Full-Size Pattern Pullout Inside! VOL. 4 woodworkCRAFTS ing woodworkCRAFTS ing SPECIAL EDITION Scroll & Build A Working Wooden Clock Create a Catapult Castle! PLUS TOY PROJECTS 12Easy to Make BrainBoggling Gear Box Super-Fast Marble Racer DISPLAY UNTIL DECEMBER 11, 2023
IN THIS ISSUE VOL. 4 woodworkCRAFTS ing woodworkCRAFTS ing SPECIAL EDITION PATTERNS 11 Kinetic Desk Sculpture Turn the crank to watch this hardwood assembly spin By Dolf Perenti 34 It’s Always Pizza Time! Use small scraps of colorful wood to make toppings for this clever clock By Dan Wilckens 59 Wooden Gear Clock This gorgeous weekend build is an advanced scroller’s dream By Marc Tovar 71 Dinosaur Ramp Walker Toys Enjoy endless entertainment with these prehistoric racers—no wheels required By Paul Fellay 11 Action Videos - See many of our gizmos in operation (look for QR codes in the articles). Free Projects - Check out the Projects & Patterns section under our How To menu for more creations. SCROLLSAWER.COM Find Free Online Extras at 2 Gizmos & Gadgets 71
PROJECTS 15 Mechanical Mallard Make a wooden wonder that waddles back and forth By Philip Wilkinson 20 Frog Pond Automaton Straightforward mechanism lets you skip right to the details in this whimsical scene By Wanda Sowry 25 Catapult Castle Defend your kingdom by slinging a boulder (ball) at invaders By Bob Gilsdorf 29 Moving Gear Box Scroll a fun trinket box with a lid that restless fingers can’t resist By Rita Cels 38 Simple Smoke Grinder Practice accurate cuts by making this intriguing beginner project By Richard Packer 41 Two-Track Marble Racer You’ll love making it; kids will love playing with it! By Art Mulder 46 Wooden Kazoos This popular toy is a great way to teach workshop basics to beginners By Andreas Kullerkann 49 Santa and Sleigh Balance Toy A sleepy village and a snowman counterweight complete this charming Christmas Eve tableau By Richard Packer 55 Robot Man and Rusty Clever use of elastic cord allows this robot to assume a variety of poses By Fred and Julie Byrne 67 Penny Shooter Transform plywood scraps into an innovative little toy By Al Baggetta 55 29 28 Search for Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts on Facebook, Pinterest, TikTok, and Instagram 73 Classic Labyrinth Game Make this game of skill for just a few bucks By Troy Hawkins 79 Locking Heart Box A layered design and simple lock form a beautiful but approachable box By John Rhyne 86 Wooden Whimsy Spinner Get on a roll with this fun marble desk toy By Akane 89 Pecking Chickens Automaton Evoke a visit to the farm with this traditional wooden toy By Amedeo Capelli 94 Ball Popper Pine scraps and acrylic paints make for a fun, beginner-friendly contraption By Bob Gilsdorf DEPTS. 4 Editor’s Note 6 Sawdust 10 Bookshelf 93 Ad Directory 96 Scroll Saw Basics COVER 12 Toy Projects ... 15, 20, 25, 41, 46, 49, 67, 70, 73, 86, 89, 94 Working Wooden Clock ... 59 Gear Box ... 29 Marble Runner ... 41 Catapult Castle ... 25
Some historians believe that the late 19th century was the golden age of automata, but it may be facing a resurgence in Amedeo Capelli’s small woodworking shop in Varese, Italy. Amedeo's automata are a movable feast for the eyes. Tiny creatures come to life spinning and dancing, making music, riding bikes, and saving the world. It’s hard to believe that Amedeo, a carpenter by trade, has been making his imaginative automata for just over a year. In that short time, he has gained a devoted following that can’t seem to get enough of his enchanting wooden delights. A quick glance at Amedeo’s work might make one think he’s creating simple toys, but a closer look illuminates the complexity of his pieces. Each character is meticulously crafted, and just as captivating are the stories these little creatures tell. They seem to emanate from an undiscovered fairy-tale world. Amedeo’s turn into his current work was a bit roundabout. After graduating from school, he had several woodworking jobs, but decided to try his hand as a business owner by opening a craft beer shop. During that time, he started creating customized beer packages, bottle openers, tap handles, and other items for patrons, local pubs, and breweries. This commission work began outselling the beer, so Amedeo closed the beer shop and opened one dedicated to woodworking. Amedeo began experimenting with wood and other materials like papier-mâché, plastic, resin, and metal. During this time, he began posting his projects on social media. Amedeo Capelli’s hand-hewn automata are quirky, detailed, and full of life By Dorissa Bolinski SAWDUST Wood Wizard Amedeo’s wooden creations feature fanciful characters in motion.
