Seminar on Scrolling

[Back2Jake]

It's that time of year... woodshows.

Sue Chrestensen and I will be hosting a seminar at the London (Ontario) Woodshow in February and are planning for the event.

The show is three days and we will be working along side a tool company and demonstrating scrolling for the three days. We also have this "center stage" event where we get to put on the seminar.

The event hosts would like us to "let people know what they can do with a scrollsaw".

This leads me to ask some questions here - hoping you all can give me some insight what I should be outlining for Sue to talk about. Giggle. See that, I am shy... so she gets to talk in public.

How many of us have had a scrollsaw and then thought of creating something with it? Did you know about scrolling before the saw was available to you? What was the first thing you cut? How long did it take you? What materials do you prefer? Well the list goes on...

Is there anything you'd like to see or have seen in a scrolling demonstration/seminar that would have been helpful to you? The first thing that comes to my mind in pivoting.... I am never able to really describe that well and feel it is something you simply have to see.

Look forward to hearing from everyone, beginner to advanced.

Take care
Toni

[Jediscroller]

Toni,
Speaking from personal experience here. I had a scrollsaw for around 5 years in my shop before I started what we would think of as scrolling. Something to get across somehow would be the message that entire projects can be done on a scrollsaw. I had always seen it as something to use to do internal cutouts of shapes such as hearts but never saw it as a means to an end.
As far as what opened my eyes to the possibilities was a puzzle (the first thing I cut).
The opportunity work with very exotic woods that would be too expensive for a furniture project but just fine for a small scrolled project is also very appealing.
Hope this helps a little.

[workin for wood]

I haven't been to an actual scroller seminar, I am all self taught. My thought is to try to keep things simple as you can to not intimidate people, but rather inspire them to "Oh yeah, I can do that!".

Where's the show, my Dad lives in London...do they have competitions? I love to compete. I sure won't be there, I would have had to schedule it through work, but I'm sure it's not too far from me for another time.

[Marsha]

Toni, would you please post when and where this show is. I can't find it in the show listing. Is it being held at the fair grounds?
Thanks
Marsha

[PuzzledMoose]

Toni, would you please post when and where this show is. I can't find it in the show listing. Is it being held at the fair grounds?
Thanks
Marsha

Here you go, Marsha. http://www.woodshows.com/index.php?categoryid=9&s=&

[NC Scroller]

Toni, I'm self taught. I wish I had had a seminar to attend before I got started but it is what it is. Use the KISS (keep it simple......) principle. Knowing what I know now as a newbie I would have liked to leaner sooner about attaching patterns, the different blade types, stack cutting, and scrolling styles (segmentation, fret, pictures......). For your demo I would do basic ornaments and maybe include the patterns as a handout. I still have the first piece I cut. Crude but I am still proud of it.

I hope that helps.

[Marsha]

Thanks Ian, for posting that link.
Marsha

[GrayBeard Phil]

Toni:

For your consideration:

Scroll sawing does not exist in a vacuum. It is a woodworking tool that has advantages over other woodworking tools for specific tasks. A scroll saw is not for every task, however, for example: a scroll saw (nor a router) is not the best choice to resaw a piece of wood.

The heritage of the scroll saw comes from the traditional woodworking tool the coping saw and it's off-shoot the fretsaw.

Once the scroll saw fundamentals have been learned, it is possible then for the crafts-maker to move on to integrate the scroll saw with other woodworking tools and techniques.

It is this integration of scroll sawing and other woodworking techniques that draws many traditional woodworkers to learn about scroll sawing.

Aside: (please forgive me, I don't want to pick on you, this is just an example of what I am talking about. Toni, you lately posted a Celtic moon you designed; I liked it. But I keep thinking, what would someone from our sister forum on Wood Carving Illustrated do with that design using a few carving tools. Imagine the 'knots' being highlighted, the edges being rounded over, carving tool marks to show the rustic heritage of the crafts maker..Yada-yada-Yada.)

Intarsia technique uses a flexible sanding drum to 'carve' or form the wood making a smooth 3-D transition. However, there is no rule that prevents someone taking carving tools or a woodworker's whittling knife to produce a different aesthetic effect on the 3-D transitions. There is no reason a wood burning tool couldn't be used to add pyrographic emphasis to a project.

But before any of that, one must learn the fundamentals of scroll sawing.

Just some random thoughts I wanted to pass on to you.

Phil

[Back2Jake]

Toni:

Aside: (please forgive me, I don't want to pick on you, this is just an example of what I am talking about. Toni, you lately posted a Celtic moon you designed; I liked it. But I keep thinking, what would someone from our sister forum on Wood Carving Illustrated do with that design using a few carving tools. Imagine the 'knots' being highlighted, the edges being rounded over, carving tool marks to show the rustic heritage of the crafts maker..Yada-yada-Yada.)


Phil

Phil.... I agree totally with the idea that carvers could have fun with the Celtic Moon.

I am learning (slowly due to time) about carving and would love to see some of our designs go that route. The Celtic Moon is one of the projects I am playing with on the carving side.... although I suck! lol.

[Neal Moore]

Toni....Pat Spielman's book, Scrollsaw Handbook, Is an excellent source of material from which to develope a lesson guide. If it's going to be a demonstration type presentation you might start with the basics such as squaring the table, explain the uses of various types of blades and proper blade tensioning. Then show how to affix a pattern to the wood and cut a few simple shapes such as circles, hearts, squares etc. From there you might touch on all the different styles of cutting such as intarsia, segmentation,fretwork, compound cutting etc. Just a couple thoughts that you probably have already considered. I did six, one hour, presentations on Segmentation at the Open House in September and I think I bored the attendees senseless. It's difficult to develop a presentation when you don't know the skill level of the attendees. There were times when I felt like I was explaining fractions in a Quantum Theory class!!! LOL!!

[will8989]

Toni, First off you need an attention getter to draw people in and I would use your fabulous designs that you have completed displayed in your area. That will get people motivated towards to you and want to look and learn more. Then something like "Would you like to do this? Well you can, and here's how." or something along those lines. I would use the SSW Scroll Saw Basics as a guide for demonstrating. Precise, clear and to the point. I'm sure you've been to a few shows and saw them demonstrating a scrollsaw. Go along those lines. I wouldn't push any brand of scroll saw, just tell them to try the ones that are at the show you are at and then to purchase one that fits their needs and budget. Mention magazines, scrollsaw forums on line (gee, I wonder which ones I have in mind?) tell them what a great group of people we are and someone can usually answer any and all questions they may have. Scroll a little something, ornament or what ever and give it away to someone. Also have some of the scrolled saw pics on display and anything else you can think of. I feel that if people can see more of what then can do and it's not really hard, it will entice them. And stress it's not just for adults, children can do it with the proper supervision. Is that too much info for you?

Good luck! I know you'll do great!!

Betty

[Dragon]

I have never been to a show but have read about them. Hands on anything would be nice for me. I cannot get there because accomodation is too expensive. Maybe another year I will go and visit.
It is always nice to try different things, some basic and some intermediate. That way you are ready for any level of clientele that comes through.
Diane

[Rolf]

[Sue Chrestensen]

thank you for all of the great suggestions and ideas! I'm taking notes and starting to write out a bit of an outline..Toni's a bit nervous about what I might say LOL and is encouraging me to be organized..the seminar is on Saturday at 430..the last one of the day..it's only 45 minutes long so I'll try to get to most of the basics and we'll definitely have some samples to show and handouts ... I think it'll be fun but a bit different then the training sessions I gave for staff at the Children's Shelter.. (they were stuck listening to me for days at a time ) anyway..the suggestions are all appreciated!!
thank you!