Putting Patterns on Wood

[Judy Hunter]

daliclimbs..... tell me more about the shellac. Spray? brush on? water or oil based?  brand?
Nosey old lady ain't I?? but thanks in advance for the info.

[Barry]

I use spray adhesive and stick the pattern directly to the wood.  I use clear packing tape over the pattern.  It lubricates the blade and makes for a cleaner cut.  After removing the tape, which gets rid of most of the pattern, I clean up the remainder of the pattern and adhesive residue with mineral spirits.

I have never used painters tape, but it seems to be quite popular.  I think we are all creatures of habit and tend to do things the way we were taught when we first began scrolling.

If you ask ten scrollers their opinion you will get at least eleven differnt answers 

Barry
 

[Marshall]

I have always just used the spray Adhesive only , if you put enough on the pattern it wont come off. I have found that if you spray like a day ahead of time it's better . This way when you drill the sawdust will not lift the pattern up if it's dry . Some have said if you put too much it's hard to get off - well I use a heat gun anyway - and use an automotive Laqure thinner to remove the glue on the top piece ....................MB

[Keefie]

I only ever use spray glue too, I find it's dry enough to drill without lifting the pattern after about 5 mins, when I remove the pattern I wipe it with celulose thinners and it just falls off and the glue wipes off with the same cloth and thinners.

[ChuckD]

This is what I use, not because I am cheap (I am?), but because it works good for me. 
I buy cheap tan masking tape.  Whenever it is on sale I get a bunch. I cover the top of the project.  If it is stacked I go all around the project.  Toothpicks hold it together.  I then spray the pattern very heavy and put it on the taped up wood now.  I don't worry about the wood grain because I know where it is before I cover it.  Then drill and cut.  The first whiff of hot or smoke I put clear packing tape over the pattern.  I very, very seldom have a pattern come off the project.  If I do I slap down a piece of scotch tape or hold the pattern down with a tapered popsicle stick.  After cutting I soak it in MS for a minute and never have problems getting it off after that.