so disappointed

[peterfawzy]

hello guys .,
yesterday was my first attempt to scroll, i tried to scroll a zebra (fretwork) but i was disappointed cuz i couldn't keep the blade running on the line , the blade keeps running out of the line and i cant even cut straight lines, and couldn't cut curves well :/ .
also after i cut off some pieces i broke another delicate pieces while i was scrolling.
have anyone felt that feeling at the beginning of his practice ??
thanks in advance
peter

[Mayo Farmer]

Hi Peter,

We all have days like that - when I do, I usually go and do something else, like clean out the chickens.

But tell me what wood were you using and what blade?

Good luck

[Tango]

Hi Peter,
When I started scrolling, I used a practice board. This was just a scrap piece of wood that I drew straight lines, curvy lines, zigzag lines and circles on. I played with the board until I could almost stay close to the lines. Then I tried to cut a baby whale. It took me an hour to finish the 2x2 inch piece. After that I was hooked and I just kept cutting. That first summer, I made Christmas ornaments that I gave as gifts. It let me cut a variety of small projects with different types and thickness of wood. I also experimented with blades until I found one that I liked.

Good luck and have fun
Donna

[NC Scroller]

maybe you problem is you tried to complex a pattern. Start with a simple one and work up.

[Rolf]

Peter,
A couple of things. Make sure your blade tension is right, it makes a world of difference. Check this out for a refference Scroll Saw Tension
The other thing is that most blades do not cut in a straight line because of a burr on one side from manufacturing. You will learn to compensate for that.
You don't say what blade or wood you were using.

[anewscroller]

That sounds like an ambitious first project. A simple puzzle or some thing with no fretwork would be a good start. Take your time. Make sure the blade is tight. A loose blade will wander for sure. I feel your pain. I was finishing up a tissue box and broke one of the frets when I was gluing it up this weekend.

[DWSudekum]

Peter there is definitely a learning curve when scrolling. As folks that have been doing this a while will tell you the 2 hardest cuts are long straights and sweeping curves. They will also tell you to be relaxed when you cut and not hunch over your work. One of the biggest pieces of advice I ever got was do not worry over much about the line it is a guide and if you stray off the line do not make a rapid course change but instead ease back to the line. When you do that it hides the fact that you had strayed off the line a little bit. Make a practice board 6 inches wide x 8 inches long x 3/4 inch thick and practice cutting straight lines the length of the board, cut long strips approximately 1/4 inch wide. Do this for a couple of inches of the board width then using the strips you just cut draw a lazy curve down the center of the strip and cut that. By the time you are done you should have a good feel for how your saw cuts ( they all cut a little differently ) and you should have better control of where the blade is going to travel. Looking ahead to where you are going to be cutting is important as well. There is no rush you are not in a race to get the project done so be relaxed and get comfortable. No pattern is ever cut exactly as drawn as not everyone is of the same skill level or have the same machines or blades etc. A pattern is not the holy grail is is just a guide and after the pattern is peeled off only you and the pattern maker will know if you made a "mistake". Above all have fun.

[Danny]

Patience and Practice. I have sure made my share of "designer firewood".

[Bill Wilson]

Heck Peter, I've been scrolling for a number of years and I still get that feeling from time to time. If it were easy, anyone could do it.

You've gotten some good advice in this thread. Just stick with it, take your time and pretty soon things will start to click and before long, become second nature.

Good luck and have fun making sawdust!

[JackM]

As all of the others have said, it takes practice, practice practice, and each time is a learning experience. I would like to add one more point, and that is to purchase "Scroll Saw Workbook" by John Nelson and published by Fox Chapel. It has plenty of progressive practice projects and is a great skill builder. Keep with your sawing, use scrap wood and don't expect to produce the same level of work when you begin that other scrollers have spent years developing. The more you work (a poor choice of a word) at it, the better you will become. Enjoy the pasttime.
Jack

[Mick Walker]

Peter, if you have "WORD" on your computer, choose Formalscrp421 BT as a font. Print the letters on a piece of paper, the larger the better. Glue the letters to a piece of wood. Cut them all out. By the time you are done with Z you will be an expert scroller. Good luck and happy scrolling.

[PatteM]

Indeed, do check that your tension is correct. Additionally, you'll want to learn ahead of time - on scrap wood, what direction of cutting results in a straight line -- for me, I have to angle my wood several degrees off of what would be straight out in front of me. Also, be sure you are sitting straight in front of the saw and the blade.

In the end, practice and experience are what works!

[peterfawzy]

wow .. precious info .. thank you guys sooo much
thank you Mayo , Donna, Scott, Rolf, anewscroller, DWSudekum, Danny, Bill, Jack, Mick and Pattem.
i guess i will practice easier patterns till i got the experience to scroll harder one.
oh and the wood is plywood 3 mm thick and the blade is #3 i guess and #5 <---that was the reason i was upset i guess :P
really thank you guys and god bless and i will upload the photo of the 1st pattern i sroll to show you how is it going

[Powakee]

Sounds to me like you are . . . . on track. Keep plugging away. All of us had a "day one." (Some of still do). Don't stop. You are the master. . . . and the machine is not a cat . . . it is a machine. Eventually, it will (mostly) do what you desire.

John

[Spirithorse]

Hi, Peter,
You already got great advice in this thread. I'll just add that sometimes even
when everything else is fine (blade tension, wood, proper blade, etc) sometimes
things just don't go well. I don't know if it's muscle tension, distracting thoughts or
what but, you just have to let it rest for a while and come back to it later.
Also, with fret-work, it's necessary on some patterns to choose what pieces to cut
first to make it less likely to break pieces off as you turn the piece, etc.
Keep practicing and enjoy yourself.
God Bless! Spirithorse