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The 2022 edition of the NYS Fair is over with and I am nearly caught up on my long to-do list after 13 days of talking to visitors then a 2-day craft show the weekend after. As usual the Woodworkers of CNY conducted demonstrations during all 13 days using non-electrified equipment. We demo in the Agricultural Museum on the fairgrounds in a 14' x 22' inside dimension space. The club built and/or demonstrate on a traditional workbench, a replica treadle lathe, a replica spring pole lathe, a replica shaving horse. Members use those pieces and our carvers bring in their tools as well to demo throughout the event. I bring in my 1877 Seneca Falls Manufacturing Challenge model treadle scrollsaw. It is fully operational although we like to baby it when it is humid as humidity and heavy scrolling causes the belt to stretch. I only like to cut cedar (no inside cuts) and have found that the Olson #5 reverse tooth blade works the best. We typically cut small animals from reclaimed cedar shakes just to demo the saw, explain what it would be used for in the "old" days, and then give the animals to kids who use their manners to ask properly.
The attached photo shows the scrollsaw (front & side view) along with our full demo space. I've cut the same small animals for 10 years now so I often "branch out". In the past I've cut the reindeer of Sheila Landry and some Steve Good mice. This year I cut some more of Steve's patterns - a rooster (shown), a squirrel (shown), a dog, and a kitten. We reuse all the fun branch-out pieces each year placing them in other areas of the Museum (like the nearly 100 year old cabin that is also in the Museum). Several pine puzzles are also at kid-level that they can play with along with others loaned to the cabin.
The last item in the picture is the "patent number" on the saw. I am still trying to decipher it as it really doesn't match anything that I can locate online. If anyone has ideas on what it says, let me know your thoughts. As you can see in the picture of the whole exhibit, we've got a bunch of patents of old tools on the wall. People are fascinated by what is there. And, one in particular came in very handy this year to answer 2 visitors' questions about a unique dovetailing machine for which there was a photo on the wall. I want to get the patent for the saw and add it to the wall for next year's fair.
I invite you to visit the NYS Fair in 2023 and challenge you to try out the saw! It takes some getting used to and many can't operate it. Thankfully, my orthopedic surgeon replaced my 2 knees and operating it is quite easy now! We will be at the NYS Farm Show in February but we've negotiated to bring electrified tools for that 3 day event.
The attached photo shows the scrollsaw (front & side view) along with our full demo space. I've cut the same small animals for 10 years now so I often "branch out". In the past I've cut the reindeer of Sheila Landry and some Steve Good mice. This year I cut some more of Steve's patterns - a rooster (shown), a squirrel (shown), a dog, and a kitten. We reuse all the fun branch-out pieces each year placing them in other areas of the Museum (like the nearly 100 year old cabin that is also in the Museum). Several pine puzzles are also at kid-level that they can play with along with others loaned to the cabin.
The last item in the picture is the "patent number" on the saw. I am still trying to decipher it as it really doesn't match anything that I can locate online. If anyone has ideas on what it says, let me know your thoughts. As you can see in the picture of the whole exhibit, we've got a bunch of patents of old tools on the wall. People are fascinated by what is there. And, one in particular came in very handy this year to answer 2 visitors' questions about a unique dovetailing machine for which there was a photo on the wall. I want to get the patent for the saw and add it to the wall for next year's fair.
I invite you to visit the NYS Fair in 2023 and challenge you to try out the saw! It takes some getting used to and many can't operate it. Thankfully, my orthopedic surgeon replaced my 2 knees and operating it is quite easy now! We will be at the NYS Farm Show in February but we've negotiated to bring electrified tools for that 3 day event.
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