promote scrolling as an artform and an enjoyable
strategies the rest of the world uses to ward off the wintry pasllrne- for all ages and all ;kill levels.
darkness are already part of the scrollsawer's playbook- from Pubijsher/CEO .. .. ..•...••... ....... •............ Alan Giagno<avo
collecting exquisitely colored hardwoods, to tirelessly preserving a Editor . . . . . . . . . ••. , . . .. . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . ~ylee Sdiofield
friend's likeness in fretwork, to leaving the shop lights ablaze long Editorial Asslstant ..•••••••...•..•..•........ Hannah Radiel Carroll
Art Director . . .. .. . •• .. .......... ..... ...... .. ........ .Jon Dedc
past the rest of the world's bedtime. And even if the end product Social Media Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . •. Stephame Jordan
isn't perfect or the grand gesture doesn't go as planned, we can Contributing Photographer .................... , ....... Mike M1halo
at least commit to the third and most important act: keeping the Technical Illustrators., ........... •.••.. . ,. Jon Deck, Carolyn Mosher
lights burning anyway with persistence and hope. President/COO, .................... , .......... , ... •, . David Miller
Let the projects in this issue keep your shop alight all winter. Vice President. Sales ...... ......... ......... ..... Mlchele Sensenig
Trim the tree with a quartet of timeless geometric ornaments
(page 26), cut a glorious layered nativity scene you'll never want to Customer Service for SUbscribers
ViSJt scrollsawer.com. caii888·840-8S90,
pack away (page 38), or assemble an array of children's toys that email customerservice@foxchaptlpublishlng.com,
will actually last past the first hour of play (page 40 and page 43). or write Scroll Sow Woodworking &Crofts,
903 Square Street, Mount Joy, PA 17552.
Learn to transform angled rings of hardwood into an elegant vessel
for your kitchen (or someone else's) (page 52), or even brighten a Newsstand Distribution: Comag Mal1<etlng Group
favorite nook with a fierce intarsia bear bust (page 20). Grculation Consultant: National Publisher Services
If you have no idea what to make or where to start, we've Printed by fry Communications

included not one but three artist features in this issue to guide Q2020 by Fox Chapel Publishing Co. lnc.
All Rights Reserved. Printed in USA
and inspire. Read about Fiona Kingdon, who creates otherworldly
Subscription Rates in US Dollars
fretwork on a rescued scroll saw in her Northamptonshire garden One year ................. , ....................... $29.99
shed (page 33); follow Leonard Locatis as he constructs "wooden Two years ............................... ... , .... $59.98
paintings" from reclaimed barn wood on the West Coast (page 12); Canada
One year •.. . •.. .. •.. •.. . .. .. .. . .. .. .. .. .. ••.. $34.99
or get a glimpse into the Long Island father-son team, Par Puzzles, Two years .. .. ••. •.. • •.. . .. . . . . .. .. .. . .. .. . $69.98
who have turned lockdown lemons into lemonade by buckling International
down and ramping up production (page 72). Even in One year ..................... ..... , ............. $39.99
Two years .......... ... ..... .............. ....... 579.98
times of uncertainty, these talented makers kept the
Display Advertising/Classified Ads
shop lights burning, and you can, too. For rates and/or a media kit, please call800·457-91 12,
This holiday season, put your own spin on ore-mail advertising!Lfoxchaptlpublishing.com.
that entirely human response to winter- by Wholesale/Distribution
continuing to create. We will be 5croiJ Sow Woodlvo1kmg &Craftl is availablt to retailen for res.J~
Gn advantageous terms. Conta<t Fox Chapel Pubhshmg Sales at
here in our shop, doing sales@:foxchapelpublishing.com (800-457-9112 x11S).
the same.
Identification Statement Scroll Saw Woodworking &Crafts, vol. 21, no. 4
(WINTER 2020) (ISSN#1532·5091) is published quarterly by Fox Chapel
Happy scrolling! Publishing Co. Inc.. 903 Square Street Mount Joy, PA 17552.
Periodicals Postage paid at Lancaster, PAand add1tiooalmailmg offices.
POSTI.IAST£R; Send address changes to Scroll Saw WoodMrkmg & (!afls,
903 Square Street Mount Joy, PA 17551.
Publication Mail Agreement #40649125
Return UndeliverableCanadian Addr~sses to:
Station A, PO Box 54, Windsor, ON N9A 6JS
shannon,:afoxchapelpublishing.com
ScJQg ... tio.st>fJIION"tdO :>II'OIWIP<t!'ltli'Jr.s.k,•iotttlhu-d!W ~ 11~ ••«iriiOt
Kaylee Schofield, Editor b;lo!tSiltlfs:.,'IOrl!•...,,•!ldo . . . .,.~,.....-..-..,,..._,..,no.~,.Jt.-.a)<OI"'>11"
'<IOIJSI>'...-.i<J"'t >'lb>.IO<I::>o...CCI#,..WJQ;.>~p'f"SJfttf.-Md~l'~
schofield@foxchapelpublishing. eo m l<.Or-lr~· ~,...loo/) .... Mt-«na<rb«<JO «<.f'l fiU!UftOI ...N<IK Ald ... :a
bl~ . f'.i:;t, ...C»''Iptoft;SI.'rt...UO!Itw•ei'IM'UI.,1*If!f

Note to Professional Copy Services: The publisher grants you

permission to mokt up to ten copies for any purchaser of this
magazine who states the copies ore for personal use.
4 Scroll S.wWoodwortdng & Crafts
 I
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scrollsawer.com WINTER 2020 5
 Note from the Editor: During a complicated and
often stressful time, it can be therapeutic to focus your
energy on creative pursuits. In that spirit, we asked
scrollsawers what they've been working on during the
2020 quarantine. Here are some of their responses.

Tree of Life i
The original pattern for this piece, by John Nelson, is
much smaller and cut from one piece of ply. I enlarged
the design and then made the tree, branches, roots,
and frame from two pieces of sapele. I don't remember
how many leaves his pattern had, but I made mine
with 60. Each leaf is made of a different wood species
Greatly enjoyed this one. I modified the found around the world to truly make th is a tree of life.
plans by Dave Van Ess from issue #78. Robert Carpentier, West !slip, N.Y.
Thanks, SSW&C!
Rafael Restrepo, Suba, Colombia
~ Treefrog
I had a lot of fun with Janette Square's project
from the summer 2020 issue (#79). The most
difficult parts were the mouth and legs.
Marcello Martinelli, Modena, Italy

Light the Way ~

I cut the lantern's
details with Pegas
#3 MGT blades.
It's one of my
many quarantine
projects.
Barb Enders, Write to Us! Tell us your
Winnipeg, thoughts on our projects,
Manitoba ideas for new patterns.
scrolling experiences, and
woodworking show stories.
Write to us at: letters to the
Editor. Scroll Sow Woodworking
& Crafts, 903 Square Street,
Mount Joy, PA 17552 ore-mail
editors@scrollsawer.com. You
can also send us your letters and
photos via lnstagram! Tag us
@scrollsawwoodworking.

6 Scroll Saw Woodworking &Crafts

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scrollsawer.com • WINTER 2020 7

• • LETTERS

Surprise
This was going to be the cover
of the guest book for my sister's
baby shower, but because of Covid,
it turned into a cute sign for my
nephew's nursery!
Tr acey Jenning.s, Hudson, NY

'l Bountiful Bowls

1 have been making a lot of bowls with my extra
free time- the more complicated, the better!
Jerrell Sandling, Piano, Texas
'- Ticket to Ride
I made this during quarantine
for my son, who loves to ride his
motorcycle on the open roads in
Alabama. It's from a Judy Gale
Roberts pattern and includes 20
species of wood.
Robert Watts, Stuart, Fla.

~
Sun-Kissed
I made this for a friend during the
stay-at-home order. The tray's rails and
handles are made of poplar, and the
inset is backed with birch ply.
Tint Smith, Middle River, M d.

8 Scroll Saw Woodworking &Crafts

 Crafting Technologies, LLC
Your images - 0 • · A ~ ,. ng Re• ult:.
Formerly CN-RVJNC
., -~ f(""WNC)I.(")('.INt

Lots of updates since we moved online !

We 've added:
-Over 100 differents Fonts Design Studio includes:
......, c: Jtencil Font mg it q . '- · ~ and eastcr to cut Softwares:
Create lt - New Crafting Software
-Change colors of the entire stencil at once (Formerly Coyote Stencrl Shop)
Maybe yoLI ' e ttred of black Me On a Pumpkin - Pumpkm carvmg
-A Transparency slide to "view thru" a stencil The Den - St
to the photo

1•. COMING FEATURES

Baffle friends
with a
snazzy snail
puzzle box.

scrollsawer.com • WINTER 2020 9

• • READER GALLERY

0
Alardus van d en Bosch Somerset, England
Over the years, Alardus van den Bosch has enjoyed
discovering how mixed materials, particularly wood
inlay, can be used in practical and functional ways.
"There is a certain magic to successful design," he
said. "lt turns an object from something nice into
something exceptional." Alardus creates coasters,
placemats, coffee tables, and mirrors. See more of
his work at alardus.co.uk.

0
Ch ris Ruch Ebony, Va.
Ever since moving to
Virginia in 2011, Chris Ruch
said he has been "making
a lot of sawdust." He
enjoys time-consuming,
challenging projects like
this morningside
grandmother clock. The
Dan Wilckens pattern took
Chris 107 hours to complete
and includes nearly 200
pieces. Email him at
lakegastonchris@gmail.com .

0 .. ;
Lauren Mollica Norwalk, Conn.
When Lauren Mollica first started scrolling, her designs were driven by
what would sell. Once her children were in school, she had more time
to explore the subjects she was passionate about. She started creating
stain blends, experimenting with sanding techniques, and hand-chiseling
textures into her designs. "My work has become more of a reflection of
my own creative voice," she said. See her work at laurenmollica.com or
visit @laurenmollicawoodworking on lnstagram and Etsy.

10 Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts

 0
Cassidy Eck Kreamer, Pa.
Cassidy Eck admits she was hooked the moment
she first tried scrolling. Several years later, she's
grown her passion into a full-time sign-making
and home decor business. "Being able to do
something that I love-something that my soul
and mind needs in order to stay sane- while
staying home with my son has been incredibly
rewarding," she said. Most recently, Cassidy has
enjoyed creating ocean-inspired pieces made of
resin. "I love being able to switch back and forth
between the workshop and my resin studio,'' she
said. See more of her work on lnstagram
@stonemillandco.

Jo Labre Racine, Wis. 0

Jo Labre bought her first scroll saw
in 2012 and has since developed a
knack for intarsia work. "The shaping
process is my favorite part," she said.
"I enjoy using flat pieces of wood
to create alluring, 3D elements like
petals or flowing gowns." Jo spent
four weeks shaping her rendition
of Poppies, designed by legendary
Ukrainian artist Anatoly Obelets. To
see more of Jo's work, email her at
jo_labre@yahoo.com.

0
Barry and Gail Hooper Share Your
Somerset, England latest Work!
Barry and Gail Hooper have been making Send a slide, professional
toys in their garden shed for the last 15 print, or digital image
(300 dpi minimum) with
years. The couple's designs are inspired by 100 words about you and
a love for wildlife, play, and educational art. your piece.lnclude your
"We greatly enjoy the process of designing hometown, the name
of the pattern maker,
something that is both functional and and a list of wood and
pleasing to the eye and hand," said Barry. materials used. Send to
Once the designs are complete, they're Reader Gallery, Scroll Saw
handed off to the grandchildren for Woodworking & Crafts,
903 Square Street, Mount
testing. To see more of Barry and Gait's Joy, PA 17552 ore-mail
work, visit thearkman.co.uk. editors@Serollsawer.com.

scrollsawer.com • WINTER 2020 11

 L eonard Locatis believes there's a story
behind every piece of wood, and he
gathers scraps to weave together 'epic tales'
depicting the beauty of the Pacific Northwest.
His wooden paintings feature animals,
people, and notable landscapes- like Mount
Hood and Multnomah Falls- that are not
only visually stunning but pleasing to touch,
blending segmentation and intarsia work to
create three-dimensional designs that seem
to jump off the canvas.

SSW: How did you get into woodworking?

