Scroll Saw Blog

The local scrollsaw club had the summer picnic today, and we had one of those gift exchanges where you can “steal” gifts from others. I packed up one of the beaded trays, Balacia #08B08 and brought it in.  The original recipient seemed to like it (he was going to give it to his wife),  but [...]

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Except for sanding off the wire nubs, the Diana trays mentioned in previous posts are now finished.  I’ll need to get pictures for the ecommerce site, and also make the labels and everything will be done.
Each tray got a (hopefully!) color coordinated mix of gemstone and crystal.  From top to bottom:

Amber, Gold & Black, Tiger [...]

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I got the four trays glued together, sanded and oiled this afternoon after Church.  If you look, you can see two made of walnut, one made of cherry, and one made of mahogany. They’re sitting on towels because the oil hasn’t cured yet.

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After the trip on the steam train I came back and cut out four of the Diana trays. Except for the lacewood bottoms, all parts where originally scrap pieces. Two have walnut sides, one has cherry, and the final one is mahogany.  I love cutting mahogany: nice color, cuts smoothly, and it has a wonderful [...]

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I officially got my second order for a beaded tray, this one with the name “Jenny” in it. I was able to cut it out this afternoon and to dry fit the peridot chips in it.
It’s cut from yellowheart; this was my first experience with that wood.  It cuts average–no real problems, no real smoothness [...]

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This is my first Beaded Tray sale. For want of a better name, I’m calling this model the “Amarra”. The beads are on the corners, making a box-joint like look.  The customer picked out these beads; they’re tigers eye, picture jasper and poppy jasper. The sides are made from cherry, and the bottom is lacewood. [...]

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Although I was under the weather today, I did manage to start some assembly line-work on the beaded trays.  At least the first step: getting lots of 2-1/4″ strips of 3/16″ wood! I went ahead and took four trays to the oil stage.  Two have to stay in parts until I put beads in–they’re on [...]

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Here’s a quick shot of several beaded trays I’ve made, including the new ones without beads yet. I’ve been gradually adding beads, but still don’t have the nack yet of picking good combinations and threading them into the fret holes.

On the last order I got some glass “pearls” and hearts.  This tray has the lilac [...]

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Tonight it was a night of finishing up old projects, namely the beaded trays. I put together 5 of the little beasties: 2 were the glued-scraps, 2 walnut, and 1 was the leftover red oak that has been sitting around for quite a while.
They’ve been glued, sanded and oiled, but no beads yet.  And no pictures either [...]

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Here’s another pair of the beaded trays using semiprecious stones.   The first one is cherry and lacewood, with red garnet, red coral (dyed) and poppy jade.

Here’s a close-up of one of the stacks.  The garnet is on top, followed by a small coral bead and a pair of poppy jasper cubes.  The cherry doesn’t show [...]

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