Expert advice for scrollsaws

 

Scrollsawing tips

Lots of woodworkers own a scrollsaw, but Rick Hutcheson goes way beyond that. The first floor of his two-level workshop in Grimes, Iowa, displays a row of newer scrollsaws that he'll readily evaluate for you, feature by feature. And upstairs, along with tables full of finished projects, you'll find a museum's worth of old, even antique, scrollsaws. We asked Rick, our scrollsawing expert for the past decade, to pass along some tips for those new to the craft. For more information, go to his Web site, scrollsaws.com, or buy his videotape, Rick's Scrollsaw Video: Scrollsaw Basics (item number 1857 at Meisel Hardware Specialties. Call 800-441-9870, or visit meiselwoodhobby.com. Price: $19.95)

• Cut at slow speeds when you're learning. It's less stressful and more forgiving.
• Learn how your blades tend to cut. Most will want to drift to your right, due to a burr that's created when they're stamped.
• When cutting a curve, keep your eyes on a point 1/16" in front of the blade.
• Strive to stay on the line, but don't worry when you veer off a bit. In most cases, it won't make enough difference to be noticeable.