Leonard: I owned a successful remodeling
business for 12 years and it was hard on me,
mentally and physically. I knew I couldn't
continue living that way, and I began to
wonder what I was going to do instead. I had
the opportunity to work on a long-term project
in Sunriver, Ore., remodeling a house for a
friend, and it changed everything. While I was
there, I rediscovered my passion for living. I
started eating healthy food and got in shape.
I spent most of my free time hiking, biking, and
exploring the area. I felt like I could finally take
on the world.
That year, I decided to make
my first wooden painting of
Mount Hood as a Christmas gift
but felt rushed in the process. I
decided to give it another try-
this time, larger and with more
Leonard Locatis uses
detail. I showed the painting
reclaimed wood to create to some friends and they said
depth, dimension, and they thought it belonged on
texture in his portraits
By Hannah Rachel Carroll
Leonard's wooden portrait,
Horse, is fashioned from
reclaimed wood.
(Continued on page 14)

12 Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts

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scrollsawer.com • WINTER 2020 13

 (Continued from page 12)

SSW: How has your

portfolio evolved?
Leonard: The way I view my art
and how I create it has dramatically
changed thanks to a remarkable
moment that happened last year
at an art show. A blind girl and her
mom came up to my booth and
asked if they could feel my work.
The mother guided her daughter
over to my painting of Multnomah
Falls, which the two had recently
visited. The girl's face lit up and
she couldn't get over how big it
was! lt was incredibly moving- the
The first of Leonard's wooden paintings highlight of my art career- and it
of Mount Hood was a Christmas gift. led me to partner with the Portland
Art Museum to plan and host
events for the blind. Now, when
display. The next day, I took it around to local I'm creating a piece, I'm not just
galleries to see if there was any interest. The thinking about how it will look
first gallery I walked into wound up featuring but how it will feel. This awareness
me in their First Friday art walk, and I began my has made the third dimension
journey of telling stories through wood. much more relevant to me and
has made my work bolder and
SSW: How would you describe your more pronounced. Multnomah Falls is 16" by
artistic style? 48" (7.3' by 4? tall.
Leonard: I call my art pieces wooden SSW: Where do you source your materials?
paintings-not because I am painting on Leonard: All of the wood I use is reclaimed and has some history-
wood (although I am), but more so because whether it's from the siding off an old barn or the bed rails of a
I am using wood grain and textures to paint 1950s Chevy pickup.llove the process of cutting and painting, and
a picture. The idea to make art like this came using wood's imperfections and natural beauty
to me during a bike ride up Lava Butte. I was to share my vision with others.
frustrated that the photos I took of the lava
flow didn't look at all like what I was seeing in SSW: What would you say to a fellow artist just getting started?
real life. I thought to myself, If only I could use Leonard: I would recommend learning how to document your
a piece of wood to add dimension and detail journey on social media- this has been one of the most rewarding
to the shot. After that, I started wondering what parts for me. Social media has allowed me to connect with other
everything would look like if it were artists and build community, much like I did with customers from
made from wood. my remodeling business. Don't put so much pressure on selling at
the start, but rather focus on who you will
meet along the way. This mindset has led
me to places I could have never imagined.

For more of Leonard's work,

visit leonardlocatis.com or find
him on Instagram and Facebook
@leonardlocatis.

Leonard blends segmentation and intarsia

to create three-dimensional designs.
At left: Mt. Saint Helens, reference photo by
the United States Geological Survey.

14 Scroll Saw Woodworking &Crafts

 When it comes to shaping intarsia, everyone has a way that
Follow this helpful works best for them. Remember, you're trying to create the
beginner's guide before illusion of th ree-dimensionality using a two-dimensional
diving into the craft medium. Developing your own style is something that' ll
happen over time. Here are a few tips that will hopefully
By Janette Square
make the journey less intimidating.

Traditional intarsia incorporates

shaped pieces of natural hardwood
into a single, dimensional scene.

scrollsawer.com WINTER 2020 15

Plan Your Attack
Before you begin, study your piece and try to envision what
you want it to look like. The thickness of the wood helps to
determin e the percepti on of the viewer. Elements that you
want to appear far away should be thinner and elements
closer to the viewer should be thicker. It's best to leave all
the pieces their original thickness when cutting. You can
thin them later while shaping.
Think of intarsia as sculpting. Some pieces should
blend together and be shaped as one piece. In other areas,
it might be importa nt to have pieces stand oul on their
own. It helps to think of what your subject matter looks You Don't Heed to Round
like in real life. Having reference photos to look at can help.
For blending pieces, use a sanding shim, attachin g it to the Every Piece
back of the cut pieces with double-sided tape. Assemble Some pieces benefit from dips and grooves; some are
the pieces together on the shim and sand them as if they better flat or concave. If you think of contourin g as a
sculptor would, it's easier to envision wh at the final
were one piece. You can also glue the pieces together prior
project should look like. Look at the gray-and -yellow
to shaping. As you shape each piece, it is importa nt to fish above; its fins and individua l face parts are shaped
consider all the pieces and how they relate to each other. separately, but its stripes are shap ed as part of the
This results in a more cohesive look. Stay tuned for a body, as they would appear in nature.
follow-u p article on sanding shims in our next issue!

My Shapin g Proces s
Step Purpose Tool(s) Used

., shape
. ,.
Rough To achieve general overall shape

To go over each piece, remove scratches, Drum sander;

Smooth shape and fine -tune the fit 220-grit

Hand/detail To soften edges, align pieces, and remove Sandpaper

sanding pencil lines and imperfections TIGHT SPACES

To give the pieces a final smooth finish, Mop sander

I've accumulated many different tools over the years
Finish sanding and to create luster for shaping small pieces or tight areas. Rotary tools
with sanding attachments and mini files are great
to add to your arsenal.

Add Depth Janette Square

Risers are great for increasing depth and visual interest. Risers are simply scrap lives in Yachats,
pieces of plywood, usually W' (3mm) to W' (L3cm) in thickness, added to the on the Oregon
bottom of individual intarsia pieces to raise their height. (For more on risers, coast. For more
check out Brad and Hazel Eklund's bear intarsia on page 20.) To successfully ofJanette's work,
visit her website at
create the illusion, you must make sure that the risers do not show. Limit risers
square-deslgns.com.
to inside pieces so that they will not be visible from the sides. If you must raise
an outside piece, do so with matching wood to make 1t less noticeable.

16 Scroll Saw Woodworking &Crafts

• • PRODUCTREVIEW

Coast LED Headlamp

Pricingfor this and
dozens ofother models
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For hands-free The small, lightweight Coast

precision lighting, check headlamp helps with awkward
blade changes and provides
out this affordable fixture supplemental lighting for precision
By Carole Rothman work at the drill press or saw.

Most woodworkers start their work session by occur. The wider beam easily lights up those hard-to-
turning the shop lights on, and end it by turning see pencil marks on dark wood, offering a solution to a
them off. While in the shop, they take the adequacy problem I've had for years.
of the lighting for granted. What they don't realize The more I use my Coast headlamp, the more I
is that even though ambient light may be sufficient appreciate its versatility. It's now a regular player in
for most tasks, it may be inadequate for others, and my lineup, and I can't imagine doing precision work
the supplemental lights attached to many tools don't without it.
always supply light where needed.
Fortunately, I was able to solve these problems The Coast Headlamp is Useful For...
without needing to reconfigure my work area or rewire
my shop; the solution was an inexpensive battery- Following thin pencil lines drawn on darker woods
powered Coast headlamp. While typically associated
Positioning a drill bit whose shadow obscures the drilling mark
with activities such as hiking and camping, this
tool allows me to use both hands in the shop while Cutting detailed fretwork
focusing a beam of light exactly where needed.
Detecting small glue spots and scratch marks on a sanded workpiece
The headlamp is actually hinged for directing the
beam, so that while at the drill press, I can place it Correcting drips, sags, and missed areas while applying a finish
precisely where I want it on the work piece-regardless
of table height and without shadows. It also has three
intensity levels, each of which can adjust from spot to Carole Rothman ofPawling, N. Y., is a scroll saw artist and author
wide flood. At 405 lumens, it is more than adequate for specializing in intricate boxes and bowls. Visit Carafe online at
my needs. scrollsawbow/s.b/ogspot.com, or find her books, Creative Wooden
The hands-free placement of the headlamp makes Boxes from the Scroll Saw and Wooden Bowls from the Scroll Saw,
1t easy to detect and correct finishing problems as they at foxchape/publlshing.com.

scrollsawer.com • WINTER 2020 17

 Build classic pull and push toys with 20 Le.1m how to make 75 simple and
imaginative projects for making wild charming wooden toys using just d
and wacky wooden animals that come scroll saw and a few simple tools. These
alh·e with delightful lifelike motion. toys are so easy to make, your children
Make dinosaurs, kangaroos, ~harks, can help to create and decorate them
ducks, turtles, wolves, and more. With too! Rounded corners, food-coloring
detailed patterns, concise instructions, finishe~, and natural materials make the

and step-by-step color photographs, toys both safe and eco-friendly.

• . _ . these charming projects are simple
enough for even a beginner to complete
Paperback in a weekend.
196 pages • 8.5" x 1 1"
Code: 8442 • $22.99

Making
Making Tiny Toys in ~-.:!'1111~\Jl.L Wooden
Wood Dinosaur Toys
Ornaments & Collectible Heirloom
Accents
and Puzzles
Jurassic Giants to Make and
By Howard Clements
Play Vlitlr
Create charming holiday decorations B} judy and Dave Pctcrson
that double as small toys with this
easy-to-follow guidebook. Full-size Create exciting wooden puzzles
scroll saw patterns and step-by-step and tO) s of dinosaurs to delight a
instructions are provided for 15 -peoal child in your life! Thirty-eight
working wooden toys. A great way to on~mal scroU saw patterns cover all
reuse and repu1pose scrap wood, all of the most popular species, from
scroll saw projects are easy and don't \eloc1raptor and Stegosaurus to
require many tools or materials to Tnccratc>ps and Tyrannosaurus Rex.
accomplish. T'l\0 -pectacular puzzle dioramas
·~ature.J ~aiasaur mama with her
bab1e~. and aT. rex on the attack.
Patterns are also provided for
ea~y-to-cut wooden toys that are
>a:e for little kids who can't play
'1\lth small objects.

----------~---~, \
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' ,------SATISFACTION GUARAN TEE
If, for any rl!ason, at any time, you are less than s.atm..d witlllft'J Fol Chapel Publishing product, simply 1
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ORDE R TODA Y!
Visit us on
800-45 7-9112 • FoxChapeiPublishing.c om
 Scroll Saw Christmas
Ornaments
More Than 200 Patterns
ByTomZieg
From whimsical to classical, disco,er
more than 200 scroll saw projects
for Christmas ornaments to make
your holiday spirit bright! Scroll Saw
Christmas Orname11ts contains a brief
overview on cutti ng
out the ornaments and
easy-to-use
full-size

Paperback
64 pages • 8.5" x 1 1"
Cod e: 1236 • $!US

your saw.

Personalized Scroll Saw Shop Jouma

Perfect for the special scroller in your life, this journal is an excellent
way for them to keep a record of all their scroll saw projects. Also
includes an inside front cover dedication page for the recipient to enjoy
a personalized message from you, or a favorite inspirational quote!

Build Your Scroll Saw Library

Archive issu(~lm~,!IIY E) each!
Visit FoxChapeiPublishing.com
Inside you'll find 14 Christmas ornament and
holiday scrolling ideas by leading contributors
to the magazine, including Judy Gale Roberts,
John A. Nelson, Judy Peterson, Sue :Mey, and
Paul Meisel. Appropriate for all skill levels, each
of their designs features full-size patterns, lists
of tools and materials, and color photographs
of finished projects. :Make memorable holiday
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puzzles, candleholders, centerpieces, and more. Code: 9 326 • $9.99

~~ By Phone: 800·457· 91 12 • Direct: 717· 560·4703

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FoxChapeiPublishing.com Mount Joy, PA 17552 visit our website for actual shipping costs.
 Grizzly Bear Intarsia
Power carve the fur to add texture
to this fierce face of the forest
By Brad and Hazel Eklund

W hen you think of North American

wildlife, what animal first comes to
mind? A regal bald eagle? A sly fox? A wise
that the nose riser sits on top of the snout
riser, which sits on top of the cheek-and-eye
riser. The cheek-and-eye riser then sits on
great horned owl? For us, it's a mighty grizzly top of the larger face riser. An abundance of
bear-and so began the process of designing risers will add extra dimension and drama
our take on this iconic creature. to the face.
While this grizzly is fairly monochromatic,
each feature stands out sharply. Contrasting Shaping and Texturing
varieties of brown wood, such as walnut, Shape the pieces, starting from the outer
wenge, and monkeypod, create a portrait that's edges of the fur and working inward toward
rich in its simplicity. Use of risers accentuates the nose. We used a 12" (30.5cm)-dia. disc
the features, adding depth and interest to the sander with an 80-grit disc to roughly
finished piece. shape the segments. Then we switched to a
6" (15.2cm)-long inflatable drum sander with
Cutting the Pieces and Adding Risers a 120-grit sleeve to refine and contour the
Cover the wood with blue painter's tape. pieces. We moved to a 220-grit sanding mop
Photocopy the patterns and attach them to the to remove any remaining sanding marks
tape using spray adhesive. Cut the perimeter and burrs. Round the nose, snout, eyelids,
lines of each wood type. For example, cut out ears, and other facial elements, tapering the
all of the monkeypod but keep the segments outer edges of the face down to about half
attached to each other. Then cut out the their thickness at the outermost points. Use
negative sections where the other types of a 2" (S.lcm)-long inflatable drum sander to
wood will go. This is useful, as it will keep you give the ears a concave look. Be sure to blend
from having a large number of loose pieces each riser layer into the next.
sliding all over the place and makes test-fitting Add texture. Using a W' (6mm)-long
and adjusting easier. Leave all of the segments drum sander attached to a rotary tool, add
of monkeypod together until all fitting shallow waves to the outermost layer of fur.
adjustments are made. Then cut the pieces Then for the remaining fur, switch to a fine-
apart. Repeat this process for the rest of the grit flame-shape d diamond bit and make
wood types. Then cut the risers, following the shallow lines along the forehead and cheeks
dotted lines on the pattern. to give them a fur-like appearance. Keep
Secure all of the risers on their respective the grooved lines going in roughly the same
sections with double-sided tape; you'll notice direction, following the curves of the face.

