Woodworker's Journal 1993-17-1, страница 58

IX The Woodworker'¹, Journal

SCROLL SAW PATTERN PROJECT

Looking for a just-for-fun project? Tins fanciful bird mobile, by Trumansburg, New York woodworker Gunther Keil. may be just the ticket. The birds in tin-mobile shown are all cut from '/* in. thick solid wood slock Keil uses a different wood for each bird, adding a red aniline dye to the cutout of the cardinal. Quartersawn stock is best for scroll saw cutouts in thin slock like this, because it's less likely lo cup or warp. You can also make the cutouts in '/x in. plywood, and then paint or dye each bird to approximate its natural color. All holes are drilled with a '/i«s in. diameter bit.

The easiest way to make cutouts like this is with templates. Make a photocopy of the pattern page, paste it onto a page-sized section of '/s in. or '/■» in. thick plywood, then cut each pattern out with the scroll saw. To transfer the pattern of each bird to your stock. all you need do is orient each bird template properly on your stock with respect lo the indicated grain direction, trace around the template with a sharp pencil, then carefully cut the profile oul. Save your templates and you'll be able to easily reproduce ihe mobile any lime you like.

Iwo lengths of Vw in. diameter by 16 in. long dowel rod serve as crosspieces Hold the center section ot'each rod length over ilw spoui of a vigorously boiling kettle and steam-bend a gentle an in each Hang the birds from the rod ends, find the cent, i b.il.nivt |x»int of each rod by using your finger (as shown in the illustration), then lu- the rods together at their balance points with a siiuif allowing sufficient length ai the bottom of the siring l"i tin- tilth bud .nut ,u (he top to fasten the mobile lo whatever son pl.m ><n haugine it from. A dab of glue at the point w here the two hkIs , mss w ill keep them—and the string—from sliding oul ol alignment Make f inal adjustments to balance the mobile after n has been hung, ihen use a dab of glue on each of the string-to-rod attachment points to final anchor the bird positions.

Mobiles like this are a great way to get the family involved with a project. The scroll saw is one of the safest tools to use. and even if the littlest ones may not be old enough to use it. they can alwa\s have fun painting the birds, or tying the strings E3]