Scroll Saw Village

Well, I thought I’d jump into the Easter spirit too and design a new pattern. This time, we’ve got two bunny puzzles and three Easter egg puzzles. They’re pretty quick project. For a more festive look, dye the wood with watered down acrylics or leather dye. I’ve provided the pattern as a PDF. For those of you out there using Inkscape, I’ve also provided the source file! Enjoy the pattern!

OK. So you’re not much of a painter, but you still want a bunny puzzle for Easter? Here’s a simple little puzzle that should make the child in us smile. This pattern is provided by Better Woodworking Guide & Directory. They also have a few more free scroll saw patterns available too. They’re quick and easy and worth checking out!

Easter wouldn’t be the same without an Easter Bunny! Here’s a fun painted puzzle pattern from Trish’s Crafts. This would work really well on some MDF or some scrap wood you have laying around. The pattern is in JPG format for easy scaling and the instructions include a painting guide. Check it out!

While looking through YouTube, I came across Ceal Pedersen as she demonstrates how she makes unique wooden puzzles for children. The video is very interesting. I especially like how she mounts her artwork to the wood. Very informative for any puzzle maker out there. Check out her YouTube video here. And while you are at it, check out her website Heirloom Puzzles For Children to see more of her work. She has some really great stuff and will spark an idea or two, I’m sure!

I’m a sucker for the fantasy genre. I love wizards, dragons and evils that must be vanquished by a group of unlikely heroes. Naturally, I’m always on the lookout for fantasy based scroll saw patterns

When I came across Fantasy & Legend Scroll Saw Puzzles, by Judy and Dave Peterson, I knew I had to have it.

Judy and Dave create free standing puzzles. These are thick puzzles that are intended to be handled and stand on a shelf by themselves. They prefer using hardwoods to utilize their unique color and grain patterns. Their book takes you step by step in great detail for creating your first puzzle. Each step includes a close-up photo as they cut the puzzle. They cover everything from basic techniques to specific techniques required for puzzle making. They show you their method of sanding and finishing so you too can achieve the finest looking puzzle possible.

The book is 75 pages long and includes 28 unique patterns. Each pattern includes an accompanying photo of the finished puzzle with notes on the hardwood they used. Each pattern is presented in black, white and gray and includes a grain direction indicator for maximum stability. They have a wide variety of mythical creatures, including
dragons, centaurs, gargoyles, griffins, mermaids, unicorns, pegasus, tree spirits, hippogriffs, phoenix, and landscape patterns. The puzzles are stunning and would look great your shelf.

The Pros

• The patterns are optimized for photocopying.
• Each pattern includes a photo of the finished product, noting the hardwood used.
• Each pattern is categorized according to skill level.
• They give resources and specific information on the tools they use.

The Cons

• Most of the puzzles do not lend themselves well to be colored with paint or stains.

Overall Impression:
I really liked this book. I love freestanding puzzles and the fantasy genre makes this book a must have. There isn’t a pattern in this book that won’t cut. I highly recommend this book to anybody who is interested in making unique puzzles or who has a soft spot in their heart for dragons and other mythical creatures.

We’ve all seen them at craft shows. Those really cool wooden models of old cars, big semi trucks, and dirt moving tractors. Toys & Joys sells a number of pattern and kits to get you started. They have everything from trains to golf carts. If you are looking to tackle one of those models yourself, this would be the place to check out.

I wrote a while back about Carter Johnson. He is the resident puzzle-making master in the forums. He has made almost 600 full-size puzzles (400 of which still reside in his basement), 700 Christmas card puzzles and nearly 2000 stamp puzzles made from 1 cent stamps! This guy knows his stuff! It’s no wonder why people are always asking his advice on puzzle-cutting. Due to popular demand, Carter has put together a great demonstration video showing how he cuts his puzzles. He graciously allowed me to post his video here. Check it out. You’ll be amazed at how easy he makes it look. And while you are at it, check out his puzzle gallery for more inspiration!

Well, Steve over at Scrollsaw Workshop did it again. He knocks out so many great patterns, its hard to keep up with. So I usually only write about the truly unique items and this one takes the cake. This time it’s an Automata pattern. A what? Automata is a mechanical toy that mimics some sort of event or action. Steve’s pattern features a hand crank that makes a man play the piano.

Automata is something I’ve always wanted to try my hand at. Steve says this pattern is pretty easy build and can made with materials that are readily available. He has included a 2 part video explaining the parts of the machine and how he assembled them. Naturally the pattern is available for free and downloadable at his website.

Play it again Sam.

The last post, I talked about Carter Johnson’s puzzles. He really creates unique and heirloom quality puzzles. He is an active member of the Scroll Saw Woodworking and Crafts message boards and the resident expert in puzzle making. His experience and advice is priceless. He was kind enough to share his knowledge in a tutorial on how to make wooden puzzles. You can find it here.

If you haven’t had a chance to browse through his gallery, I encourage you to do so. He is a true puzzle craftsman.

From time to time, I’d like to showcase galleries of scrollers. Its really neat to look at other’s work and find inspiration.

Carter Johnson is a regular contributor on the Scroll Saw Woodworking and Crafts forum. He’s the ‘go to’ guy when it comes to puzzles. If there is a question about puzzles making, he’s right there to answer. He believes that puzzles should remain freehand and not cut with a pattern. Check out his gallery of the puzzles he has made. The are quite amazing!