20 Saoll saw Woodworking & Crafts

scrollsawer.com • WINTER 2020 21
 -- -- ·
Assembling and Finishing Grizzly Bea r Fac ts
in
Remove the double-sided tape · The grizzly population comprises 50,000 animals
ely 100,000 grizzl y
from t he riser sectio ns and glue North America. There are approximat
the forme r Soviet Union .
bears estimated to live in
and clam p all pieces together
(including risers), starti ng from • Adult grizzly bears can be surprisingly small. On the
y
the cente r and work ing outw ard. eastern slopes of the Alberta Rockies, a mature grizzl
Be careful not to over-glue; you bear can weigh as little as 250ibs.
don't want any excess to squeeze • Grizzly front claws can grow up to 4" (1 0.2cm) in
through the cracks. Let dry. Then lengt h-alm ost as long as human fingers!
trace the outli ne of the assem bly
• The most identifiable trait of a grizzly bear is the
onto your backi ng material with large hump on its shoulders. it's a powerful muscle
a pencil. Cut out the backing used to help them dig out of winter dens, often in
mate rial about Ys" (3mm) in from steep and rocky mountain terrain.
the traced line and glue and clam p • Grizzlies, known to dig more than any other bear
it to the backside of the intarsia species, spend inordinate amounts of time ripping
piece. Finish as desired; we used through the earth and rotted logs in search of roots,
several coats of a clear satin spray. plant bulbs, insects, rodents, and other grub.
Add gloss polyu retha ne for t he ·Grizzly bears can eat up to 90ibs of food each day.
eyes, but you could also use epoxy.
Display as you prefer; we adde d a
sawt ooth hanger to the back.
Materials & Tools
Materials • Wood glue, such asTitebond
·Dark wood, such as black walnu t, lh'' (1.3cm) · Pencil
thick: inner ears, 4" (10.2cm) square • Sandpa per: assorted grits
• Very dark brown or black wood, lh'' (1.3cm) • Finish: dear satin spray
thick: nose and eyes, 2" (5.1cm) square · Epoxy: 5-minute
• Medium dark wood, such asafromosia, Y2" • Hanger: sawtoo th with
(1.3cm) thick: eyelids and under- eye areas, screws (optional)
2" x 6" (S.lcm x 15.2cm)
·Medium light wood, such as ash, Y2" (1.3cm) Tools
thick: snout, 3" x 5" {7.6cm x 12.7cm) • Scroll saw with blades:
·Medium wood, such as monkeypod, #5 reverse-tooth
Y2" (1.3cm) thick: main face sections, 5" x 22" ·Inflatable drum sanders: 2" (5.1cm),
(12.7cm x 55.9cm) 6" (15.2cm), assorted grit sleeves
·Risers, such as tempered hardboard, Vs" (1cm) • Discsander: 12" (30.5cm)-dia.,
thick: nose, snout, and face, sized for pattern 80-gri t disc
·Risers, such as tempered hardboard, · Sanding mop: 220-grit
W' (6mm) thick: cheek and eye area, 6" x 6W'
• Rotary tool with bits:
(15.2cm x 16.5cm)
W' (6mm) drum sander,
• Backing material, such astempered hardboard, fine-grit flame- shaped diamond
W' {6mm) thick: 10" x 12" (25.4cm x 30.Scm)
· Clamps
· Spray adhesive: repositionable
· Tape: blue painter's, double-sided The author used thtse produm for the proJtrl. Subs mute
your choice of brands, tools, and materials os desired.

Brad and Hazel Eklund have been creating scroll saw art for
the last seven years. They have always been fascinated by
l.
the beauty and intricacies ofwildlife and nature in genera
Brod has a degree in horticulture, while Hazel has a degree
in wildlife. They live and work next to a nature preserve
in coastal North Carolina. Find more of their work on Etsy
at EntwoodDesigns.

22 Saoll Saw Woodworking & Crafts

 Two-Piece
Tree

Ease your way into fretwork

with a festive freestanding design B ringing evergreen boughs inside during the
winter months is not a new practice. Versions of
this tradition date back to ancient Egypt, Rome, and
By the Staff of Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts other historic cultures around the world. It makes
Design by Ghylenn Descamps sense, too-when the days are shorter and the garden
Cut by Joe Pascucci has gone dormant, we gather what color we can and
surround ourselves with it in order to stay cheerful.
This holiday season, try your hand at a simple fretwork
tree and decorate it any way you wish. Even today,
depending on where you are in the world, you might
see one adorned with anything from cotton stuffing to
flowers or straw.

scrollsawer.c:om • WINTER 2020 23

 Cutting and Finishing
Cover the wood with blue painter's tape. Photocopy
the patterns and attach them to the surface of the tape
using spray adhesive. If using a material other than
plywood or MDF, make sure the grain runs vertically.
Note: ifyou've chosen 7f' (6mm) wood, use the W'
(6mm)-wide slots on the pattern; ifyou chose W (3mm)-
thick wood, use the %" (3mm) versions. Drill the blade-
entry holes for the stars, and cut the designs, starting
with the interior details. Use a #3 reverse-tooth blade
to avoid tear-out.
Remove the patterns and sand the cut pieces with
an orbital sander, moving up progressively through
the grits until you reach 320. Hand-sand the edges,
removing excess sawdust with a tack cloth. We used
needle files for the stars. Check the fit of the pieces;
if the slots are too small, use sandpaper or the scroll
saw to widen them slightly until they fit snugly. If the
slots are too wide, you will have to secure the pieces
with a small amount of wood glue later. Once you are
satisfied with the fit of the slots and base (the tree
www.westpennhardwoods.com should stand up on its own), separate the pieces and
finish as desired; we used dark green acrylic paint for
1405 Deborah Herman Road
Conover, NC 28613 one tree and left the other one natural, spraying both
828·322-WOOD (9663) with semi-gloss lacquer once dry. Let dry again and
then attach the pieces. Display as desired.

Materials &Tools
Materials
·Wood, such as Baltic birch plywood, Tools
*Improve your saw's performance Ya" (3mm) to W' (6mm)-thick: • Scroll saw with blades:
PS Wood offers scroll saw blades that cut faster, #3 reverse-tooth
easier, and Will not bum the wood!
6W' x 7" (15.9cm x 17.8cm), 2 each
·Tape: blue painter's • Drill press with bit: Yl6"
*Exclusive tooth-and-gull et design (2mm)-dia.
Once you try these extraordinary scroll saw blades, ·Spray adhesive
you'll be "hooked" forever! Experience smooth, · Sandpaper: assorted grits up to 320 ·Sander: orbital
trouble-free cutting through even the thickest of files
·Tack cloth • Needle
hardwoods, and you'll see why these blades
are supreme! ·Wood glue (optional)
*No drifting -We set our teeth both ways, ·Acrylic paint: dark green or color
and insert a raker tooth to ensure perfect tracking of choice The author used these products for the
and clean cuts every t1me. project. Substitute your choice ofbrands,
·Finish, such as clear semi-gloss tools, and materialsasdesired.
*Metal cutting (2/0M. 2M, 6Ml • for cutting
spray lacquer
MIJII ferrous & non-ferrous metals,
precious metals and non-metallic matenals

Blade# Width Thickness TPI Use Price/dz Prlce/100

2 029" .012" 20 1/4" or less $9.95 $6500
.016" 12.5 3/4" softwood $9.95 $6500
5 038" FURTHER
....... READING ····-·····························
7 .045" .017" 11 .5 3/4" to 1 1/2" $9.95 $6500 ...........................
hardwood Beginner's Guide to Kirigami:
.018" 11 5 1 112" to 2 112' $9 95 $6500
9 053" 24 Skill-Building Projects Using
hardwood
12 .024" 9.5 straight-line S995 $65 00 Origami &Papercrafting Skills
062"
cuttm By Ghylenn Descamps
2/0M .022" .010" 61 up to 1/16 $9 95 $65 00
wood & metal Item 00169. Available for $14.99 plus S&H
.028' .013" 30 up to 1/8' $9.95 56500 (parcel post) from Fox Chapel Publishing,
2M
wood & metal foxchapelpublishing.com, 800·457·9112,
SM 039* 020" 20 up to 3/16 $995 $6500 or your local retailer.
wood&metal
1-800-939-4 414 www.pswoo d.cOIII

24 Scroll Saw Woodworking Br Crafts

 Two-Piece
Tree Patterns

r-----------------------------------------
~- ---- -- - --- - --- ------- ---- --- -- --- -------

Ghylenn Descamps is a graphic artist,

photographer, children's book Illustrator,
and author of numerous arts and crafts
books. Always interested in experimenting
with new techniques, Ghylenn is
particularly fond ofworking with paper
in all its forms. For more of her work, visit
ghylenndescamps.com.
 Styl ish Fretwork
Ornaments
This year, deck the halls with simple statement
pieces that celebrate brightly colored hardwoods
By Dan Wilckens

I n an effort to give my tired red-and-green

holiday decorations some relief, I designed
these little ornaments. Colorful and interesting,
they feel festive without overdoing it. (I've had
enough glitter and animatronic Santas to last
several lifetimes!) 1 used hard maple, purpleheart,
padauk, and yellowheart because they combine
to create a nice jewel-toned palette, but you can
use any varieties you prefer-or cut them from
one kind of wood and stain or paint them four
different ways.

Getting Started
Cover each blank with blue painter's tape. Attach
the patterns to the tape with spray adhesive and
drill the blade-entry holes in the waste areas
of each cutout. Then drill the holes for the
fishing line.

Cutting and Finishing

Feed the scroll saw blade through each small hole
and cut along the lines. Make all interior cuts and
then cut the perimeters. When all cuts are made, Stylish
gently remove the patterns and tape. Be very
Fretwork
careful, as some bridges will be extremely fragile.
Sand the pieces with a belt sander or Ornament
handheld sander. Note: You can hand-sand Patterns
in particularly delicate areas, using lOO-grit
sandpaper until smooth. Remove any burrs or
fuzzies and clean up your cuts with an X-Acto
blade or needle files. Apply a finish, following
the manufacturer's instructions; I used a few
light coats of Minwax spray lacquer. Spray each
piece lightly. Let both sides dry completely
before adding another coat. Repeat until you are
satisfied. Thread fishing line through the small
holes and display.

26 SaoiJSawWooclworking&:Crafts
Materials
· Wood of choice, W (6mm) thick: snowflake
and sunrise, approx. 21h'' x4" (6.4cm x 10.2cm);
star, approx. 2%" (6.7cm) square; sunburst,
214'' x 3%" (5.4cm x 9.2cm)
·Tape: blue painter's
·Spray adhesive
·Sandpaper: 100-grit
• Finish, such as Minwax clear spray lacquer
· Fine fishing line or string

Tools
· Scroll saw with blades: #2 or #3 reverse-tooth
• Drill press with bit: Y16" {lmm)-dia.
• X-Acto knife and/or needle files
· Sanders: belt, handheld
The author used these products for the project. Substituteyour
choice ofbrands, tools, and materials as desired.

Dan Wilckens and his father, Ray, started scrolling 25 years

ago as a hobby, and then began designing their own
patterns and making them available for others to enjoy.
Van's background Is in tool design and tool and die work.
See more of his work at wilckenswoodworking.net.

saollsawer.com WINTER 2020 27

COMPOUND-CUT
Earrings
Don these decorative baubles and
look as snazzy as the Christmas tree
By Dennis Knappen
Design by Sue Mey

I n my family, there is no point in owning a piece of

jewelry unless it means something to the wearer.
These designs are simple to cut, but you can execute
them in dozens of different ways, so each one has a
personal touch. Layer your hardwood scraps to make a
striped blank- or add stain, dye, or paint after cutting
to spruce up bland woods. Get creative and take your
time; these statement pieces will "hang" around for
years to come!

Getting Started
Cut the blanks to size, making sure the stock is
square. I used solid maple for one pair and glue-ups
of redheart and yellowheart for the other. Cover two
adjacent sides of each blank with clear packaging tape.
Fold each pattern on the centerline and attach to the
tape using spray adhesive. Note: You could also forego
the spray adhesive and print your patterns on label
paper. Cover the patterns with another layer of clear
packaging tape and drill the holes for the inside cuts.

Materials & Tools

Materials
• Wood, such as maple, Tools
W' (1.9cm) square: icicle ·Band saw
design, 2 each l'l'a" (4.7cm) long • Scroll saw with blades,
· Wood, such as yellowheart and/ such as Pegas #3R MGT
or red heart, 1" (2.5cm) square: • Drill with bit: V16"
pyramid design, (2mm)-dia.
l'l's" (4.7cm) long, 2 each • Needle files
·Wood glue (for glued-up ·Mac Mop
blanks) (optional)
·Clamps (for glueups)
·Tape: clear packaging (optional)
·Spray adhesive
·label paper (optional)
The author used these products
• Sandpaper: assorted grits for the project. Substitute your
• Fin ish, such as clear shellac <hoiceofbrands, tools, and
materials as desired.
·Findings: wire fish hook
Cutting and Finishing
For each blank, make the inside cuts on one side,
then turn the workpiece and make the inside cuts on
the adjacent side. Drill a hole for the outside cut on
one side of the blank; drilling a hole and cutting the
outside, rather than cutting in from the edge, helps
keep the blank intact and therefore easier to maneuver.
Then make the first perimeter cut on the side with the
drilled hole. Rotate the blank and tape the waste back
in place with clear packaging tape. Then drill an entry
hole for the second outside cut and cut the perimeter.
Repeat this sequence with the second blank.
Separate the earrings; I like to carefully slice into
the sides of the waste for ease of removal. Carefully
drill a hole in the knob at the top of the pyramid
designs; I secured the earring in the scrap in order
to have a flat surface. Sand away any fuzzies with
sandpaper and needle files. Take your time and be
meticulous. Finish as desired; I dipped each earring
in diluted shellac, sanding with a Mac Mop between
coats. Add the findings and they're ready to wear!

