Choosing wood

[Guest]

Been fooling around for about 2 months with a new scrollsaw [am definately a beginner] and can get buy with the patterns in the magazines that I pick up, but most do not specify what kind of wood to use. Have been using mostly soft woods avail from HD or Lowes. Basically for practice. Has any one found the 'sample pack of wood species' offered by some ads to be of any help. Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Eventually I hope to do fretwork and intarsia.Thanks.

[Guest]

Re: Choosing wood

Try scoll saw workshop. great mag offered by Fox Chapel. If you have any woodworkers in your area ask for scraps most will give you cut offs or other small peices for little or no charge. To find these guys check local lumber yards or if you can find a 4-H group in your area alot of woodworkers help with 4-H projects.
Good Luck
long time sawyer
Mark

[Guest]

Re: Choosing wood

I just contacted a cabinet maker in my area and am going to visit him tomorrow to pick up cutoffs from him. He was happy on the phone when I called to inquire about it. He has to pay to get rid of the stuff and I am going to be able to get whatever I want for the cost of hauling it away. I'll let you know how it goes.

[William_Young_SE_B]

Re: Choosing wood

Sonnyc;
You are doing the right thing to practice on some soft woods . Baltic birch plywood is also a good chioce because of the opposing grains in the layers, the blade will track better than woods where the grain goes all the way through. Later when you get more experience and get into some of the hardwoods, you will find it nice to work with also. Most people that make fretwork clocks use solid oak for both appearance, and strength and ease of finishing.

Tim;
That's a good idea about the cabinet shops. I was lucky enough to get some nice solid  black walnut cutoffs from a local shop and I used it to make overlays in some of the solid red oak clocks I make.
W.Y.