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General Category => General Scroll Saw Talk => Topic started by: kenreich on December 05, 2012, 04:49:35 pm
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What is your choice of wood for most of the projects you create? When it calls for 1/2", 1/4" or 1/8" wood for instance? Most of the work I've done is out of 3/4" pine or 1/4" oak or mahogany plywood. Just curious what longtimers have found to work best.
Thanks,
Ken
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Ken, I use 1/8", 1/4" and 1/2" Baltic Birch plywood and I order it from Ocooch and pay shipping. I just cannot find decent wood at local hardware and lumber stores. The plywood is stronger and will not splinter like pine and it is easier to cut. I have found the poplar and pine tends to break when cutting small fret patterns
Tony,aka,Toneman
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That is kind of a loaded question. It all depends on what your making, what is your favorite wood, and experience will help more than anything.
I have made things out of 1/8" plywood, 1/4 & 1/2 cherry and purple heart even 1-1/2 walnut.
There are just so many things that can be done on a scroll saw that the sky is the limit. You won't have an answer to that question until you try it twice. ;D
Rog
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I'm not a big fan of plywood because you can see the layers on the edges. I have dabbled with a number of exotic woods but that can get expensive. I am at the point where I make most of my projects out of poplar, maple, cherry and walnut. They look good and they are less expensive. I've tried oak too but it is a bit harder to cut because of the blade wanting to follow the grain. Oh, and I will use chunks of pine now and then when that makes sense (it doesn't look quite as nice, IMO, but is fine for things like word art).
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For half in wood, I dont like the Baltic Birch Ply, so I go for the soft maple. I can buy soft maple 1/2 in for about $4 a board foot. It looks nice and cost is decent. For thinner projects I use the BB. I also love to use the Tropical Walnut for backing if I need a good contrast. If it is a less expensive project I will use the BB stained dark or painted black.
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For making portrait type things, you can't beat 1/8" Baltic Birch, stack cut. Dollar store frame.
Pete
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Pete
I agree, except for the dollar store frames, They are too expensive I find mine at yard sales. Usually talk the down to a nickle.
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Probably my all 'round favorite is Poplar. It is consistent, and I can get it most anywhere (i.e. HD and Lowes). The aforementioned stores even have it in convenient selections of 1/4", which is the vast majority of what I use in projects. The color can be a bit inconsistant at times, but when you get a pure piece, I think it is very beautiful. I am even tunrning poplar pens now and love the way they look.
For thicker stuff, I really enjoy working with walnut, ash, and especially cherry.