I'm new to serious scrolling and in the past week I've read a few articles, what few there are. Several blogs deal with attaching patterns. One tip is to apply shelf liner to your stock then apply spray adhesive to the pattern and then apply the pattern over the shelf paper. According to the blog this provides lubricant to the blade and when the cut is complete it makes it easier to remove the pattern but doesn't leave glue behind.

My question is what do you folks use to attach your patterns and what do you use to remove the glue from the wood piece?

Mike, Glad you asked this. actually I'm writing another blog that this is covered in that I hope to post in the next day or so. I have heard of the people printing their patterns on contact paper, but never tried it my self, my thoughts are that it would leave some glue residue on the wood. I put blue painters tape on the wood then glue the pattern down, it makes removal real easy, and lubes the blade. You can also use clear packing tape on the wood. Another method that I have heard of is to print your pattern on a full sheet size label, then just stick it on the wood, seems to me it would get expensive if you do a lot of cutting, these people sell self stick paper http://www.sloanswoodshop.com/misc_.htm. Another method that I've heard of but haven't tried is to put glad press and seal wrap on the wood then attach the pattern. If you don't want to use spray glue, you can use Elmer's glue sticks, I use this method on small patterns. I also use the blue tape to secure my wood together when I'm stack cutting several pieces. I just wrap the tape all the way around the stack, making sure it's good and tight. Hope this helps you out. 

---

Greg
http://www.thesawdustfactory.net/

Thanks Greg! I look forward to your blog. I just started the 4th of July flag project and I used the shelf paper on the wood then with a printed pattern on plain paper and sprayed adhesive on the back of the pattern and attached that over the shelf paper. I'll let you know how it works out.

Definitely let us know how it works Mike. I'm always interested in new ideas and techniques. 

---

Greg
http://www.thesawdustfactory.net/

Mike

Greg and I share something in common. I use the blue painters tape on the wood surface, after I sand it to the final finish, usually at 150. The spray the tack compound on the back of the pattern and attach it to the the tape. After I hand sand everything lightly to 220 and finish accordingly. Hope this helps.

---

Wayne Mahler
God bless and protect our troops that serve so we can be free.

Well Greg & Wayne I've finished cutting out the stripes, the field with the stars and half of the stars. The shelf paper and paper pattern technique worked very well. When I peeled the paper away it left no residue behind on the wood. The shelf paper is a little thicker than blue tape. I will try the blue tape tecnique on my next project.

After cutting out only half of the stars I have a new found respect for those that are into fret work. Fret work is very tedious and the work I have seen is even more impressive now than I once thought.

I really love my saw and I'm learning some very important lessons that I'll carry to my next project, and yes I'm hooked!!! 

I use spray adhesive directly to the pattern and lacquer thinner to remove. But, my scrolling is not too intricate or thin. I like Mike's idea of the shelf paper. 

One could, I guess, iron the pattern directly on to the wood. I think that only works with laser printers, though.

---

Gene
'The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.' G. K. Chesterton

You're right Gene, if you have a copy from a regular copier you can iron it on at low temp. One thing to remember is that the image will be reversed on the wood. 

---

Greg
http://www.thesawdustfactory.net/

Mike

Glad things are working out for you. I really enjoy my saw and the things that come off of it. Just be patient and take your time. Things get easier the more time you spend scrolling.

---

Wayne Mahler
God bless and protect our troops that serve so we can be free.

Thanks Wayne! I can't wait to start my next project but I want to try something different with the pattern. I'd like to see if I can print or copy the pattern to dark paper and have white or light colored cut lines so I can see the blade easier. Have any of you folks tried that. I don't know if it's possible or not.

I haven't tried that. Some of the patterns I have, have red lines against a light gray fill. I prefer patterns that have a black line with the light gray fill. 

---

Greg
http://www.thesawdustfactory.net/

Mike

If you want to go to a different color, red would be my choice. I have gotten several patterns from Judy Gale Roberts and they are printed red ink on white. Easier to see the blade and follow. If you have Photoshop or paint shop pro you can change the colors and print them also. I use Photoshop. It is a lot of extra work, scan them in then re-color and print.

---

Wayne Mahler
God bless and protect our troops that serve so we can be free.

This stuff works great.Colored carbon paper If your wife stitches, buy her some and "borrow" it.

Or, make your own. DIY This tells how to make white transfers, but you could make any color.

---

Gene
'The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.' G. K. Chesterton

Thanks all for your ideas and tips!

Wayne I think I have Photoshop, I'll give that a try as soon as I can find my disc and load it back on the computer.

Greetings All

When I got picture I wanna use on my pieces, I open the picture with windows paint program and it got 1 little very handy option, "Flip Horizontal", this makes picture as mirror image. Print it out, use blue masking tape to secure it to the piece. Dip cotton ball into acetone, "wet' lines and use flat scraper like old credit card to transfer lines from paper to wood. This way picture is not reversed on your piece..... 

Greg Aksdal said:

You're right Gene, if you have a copy from a regular copier you can iron it on at low temp. One thing to remember is that the image will be reversed on the wood. 

---

Greg
http://www.thesawdustfactory.net/

I use self adhesive shelf liner on the pre-sanded project wood, then I spray adhesive on the pattern back and apply the pattern to the liner... exactly as you described.  To me, it is simpler than multiple strips of masking tape or packing tape, and possibly costs less.(look for shelf liner at the dollar store). When I'm done with the spray adhesive I take the nozzle off, put it on a WD40 can and give a spritz to clear out the adhesive.

To me, carbon paper of any color is only useful for silhouette type outline patterns with few components... not intricate fretwork.

Compared to black ink, better visibility comes from using dark red ink on white paper (some people like blue, but make it a darker blue)... do that in the computer before printing. If the pattern wasn't originally in color, then black isn't easily converted to red, however, one of the dark grays sometimes works well for contrast with the nearly-black saw blade. There is no such thing as printing white on dark paper... although if you wanted, you could waste a ton of ink printing the negative of a pattern to get a similar result (only kidding... don't bother wasting the ink on that.). A good worklight helps see the pattern line as you are cutting... and many folks use a lighted magnifier to see even better.

If intricate parts of the pattern start lifting while cutting, use the eraser end of a pencil as if it were a finger to hold the pattern down as near to the blade as you need (in front, behind, or right next to the blade...)

 

Spence

 

I don't like black patterns either.  The black blends in with the color of the blades.  I have always thought they should make the blades red or even designer colors so they would show up against black patterns.  lol  

I use Krylon Easy-Tack which is a repositionable adhesive for all my patterns.  It comes right off when I want it to and sanding takes off any adhesive left behind.  I buy this at Michael's.  

SQ

---

Happiness is wood chips flying!

Spence

Good advice about the eraser. I use my fingers but am very careful. If it gets too close I use clear tape for reattachment of the pattern. Packing tape works great if you can put up with the glare of the light from it.

---

Wayne Mahler
God bless and protect our troops that serve so we can be free.