Choosing a Scroll Saw

Scroll Saw Accessories

Basic Scroll Saw Techniques

Advanced Scroll Saw Techniques

Shop-Made Jigs & Fixtures

Maintenance & Troubleshooting

Scroll Saw Projects Let's examine each chapter separately...

Chapter 1: Choosing a Scroll Saw
I'll start off by saying that if you are planning to buy a scroll saw soon, or in the foreseeable future, I would certainly invest the dollars this book asks of you for this very chapter. It is full of excellent information on choosing the right scroll saw for your needs. It explains technical terms and answers many of the common questions asked by woodworkers pre-purchase of a scroll saw. For example, did you know there are at least 5 types of scroll saws? There are Rigid-Arm scroll saws, C-Arm saws, Parallel-Arm saws, Double-Parallel Link saws and Oscillating-Loop scroll saws. Which one would you buy?

The chapter also looks at cutting capacity, motors and speeds, types of blade clamp mechanisms (and their pros and cons), blade tensioning, dust blowers, guards and even ergonomics! It concludes with a handy table that compares many models currently sold on the market, so you can make an informed choice. I have owned and used a scroll saw for years and I still learn more than a thing or three from reading this chapter.

Types of scroll saws	Plenty of information on blade types

Chapter 2: Scroll Saw Accessories
This chapter looks at all the bits and pieces that may come with your saw, or parts and accessories you can buy for your saw. Most of the chapter is consumed by a discussion of various blade types and their most suited applications. Again, I learnt a lot here. having the right blade for the job can make a big difference to the end result. You will learn all about blade tooth configurations, including standard blades, skip-tooth blades, reverse-tooth, double-tooth, crown-tooth, and spiral blades. I almost expected the following page to teach me about fluoride with all that tooth talk! In addition to the blade talk, the chapter also looks at lighting, foot pedals, sanding attachments and magnifying gear that will all make your work that little bit easier.

Chapter 3: Basic Scroll Saw Techniques
Here is where we start to get our hands dirty, so to speak. The chapter begins with a discussion on the types of materials you can cut on the scroll saw, but unlike other scroll saw books I have read, this one also looks at how to make stock to scroll saw with, i.e. cutting thin stock on the table saw and band saw, as well as using a planer/thicknesser to make appropriate stock to use. Next it looks at the use of patterns, how to transfer them to wood (a number of techniques displayed) as well as enlarging patterns effectively and freehand drawing patterns, all essential skills to both the new and pro scroll saw user. The basics of working with templates and making holes to begin inside cut scroll work is shown, supported with quality photographs.

Next it is time to set up the scroll saw to begin cutting, and you must select the right blade, the right speed, and ensure the saw itself is set up properly (table tilt or checking for square) and of course, ensure personal safety. In this section the book offers some valuable tips that I had not ever thought of before.

Finally we get to the section of this chapter covering actual cutting techniques, and you will learn how to make straight cuts, curved cuts, cutting corners, on the spot turns (tricky for the beginner, but this section helps a lot in improving your skill for this task) and provides a table showing which blade is the best to use for different types of cutting applications. The tables contained within the book, in each section, are an extremely valuable resource alone.

The chapter concludes with tips on cutting plastics, metal, thin stock, thick stock, how to sand your edges effectively, as well as making stacked cuts (cutting several identical pieces at a time).

Working with templates	Which blade is best suited to the task?

Chapter 4: Advanced Scroll Saw Techniques
The scroll saw can be a challenge to master, however, the basics can be learned fairly quickly with practice. But to get the most out of your scroll saw, some advanced techniques will need to be learnt. After reading this chapter, I never imagined my humble scroll saw was capable of so many varied cutting tasks. The chapter begins with bevel sawing (ok, this one I was pretty familiar with), however, the book notes that because of the bevel angle, there is more stock for the blade to cut, and hence you must slow your feed rate down, a wise tip I had not considered previously. It also highlighted how bevel cutting can be used to make solid cone shapes, as well as chamfering edges on pieces that may not be easy to chamfer safely by any other method.

Relief designs can be made with the scroll saw via a few quick steps, as can a bowl, by cutting and gluing progressively larger concentric circle components... and why not a collapsible wood basket while we are at it? That's shown too. Compound sawing techniques allow you to make small cabriole legs for models or small woodworking items. The process is adequately described and illustrated.

The book then moves on to fretwork, perhaps something you immediately associate with a scroll saw, although this section is quite brief because most of the techniques have already been described in the book prior to this. The we have inlay work, also interesting, and on to Intarsia, which is a very popular form of wood art which always looks great too. For the re-modelers, there is a section on coping moldings using the scroll saw for near perfect fits each time. And for the ambitious, how about cutting dovetail joints using a scroll saw? I prefer to use a router in this case, but nevertheless, an interesting and challenging application in anyone's book. A section on marquetry rounds out the chapter.

