Cutting Delicate work

[rrjwright]

OK guys....  I  have  seen  some  very beautiful work done and pattterns that I drool over.

My question is how to cut these patterns that contain very delicate cuts without breaking
anything.

What type of support should be used cutting something so delicate??    Any  advice,
techniques, Youtube video's  would  be  apprciated.

thanks
Jim. . .

[countryscroller]

Well what I usually do is say on a portrait, I cut all the smaller cuts first and the larger cuts last that really define what it is you are cutting. If you cut a big area out and then have a delicate piece, put the cut piece back in and use it to stabilize the rest of the portrait. I have videos on most projects scrollers make. Have a look->  www.youtube.com/countryscroller   and of course Steve Good has many of videos on scrolling projects as well.

[mrsn]

The simple answer is that you need to take it one hole at a time.

I usually start in one of two places. 1. with the most complex/detailed part of the project, or 2. the part that is most important (like eyes/faces). Sometimes these two places are the same. If you are working on a project with eyes and the eyes get messed up, it will never look right, so I do those first (so that if i screw up I haven't wasted hours of cutting)

I always look the pattern over and identify any large peninsulas. Cut all the pieces on the inside of the peninsula before cutting the outside. I will often save the outside peninsula cut and tape it back into the hole to add support while I finish cutting the rest of the pattern. occasionally I will add extra bridges to a peninsula, but I don't do that often.

I also identify the areas of the pattern that are complex but don't require absolute accuracy. many times if you are not dead on the line, or if you connect a few holes, or add extra bridges or round over a few sharp points or whatever; no one will ever know. I remind myself often that this is supposed to be fun.

Lastly, or maybe it should be first, use a good quality baltic birch plywood or other fine grained hardwood.

[GrayBeard]

Katie hit it right on!

Another thing to consider if using thin plywood is STACK CUT....

Thicker wood gives you much more control when cutting delicate areas.

Read my post here for additional info...http://stevedgood.com/community/index.php?topic=15999.0

~~~GB~~~

[ChuckD]

I always stack cut.  Not only does that give the support you need but it will require that you have control.  Trying to cut one 1/8 or 1/4 thick wood you are cutting so fast you have gone off before your realize it.  Another thing.  Plan how your are going to cut the pattern.  For example, look where the hard parts are and what is supporting them.  As was said, cut the little holes first, the thin bridges, the close cuts, the scary cuts go first.  If you cut them last after the big holes and you really make a big mistake (the unrepairable kind) then you won't cry nearly as long.  TAKE YOUR TIME.  But have phun.  Good Luck 

[julief]

Ditto, ditto, and ditto.  In addition to what everybody says, don't be afraid to walk away if you are getting frustrated.  That is usually when the mistakes happen.  Don't over use a blade.  If it starts getting dull, change it right away.  A dull blade will cause a mishap every time.  I start near the center and cut all the tiny holes and work my way out.  Then I go back for the larger ones.  You will find what works best for you.  It just takes practice.

[Becky]

All of these folks have good advice.  I would add that I use the thinnest possible blade and keep a firm hold on my wood.  Both help keep it from jumping around which would be a bad thing.

Consider also where you start each cut.  I try to start on or near the beginning of the side nearest the next hole.  That gives me solid wood to support things as I go around the other side.  That's part of working from the inside out as others have said but maybe a little more specific.

One other thing I personally do that I know some don't is slow down my saw speed.  I know saw speed and feed rate are different things but I think the one influences the other.  Maybe I am just not good enough yet but I find a fast saw speed just makes everything go fast if I want it to or not.  I know many people here prefer to go full or nearly full throttle on saw speed.  I just can't do it that way.  Even when I stack cut two pieces of 1/4" wood, I will use a #1 blade and keep my saw speed turned down to someplace about 3 or 4 (on my 788 in case that makes a difference).  I find it gives me time to see about what's coming up and figure out how to handle it in advance.  I don't care if it takes longer.  It gives me the results I want and I just don't get those results if I crank up the saw speed.

[spirithorse]

You have received some very good answers here.
The only other item I did not see mentioned is,
Use a zero tolerance insert in your scroll saw table.
If you don't want to make one that fits into the hole
from your existing insert, you can easily just tape a
piece of thin cardboard like an old playing card there.
The small hole will keep small, fragile parts of the project
from getting broken and sucked into your dust collector.
God Bless! Spirithorse