...And then reality set in

[bubbaloo158]

I have learned something very well tonight.  My scroll saw can sure serve up a double helping of humble pie really fast.

Because of a lot of things going on in my life - lost my mom in March, looking after my 87 year old dad, and working - way too much working.  And so my schedule really didn't allow me much time for scrolling for a few months now.

I did think that I was doing OK when I first got the saw.  I wasn't fast but the results did seem half decent, in my opinion anyway.

And so tonight I was sitting in the shop and was looking at my saw.  On it's table was a project that was left unfinished for around three months.  It was early in the evening and I wasn't feeling too tired so I thought I'd give it a go.  Bad mistake.  Really bad mistake.

I thought I would just pick up where I left off.  As I said, I thought I was doing pretty good at the time before I stopped, at least for a newbie.  Well... I threaded the blade, stepped on the pedal and promptly ruined said project.  It was like I never touched a scroll saw in my life!!!

I now know that in fact, I will have to start all over again with the learning curve... back to watching Steve's videos and so forth.  But I also know that in order to get back to where I was skill-wise, I have to devote more time to the saw.  I've made a note to myself... self, quit working earlier so that you're not too tired, have dinner and then head down to the shop and crank up the saw for an hour or so.

Bobby

[scrollgirl]

Hey Bobby - don't feel bad!  I think that happens to all of us.  I know when I am in the computer part of my designing, and it takes me away from the saw sometimes weeks at a time, when I come back to the saw, it takes me a little bit of time to "warm up" to it again. 

I think the more experience you have with the saw, the shorter this warm up time gets.  But sometimes it is still there.  There are so many combinations of types of wood and thickness and hardness and difficulty of design that all these new experiences take some adjustment time for you to feel completely comfortable.

Just be sure that when you plan to saw that you give yourself enough time to relax and have fun.  That is the most important thing.  The skill will develop with time.

Take care, Sheila

[Mainewoods]

Definitely a "perishable" skill.  Gotta get the feel back for it, then you'll be on your way again!

[wombatie]

I'm glad I read the post, I have been away from my saw about 21 weeks altogether, between my broken hand/wrist and then my O.S. holiday.  I was going to go in the shed tomorrow and just cut as if I had not been away from it maybe I will do some practicing first instead.

Marg

[Spartan scroller]

I thought I would just pick up where I left off.  As I said, I thought I was doing pretty good at the time before I stopped, at least for a newbie.  Well... I threaded the blade, stepped on the pedal and promptly ruined said project.  It was like I never touched a scroll saw in my life!!!

Same thing happened to me with my golf game Bobby.  Ya got use it or lose it.

regards,

Terry
terrysscrollshoppe.blogspot.com
terrysscrollshoppe.com

[Kepy]

I hear you.  Just be sure to make some time for yourself.  I am the primary caregiver for my 92 yr old mother and don't seem to have time for anything.

[Russ C]

Do to family tragedies I have been away from my saw for about three weeks. I will defiantly start with some easy projects after reading this post.   

[slowcutter]

When I walk into my shop ALL my tools go (Hello Stranger )
Hope your here to stay awhile.

[daliclimbs]

Don't let it get you down. Its even harder to start back on a half finished piece! Its like painting really, on a particular day you are in a particular mindset. Its hard to replicate on different days. I scroll every chance I get and it still takes me a while of cutting to get back in shape each day! Keep at it!

[bubbaloo158]

Hi all... thanks for the words of encouragement.  Actually, I have come to grips with my plight after a couple of days.  I do feel better now that I know that I'm not alone in my "experience."   

Sheila... I started watching your videos again... in awe of course.  This will be the third time going through them.  They're oh so informative for newbies like myself!

Slowcutter... I know what you mean about walking into your shop only to be greeted sarcastically by your tools.  When my tools try to do this to me I can't understand what they're saying because they're all muffled because of all the stuff that is piled on them.

Terry... I loved your "golf analogy" but in my case it doesn't matter if I play every day or don't play for months... it's ALWAYS bad. 

If there is anything that's good coming out of this it is the fact that I've started using an ultra #3 blade for most of my cutting now.  When I first got the saw I wouldn't go any higher than a #1 because I found the #3 or anything higher than that was too hard to control.  I did read here that for most cutting a #3 was usually the norm.  But seeing as I'm at the "starting over" stage again, I haven't used the #1 and so I don't have to compare it to the bigger blade.

I have managed to get in an hour of practice cutting since starting this thread.  Not nearly as much as I'd like to be doing.  But I do see a light at the end of the tunnel as far as the heavy workload goes.

Thanks for all the replies!!!

Bobby 

[kardar2]

Hello
I have been scrolling for a while now and I have periods in between the use of my saw to what I do is before I start I write a "8" and follow that snaps me in the feel of the movement and if I screw that up yep another 8  then proceed to my project.

[bubbaloo158]

As people have mentioned and recommended, I have been doing a little bit of practice cutting before doing any actual cutting on a project so as to just to get the feel of the saw when I first fire her up.

That being said, I was really astounded over how much ability I have lost over those few months that I have been away from the saw.  I just couldn't seem to get it to cut anything properly, in practice or otherwise.  And so here is me, coughing up a very embarrassing little tale about what I have gone through while trying to get back into scrolling:

For some strange reason I thought that when installing a blade, the teeth were supposed to be going up.  Don't ask me why I thought this.  I was sitting in the shop looking at the saw and contemplating all of the problems I was having when it suddenly occurred to me that maybe... could it be??? - that I wasn't putting the blades in properly.  So I came back to the web, did a search and discovered that I was indeed putting them in wrong.  I'm kinda thinking that I'll start having better results - results that should come so much easier - the next time I turn on the scroll saw.  DOH!!!

Bobby

[MOONIE]

It's not you, Bobby.,  I bet everyone has done that, I have.   I've also put the blade in backward and wondered why the darn thing wouldn't cut!  It matters not how long we are at it, we still goof once in a while. 

[kardar2]

It's not you, Bobby.,  I bet everyone has done that, I have.   I've also put the blade in backward and wondered why the darn thing wouldn't cut!  It matters not how long we are at it, we still goof once in a while. 

LOL YEP BEEN THERE AND DONE THAT!

[Jason Wall]

I try to warm up a little also and not start anything untill I am comfortable with the way its cutting. Even when I change a blade I do practice cuts with the new blade. Using a brand new blade after using a semi dull one takes less effort.