Compound-Cut Earring Patterns

Dennis Knappen is a scroll saw artist based

in Dayton, Tenn. He and his family have run
ArtCrafters, a gallery and art supply business in
downtown Dayton, since 2009.

Sue Mey lives in Pretoria, South Africa. To see

more ofher work, including a wide variety of
patterns and pattern-making tutorials available
for purchase, visit scrollsawartist.com. She can be
contacted at suem@storage.co.za. Her pattern
book, Lighted Scroll Saw Projects, is available
from schifferbooks.com and other outlets.
 Cutting a crazy-delicate piece on the scroll saw?
With these helpful tips and tricks, there's no need to fret
By Rolf Beuttenmuller and Charles Hand

B eginners and seasoned scrollers alike often

find fretwork intimidating. High-hole-count
patterns, such as Buddy the Bird on page 66 or Bread
the edges together to keep the layers from separating.
This method has three main advantages:
1. It gives the thin pieces more support.
and Cheese on page 36, can seem impossible at first 2. The added thickness slows your cutting speed for
glance- but in reality, they are simply large collections more control.
of holes. If you can follow a line, then you can cut a 3. You will have three completed pieces in the time it
complex fretwork project! That said, here are a few key would usually take to cut one.
things to consider before you tackle your first one. If you prefer solid hardwoods, however, choose a
thicker stock and keep the grain direction in mind as
you're orienting the pattern.
After selecting your wood, apply the pattern. You
can attach it to Con-Tact• brand clear removable shelf
paper, as it's easy to remove after cutting. You could
also cover the blank with blue painter's tape and attach
the pattern to the tape with spray adhesive. The last
thing you want is a pattern that won't come off, as this
interferes with sanding and finishing and could result
in breaks down the road.

Pre-Sand Your Blanks

You will have difficulty
sanding without
damage after the piece
Choose the Right Materials is completely cut. So,
If you prefer thin stock, plywood is a good choice consider pre-sanding your
because the perpendicular grain layers make it more blanks to 320-grit and then
resistant to breakage. We typically stack around three removing sanding dust
pieces of W' (3mm) Baltic birch for one project, taping with a clean tack cloth.

30 S<roiiSawWoodworking&Crafts
 consider using a spiral blade; spiral blades leave a
rougher edge and more fuzzies, but can save you time
and effort, especially on difficult turns. For long,
straight cuts, a straight blade is ideal. Note: ljthe
design has a mixture of irregular cuts and long, straight
cuts, you may need to switch blade types partway
through the project. Practice the spiral blade before you
commit to using it in a complex piece.

Don't Drill All the Holes at Once

Instead of drilling all the blade-entry holes at once,
try drilling holes in approximately 15 to 20 cutouts
at a time, starting at the center. Plan each cutting
area ahead of time; for example, if you're cutting the
"Winter Retreat" design from issue #73 (as shown
above), focus on the large pine tree at the center of the
piece. Start with the 15 to 20 cuts near the center of
the tree, and then progress to the bottom and then to
top of the pine. Cutting in this incremental way makes
the piece feel more manageable and maintains stability
for a longer period of time.

Grab Your Gear

With intricate projects, a magnifier with good lighting
can be a huge help. A headlamp can also be useful in
fine detail work. For more on headlamps, see page 17.

Cut from the

CenterOut
Cutting from the
center out adds
more stability
to the piece; it
will also keep
the project more
centered on your
scroll saw table,
supporting the
most delicate
Pick the Right Blade sections and
U ea high-tooth-count blade, such as #2/0 at 28 TPI reducing
teeth per inch), for more precise, controlled cutting. the chance
If the piece contains many irregularly shaped holes, for breakage.

scrollsawer.com • WINTER 2020 31

 block to remo\·e most fuzzies. Hold the sander as flat

Feed from the Top

If your scroll saw has top-feeding capability, get
comfortable with that feature. Your back and neck
will thank you!

Don't Trip at the Finish Line

Once your cuts are complete, remove the pattern
very carefully to avoid snapping any pieces. Use a
dental pick to get under the pattern and needle files
for the insides of small frets; heavy-duty sanders are
not welcome at this stage, as they could ruin hours of
painstaking work. To minimize wear on the delicate
bridges, consider applying a spray finish rather than
a brush-on. Clear spray lacquer works well. For a
more colorfullook, consider a spray paint-and-primer
combo. If you plan to display the piece behind glass, a
satin finish may be preferable to gloss; if you're leaving
it plain, gloss or semigloss work well.

Sand as You Go For more from Rolf Beuttenmuller, check out his version
After cutting each section of 15 to 20 cutouts (or ofCharlie Dearing's wolffretwork on scrollsawer.com.
less, if it makes sense for your project), flip the piece For more from Charles Hand, check out his "Buddy the
over. Then sand lightly with a palm sander or sanding Sparrow" project on page 66.

32 Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts

One day, she rescued a scroll saw from the
trash. Now, she uses it to make jaw-dropping
depictions of nature
By Kaylee Schofield

To do what no one else is doing can be a great risk, as

Northamptonshire woodworker Fiona Kingdon knows. For years,
she has tinkered with slabs of rescued hardwood on a rescued
scroll saw in her garden shed, churning out freeform fretwork
pieces as intricate as spiders' webs. Fiona's creations have a
spontaneous quality bounded with thoughtfulness, as though she
began each one by asking the wood its preferences on subject and
form. This insistence on spontaneity-and on hardwood rather
than the more predictable ply- can be a risk, but as Fiona knows,
sometimes the risk pays off.
SSW: What's your story? How did you get into scrolling?
Fiona: I've always had a need to be making. After a flirtation
with a career in industrial design, I studied furniture restoration
and craftsmanship, but stopped to bring up my lovely son.
Needing work that paid reliably and not having the means to
set up a workshop, I began working with young people with
behavioral difficulties.

scrollsawer.com Wl NTER 2020 33

 Three Shells and Breakers. ' ' Sometimes
the work is
unpredictable,
but that's all part
of its appeal. If I
wanted perfect
but dead, I'd buy
a 3D printer."
One rainy day, I p ulled an abandoned Hegner out of a SSW: Many of the cuts you make are t iny, resulting in
dumpster and after a bit ofTLC was pleased to find that it ast onishingly delicate fretwork. What size blade do y ou
ran like a dream. I found I could indulge my wood habit in t ypically use, and what tricks have you developed to
a garden shed with minimal materials, without annoying ensure that the bridges don't snap?
the neighbors. Fiona: I use Pegas superskip #2 blades for almost
With illness affecting how I could work, I decided everything. They're fine, but not so fine that they
life was too short- and that perhaps it was better to be break easily. I can source them reliably and they are
poorer and bossless, taking a day (or six!) to try to make not too expensive. Blade specs and machine talk bore
something beautiful. me to death- you can spend a lot of time on talk
and a lot of money on blades and still end up making
SSW: What 's your w ood of choice? Where do you get something grotesque.
most of your materials? I generally don't work from patterns but start with
Fiona: lt depends. For silhouettes, I prefer ash, elm, a sketch guide that's more about general composition. I
and walnut, as t hey often offer the best grain and color feel free to explore from there, placing the bridges where
changes for me to play with. My favorite overall is English I think the timber needs them. Like with most things,
oak- not too light and not too dark, beautiful medullary feel, experience, and practice tell me what I can get away
rays, and it's close-grained enough to take detail but not with in any given piece of timber. l'llleave myself a few
too hard on blades. Mostly, I like it because it's available options-for example, if I were putting fine whiskers on a
and I know it well. cat, I'd give it extra whiskers, knowing I would likely lose
I enjoy visiting small, independent wood yards where a few. Like everyone, I misjudge, get distracted, lose a
I can rummage for timber that jumps out at me. Ordering section, and have to redesign a little. it's rarely a complete
online just wouldn't work; I need to feel it and check out write-off. I am more interested in the general organic flow
the grain. Also, I pick up bits at the few remaining wood than perfect renditions that follow a plan.
fair events where I show my work over the summers, or Thinking ahead is important, too. I try to cut ensuring
rescue old boards out of unloved furniture. that the next piece is supported by an uncut section
until I get to the 'frame'. lt doesn't always work out that
way, though; sometimes I have
Tern to the Light. to support delicate sections by
taping cutouts back into the work
to act as support until I'm done.
Mostly, success is about taking
care and paying attention.

SSW: lt seems like you prefer

t o cut your p ieces from
thicker hardwoods rat her
than thin plywood, w h ich is
more t yp ical. Why?
Fiona: In the U.K., high-quality
plywood that is aesthetically
pleasing is expensive and hard to
come by. If I am going to spend
many hours on a piece of work,

34 Scroll Saw Woodworking Bt Crafts

then I'd rather make it out of a beautiful hardwood. A
lovely chunk of timber or a bit of ply? There's no contest.
For me, weaving the b eauty of the wood into my work is
what it's all about.
My other issue with plywood (and, heaven forfend,
MDF) is that there is some nasty stuff holding timber
composites toget her and it is not something I want in my
lungs. I am very caref ul about dust masks, but even with
the best will in the world, you are going to have some
exposure. Luckily, British hardwoods are fairly tame.
Thicker timber keeps its strength in its depth; a
filament may be fine, b ut if it's %" (1.9cm) deep, it still
has substance. I couldn't achieve very fine detail in thin
sections- it wouldn't hold together. Also, thicker timber
slows down the cutting so the details are easier to
control. Sometimes the work is unpredictable, but that 's
all part of its appeal. If I wanted perfect but dead, I'd buy
a 3D printer.

SSW: Many of your designs feature nautical scenes. Is

this a conscious choice?
Fiona: I live in a terraced house adjacent to a major road,
havmg grown up in a rural area w ith frequent access to
the sea. I find 'town' quite stressful, so my work reflect s
the places I have felt happiest or most energized.
Sometimes I have woodland or mountain phases;
sometimes it's the ocean. I don't make a decision per se. Fish Net's Tight.
For silhouettes, it's what I see in the timber, rather like
seeing pictures in clouds or beer froth-inevitably t hose
SSW: What do you like best about woodworking? Has it
images will be influenced by my experiences. That said,
t aught you anything about yourself?
wave and mathematical natural forms are a particular
Fiona: I find wood intoxicating in its beauty, versatility,
favorite of mine! I am always trying and failing to capture
and sensory gifts. Why on earth would anyone not
the dynamism of the sea.
like woodworking?
I have learned to accept that there are two types of
Mother's Love. days. There are those when I have a clear head and can
take the time to wallow in the work, the concentration
leaving no headroom for troubles. On these days, I find
a lot of peace in scrolling and my best work comes out.
There are also days when I shouldn't work because I'll just
screw up, swear, and throw things. People often say that
I must have a lot of patience. That's not true-I just have
a vision and persistence and am at my best when mostly
left to my own devices.

SSW: What advice d o you have for woodworkers w ho

are just starting out?
Fiona: I wouldn't presume to give anyone advice. That
said, here are a few thoughts.
The work is about exploring ideas, not getting caught
up in details. Accept imperfection in expression. You
aren't a machine. Don't linger too much on what other
folks are doing; if you are going to devote a lot of time to
a project, try to make it something beaut iful and original.
lt's much more satisfying.

For more of Fiona's work, visit fionakingdon.com. To try your

hand at one of her designs, turn to page 36.

Krotlsawer.com WINTER 2020 35

 Bread an d Ch ees e
Practice cutting thin bridges in
hardwoo d with this charming avian duo
By Fiona Kingdon

I called this project Bread and Cheese because long ago in England, hard-
up country folks would snack on new hawthorn leaves and blossoms for
nourishmen t. They referred to this delicacy as 'bread and cheese,' presumably
because they didn't have any real bread and cheese on hand! Hawthorn tastes pretty
dreadful, but I guess it's one way of getting your greens.
I used a native hardwood for this piece because I like the rich colors and grain
patterns. If you do use a regular hardwood rather than plywood, be sure to choose
a piece around%" (1.9cm) thick; this should keep the delicate bridges from breaking
as you cut.

Cutting and Finishing

Smooth the blank using an orbital sander or your preferred method; I used a hand
plane and a cabinet scraper. Photocopy the pattern and apply it to the wood using
a repositionable glue stick Cut out the outer oval on a scroll saw, and round the
top edge with a router and W' (13mm) roundover bit. Sand the edges smooth with
240-grit sandpaper. Note: If you don't have a router, you can round over the edges
with a pneumatic drum sander. Drill the blade-entry holes. Cut the small internal
details first, and then move on to the inner oval, leaving large areas as support until
the end.
When finished, dampen the pattern slightly, carefully remove it with a sharp
blade, and let dry. Finish any raised grain carefully with fine-grit sandpaper,
smoothing the piece to your desired finish. I gently sand my pieces up through the
grits until! reach 1500. Apply a light coat of Danish oil across the surface and into
the fine details with a small paintbrush. Let dry for a few days, and then apply a fine
coat of spray beeswax polish. Lightly buff the frame if desired.

