Here’s the thing. I don’t really know how this whole #blog thing works. But that being said, I jumped right into sign making without having any previous experience. And I got a scroll saw for fun without ever having tried it before, so I guess diving right in is kinda my thing. (Except not into a pool or a lake, since I’m not a great swimmer, but I digress).
Set Up for Cutting Designs on a Scroll Saw
Today, I'm going to show you how I set up to cut out designs on my scroll saw. If you aren't sure what that is, I'll do an intro to the scroll saw post. Probably should have started there, but as I said, I like to jump right in!
To start, you'll need the following materials:
1. Spray Adhesive
2. Contact paper (or painters tape works too!)
3. Scissors
4. Design printed
5. Material to cut (MDF is pictured)
You can watch the video below to see how it's done, or follow these simple steps:
1. Cut your contact paper to cover your material.
2. Peel the back off the contact paper and attach to your material.
3. Spray the top of the contact paper with a small amount of adhesive.
4. Let it dry for 30 seconds - 1 minute (it should feel tacky, not wet).
5. Place your printed design on top and smooth out.
Click below to watch:
Once you have your design adhered to your material, it's time to drill your pilot holes. These holes are where you will thread your blade through to cut out your design. Note: I use a scroll saw that uses pinless blades. If you use a pinned blade saw, you will need larger pilot holes to accommodate the pin).
A drill and drill bit are all you need for this step!
As you can see below, there is a hole in each interior portion to be cut out, and one pilot hole on the exterior. This allows you to cut out the entire design without cutting into your material, which allows for greater stability.
Now that you know how to set up your piece, stay tuned for the next steps...cutting out your design!
Let me know in the comments if this helped you and what you'd like to hear about next!
Talk soon!
Lesley
Muchas gracias. ?Como puedo iniciar sesion?
Hey there!
Great BLOG. Thanks for the amazing tips. Sharing knowledge is the best way to improvise on your own skills and your acing it. Kudos and good luck! Big fan!. Btw, is there any continuation to the steps shown above? Thanks & regards. Stay safe.
Tanu Justus