Multiple interests led to one big hobby for this builder of tiny cityscapes By Dorissa Bolinski One look at the Gothic spires, brutalist buildings, and craggy urban silhouettes that cover David Pentimone’s social media pages makes it clear he has a passion for architecture. Although not an engineer, David is a builder on a small scale. For the past few years, he has been using his scroll saw to create chess sets featuring landmark structures from various cities. David received his first scroll saw as a boy just as he was discovering an appreciation of chess. Later, he became intrigued by a ..read more

Take your hardwood from drab to crab with this snappy pattern By Wayne and Jacob Fowler This multiuse design works well with many kinds of wood. I thought it would be fun to cut it from a piece of maple as a freestanding decoration or a gift for those born under the Cancer zodiac sign. Then, the editors asked my opinion on SpectraPly, so I cut a crab from that, as well. I have also experimented with it as a smaller design, cutting it out of 1/4″ (6mm)-thick hardwood for Christmas ornaments. Before finishing your crab, think about where your piece will be displayed and if it will be in direct s ..read more

For projects that will be exposed to UV rays, be sure to select the right paint, stain, and finish combination By Staff of SSW We’ve all experienced finishes fading or discoloring in the sun, but how much to do they actually change? To test this, we created two boards with identical paints, stains, and finishes. We photographed one immediately and stuck the other in a sunny window. After a year, here’s what we found. Once you have read through the finish results, test out what you learned by scrolling and finishing a cute crustacean.    Row A: Spar Varnish Spar varnishes are a class ..read more

Heed these simple instructions to keep your saw in working order By Charles Hand, with Rolf Beuttenmuller This may be hard to believe, but in over 15 years of scrolling, I have never replaced a clamp or thumb screw. I’ve been able to keep my various machines—my oldest saw is a 1998 model—running like new by following a simple maintenance routine. I’ve laid it out here, as well as a few tips I’ve picked up along the way. Taking care of your scroll saw doesn’t have to be daunting, but it should be an investment you take seriously. Not only will your saw thank you for it, but your wallet will, to ..read more

The Summer 2024 issue of Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts includes a variety of fascinating features and techniques, as well as nature-themed projects and patterns. This issue is a part of the regular magazine subscription. It is also available from your favorite retailer or from Fox Chapel Publishing, foxchapelpublishing.com, 1-800-457-9112.  Click Here for Summer Issue Features Making Patterns Work for You Follow these tips to put project plans to good use By Staff of Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts The Blind Woodsman For John Furniss, woodworking is ..read more

Channel seaside vibes with these beacons of hope By Sarah Lyn Chamberlain If you are a fan of the beach, you probably have a fondness for lighthouses, too. These giant towers have welcomed ships and attracted tourists for millennia. I’ve included a bonus pattern; you can use the below instructions to construct both. Getting Started Choose a light wood; I prefer 3/4″ (1.9cm)-thick pine. Prepare the blank by sanding progressively through the grits to 220. Cover the surface with blue painter’s tape. Photocopy the pattern, and then use spray adhesive to secure it to the surface of the tape ..read more

A quick and easy solution to unwanted wood scraps By Carl Hird-Rutter My shop is full of scraps, which I find hard to throw out. I thought of a way to remedy this problem with doorstops that can be cut from 3/4″ (19mm) scraps or even 2×4 offcuts. To make sure no small pieces from your doorstop project fall through the hole near the scroll saw blade, create a zero-clearance jig to keep all your wood pieces on the saw table. Making the Doorstops Photocopy and attach the pattern, placing the pattern on the milled edge of the wood to ensure a straight cut. Cut the pattern using a #5 reverse-too ..read more

Shop made jigs make it easy to cut small pieces on your scroll saw By Gary MacKay There are times when the hole around the blade on your scroll saw is big enough to interfere with your cutting. To avoid small pieces falling down through the hole or to support delicate fretwork, add an auxiliary table on top of your saw table. Once you have added your auxiliary table to your scroll saw, scroll a cute and simple animal doorstopper.  Simple Auxiliary Table This simple auxiliary table works best with small projects. Cut a 1/8″ (3mm)-thick by 2″ (51mm)-wide strip of plywood to the ..read more

The Spring 2024 issue of Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts includes a variety of fascinating features and techniques, as well as nature-themed projects and patterns. This issue is a part of the regular magazine subscription. It is also available from your favorite retailer or from Fox Chapel Publishing, foxchapelpublishing.com, 1-800-457-9112.  Click Here for Spring Issue Features Wood Profile: Purpleheart Get to know a fun, exotic hardwood that’ll add flair to scrolled bowls, fretwork, and intarsia By Janette Square Projects Baby Giraffe Intarsia Portr ..read more

This versatile project keeps your garden organized and beautiful By Jon Deck Every gardener knows the anticipation of beholding a garden bursting with colorful produce. However, this sight occurs for a brief time between emergence and harvest. For most of the season, the garden shows only greenery in various stages from shoots to mature plants. These garden markers herald the bounty to come in vibrant fashion. For most, the backyard garden is a family effort. And this project takes that energy into the workshop. The shapes of the stakes and vegetable cutouts are simple to cut—great for kids an ..read more