Materials & Tools

Materials
·Wood, such as English • Cabinet scraper
oak, W' (1.9cm) thick: ·Hand plane
8" x11" (20.3cm x27.9cm) ·Router with bit: W'
·Glue stick (repositionable) {13mm)-dia. roundover
· Sandpaper: assorted grits · Sander: orbital, Fiona Kingdon studied
up to 1500 pneumatic drum furniture restoration and
• Natural finish, such as (optional) craftsmanship, and then
Danish oil · Paintbrush: small worked with children with
· Spray beeswax polish ·Thin knife {for removing behavioral difficulties. Eight
pattern) years ago, with a need to
Tools return to working with
• Scroll saw with blades: The author used these produas wood creatively, she began
super-skip #2 for the project. Substitute your
using a scrollsaw to express her artistic side.
choice ofbrands, tools, and
• Drill with bit: Y,6" materials os desired. Fiona shows her work at galleries and events
(2mm)-dia. across the U.K. You can find more ofher work at
fionakingdon.com.

36 Saoll Saw Woodworking & Crafts

 C hristmas arches, known as Schwibbogen, are beloved
traditional decorations. They are most often made by
wood artisans in the Erzgebirge region of Eastern Germany.
Cutting and Finishing
Cover the cherry blanks with blue painter's
tape. Attach the patterns to the tape with
The arches have their origins in mining towns, as the miners a repositionable glue stick, and then cover
spent the winter months almost completely in darkness. They them with clear packaging tape before
would start their shift before dawn and come home long after cutting. Drill the blade entry holes with a
sundown. Longing for light, they began inventing unique ways drill press and cut the layers, starting with
to display candles, often including biblical scenes or fairy-tale the interior frets. Cut slots through the
elements in their creations. entire thickness of the base on the scroll
In the fall of 2015, I desperately wanted my husband to make saw (refer to the measured drawing on the
me a German Christmas arch on his new scroll saw. However, pullout section). The base can be cut into
he was quick to respond: "Why don't you do it yourself?" 1 have separate bases, if desired. Gently remove the
been scrolling ever since. patterns once everything is cut.
Sand the layers with a sanding mop.
Round over the edges of the base pieces with

38 Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts

 Materials & Tools
Materials
·Wood, such as cherry, lA" (6mm) thick:
Layer 1, approx. 11" x 22" (27.9cm x 55.9cm)
• Wood, such as cherry, lA'' (6mm) thick:
Layer 2, approx. 9¥2'' x 20" (24.1cm x50.8cm)
• Wood, such as cherry, lA'' (6mm) thick:
Layer 3, approx. 11" x 22" (27.9cm x55.9cm)
·Wood, such as sycamore, ~~~ (1.9cm) thick:
base, 7" x 21¥2" (17.7cm x 54.6cm)
·Tape: blue painter's, dear packaging
·Glue stick: repositionable
The author used thtse
· Wood glue productJ for the project.
·Clear finish, such as satin Substitute your choice
spray lacquer (optional) ofbrands, tools, ond
materials os desired.
·Tack cloth
·LED lights: battery-powered, mini (optional)

Tools
· Scroll saw with blades, such as #5 MGT
a pneumatic drum sander or a roundover • Drill press with bits: assorted small
bit in a router, and remove excess dust ·Sanding mop
with a tack cloth. Christmas arches are • Pneumatic drum sander
traditionally left unfinished, but you • Router with bit: lA'' (6mm)-dia. roundover
could spray the layers with a satin lacquer, (optional)
if desired. Glue the layers in place and
adorn the arch as you wish. I sometimes
use battery-powered LED m ini lights.
Beatrix Brockman works as a professor ofGerman
language in Tennessee. She enjoys designing and
making intarsia pieces and word art (as well as
puzzles and decorative items) on her scroll saw. She
Did You Know? has won several prizes at the Riverfest Juried Art
On their final mining shift before Christmas, Show in Clarksville, Tenn. See more of her work on
workers would light the entrance to the mine lnstagrom @carpentarbea.
with an "arch" of pit lamps. Many historians
believe it is this practice that started the
Christmas arch tradition.
scrollsawer.com • WINTER 2020 39
 Toy Race Car

By Brad Anderson

N othing beats the thrill of racing around corners

at top speeds, trying to pass or out maneuver
other drivers. Whether down a ramp or flat on the
ground, this toy is great for speeding around the
racetrack toward that famous checkered flag. I made
this design so that kids could paint their own cars and
then attach the wheels to race. You can build just one
or enough for every kid on the block.

Getting Started
Choose a kind of wood; I prefer domestic hard woods,
such as cherry and walnut, because they're durable
and relatively easy to source. Draw the pattern
profiles directly on the wood or attach them with
repositionable spray adhesive.

40 Saofl Saw Woodworking & Crafts

 Glue and clamp the three body pieces
together. Once dry, sand the bottom and back flush
Mark the holes for the wheels on the side body pieces. Drill a hole in using a belt sander. Round all sharp edges and corners
each location with a 7/32" (5.6mm}-dia. drill bit in a drill press. with 150-grit sandpaper.

Temporarily attach the wheels, so you have a sense of

where to place the appliques. Glue and clamp the appliques to the
sides. Remove the wheels and sand all surfaces with 150-grit sandpaper.
Sand progressively up through the grits until you reach 320.

Cut the tail wing to size. Mark two 31!6" (5mm) holes in the
center of the wing, where it will sit on the body of the car. Then glue
and clamp the wing to the back of the race car assembly. Drill the
holes in the marked areas; I do this by wrapping blue painter's tape
around the bit about%" (1.6cm} up from the tip. This is so I don't
drill down farther than what is necessary. Cut the dowels to size and
insert them into the holes with a hammer, sanding until they are Finish using a child-safe finish or leave the surface
flush with the surface. natural. Attach the wheels with axle pegs, cutting them down to
size if necessary.

scrollsawer.com • WINTER 2020 41

 Toy Race Car
Patterns

Center Section
%"thick FOR A DIFFERENT LOOK
Round over the top ofthe appliques with
a router or apneumatic drum sander and
sand a bevel on the wing for a softer look.

'lJ2"-diameter
holes (2)

Side
Cut 2 -%"thick

Side Applique
Cut 2- Y2" thick

Tail Wing rh fPr- 3116"-diameter

3fs" thick \:V \:V holes (2)

Materials & Tools

Materials
·Wood, such as walnut, W' (1.3cm) Tools
thick: side appliques, 2 each approx. • Scroll saw with blades:
W' x Ph" (1.9cm x3.8cm) #5 skip-tooth
·Wood, such as walnut or cherry, ·Awl
~" (1.9cm) thick: center and sides, • Drill press with bits:
approx. 3W' x 4%" (8.9cm x 12.1cm) 3!16" (5mm)-dia.,
·Wood, such as cherry, ¥8" (1cm) thick: 'l'32" (5.6mm)-dia.
tail wing,%" x 31A'' (1.9cm x 8.3cm) • Router with bit:
• Wood dowel, ¥16" (5mm)-dia.: W' (6mm)-dia.
3" (7.6cm) long roundover (optional)
• Wooden axle pegs, 'l'32" (5.6mm)- · Sanders: belt, pneumatic
dia.: 4 each drum
Brad Anderson has been a hobbyist wo~dworker for
· Wheels, 1W' (3.8cm)-dia.: 2 each ·Hammer
about 20 years. He started designing and building
• Wheels, 11A'' (3.2cm)-dia.: 2 each ·Clamps furniture but quickly ran out ofplaces to put it. After the
·Child-safe finish, such as clear shellac birth of his first child, he discovered a love for toymaking
· Spray adhesive: repositionable The author used these products for and has been designing them ever since. He donates
• Wood glue the project. Substitute your choice of
many of his creations to local toy drives. Contact Brad at
brands, tools, and materio/s as desired.
• Sandpaper: assorted grits up to 320 sawdustsplinters.blogspot.com or see more of his work
on Etsy at AIINatura!ToyP/ans.

42 Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts

Scroll two out-of-this-world designs for your little future astronaut
By Sarah Lyn Chamberlain

T hese stylized puzzles are perfect gifts for

adventurous kids- especially around the
holidays. I designed the tabs on the interlocking pieces
flow vertically; the grain on the UFO should flow
horizontally. Drill the holes for the windows on both.
Cut the outside shape of each puzzle, and then
to function as design elements, such as windows work through the rest of the cuts. It helps to start with
and tongues of flame, in addition to their practical unwieldy areas, like the rocket antenna and the UFO
purposes. This suggestion of certain details gives legs; this way, you can set them aside early on and
the puzzles a simplified form, requiring fewer drill maneuver the remaining stock more easily. When cut,
holes and cuts overall. Note: For very young children, remove the patterns, reassemble the puzzles, and use
woodburn along the Lines ofthe smallest pieces instead an orbital sander on the fronts and backs. Sand the
ofcutting them. edges by hand, moving up progressively through the
grits until you reach 320. Stain as desired; when I stain,
Cutting and Finishing I usually tackle all of the light-colored pieces first and
Choose a kind of wood; I prefer W' {1.9cm) pine. move through the stains color by color. Let the pieces
Sand the blanks with 80-grit sandpaper and cover dry for 24 hours and then spray with several coats of
the surfaces with blue painter's tape. Photocopy clear gloss finish.
the patterns, and then use spray adhesive to secure
them to the tape. The grain on the rocket should

scrollsawer.com WINTER 2020 43

 Materials & Tools
Materials
· Pine, W' (1.9cm) thick: UFO, 61A'' x 9" (15.9cm x 22.9cm); Tools
rocket, 5" x 9W' (12.7cm x 23.5cm) • Scroll saw with blades:
· Tape: blue painter's #5 or #7 reverse-tooth
• Sandpaper: assorted grits up to 320 · Drill with bits:
W' (6mm)-dia.,
· Spray adhesive
W' (13mm)-dia.
·Assorted stains, such as Minwax: dark walnut, gunstock,
· Sander: orbital
red oak
• Wood burner with nib:
• Finish: clear spray, such as Rust-Oleum 2X Gloss
writing (optional)
rht author used these products for theproject. Substiture your choice ofbrands, tools, and materials os desired.

UFO Puzzle
Pattern

0
SarahLyn
Chamberlain has
loved woodworking
since age five but did
not start scrolling
until she purchased
her first scroll saw as
an adult. She taught
herself how to use it and hasn't stopped
since. Sarah enjoys intricate projects,
Pattern for the but her favorite thing to create is playful
ROCKET PUZZLE is In
puzzle designs. For more of Sorah's work,
the pullout section.
visit her website at creativestuff.ca.

44 Saoll Saw Woodworking &Crafts

Making Turning Blanks
ON THE SCROLL SAW
Spruce up conventional
pen designs with a
multitude of accent stripes
By Barry Gross

D id you ever see a unique wooden

pen and wonder, How did they
do that? Well, this article offers some
suggestions to get you started making
your own custom pen blanks-with
stripes, wiggles, and more. The best
part is that you can make them on the
scroll saw! All you'll need is a standard Gather your materials. Start out with two contrasting,
pen turning kit to begin. identically sized pen blanks, such as maple and padauk or any other
combination of light and dark. The more contrasting the material, the
better your pen will look.

saollsawer.com • WINTER 2020 45

 Secure the pattern to one of the blanks. Use Stack the blanks. Place double-sided turner's tape on top of
repositionable spray adhesive. the bottom pen blank, and then secure the pattern blank on top of it.

Mark the ends of the pen blank. This way, you will Make sure that your table is square. Use a protractor square to ensure
be able to distinguish one end from the other for correct that your blade is square to the saw table. This will guarantee a square cut from
order and grain orientation after you cut it into pieces. the top of the blank to the bottom.

OUST CONTROL
Oust control is a muse especially for exotic
hardwoods like padauk. Beginners and
slow, even experienced
pressure to scrollers alike
ensure a clean
and accurate should always
perpendicular use adequate
cut from top ventilation, a
to bottom. dust collection
system, and
a dust mask
when scrolling.

46 Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts

 Arrange the stripes. Separate the cut padauk and maple Glue the blanks together. Use urethane glue or wood glue.
pieces and arrange them as shown, replacing one of the padauk
pieces with one of the maple pieces and vice versa until you get an
alternating pattern of padauk, maple, padauk, maple, and padauk.
The second pen blank follows the style of the first, except the colors
are reversed.

Add the hardware and turn the pens. Each version

should have two attractive stripes running the length of the piece.

Clamp the project. Use a vi se or clamps to tightly squeeze the Materials & Tools
blank together, and allow it to dry thoroughly. I use a vise because Materials Tools
unlike damps, just one does the trick. Note:Do not overtighten the · Pen kit of choice (including • Midi lathe with assorted
clamps or the vise. Applying too much pressure will starve the blank of hardware) turning tools
the amount ofglue needed to create a tightjoint.
• Pen blanks of choice (preferably • Scroll saw with blades:
contrasting colors, such as #5 skip-tooth
padauk and spalted maple) • Protractor square
FURTHER READING • Plastic accent strips, such as · Clamps (or vise)
Lea rn to Turn, 3rd Edition Pen Enhancers Kit (see Special
Revised and Expanded Sources)
By Barry Gross ·Glue: urethane; wood, such as
Item 9289. Available for $19.99 Titebond
+ S&H (parcel post) from Fox
Chapel Publishing, 800·457·9172,
• Tape: double-sided turner's The author used these products for the
FoxChape/Publishmg.com, or your • Spray adhesive: repositionable project Substituteyour choice ofbrands,
local retailer.
tools, andmaterials as desired.

