

Scroll Saw Tips and Tricks
- Take your time and practice on scraps. Hopefully your final product
will be enjoyed for years, so its worth a few extra minutes.
- When making internal cuts of a puzzle don't worry too much about staying
on the lines, no one will notice.
- Sanding crevices and internal cuts is very time consuming, but this
is where quality craftsmanship truly shows! They have to be perfectly
smooth or the imperfections will show terribly when you apply the finish.
- Shellac is a great finish for toys. It is nontoxic and protects well.
- On large toys, like rubber band guns, use a router table with a roundover
bit to round off all the edges. This makes the toy safer and look more
finished!
- A quality drill and drill bit really makes a difference when drilling
holes for internal cuts. A poor drill or a dull bit will chew up your
hard work fast.
- Perfectly straight cuts are very difficult for beginners. Practice keeping
your eye on the line and soon they will be a breeze!
- Printing large patterns can be tricky. When they span more than one
piece of paper, take plenty of time to line everything up perfectly and
then tape both sides together. All the patterns on this site give plenty
of overlap, so you have a good strong edge.
- Make your scrolling station as comfortable a possible. If you grow tired
your work will grow sloppy.
- Scroll saws are very safe tools, but you should still wear safety glasses.
Also, the fine dust can be an irritant. If this bothers you, wear a breathing
mask.
- Scrolling is a great way to introduce kids to woodworking. They get
instant gratification and its a relatively safe tool!