Kinetic Desk Sculpture Turn the crank to watch this hardwood assembly spin By Dolf Perenti Cut by Steven Gazes You may have seen the Newton’s Cradle, a popular desk game in which a series of metal spheres hang from a frame. Lift one of the spheres and let it loose, and the ball at the opposite end goes sailing, sending energy back and forth through the inert spheres with seemingly no outside assistance. While simple in concept, the Cradle can add entertainment and style to an office or shared space. The same is true for this “wobbling” sculpture; cut from contrasting hardwoods and boasting a sleek, whimsical shape, it makes a great conversation piece. Just cut slowly and assemble with care. Getting Started Choose a variety of wood; I chose walnut and maple, since they contrast nicely. Pre-sand the walnut and maple pieces to 320-grit with an orbital sander. Wipe off the dust with a tack cloth. Then apply the patterns to their respective pieces with repositionable spray adhesive, referring to the Parts List on page 12 for correct thicknesses. Mark the hole locations with an awl and then drill them as noted in the patterns. scrollsawer.com 11
scrollsawer.com 29 Scroll a fun trinket box with a lid that restless fingers can’t resist By Rita Cels Everyone has heard of a fidget spinner, but have you ever heard of a fidget box? This gear box is attractive and functional, but it’s also fun…and therapeutic! There’s something satisfying about watching gears work. Once you start spinning the gears in this box, you can’t stop. It’s a great conversation piece for any coffee table or office. Moving Gear Box Getting Started Glue together two of the 4½" (11.4cm) square walnut pieces to yield a blank that is 1 1/2" (3.8cm) thick. Clamp and set aside to dry. Photocopy the pattern pieces for the box and gears. You will need three copies of the gear pattern. Cover the blanks with painter's tape, and then attach the patterns to the blanks with repositionable spray adhesive. Pattern #1 will go on the glued blank. Attach a gear pattern to each of three different colored woods. Drill a 7/32" (5.6mm)-dia. hole in the middle of each gear, and then drill 1/16" (2mm)-dia. entry holes for the decorative center sections. Read all instructions before you begin cutting.
scrollsawer.com 41 You’ll love making it; kids will love playing with it! By Art Mulder Illustrations by Len Churchill Note: Small marbles are a choking hazard and, therefore, not suitable for children under age three. TWO-TRACK Marble Racer Marble race toys have been around for ages, and for good reason. Kids love the movement, speed, and noise of the clattering marbles. These toys also lend themselves to customization. You can build something small and simple or something large and complex with loops, switchbacks, and so on. For this marble racer, my goal was to come up with a design simple enough that your child could join you in the shop for at least part of the process and, with your careful supervision, lend a hand in building the toy. Kids love messing about in the shop just about as much as we do! Kids also love to race, so this toy has two tracks. They can race against a friend or just against themselves. And if all those marbles clattering along the track don’t make enough noise, the bell at the bottom is sure to please—no batteries required! Choosing Materials Small projects such as this one are a great way to use up the too-good-to-throw-out short pieces of wood that collect in the corners of our shops. I chose walnut, ash, and spalted maple, but pine would work equally well for the marble tracks and you can paint it any color. The base needs to be weighty to avoid any problems with tipping, so choose that stock with care. If you use a lighter wood, you may need to increase the thickness to give sufficient mass to the base. Pick up the bell and marbles before you start building, as your choices will affect the size of the tracks and room required for the bell. I used 9/16" (1.4cm)-dia. steel balls for the marbles. A counter bell (otherwise known as a call bell) can be purchased cheaply online or at office supply stores.