SPECIAL SOURCES
Barry Gross owns Arizona Silhouette, which is Pen kits and pen blanks are available from numerous sources, such
located in Bensalem, Pa. He has been making as Arizona Silhouette (888-717-4202), Penn State Industries
pens for over 25 years and has authored six (800-377-7297), and Woodcraft Supply (304-422-5412).
books on turning and pen making. Barry is a The Pen Enhancers Kit is available at Arizona Silhouette in Bensalem,
nationally known pen instructor and offers Pa. call toll-free 888-717-4202 or visit arizonasilhouette.com
free seminars on pen making, finishing, and for more information.
casting at TheWoodworkingShows.com.

scrollsawer.com • WINTER 2020 47

 Alternate Designs
This technique is versatile and simple enough
to allow for almost endless variation. See a few
of my alternate designs below:

Plastic Pen Enhancers

You can also add accents to your pen blanks
(or other turnings) by sandwiching thin plastic
sheets between the scrolled pieces. I use the Pen
Enhancers Kit, which contains 50 sheets in five
different colors (see Special Sources). Cut your
pen blank apart, as in Steps 1-7. Then separate the
pieces and glue one or more sheets back into the
pen blank with wood or urethane glue. Turn as you
would the other blanks.

Wavy Pen
Blank
Pattern

With a little imagination, you can make a

variety of striking pens that your friends,
family, and customers will admire!
\

I III
 The Drum
Sander:
A TOOL YOU DIDN'T
KNOW YOU NEEDED
Pre-sand blanks or refine scrolled
projects without breaking a sweat
By Carafe Rothman

W hen you consider how many different types of

sanders have the word "drum" in their name,
you can appreciate how confusing the terminology
first step of the sanding process. I do this by setting
the drum slightly higher than the stock's thickness.
I start the conveyor and begin feeding the stock. As
can be, for both novice and experienced woodworkers. soon as it starts passing under the drum, I turn the
Even if you know this tool well, the ways in which it handle until the drum barely touches the surface.
translates to scrolling might not be immediately clear. I complete the pass at that height and then repeat it.
In this article, I'll break down the basics: what a drum From that point, I lower the drum between Ys and ~
sander is, how to use it, and what to look for if you turn per pass. Had I lowered it too much- causing it
choose to add one to your shop. to catch on the stock and risking damage to the wood
or motor- an auto-adjusting feature, now standard on
most quality sanders, would have slowed the conveyor,
permitting successful completion of the pass. (You
may wonder, Why not raise the drum? The reason is
that under pressure to act quickly, you may turn the
handle the wrong way, which is why this automatic
feature is so important.)
If one face of the stock is uneven, as may occur in
blanks with glued-in components (see Step 3 of the
Polka-Dot bowl on page 52), that face should be sanded
first. Sanding is complete when you reach the desired
thickness, and both surfaces are parallel, smooth, and
What is a Drum Sander? free of irregularities.
The drum sander I'm referring to is a large, stationary
power tool. It consists of an abrasive-wrapped drum,
positioned above a flat conveyor. The gap between
the drum and the conveyor belt below it is usually
controlled by a handle on the side that rotates to raise
or lower the drum; a few sanders raise or lower the
conveyor belt. The drum spins at a constant speed,
whereas the conveyor has a variable speed control. For
rapid wood removal, I use a faster conveyor speed to
reduce the duration of each pass. To refine the surface,
I use a slower conveyor speed, which increases the
number of rotations of the drum as the stock passes
through, creating a smoother surface.
Determining the starting height of the drum is the

scrollsawer.com • WINTER 2020 49

 Uses in Scrolling slower pace, even when coarse grits like 36 or 60 are
Drum sanders are typically used for stock preparation, used. The sanding action is gentle and can safely be
and not for finishing work. However, by using a higher done with or against the grain, making it the tool of
grit wrap such as 220, you can easily and efficiently choice for wood with irregular grain patterns and
create a finished surface on your wood before it is cut. fragile items like thin wood or marquetry.
This is especially useful for delicate fretwork projects, Both planers and drum sanders require that the
whose thin bridges are vulnerable to breakage, and workpiece sit flat when passed through the machine;
also for large blanks that are to be cut into smaller any deviations will be transferred to the parallel upper
pieces. You can also use the drum sander to level the face. This creates problems if the wood is twisted,
surface of an inlay, or give a smooth finish to a puzzle, cupped, or bowed. While you can use a jointer or hand
provided that the puzzle pieces have been secured so plane to flatten the bottom face, the conveyor belt
that no movement occurs when they are passed under of the drum sander permits a simpler solution. For
the drum. twisted wood, I attach pieces of thick double-sided
tape under the raised corners to create a stable base.
Drum Sanders vs. Planers I then sand the wood, tape-side-down, as I would any
If you have a planer, do you need a drum sander? other board.
Despite some overlap in function, there are significant The early passes remove only the high spots; the
differences between the two. Planers reduce stock sanding sound is intermitten t and distinctive. This
more efficiently than drum sanders. However, damage sound becomes more regular as the high areas are
to the wood, such as tear-out, can occur if the cutters removed and more of the upper surface can be sanded.
are dull, or if the wood is highly figured or planed A continuous sound throughout the pass signals that
against the grain. Drum sanders remove stock at a sanding is at or near completion. When the sanded

SO Saoll Saw Woodworking &Crafts

 rface is flat, I remove the tape, and repeat the sanders are identified by two numbers, such as 16-32.
process for the remaining face. Cupped or bowed The first number is the length of the drum, reflecting
ood thick enough to resist the drum's downward the maximum width that can be sanded in a single
pressure can be passed through the sander with the pass; the second is the maximum width that can be
con·:ex side up, with tape added to the bottom corners sanded in two successive passes, one for each half of
to wrrect any twist. The finished, flattened stock will the workpiece.
be thinner than before, but is no longer firewood! Drum sanders also vary in the maximum stock
thickness they can handle; 3" (7.6cm) and 4" (10.2cm)
limits are typical. Most can sand stock down to
~2" (lmm), perfect for making veneer from resawn
wood, and most can pass pieces as short as 2%" (6cm)
through the drum. Infeed and outfeed tables, available
as options, facilitate the feeding of long boards and
help prevent gouging at their ends. If shop space is
limited, look for models with tables that fold down
when not in use.

Choosing a Drum Sander

Like all tools, drum sanders vary in price, quality, and
ease of use. Fortunately, a number of quality drum
sanders are available today to choose from.
Before choosing a drum sander, it's important to
identify which features are most important to you, and
which sander is most likely to meet your present and
future needs. A quality sander isn't cheap. However, If you're likely to sand both thick and thin wood,
this is likely a one~time purchase, and nobody can a sander with a quick-adjust lever that rapidly raises
afford an inexpensive tool that brings grief whenever or lowers the height of the drum can be a real time
you use it. and wrist saver; if precision is critical, consider a
Drum sanders appropriate for the home shop model with an integrated digital readout. And, if you
come in a variety of sizes and configurations, from anticipate sanding with several different grits, be sure
10" (25.4cm) tabletop models to 19" (48.3cm} floor~ that the clamps that secure the ends of the wrap are
mounted units. Drums, made of aluminum, are usually easy to use. This makes changing the wrap quick and
5" (127mm) in diameter. easy for hands of every size and strength level.
Most sanders are open A well-designed sander should be easy to maintain,
at the outer end, which with components that are accessible if adjustment
doubles the maximum or repair is needed. Tech support staff should be
width of stock that knowledgeable and replacement parts readily available.
can be sanded; better
quality sanders have an Conclusion
adjustment that lowers My experience with the less satisfactory drum sanders
the outboard edge just of the past has helped me appreciate the quality of
enough to prevent those currently available. Aside from my scroll saw,
ridges when the second my drum sander is among the most valuable and
pass is made. Open-end frequently used tools in my shop.

5crollsawer.com • WINTER 2020 51

 I f you've ever made a stacked ring bowl, you've likely
discovered how unpredictable the outcome can
be. Straight strips can turn into swags, and ordinary
preserve the original orientation. Attach the pattern
with temporary bond spray adhesive, aligning the
tops of the pattern and the blank, and matching their
grain can become quite spectacular. In the spirit of registration lines precisely. Use an awl to mark the
adventure, I decided to glue pieces of dowel into bowl center point on the pattern and the end points of the
blanks to see what they'd look like once rings were cut, registration lines.
and what would happen when the sides were sanded.
Having learned what would and would not work, I
designed this oval-shaped bowl, adorned with dots
created by dowels that varied in size and color.
While not difficult, the project requires precise
placement of two copies of the same pattern. The
first copy is used for marking the drilling points for
the dowel holes; the second, attached after the dowels
have been inserted, is used to locate the blade entry
holes and to cut the rings. The generous rs" (2.2cm)
thickness of the starting blank ensures that it can
be sanded to an even %" (1.9cm) after the 30 dowels
have been glued into place. I chose purpleheart for its
vibrant color, but walnut is a good alternative if you'd
prefer a wood less challenging to cut and sand.

Getting Started
Draw perpendicular registration lines across the
blank at the midpoints. Use a white lead fabric pencil Drill test holes to determine the best bit to use for
for visibility and precision. Extend the ends of the each dowel. Use the corner waste areas of the blank.
registration lines down the sides of the wood so Each 10" (25.4cm) piece of dowel should slide through
you can redraw the lines after sanding the blank. its matching hole with little resistance; if too tight,
Transfer the top mark to the adjacent side so you can hand-sand the piece evenly until it fits.

52 Saoll Saw Woodworking & Crafts

I. SPECIAL TOOLS
Drill the dowel holes in the blank. Ring one has
Consider adding to your no dowel holes. Rings two, three, and four contain 10
tool array a headlamp for each. Within each ring, all dowels are the same size:
spotlighting, and a white 31\6" (Smm) for ring two, 1,4'' (6mm) for ring three, and
51\6'' (Smm) for ring four. Start by circling
lead fabric pencil for drawing all of the dowel
precise lines on dark wood. drilling points in ring two with a red pencil. Drill a hole at
each point for the 31\6" (Smm) dowels; make sure each hole
is backed by sound wood to prevent tear-out. For accurate
placement of the hole, check the drill bit's position from
the front and side, secure the blank with a drill press
clamp, recheck the bit's position, and check again as you
start to drill. Aheadlamp can improve visibility (learn
more about using headlamps on page 17). Repeat the
entire process for rings three and four, using a drill bit of
appropriate size. Check the sides of the blank to be sure all
lines are visible, and then remove the pattern.

Prepare the dowel segments. Mark ~s" (2.2cm} from one Add the dowel segments to the holes. Apply glue to the
end of each 10" (25.4cm) piece of dowel. For each piece, cut straight inside of each hole, working three or four holes at a time. Push
across at that point with a 113 blade to make the first segment. the dowels into place and tap them lightly with a wooden mallet
Use that segment as a template for cutting the remaining nine and wood block. Remove excess glue from both faces of the blank.
segments. Sand the ends of the segments to remove any fuzzies. When all dowels are glued, let the blank dry completely.

• Sand the blank smooth.

Check visibility of the top mark and
registration lines on the sides of the
blank. Darken as needed and deepen
the awl marks made in Getting Started.
Sand down any dowels that protrude
from the lower face, using a Sand-Flee
or orbital sander to create a flat surface.
Next, pass the blank, bottom-face
down, through a drum sander (learn
more about drum sanders on page 49),
and sand until the upper face is flat.
Continue sanding, alternating faces,
until the blank is%" (1.9cm) thick,
deepening the awl marks periodically
so they remain visible.

54 Saoll Saw Woodworking & Crafts

 Begin cutting the rings. Tilt the left side of a saw table down
to 27". Use a #7 blade to cut along the outer circumference in a clockwise
direction. Using a #56 wire size drill bit, drill a 3r blade-entry hole where
indicated on the second cutting line, drilling directly toward the center of
Prepare the blank. Transfer the top mark from the side the pattern. Tilt the left side of the saw table down to 3r.lnsert the blade
to the upper face. Use the five awl marks and four side marks through the blade entry hole and cut clockwise to complete the first ring.
to restore the original registration lines. Attach a second copy Remove the pattern from the ring and mark the top. Repeat the drilling
of the pattern in the same way as the first. The center point and cutting sequence for the remaining three rings. Use a 34" angle for the
and registration lines of the pattern and blank must line up second ring and a 37" angle for the third and fourth. The remaining piece is
exactly or the dowels will not be centered within their rings. the bowl bottom. Remove its pattern and mark the top.

Prepare the rings. Transfer top marks to the inner and outer Glue the rings. Place the smallest ring faceup on waxed
faces ofthe rings. Extend the registration lines down both the inner paper. Apply glue to the underside of the next ring. Use the top
and outer faces. Remove marks from all gluing surfaces and fuzzies marks, the visible dowels on the smallest ring, and the registration
from the lower edges. Stack the rings, matching top marks and lines on the sides to align the rings, then press down to secure
registration lines, and check fo rspaces. Eliminate them by rubbing the bond. Add the remaining two rings in the same manner, place
the high areas of adjacent rings on a sanding tile until the rings lie flat the unit in a press, apply clamping pressure, and allow the glue to
against each other. Note: Omitting this step is likely to result in glue lines dry thoroughly.
on the sides ofyour bowl.

scrollsawer.com • Wl NTE R2020 55

 Shape the bowl. Sand the bowl's interior with a large round inflatable Attach the base. Transfer the top mark on the
sander. Use coarse and medium sleeves to remove blade and drill marks and bottom piece to the adjacent side. Remove all marks from
to even out the surface. Use a small round inflatable to sand the end curves the upper face and sand the surface, moving progressively
of the bottom ring. Once the Inner surface is smooth, invert the rings and through the grits until you reach 320. Place the ring
check the shape ofthe bottom edge- it should look like a smooth oval. If assembly on the bottom piece, tops aligned, and check for
there are irregularities, mark them with a pencil on the underside of the ring, spaces. Remove any as in Step 7. Apply glue to the bottom
then transfer the marks to the inner surface. Start the correction with the ring, keeping a Vs" (3mm) margin at the Inner edge to
rings inverted; be careful to keep the edge sharp as you remove excess wood. minimize squeeze-out. Clamp and let set for five minutes.
Complete the correction with the rings upright. Check for small, shiny glue Unclamp to check for and remove squeeze-out. Re-damp
spots between the rings and sand them away with the medium sleeve. Sand and let the glue dry thoroughly.
the entire Interior with fine and extra fine sleeves.

