# Help needed, first scrollsawn piece.



## JustJoe (Oct 26, 2012)

I'm doing this ornament as my first ever scrollsawn piece. It's going very easy - even the intricate stuff around the olive branch. But now I'm stuck on the last two cuts (the arrows point to them)










The one on the bottom is very thin. Like slightly more than a blade thick. Do I just drill a hole with a very small drill and cut a single curved slot out?

The second one just confuses me more. If I cut along the line then the entire wing will either fall off or be held on by just the little tip up top, and that wouldn't look right.

So if anyone has seen this pattern, what's the deal? If I can get these two lines done I might set a record for completing a project.

thanks
Joe
PS: The eye, I'm guessing I just drill a small hole for that one?


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## ScaleShipWright (Mar 28, 2013)

Joe, why not just scoring them with a sharp knife? (for the 2nd cut from the point where the two wings meet)


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## JustJoe (Oct 26, 2012)

You mean don't cut all the way through, just make a relief cut?


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## TheDane (May 15, 2008)

Joe-I don't have a solution, but it looks like you would have the same problem with the leaves on the olive branch.


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## JustJoe (Oct 26, 2012)

I thought the leaves would give me a problem but I just went real slow around the outside edges of the branch and it came out fine. Someone more experienced would probably have gotten it even thinner but I'm happy for a first try. Here's a shot from the back (pattern still glued to the front)


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## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

You have the right idea on the first cut - small drill bit.

For the second cut, just don't go all the way to the end of the line. I would start at the top and work toward the shoulder. It looks like the grain direction is in your favor - I would leave around a 1/4 inch of the line un-cut.


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## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

Also - nice job on the branch!


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## Tennessee (Jul 8, 2011)

Fantastic job on the branch. I used to do these all the time, then kind of got frustrated and a sore neck. Welcome to the wonderful world of illustrators designing ornaments who are NOT woodworkers.


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## JustJoe (Oct 26, 2012)

Thanks Steve - I'll give that a shot. Worst that happens is I ruin 1/100th of a board foot of common maple. 
Paul, thanks for the compliment. I'm just going slow. I think I got this pattern from the free folder on another scrollsawing site.


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## ScaleShipWright (Mar 28, 2013)

Joe, yes I was meaning that, at least for the 2nd cut. BTW good work.


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## alohafromberkeley (Oct 26, 2011)

Joe, that's the best first effort I've ever seen. I don't think you need make the 2nd cut to articulate the wing.I would lightly score a line to accent the wing. I use a xacto knife handle with a tiny drill bit the same size as scroll blade as a starter hole. (I also have some of those tiny collared bits from the electronics industry, pure carbide and either called drillbits/ end mills.) Just go slow, real slow and you should have no problem with that line. I've been known to "cheat" a little by scoring a line with an awl and using a pencil to make a "line"....Ain't the DeWalt an amazin' piece of machinery?......Wes


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## JustJoe (Oct 26, 2012)

Well it's done. It's not usable, but it was an easy first lesson. I made a couple of bad cuts right at the beginning, so I knew it wasn't going to be great but I wanted to learn to make the inside/outside curves. 
I tried it with the 2nd line cut out, and the line between the wings carved:










That didn't look right to me, so I tried cutting the line partway as suggested. The blade was dull and wandered a bit, but even though I don't think a cutout is the way to go either (although it looks better in the pic than in person.Maybe I'll try it with a super-skinny blade) :









I do like the pattern though, so I'll keep practicing and try it again. I think I'll go with slightly thinner wood this time, and instead of cutting those two lines and drilling the hole for the eye I will dig out my woodburner and try to make a very fine shading of the lines and a dark dot for the eye instead.

Thanks to all of you for the help, and Wes - yes the Dewalt is great. I wish I'd have spent the money the first time I bought a scrollsaw, instead of waiting until the 4th or 5th time.


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## Don1 (Feb 19, 2008)

!

I came in on this late, but if your pattern looked like this it would be easier to follow. Cut the white


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## oldnovice (Mar 7, 2009)

*waleedwaheed2013*, check with MsDebbie about posting rules your are to leave your political/religious beliefs out of these forums.

This is a beautiful piece of scroll work!


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## Don1 (Feb 19, 2008)

Lighten up, Waleed, I was simply trying to help a new scroller with a pattern that he chose to cut. It is not helpful for you to interject your political agenda into a discussion regarding artwork.
Don R


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

Flag his post.


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## distrbd (Sep 14, 2011)

Waleed,there are many Israelis who hope for peace,who may even agree with you that atrocities were committed on both sides and it's time to realize neither side is going to destroy the other ,both sides need a land to call home and the only way to achieve it is through peace .that's what that sign is all about.


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## RolfBe (Jun 7, 2013)

Don 1 's solution is a good one But for the cut that would take off the wing I would cut in part way from both edges from the top of the head in and from the wing down leaving a bit in the middle so the wing doesn't fall out.
Whatever looks best to you.


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## Don1 (Feb 19, 2008)

Rolf, The wing doesn't fall out, there are two fairly substantial bridges holding it in. One at the wing tip and the other behind the head.
Don R


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## Jofa (May 14, 2013)

Joe that came out beautifully! Great work!


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