Scroll Saw Village

I’ve talked about our favorite puzzle master, Carter Johnson before (CarterJ Puzzles, Puzzle Tutorial, Puzzle-Cutting Tutorial). One thing about Carter, he’s very generous about sharing his knowledge on puzzle cutting. Well, he has another video demonstrating how he cuts out his signature puzzle, the one cent stamp! I’m lucky enough to have one in my collection, and I assure you these miniature puzzles are amazing. Check out his cool video. I’m sure you’ll walk away with a lot of great tips for making your own puzzles. If nothing else, he’s certainly fun to watch!

Here’s a fun project for the little reader in your life. This child’s bookend pattern is provided by Reader’s Digest. It certainly is a quick project and perfect for beginners. They take you step by step through the process of building this cute teddy bear bookend. I’d suggest taking the pattern grid and enlarging it to the appropriate size with a graphics program or a photocopier. That way you don’t have to redraw anything. And since the teddy bears have a retro/folk art feel, try distressing the wood with sandpaper after you are done painting. It will certainly enhance the end product.

My favorite blog has got to be David’s from Tuliptree Crafts located at scrollsawblog.com. He writes daily posts about the behind the scenes work of his scroll saw/craft business. He has plenty of pictures of the projects he is working on. I especially enjoy reading which items tend to sell better than others and his time saving techniques to reduce labor costs. Its a very interesting blog and I make a point of reading it every day.

One of David’s popular items are Woodimal puzzles designed by Jim Sweet. It seems like he can’t keep them on the shelf for very long before he’s sold out. David recently tried his hand at designing these unique puzzles. It turned out great. He has made his pattern available to anybody who wants it. Check it out. While you’re there, be sure to check out his other blog entries. I think you’ll find yourself going back to his blog on a daily basis too.

If you like this Bull design, be sure to check out Jim Sweet’s Woodimal pattern site. He has a ton of designs to choose from!

Once you start making toys, every kid in the neighborhood will be knocking on your door wanting their own. You certainly don’t have the time to make a detailed toy for every kid who wants one. So here’s a very simple toy bus that you can make in no time. Best of all, you can use scraps laying around the workshop! Just cut it out with your scroll saw, drill the holes for the windows and wheels, sand, glue and maybe a clear coat and you’re done!

Here’s a Train Set that will be sure to please. The project is provided by ShopSmith. Much of it can be cut with the scroll saw and a few basic tools. Unfortunately, they also require a lathe to turn the boiler and smoke stack. But, with a little imagination, I bet you can alter the pattern to suit the tools you have in your shop. The project has detailed instructions for each step of the way. It includes plans and exploded drawings for ease of assembly. Give this project a go. When you’re done, you’ll have an heirloom project that will be passed down for generations.

My son loves doggies. And why wouldn’t he? They’re a loyal and obedient friend. Here’s a doggie that will follow you around and be a close companion for any child. The pattern is provided by Don Firt of Grandpa’s Workshop. It can easily be cut with a scroll saw and a drill to finish the hinge. Instead of using wood for the ears, consider some leather scraps instead! Doggies are much cuter with floppy ears! The pattern is provided in JPG format. It’s pretty small, so you’ll need a graphics program or photo copier to enlarge it to the appropriate size. But that shouldn’t pose too much of a problem. While you’re there, check out his other woodworking plans. He has so many great projects to try.

Bink from Bink’s Woodworking has a great little toy Volkswagen bug project. Using complimentary hardwoods is what makes this simple little design really stand out. The project is pretty straight forward and should be able to complete it in an afternoon. Bink takes you step by step through the construction with clear descriptions and accompanying photos. This will surely please young and old alike. When you give your toy car away, be sure to slug the recipient in the arm and yell “Slug Bug Brown!“

We’re all kids at heart. There’s a certain part of us who still loves pushing around toy trucks. But a bigger thrill is building that toy truck and watching a delighted child push that truck around for us.

Shopsmith has a great article on how to build a bulldozer and truck set, designed by Norm Marshall. Much of the design can be cut with a scroll saw and a small assortment of hand tools. It can easily be finished off on a lazy Sunday afternoon. The article starts off with an interview with Norm about toy making and how he goes about it. Then it is followed with detailed instructions on how Norm built his bulldozer and truck. The article includes several illustrations and measured drawings to make assembly easier. Check it out! I’m sure there’s somebody you know who would love a hand crafted toy truck.

Monday I talked about the chess sets that were being created in the SSW&C forums. Chiz Wolfe from Wood’n What-Knots has a nice set of progression pictures on his website as he creates a chess set for his son. Each piece is compound cut with the scroll saw. He has 3 pages of pictures that take you through each step. He also includes a nice description with each set of pictures. The end result really turned out great, especially since it was his first time with compound cutting. Seeing his pictures makes compound cutting your own chess set a little less intimidating. So, give it a try! I’ll bet learning to cut your own chess set will be easier than you think. Learning to play a good game of chess, on the other hand, is a whole different story!

My other hobby is playing board games. I love ‘em! I have about 150 board games in my collection and its constantly growing. So I don’t have to tell you how excited I was to hear the latest issue of SSW&C has plans for a compound cut checker board set designed by Sue Mey. I’m anxiously awaiting my issue to show up. The pictures look stunning and I can’t wait to read more about it.

Interesting enough, there has been a few threads on SSW&C forums about compound cut chess pieces. Barefoot1 (Thomas) has created a thread in the Works In Progress section to log his progress as he constructs a Notre Dame chess set for his son. Each piece is compound cut with the scroll saw and beautifully detailed. He also goes into construction of the board/case that will certainly match the beauty of his chess pieces. His work is remarkable. I can’t wait to see the finished product.

The Notre Dame Chess Set was designed by Azbison (Jim Kape). He’s been busy making a lot of prototype chess pieces and posting the results in the forums. You can check out some of his prototypes (thread 1, thread 2). He also has a beautiful chess set he constructed. Take a look.

If you are interested in obtaining a copy of the Notre Dame Chess Set, Jim is making the pattern available for $10. He also has other patterns he’s been working on, so you might see what else he has to offer. You can email Jim at azbison[at]yahoo.com, to find out more information.

You also might want to check out Diana Thompson’s, Wooden Chess Sets You Can Make: 9 Complete Designs for the Scroll Saw. I haven’t read the book, yet. But the designs look very nice and might be a good option for those who are new to compound cutting.