46 Gizmos & Gadgets This popular toy is a great way to teach workshop basics to beginners By Andreas Kullerkann Wooden Kazoos The kazoo is a crazy-sounding instrument, but is universally loved by kids and is quick and easy to build with limited tools. Because they take only around 30 minutes to complete, you can make them in bulk to give as gifts. A Kid’s First Project Due to the project’s simplicity, it’s also an excellent way to introduce children to scrolling and general workshop safety. Teach them how to prepare the pattern, cut and sand the pieces, and then safely apply a finish. They’ll love having a fun prize to take home at the end of their “workshop day,” too. Selecting the Wood and Finish Because this project will come in contact with lips, be sure to choose a nontoxic hardwood, such as cherry or oak. Every commercial finish is food-safe when fully cured, but if you have any concerns, use beeswax, mineral oil, or a butcher-block finish. Mark all hole locations. Use an awl to mark the holes on the resonator cap and the top of the body. 1 CUTTING THE PIECES Getting Started Time to start cleaning your workshop in order to find all the scrap wood that has piled up over the years! I prefer attractive hardwoods. You can use one type of wood for the whole project, but I prefer to use two different kinds for color variation. Once you’ve chosen the wood, cut it to size. Photocopy the pattern and transfer it to the blank using spray adhesive.
scrollsawer.com 49 A sleepy village and a snowman counterweight complete this charming Christmas Eve tableau By Richard Packer Cut by Rolf Beuttenmuller Santa and Sleigh Balance Toy You can take many different approaches to this Christmas Eve balance toy. In its simplest form, just make the Santa, sleigh, and reindeer as a decorative ornament to hang on the tree or place on a mantle. Features like the background, village buildings, trees, and horse-drawn carriage are also optional. Or, build the whole project for a fun, traditional balance toy that can be tipped to rock to and fro. The nature of this design allows the rocking motion to last for quite a long time. Note: The project is relatively fragile and should not be handled by unsupervised children.
52 Gizmos & Gadgets G H I J N P A B C D E F U V W X L M K Q O S T Y Santa and Sleigh Balance Toy Assembly Drawing Patterns for the Santa and Sleigh Balance Toy are in the pullout section. Optional Additions Add a village to the base, if desired. This can include a church, houses, trees, and a horse with sleigh. Texture the trees with a rotary tool, and glue the horse into the sleigh. If desired, rout the base with a Roman ogee bit for a professional look. Additional Notes • If desired, make the background taller so it sits behind the Santaand-sleigh. • For ease of storage or shipping, screw parts A, P, and N together. • Use caution when balancing the assembly, as it is easy to drop the Santa-and-sleigh piece at this stage. Consider using double-sided sticky tape to the top of part P to hold it in place as you add weight to counterweight arc Q.
scrollsawer.com 55 This quirky little robot is a fun gift for kids and adults alike. An elastic cord and simple grooves allow the pieces to be positioned in numerous ways. Interchangeable accessories make the toy even more fun. Just as easy to make is the flexible robot’s trusty friend, Rusty the dog. Robot Man and Rusty Clever use of elastic cord allows this robot to assume a variety of poses By Fred and Julie Byrne Prepare the blanks. Cut the pattern into separate pieces and attach them to the blanks using spray adhesive or a glue stick. For the compound-cut head, fold the pattern along the dotted line and align the fold with the edge of the blank as you press it in place. Set the robot head aside. 1 Cut the grooves. Do this before you cut the individual pieces, with the exception of the body. Cut the perimeter of the individual pieces, but leave the body blank rectangular. Attach the body sideview pattern onto the body blank. Cut the side grooves. Rotate the blank and cut off the sharp corners. 2
scrollsawer.com 65 Wooden Gear Clock Assembly Drawing F F1 F2 GW HWP W1 W2 ESC PAL HW HH MH CW PR CRX Front of Clock Pendulum Assembly Escape Assembly Hour Wheel Assembly Great Wheel Assembly Wheel 1 & 2 Assemblies Frame Assembly Special Sources Dolorio et estiorerum sequias as sitas aut omnihic iendia dicatum quis dolendit excepuditae persperrore dollabore pra nobitibus sunt laut ut eostore nossedipsume autam is earia ium eoste
