Which wood for which project?

[MicahM]

I am new to the scroll sawing and not sure which wood to use. Which wood do you prefer for which projects? Where do you get your wood? What is maximum thickness? Also any tips and advice on wood or anything scroll sawing that would be helpful to a new guy, please share!   I have read up some on other post and other places on the web, just looking for advice and the more I see and read it the better it will stick in my head! 

[puzzlemaker]

Hello MicahM. I use 1/4" Baltic Birch 5 ply plywood for puzzles and pine from1/2" up to 2" depending on what I am making, clocks, toy cars, Etc. Other woods can be used for color variations.

Pat

[Rapid Roger]

Well, it all depends on what you are making and what you want it to look like.
I have used almost every type and kind of wood that you can imagine. From 3/4" plywood to solid zebrawood. The only thing that affects thickness is the clearance between the table and the upper arm. It seems that about 1-1/2" is the maximum.
As far as kind of wood you can try anything. Personally I do not like pine and cedar because it is too soft and splinters and doesn't make a clean cut. Then on the other end, zebra wood and ebony is just too hard and is hard on blades and slow to cut and is easy to burn.
Most people who do fret cutting use plywood any place between 1/8" and 1/4" thick sometimes 3/8", 1/2" and even 3/4" are used. Just make sure you use the good birch plywood with a lot of ply's and no voids! 
Some people who do larger 3D cutting (bowls, vases salt & pepper shakers for example) might use 3/4" plywood or cherry, maple, walnut and almost any exitoc wood available.
So, I guess that means "It's all up to you and what the project is". As you will soon find out, there is "NO right answer" to your question. Just do whatever trips your trigger and do like the rest of us and learn as you go and HAVE FUN!!

Rog

[jrpeteo]

Like others have said, it depends on what you want to do. For the fetwork portraits (like the fab 4) I use 1/8" but I tape 3 or 4 together at a time. If you cut one 1/8 by itself it's difficult to control your cut. You can use any thickness, you can glue woods together in a stack like the small candy dish.
You can order the wood online. Excelent service from these two.
Hope this helps.
Pete

Sloans is good for the plywood.
http://www.sloanswoodshop.com/plywoods.htm

I like ocooch for the hardwoods.
http://www.ocoochhardwoods.com/

[mlwmerk]

I echo what the others have said. 

I would add that the selection of blades is just as important. 

I started out with #5 and lately I have used #2.  Pinless blades require a smaller entry hole.  I find that scroll saw blades are a disposable item that dull relatively quickly so you will probably use several blades for each project.  Sharp, new, blades cut better and are easier to use.

Also let the blade do the work, don't push against the blade too hard.  The tension on the blade is important.  Adjust it as tight as possible without breaking the blade.

Perfect practice makes perfect. 

No scroll saw project ever turns out perfectly in your eyes, but no ones else will ever see the flaws unless you point them out.

[Jim Finn]

Many just do fretwork and plywood is good for that, I guess.  I do not do any fretwork myself so I do not use plywood.  I do a lot of inlay in box lids so I use 3/8" cedar with Maple inlayed into it.  Some, I do of oak with walnut linayed into it.  I also like compound cutting to make wooden flowers and mahogany works well for those.  I make toys of poplar, or fir 2x4's.  Any hardwood is good for cutting lettering.  I like mesquite for that.