Making a "Holey" Bowl

For a slightly different look, you could make the bowl
in the usual way but leave the dowels out. Aligning
the rings of the bowl is easy, since you can see the
matching holes of adjacent rings, but once glued up,
the bowl is a challenge to sand. The sleeve openings
at the bottom of the large round inflatable sander
tend to snag on the holes and tear, particular at higher
grits. This makes
it important to
sand with the
upper area of
the sleeve, and
to use the small
round sander for
areas that the
larger one cannot
access. Sanding
the exterior can
be done with
the pad sander;
avoid using
scalloped discs,
Smooth the profile. Sand the exterior with a 2" (S.lcm) which can snag
standard density flexible pad sander. Start with 80-grit to even on the holes.
out the surface and remove blade and drill marks; then sand
progressively through the grits until you reach 320. The top rim
should be of uniform width. Use a 3" (7.6cm) flexible pad sander, soft
density, to remove swirl marks without affecting the bowl's profile.

56 Scroll Saw Woodworking &Crafts

 Continue shaping the bowl. Sand an outward flare into the Finish the bowl. Apply a sealer coat of shellac. Smooth the
upper edge. Use a small pneumatic drum with a coarse sleeve; angle surface with 320-grit sandpaper or buff with a 320-grit sanding
the drum to keep from gouging the bowl's interior. Soften the outside mop. Apply several finishing coats of shellac. Aheadlamp can help
of the flared edge and the lower edge of the bowl with the coarse catch missed spots, drips, or sags. Buff between coats or rub with
sleeve, then refine the edges with medium and fine grit sleeves. Use 0000 steel wool as needed.
the round inflatable sander with a medium-grit sleeve to smooth the
flared surface and blend it into the sides, followed by the fine and
extra fine sleeves. Sand the top outer edge by hand- it should feel
smooth to the touch. When sanding is complete, carefully check the
entire surface for irregularities. Correct them before applying finish.
FURTHER READING
Scroll Saw Wooden Bowls,
Materials &Tools Revised &Expanded Edition
By Carole Rothman
Materials • Steel wool: ·Sanding tile: 150-grit
Item 9616. Available for $19.99 plus
• Purpleheart, 0000 {optional) shop-made S&H (parcel post) from Fox Chapel
W' {2.2cm) thick: 8" x 9Y2'' ·Waxed paper ·Sanders: drum, orbital, Publishing, 800·457·9172,
(20.3cm x 24.1cm) Sand-Flee FoxChapeiPub/ishing.com,
·Dowels: birch, 31i6" or your local retailer.
Tools ·Round inflatable sanders:
(5mm)-dia., ¥16" (8mm)- ·Awl regular and small,
dia; cherry, 14" {6mm)- ·Drill with bits: #56 assorted grit sleeves
dia: 10" (25.4cm) in wire size, ¥16" {Smm)- ·Pneumatic drum: small,
length each dia., 14" {6mm)·dia., assorted grit sleeves
• Pencil: red, white lead sM {8mm)-dia. • Flexible pad sander: 2"
fabric ·Headlamp {optional) (5.1cm) standard density,
·Wood glue, such as • Drill press clamp 3" {7.6cm) soft density, Carole Rothman of Pawling, N.Y., is
Weld bond assorted grit discs
• Wooden mallet and block a retired psychologist and college
·Spray adhesive: ·Sanding mop: 320-grit professor. She is also an award-winning
temporary-bond • Bowl press, or clamps and
boards (optional) cake decorator. Visit Carole online at
• Sandpaper: assorted grits scrol/sawbowls.blogspot.com. You'll
to320 • Scroll saw with blades: The author used these products
#3 reverse tooth, #7 skip for the project. Substituteyour find her books, Creative Wooden
• Shellac: spray or regular; tooth choice ofbrands, tools, and Boxes from the Scroll Saw and Scroll
lib-cut for sealer, 21b-cut materials os desired. Saw Wooden Bowls: Revised &
for finishing
Expanded Edition, at foxchapelpublishing.com.

saollsawer.com • WINTER 2020 57

 Polka-Dot Bowl Pattern

Cutting Angle: 27" - - - - ---..

Cutting Angle: 31 • - - - - --..

Cutting Angle: 34• - -- -

Cutting Angle: 37"

Cutting Angle: 37"

58 Scrotl Saw Woodworking & Crafts

 Prepping and Cutting
Choose a variety of wood; I used MDF or Baltic birch
plywood with a thickness of at least u ,.6" (1.8cm) to
provide some support for the delicate areas on the
puzzle. Sand the blank with 180-grit sandpaper and
attach the pattern with repositionable spray adhesive.
Cover the pattern with clear packaging tape to
lubricate your blades and to reduce the risk
of scorching the wood.
Before cutting the jeep, follow the instructions
in the sidebar (Add Dimension with Forstner Bits) to
establish levels in the tires. Then drill a Vt6" (2m m)-dia.
hole in the back window. Cut the back window wit h
a #5 skip reverse or reverse-tooth blade. Then cut the
rest of the pieces, changing out blades as necessary
to prevent breakage. Remove the pattern a nd gently
hand-sand the pieces smooth, starting with 180-grit
sandpaper and moving up to 220.

Painting and Finishing Add Dimension 'With Forstner Bits

You can finish the puzzle in a number of ways. For To give the puzzle extra dimension, drill the rims
a natural look, finish with clear Danish oil, letting out with several sizes of Forstner bits. I recommend
the pieces sit for around 15 minutes and then wiping practicing on scrap wood first so you can experiment
off the excess. Let dry overnight before assembling. and play with depth. Make sure to use the drilling
Alternately, you could fin ish the puzzle with slightly speed appropriate for each Forstner bit.
thinned acrylic paints. As this jeep is a military
Clamp the blank securely. Start by drilling a ¥16''
vehicle, I chose dark, earthy tones to give mine an (2mm)-dia. hole through the blank. There are two
authentic look. For an added touch, you can paint on reasons why Idrill this hole. First of all, it gives me the
military numbers, mud, or stars depending exact center of the rim for all the Forstner bits I will use. The
on your preference. second, more important reason is that it also shows the "invisible"
center of the tire on the otherside of the blank, which will be of
use later.

Peel back the pattern so the tire area is accessible.

Put the point of the 1" (25mm)-dia. Forstner bit in the
center of your first drilled hole and reduce the drilling
speed. Drill about Ya" (3mm) down into the wood. Then put the
point of the 1Yl6" (18mm)-dia. Forstner bit in the center of the tire
and drill down about Y, 6" (2mm) further than you did with the
last hole.

Switch to the W1•" (40mm)·dia. Forstnerbit.

Place the point in the center again, and drill down
approximately V32" (lmm). This way, the outer levels
form little stair steps down into the center of the tire. Dothis for
each wheel on bothsides of the puzzle. Then fill the small center
Why the Willys MA? hole with wood filler ifdesired. Replace the pattern and return
As Europe was the battlefield ofWWII, large parts of to the Prepping and Cutting section to begin making cuts on
Flanders (the Dutch-speaking northern portion of Belgium) the scroll saw.
were demolished. In 2019, several parades were organized
throughout my country to celebrate the liberation of our
cities and of Europe, about seventy years ago. large crowds
gathered to see the original war trucks, cars, and hundreds
of living historians marching through the streets in old
uniforms. As a way of honoring and remembering those
who fought for our freedom, Idesigned this puzzle.

60 Scroll Saw Woodworking &Crafts

 Materials & Tools
Materials
·Wood, such as Baltic birch Tools
or MDF, 1Yl6'' (1.8cm) thick: • Scroll saw with blades:
SW' x 10" (14cm x 25.4cm) #5 skip reverse or
·Tape: clear packaging reverse-tooth
• Spray adhesive: • Drill press with bits:
repositionable ~6· (2mm)-dia.;
,~6" (18mm)-dia.,
• Sandpaper: 180-, 220-grit
1" (25mm)-dia.,
• Wood filler (optional) 19116'' (40mm)-dia. Forstner
• Danish oil: natural • Needle files
· Acrylic paints, such · Clamps (for drilling)
as Aleene's: black,
stormy gray; such as The author used these products for the project.
Decorfin: deep olive Substitute your choice ofbrands, tools, ond
moterlo/s os desired.

1940sJeep
Pattern

Eric Van
Molderen lives in
Dendermonde,
Belgium, with his
lovely wife, Rita, and
awesome daughters,
Mieke and Sarah.
Eric works at the
Belgium railways in Brussels os a
G./.5. designer. He received his Hegner
scroll saw in 2002 as a 40th birthday
present from his wife. Contact him at
vanmalderen-quintelier@skynet.be.

scrollsawer.com • WINTER 2020 61

 Compound-Cut
Ornament
Test your precision on a wicked, wire-thin
project that pulls no punches
By Clayton Meyers

Compound-Cut
Ornament Patterns
T his ornament is a beautiful addition to
any Christmas tree. I designed it as a way
of testing and advancing my skills on the scroll
saw- and cutting it will do the same for you.
The thin, skeletal design presents a particular
challenge and requires precision and accuracy to
achieve a uniform look. I finished this hardwood
version with a high-gloss polyurethane for a
long-lasting protection that will reflect the lights
on my Christmas tree, but you can modify the
wood choice and finishing method as desired.

Getting Started
Choose a kind of wood. I recommend a
hardwood with a tight grain structure; I used
cherry for this particular piece but find that
maple and walnut work nicely, as well. Attach
the pattern views to two adjacent sides of the
blank using spray adhesive. Use a combination
square to verify that the wood blank is perfectly
square at all four corners. Drill the blade-
entry holes for all interior cuts on both sides of
the blank.
Lightly sand the pattern-free sides of the
blank so that it will sit flush on your .cutting
surface. Ensure that your scroll saw blade is
perfectly plumb before you start cutting, as any
fluctuation of the blade will cause the wire frame
of the tree to look thinner on one side than the
other. It could also lead to a very weak structure
on the finished product.

62 Saofl Saw Woodworking & Crafts

 iliiillll' CHANGING BLADES
Cut slowly and change blades often. When you're cutting through
thick hardwoods on a scroll saw, the first sign ofa dull blade is
that the wood begins to burn. You may not notice this right away,
so pay dose attention to the area you're cutting in order to avoid
harming the project with skewed cuts.
USING FO RCE
In compound-cutting projects, the thickness ofthe wood you cut
through changes dramatically as you move through the project.
Be sure to constantly adjust the amount of force used to avoid
over-cutting.
Cutting and Finishing
Make all of the interior
cuts on one side of the
blank. Then, rotate the
blank 90° and make
all the interior cuts on
the second side. Using
the same type of blade,
begin the outside cuts.
Make all outside cuts
in one pass and save
the scrap pieces. Stay as close to the pattern line as
possible, cut slowly, and use a sharp blade. You should
now have four pieces of exterior scrap removed from
the first side.

Materials & Tools

Materials
· Wood, such as cherry, 1112'' (3.8cm) Tools
square: SW' (13.3cm) long ·Scroll saw with blades:
• Spray adhesive #5 skip-tooth
·Sandpaper: assorted grits • Drill press with bit:
·Tape: clear packaging Ya" (3mm)-dia.
• Clear spray finish, such as high- · Jeweler's files
gloss polyurethane · Combination square
·Ribbon or hook (for hanging)
rhe author used these products for the project. Substituteyour
choice ofbrands, tools, and materials as desired.

Using clear packaging tape, tape the scrap pieces back

Clayton Meyers has been using a scroll saw since he was
onto the piece exactly as they were before. Rotate the
six and got into compound scrolling about 15 years ago.
ornament 90° and make the outside cuts on the final He currently works as a product development engineer
side. Remove all of the scrap to reveal the Christmas in Northern Indiana and is married with two kids. Find
tree. Sand and finish the final piece to your liking; more of his work on Etsy at C/aytonsPattems.
1 used sandpaper and jeweler's files, and sprayed the
piece with a high-gloss polyurethane. Add a ribbon or
hook to display it on your holiday tree.

64 SaoiiSawWoodworking&Ctafts
scrollsawer.com • WINTER 2020 65
 Buddy the Sparrow
Fretwork
What this winter bird lacks in size,
he makes up for in personality E ach day when I wake, the sound of many birds fills
the air. While my wife prepares treats for these
winged visitors, I watch the sparrows gather in our garden
By Charles Hand and on the porch. One particular male sparrow, the bravest
of them all, appears to respond when my wife calls out,
"Here, Buddy." This charming little bird is always the first
to land, hopping nearest to her for his morning nibbles.
These little sparrows are such a big part of our life that
I can't imagine not hearing the chirping sounds that they
make each day, especially brave Buddy.
(Continued on page 68)

66 Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts

 What'sWUDPAL?

