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Scrolling, Fretting, Carving and making sawdust
Ramblings to stoke the fire!
Someone came up to me today and told me they heard I carved wood.
Although I have done some carving I tried to explain the differences between carving and scrolling. Then I got thinking about scrolling and fretwork.
Why dont we throw intarsia in there too...maybe a little compound cutting, some marquetry.
There are so many aspects to this hobby that we refer to as scrolling.
There are definitions for all of the terms I just mentioned. A few things they all have in common. The use a saw, a by produst is sawdust, and if you don't have fun doing it then there is no point even starting.
That holds true whether you are cutting fretwork with a hand powered fretsaw or making intarsia with a $2000 saw.
The first power saw I had was a Dremel with 3" pinned blades. Suction cup feet tried to hold the saw to the kitchen table but didnt do a very good job.
I know I could not cut out the Dome Clock or the Chimes of Normandy with this saw but I did have fun.
There are frustrating things about all saws, even the top end ones. But the enjoyment of seeing a project take shape is the same on saws at either end of the price range.
I am not telling people to go out and buy a 69 dollar saw but I have been scrolling for many years with a saw that cost less than $200 and I defy anyone to tell me that I dont enjoy the hobby as much as anyone else.
That being said I am eventually going to get a saw with a little more capacity.
I just wish the prices in Canada were comparable to those in the US.
Someone came up to me today and told me they heard I carved wood.
Although I have done some carving I tried to explain the differences between carving and scrolling. Then I got thinking about scrolling and fretwork.
Why dont we throw intarsia in there too...maybe a little compound cutting, some marquetry.
There are so many aspects to this hobby that we refer to as scrolling.
There are definitions for all of the terms I just mentioned. A few things they all have in common. The use a saw, a by produst is sawdust, and if you don't have fun doing it then there is no point even starting.
That holds true whether you are cutting fretwork with a hand powered fretsaw or making intarsia with a $2000 saw.
The first power saw I had was a Dremel with 3" pinned blades. Suction cup feet tried to hold the saw to the kitchen table but didnt do a very good job.
I know I could not cut out the Dome Clock or the Chimes of Normandy with this saw but I did have fun.
There are frustrating things about all saws, even the top end ones. But the enjoyment of seeing a project take shape is the same on saws at either end of the price range.
I am not telling people to go out and buy a 69 dollar saw but I have been scrolling for many years with a saw that cost less than $200 and I defy anyone to tell me that I dont enjoy the hobby as much as anyone else.
That being said I am eventually going to get a saw with a little more capacity.
I just wish the prices in Canada were comparable to those in the US.
For really cheap prices just because someone had visited and said, I'll give you $$ for that tool. The pride of the shop was an old General Table Saw she sold for $100. And as you know, you can't even come close to finding a quality table saw like that for $100. Currently I have a Ryobi Table saw with a sliding cross cut slide, which wiggles off over the place... (annoying!!!!!) 
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