How to turn in tight places...	Make a bowl with a scroll saw!

Chapter 5: Shop Made Jigs & Fixtures
Here's the chapter that will help turn your scroll saw into a multi-functional sawing station. Jigs, jigs, jigs... you either love making them, or buying them, but this chapter is all about improving your scroll saw, and you will want to make almost every jig in this chapter to enhance your scroll sawing machine and skills.  The chapter starts with showing the plan and build process for an auxiliary table. This will increase the table area of your saw, add an adjustable fence for straight cuts, and improve life of your blades (you will have to read this section to see why). After you have built your table, its time to build a blade holder. My machine comes with a blade holder, except all the blades get mixed up. The holder shown in the book solves this problem with multiple holding holes that can be easily labeled to store your array of blades neatly and orderly. Exploded plan diagrams and process photos will show you how to make it.

If your saw sits on its own metal stand, there is a plan for a knock down seat to attach to the stand to give you a place to sit while you work. If you need a stand for your saw, there are plans for that too, and it looks like a very good stand at that with adequate storage (although you will need other tools to make it). Lastly, there is a lengthy explanation (with photos) of how to make your own pantograph. This is an extremely useful tool for easily enlarging scroll saw patterns. You will probably want to make one yourself, in time, I am sure.

Cutting dovetails will provide a challenge!	A useful scroll saw fixture...

Chapter 6: Maintenance and Troubleshooting
 Fortunately, the scroll saw is much easier to maintain than a lot of other workshop tools, however, because it is not a common tool in everyone's workshop, it can be somewhat alien, mechanically speaking, to new scroll saw owners. This chapter has an excellent guide on maintaining and problem solving issues with your scroll saw, and I will repeat the word excellent again. It first highlights the need for lubrication of the joints, but while many other texts simply tell you to "lubricate often", this book shows you how to do that, highlighting how to access the pivot points on most popular saw machines and photographically shows where to put those vital drops of oil, and its in more places than you might initially think. I had to go out and do some overdue maintenance to my saw after reading this section, simply because I didn't know all those extra parts that could use a regular dose of lube!

Next it mentions performance testing your saw, accounting for table alignment and blade drift mostly. Then it discusses maintaining your saw table top by cleaning, smoothing, lubricating, and even fine-tuning the table insert. If you are game, it then discusses performing electrical repairs to your saw should there be an electrical problem. I advise checking warranty first and seeking instructions from the manufacturer of your saw before pulling it apart. This book is written for a USA audience remember and electrical specs or procedures may differ between countries.

If you want to add a blower kit, it has instructions for doing that, as well as how to replace a drive link and pulley alignment (if your saw has one). Finally it looks at maintaining scroll saw blades, and even modifying blades for special situations or cutting tasks.

The troubleshooting section delivers tips that may help to solve common scroll sawing problems, like excessive vibration, wandering blade/cut and burning of material being cut. I haven't read all of the scroll saw books out there, but this one certainly has the best maintenance section I have seen in a book so far.

Chapter 7: Scroll Saw Projects
If you have read the book fully up to this point, you will have consumed a lot of information, most of which will hopefully be retained as you progress your scrolling skills. To help progress them, some small projects are included, and highlighted in this chapter. I wont go through each project in detail, but will say that each is well-accompanied by quality photos and text descriptions so that you will be left with little doubt as to how to follow each project along and successfully complete the finished item.

The projects listed are as follows:

• Potpourri Box (looks great)

• Picture Frame (Scroll saw style! Quite distinctive)

• Night Light (would make a great child's present or gift)

• Puzzles (a perfect project for a scroll saw)

• Tongue Drum (what is it? read and find out yourself)

• Collapsible Basket (not my thing, but would be a good application of skills learnt)

• Wall Shelf (featuring scrolled shelf brackets)

• Bookmarks (shown cut from plastic with personalized name - letter patterns included)

Conclusion
Because I am a text editor in real life, often the last thing I want to do outside of my day job is to be reading more books! However, I must say that this is one book I virtually read cover-to-cover. Its very well-balanced with images and text. There is not so much text that it becomes overwhelming and you lose focus of what is being taught, and not so little that the book lacks content. There is very little to fault with this book. I think scroll saw enthusiasts from beginner to advanced could learn something useful from this book, but it is suited to the beginner to intermediate best. It is a useful reference, simply for the various information tables it contains.

Ideally, I'd love to have seen half a dozen more projects, and perhaps a few of a more difficult nature to challenge your skills, but the eight projects it does contain are enough to get you going, and to consolidate the skills you will have learnt along the way. This book is definitely an essential title to have if you own a scroll saw. I'm sure that if you do purchase this book, you would agree with me on the quality of information delivered, and the resource-rich feel the book delivers.