scrollsawer.com 67 This penny shooter brings back a feeling of long-lost days spent in the park, the world in front of you and not a cell phone in sight. Build this simple project and then set up your own gallery of plastic bottles or cardboard ducks and see how many you can take out. It’s almost like bowling in the air. You will just need a little bit of skill on the scroll saw, some scrap wood pieces, and a few incidental parts (including a penny or two). So let’s get building, pardner. Note: This project is not intended for small children. Operate with caution, as flying projectiles can cause injury. Getting Started Photocopy the patterns. Stack the top and bottom body pieces and secure the edges with blue painter’s tape; they will be identical. If you wish to add the optional decorative fins, stack two blanks for that pattern following the same method. Cover all blanks with blue painter’s tape, and then attach the patterns to the surface of the tape using spray adhesive or a glue stick. Penny Shooter Transform plywood scraps into an innovative little toy By Al Baggetta
scrollsawer.com 71 Dinosaur Ramp Walker Toys Enjoy endless entertainment with these prehistoric racers—no wheels required By Paul Fellay Cut by Rolf Beuttenmuller © PYRAMIS/Shutterstock.com The stegosaurus and velociraptor gravity-walkers might just become your child’s favorite toys. Ilove making ramp walker toys because each one includes an element of surprise. I enjoy that special moment when a child sees the toy, and their curiosity and wonder get the better of them. They typically want to know: How is it powered? Where is the battery? “It’s magic,” I reply. So, get ready to play magician in the life of your little one. This design is simple enough to make in an afternoon and even easier to play with. I’ve also provided a bonus dinosaur pattern of a velociraptor so the stegosaurus has someone to race. Getting Started Pre-sand the blanks, moving up progressively through the grits until you reach 320. Remove excess dust with a tack cloth. Stack the two outer layers, securing them with clear packaging tape. Apply removable shelf paper to the surface of each blank and attach the patterns. Drill the hole for the eye. Note: You could also woodburn the eyes later, if desired. Cutting and Assembling Cut the pieces. Then drill the 1/4" (6mm)-dia. dowel holes while the outer pieces are stacked. Remove the patterns and sand each piece with an orbital sander, lightly softening the sharp edges on all sides except the ones that will be glued; these should stay flat. Note: Make sure that the bottom of the feet are one smooth continous arc for the toy to walk correctly. Take extra care to smooth the swinging leg piece, as it should be able to move without friction. In the center of the swinging leg piece, drill a 17/64" (7mm)-dia. hole. Stack the three body pieces, making sure the edges are flush. Glue and clamp one side onto the central body piece, keeping glue out of the area where the swinging leg will go. Once the glue is cured, dry-fit a 1/4" (6mm)- dia. dowel into the hole to help with alignment. Glue and clamp the three swinging leg pieces together. Dry-assemble the leg mechanism, making sure that the leg swings freely from the body pieces and sits at the same level as the front leg. The legs will form a slight curvature when side-by-side to allow for rocking.
Make this game of skill for just a few bucks By Troy Hawkins CLASSIC Labyrinth Game I made my first labyrinth as part of a woodworking challenge to make a project using a single 2x4 as the major material source. Using mostly items I had around the house, I only spent $1.50 for the whole project. While you can cut all of the materials you need to make this project from a 2x4, I’ve simplified the process using other commonly available lumber and materials. I designed the labyrinth to tilt using a string and knob system. When you turn the knobs, a string attached to a screw eye winds up around the rods attached to the knobs; as the string tightens, it forces the frame or the table to tilt. Turning the knob the opposite direction winds the string the opposite way on the rod and makes the frame or table tilt in the opposite direction. One knob controls left and right tilt, and the other knob controls front to back tilt. I placed the rails and holes as shown, but you can put them wherever you wish. scrollsawer.com 73 QR CODE TO COME Scan the QR code to see a video of the labyrinth game in action.
scrollsawer.com 79 Locking Heart Box A layered design and simple lock form a beautiful but approachable box By John Rhyne The locking heart box is a small, sweet box perfect for that special piece of jewelry. Gradual sweeping lines combined with figured wood give the box an elegant air. This gift will be treasured by a special person in your life. I make the box by cutting slices off a single thick piece of wood using a band saw. See page 82 for instructions to make the box without a band saw. Plan ahead and read all instructions thoroughly before you begin work.