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V1s1t wudpal.com to learn more and see how exc•· g t s

webs1te 1s for all those that love the art of woodwo'i< e

Make Scroll Saw Shells from PDF Pattems.

Several different pattems
~~• available with more
being added.

www.spiralsbysteve.com
(4 79) 223-3767
Use Code SSWC for 10% Off

scrollsawer.com • WINTER 2020 67

 (Conrinued from page 66)

Prepping and Cutting and right, insert the cutout pieces before sanding to
Sand the front and back of the blank thoroughly. Blow protect the delicate bridges. Use needle files to clean
off the dust or remove it with a tack cloth. Attach up tight areas.
removable Con-Tact• creative covering paper to the top Remove the sander dust with compressed air.
of one blank. Apply spray adhesive to the back of the Apply a clear spray finish if you don't plan to use
pattern. Let the adhesive set for two to three minutes, a picture frame with glass. Attach black felt to the
and then press the pattern down onto the paper, back of the portrait with blue painter's tape. Remove
eliminating any air bubbles. the backing board and mat from the picture frame
Stack the portrait blanks with the pattern on top. and line up the portrait to the back side of the mat
Hold the wood flat and the stack securely while you opening. Replace the backing board and secure the
wrap blue painter's tape around the perimeter. Drill portrait in the frame.
blade-entry holes and cut the frets. Since I use spiral
blades, I sand the bottom of the stack every 10 cuts to Framing Notes
remove the fuzzies. A standard 11" by 14" (27.9cm by 35.6cm) mat opening
is normally lOW' by 13-\-S'' (26.7cm by 34.3cm), so 1
Sanding and Finishing designed my patterns to suit that size. Take a tape
Remove the tape from the perimeter and peel off measure when shopping for a picture frame, and make
the Con-Tact• paper. Sand the portraits carefully. sure the mat opening is exactly lOW' by 13-\-S" (26.7cm
For large, open areas, such as those to the bird's left by 34.3cm).

Materials & Tools

Materials • Felt backing, black: 11" x14"
• Baltic birch plywood, Ys" (3mm) (27.9cm x35.6cm) (optional) ·Palm sander: fine-grit
thick: 11" x14" (27.9cm x35.6cm), • Photo frame, matted: standard • Needle files (optional)
2 or 3 each 11" x 14" (27.9cm x35.6cm) • Air compressor (optional)
·Sandpaper: 180- to 220-grit (optional)
·Tack cloth
·Tape: blue painter's Tools
• Self-adhesive shelf liner, such as ·Scroll saw with blades: #2/0 to
Con-Tact• removable covering #1 spiral (interior cuts), #3 or #5
The author used these
reverse-tooth flat (straight cuts) products for theprojecr.
• Spray adhesive, such as El mer's or
3M Super77 ·Drill press with bits:¥~" (1mm)-dia. Substitute your (hoice
or #56 wire size, ~6" (2mm)-dia. or ofbrands, tools, and
• Finish: clear spray lacquer #53 wire size
materials os desired.

Charles Hand is retired from a career in

Pattern for BUDDY THE
electrical/mechanical design, graphic
SPARROW FRETWORK is in
the pulloul section. arts, and senior project management. He
enjoys intarsia, fretwork, segmentation,
inlay, andjust about everything there is
to cut with a scroll saw. Charles has won
best ofshow and several other awards for
his work and designs at local craft and
woodworking shows. For more information and a tutorial on
Charles' Con-Tact• paper method and framing technique, or
for more of his parterns, visit scrollsawart4u. weebly.com.

68 Scroll Saw Woodworking &Crafts

STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP
Statemtnt of Ownershrp, Management and Orculatlon PubliShed
Scroll Saw Ready Hardwoods
in a«ordantt wllh US Postal Servi<e ~ations. I) Publkation
fnle: Saol SawWoodwwbng &(raft5. 2) PubliCAtiOn Ho.:
1532·5091. 3) Filrng Datt: August 14, 2020. 4)1~ flfqUMcy.
Quarterly. Sl tlurnbef of Issues publillledannually: 4. 6) Annual
n
subscnpllon poc:e 529.99. Complete mai~ng addrtSS of known
office of publi<ation; Fox Chapel Publ~hmg <o.,lnc., 903 Square
Street, Mount Joy, PA 17552-1911- Lancaster County. B) Same.
9) Full Name ~nd complete mailing address of Publisher, Editor,
and Managing Edrtor: Publisher- Alan Giagnocavo, 903 Square
Street, Mount Joy, PA 17552-1911, Lancaster County. Managing
Edrtor - Kaylee S<hofield, 903 Square Street, Mount Joy, PA
17552·1911, Lancaster County. 10) Owner: Alan Giagnocavo,
903 Square Street. Mount Joy, PA 17552-1911, Lancaster County.
11) Known Bondhol~: none 12) Tax Status: Has not changed
during l)le<eding 12 months. 13) Publkation fnlt: Scroll Saw
\Yoodwortng & Cram. 14} Issue Date fuf(irorlation data below-
Summef Manh 2020. 1S)ExtenundNatureoiCitcutauon-
A\'ffagt Ho. CopieS Each Issue During P\'e(eOifl9 12 monthll
Actual CopIfS of Sing~ Issue Published Nearest to Mng Date· A.
Total Number of(opJes (net press run): 39,909/39,597. 8. {1) Paid
OutsrdeCountyMail Subscriptions: 14,703114,512. 8. (2) Pard New to Scrolling?
In-county Subs<riptions: 0/0. 8. (J) Sales Through Dealers and Get your beginner questions
Catriell, Street Vendors. Counter Sales and Other Non-USPS Paid answered all in one place!
Distribution: 7,731/9,863. B. (4) Other Gasses Mailed Through
the USPS:91/69. C. Total Paid Grculation: 22,525/24,444. D.free
Distribution by Mail {Samples, Complimentary, and Other free) (1)
Outslde-(ounty: 39/39 (2) ln-<ounty: 0/0 (3) Other Cl~sses M~rled
Through the USPS. 145/131. (4) Outside the Mail (carriM Of othtr
me~ns): 14172 £. ToW F~ Olllominal Rate OisulbutiOII' 2581241.
SERDLLID& IDI
F. T01at DistributiOn: 22.78Jn4,686. G. Copies Hot lllsmbuted
17,116/14.911. H. loul: 39,909139,597. I. PertentagePakhndl
01 Requested Cwculit10n: 98.9'!1u'99'!6 16.) Total Grculatton includes
Ele<tronk CopitS: No 17) Publication Requir!d. Wll be printed In
tht Winttr 2020 1ssue of this publkation. 18) Kaylee S<hofield,
Managing Editor- 8/14nO

scrollsawer.com • WINTER 2020 69

• • • ADVERTISING DIRECTORY
Advanced Machinery-Inside Back Cover Flock lt-page 13 PS Wood Machines- page 24
800-SCROLLER 800-336-6537 800-939-4414
advmachinery.com donjer.com pswood.com
Bear Woods Supply Company-Back Cover Groff & Groff- page 70 Proxxon, lnc.- page 13
800-565-5066 800-342-0001 or 717-284-0001 proxxon.com/us
bearwood.com groffslumber.com
Razertip- page 65
Bushton Manufacturing- page 69 Haimer USA-page 65 877-729-3787
620-562-3557 630-833-1500 razertip.com
hawkwoodworkingtools.com haimer-usa.com
Seyco, lnc.- page 1
Cherry Tree Toys-page 67 Klingspor Woodworking Shop-page 13 800-462-3353
800-848-4363 800-228-0000 seyco.com
cherrytreetoys.com woodworkingshop.com
Spirals by Steve-page 67
Crafting Technologies-page 9 Meisel Hardware Specialties- page 65 479-223-3767
913-708-8083 800-441-9870 spiralsbysteve.com
craftingtech.online meiselwoodhobby.com
West Penn Hardwoods- page 24
D&D Woodcrafts-page 7 Mike's Workshop- page 7 828-322-9663
610-381-2286 503-760-1614 westpennhardwoods.com
dndhardwoodsonline.com mikesworkshop.com
Wooden Teddy Bear-Inside Front Cover
Excalibur-page 5 Ocooch Hardwoods- page 69 888-762-9149
253-754-6072 888-322-2432 woodenteddybear.com
excaliburpowertool.com ocoochhardwoods.com
Wudpal- page 67
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KilnMDried, Premium,
Domestic, & Exotic
Hardwoods, Live
Edge Slabs & more!
llrotf & Uroff Lumber;,. a >pc<.t.tll\' ~;otUpan~ with~ l.1rge 'urply of
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Black walnut Curly (figured) cherry

Cherry Tiger maple
Maple Birds-eye maple
Fox Hunt
Butternut Quarter sawn white
and red oak
Betsi Packwood of Sun City, Ariz., and Donald Hysell of South Solon, Ohio,
Oaks were randomly drawn from the participants who located the fox in our
Paulownia Sycamore
last issue (Fall2020, Issue #80). The fox was astowaway aboard Alex
Live edge slabs and
Ash
much more. Fox's Hardwood Sailing Ship on page 51.
Beech Find the fox in this issue, and tell us the page number and location.
Sassafras Two readers randomly selected from all correct replies will receive a
$25 Fox Chapel Publishing gift certificate. Entries must be received by
November 15, 2020, to be eligible. Note: The contest fox is an outline
drawing that would face left if his feet were on the "ground" (other foxes
appearing in SSW&C don't count).
Send your entry to SSW&C, Attn: Find the Fox, 903 Square Street,
Mount Joy, PA 17552 or enter on line at scrollsawer.com.

70 Scroll Saw Woodworking Bt Crafts

 (Continued from page Jl)

John Madden
and his son
Justin work
side by side
producing
one-of-a-kind
puzzles.

"When we design a puzzle, we think outside the box," he said.

"We get creative with the edges and utilize blank space, always
striving to create something no one saw coming."
The images are printed on matte poster paper and adhered
to the wood using 3M General Purpose spray adhesive. After the
image is set, the design phase begins. Designing the puzzles can
take several hours, and another four or five days are dedicated
to cutting the pieces on two old Delta scroll saws from the
1930s. Each puzzle is cut free-form, without any shapes drawn
in advance. If John or Justin make a mistake, they have to start
over. It's the way Par has done puzzles from the beginning.
While daunting, the process guarantees that no two puzzles are
alike. It's also why the price of one is so steep; a Par puzzle can Customershave a say in the design as well. Many will
cost as much as $4,500. ask for a particular theme or a phrase, such as"Happy
John and Justin might make close to a hundred Anniversary," to be included within the pieces.
puzzles in a year. However, that number has tripled
during the pandemic. Thanks to a recent feature in
the New York Times, the Maddens anticipate the wave
will continue well past the holiday season. As they
hustle to fulfill the influx of new orders, they can't help
but wonder what's next for Par. "We're trying to keep
something alive that's 100 years in the making," said
ohn '\X'e create one-of-a-kind items in a mass-
produced world. And we love what we do. We hope
t make Par more accessible to the working class, not
Each puzzle includes
the elite, as we continue to craft pieces of art for hundredsof silhouettes
z e-lo\·ers to enjoy for many generations to come." unique to Par, including
the company's
nz more about Par Puzzles, visit parpuzzles.com signature seahorse.
r_puzzles on lnstagram.

scrollsawer.com WINTER 2020 71

 • • SAWDUST

P ar Puzzles, currently run by a father-son team in

Long Island, has sold mysteries in a box for nearly
a century. Each puzzle includes about 1,000 oddly
shaped pieces, cut on W' (6mm)-thick mahogany-
backed plywood. The puzzles arrive in an unassuming
black package-no picture of the finished product is
provided, and thanks to Par's famous irregular edges,
most people hardly know where to begin. "We get a
great deal of pleasure from stumping our customers,"
said owner John Madden.
John, a third generation apprentice and wallpaper
hanger, inherited the quizzical company in the 1980s.
His wallpaper skills translated well to puzzle-making.
"I knew how to work with paper so it wouldn't curl
or bubble, which came in handy for laying patterns,"
John said. "Learning the scroll saw took some time, but
pretty soon, I was confident there too."

Par Puzzles John taught his son, Justin, the art of puzzle-
making after the 2008 recession hit. Justin, then 26,
had lost his job in finance and needed a hobby. He
began making puzzles in his L.A. studio apartment
The king of puzzles relishes as his father offered guidance over the phone. "We'd
a recent renaissance ship projects back and forth, he'd critique my work,
and we'd bounce ideas off one another," Justin said.
By Hannah Rachel Carroll
"It was a blast." After Justin moved back to Long
Island, he teamed up with his father to continue Par's
legacy full-time.
The company's origins were humble: it was 1932,
the start of the Great Depression. Founders Francis
Ware and John Henriques looked for a way to keep
busy as the economy flatlined. They decided to give
jigsaw puzzles a try.
At first, the pair made puzzles for their own
amusement. As the unemployment rate soared and
America's need for entertainment intensified, Francis
and John decided to turn their hobby into a business.
While the competition chased mass production,
they built Par's reputation on unique personalized
creations, using tricky cutting, artistic prints, and
high-quality materials. Pretty soon, they caught
the attention of clientele who could afford their
handiwork-including the likes of Humphrey Bogart,
Bing Crosby, Charles M. Schwab, the Rockefeller
family, and Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Much like Par's founders, Justin draws inspiration
from vintage posters and brochures from theatres,
circuses, tattoo conventions, and album tours with
vibrant color blocks and monochromatic repetitions.
(Continued on page 77)