A little woodworking expertise?

[Effayy]

Hey all! Long time no see....err.... yeah.

I've been away from the forum for many months, mostly due to the fact that my arcade project had to be put on hold due to lack-of-workshop issues (the garage held our summer car all winter long).  So instead of fuelling my depression by reading the forums and finding out all the cool stuff you've been able to do while I wait until summer, I decided to fill my time with World of Warcraft.  (Oh, and yes, it's as addictive as they say).

That said, the car is about to be mobile again which means I can get back to building!

One small stumbling block, however, is that I need a rather complex shape cut out for decoration.  I'm quite the woodworking newbie so when I was told a bandsaw would do the trick, I had a feeling that this one task in particular may be something I could bribe someone to help with for a few beer... Hmm?

That being said, if you happen to live in or near Ottawa, Canada and you happen to own a bandsaw and know how it works, please let me know.   I'm chomping at the bit to get my cabinet completed this summer.

- Effayy

[rwhip41]

Would a jigsaw work for you?

[Effayy]

Would a jigsaw work for you?

No unfortnately this is a little too complex for what a jigsaw can do I believe.  Many small wavy lines, and tight corners.  Thanks for the suggestion though.

- Effayy

[sodapopinski]

You can buy portable bandsaws at a reasonable price. Alberta is a little too far away

[rwhip41]

But a jig saw can cut on curvier lines than a band saw. One advantage of a bandsaw is that it will make straight cuts from top to bottom, whereas a jig saw's blade has a tendency to bend if you really push it around tight curves. There are ways around this...just as there are the same ways around making really tight curves with a band saw...lots of perpendicular cuts for relief or cutting in at different angles to the tangency of your curve.

A scroll saw is like a jig saw, but the blade is attached from both ends and it has a non-moving table (like a band saw), so the blade bending is a non-issue. So..in terms of making tight or really curvy cuts, I would use...in order...a scroll saw, a jig saw, or a band saw. A jig saw is really a portable scroll saw.

[Effayy]

Oh! Thanks rwhip, I had the right idea, but the wrong tool.

It's a scrollsaw that I'll be needing.  I may as well just lay out what I intend to do, and you can help verify the choice:

I was working on a cabinet based on a MK theme.  It's based on the UltimateAcradeII design, with a touch of NeonMame.  On the top-sides of the machine, I've routed out 10.5" diam. holes.  One on each side.  I intend to route out discs that will fit snugly into these holes, then I'll be cutting the discs to look like the MK dragon logo.  Once I laminate over the sides, I'll punch out the laminate and smooth it up to the already-created curves of the dragon, making it appear to be one large peice of laminated wood from the outside.

Since the dragon is pretty intricate, a jigsaw would work for some, but not all, of the design.  I believe a scrollsaw is what I need since to make the eyehole of the dragon, I'll need to drill through and unattach/re-attach the blade in the pre-drilled portion to cut the shape.

... Time to hit the hardware stores.  I'll be beaming from ear to ear while the wife rolls her eyes, guaranteed.

- Effayy

[Fozzy The Bear]

It's a scrollsaw that I'll be needing. 

Definitely a scroll saw job.... But you can also get thin scroll cutting blades to go into a Jigsaw.....

They'd be well maneuverable enough to do this at that size. If you already have a jig saw just get scroll blades and the job should be an easy one.

Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)

[BobbyG66]

Just an idea...

How about finding a local cabinet maker.
Print out your design and glue it to the wood.
Then let the guy with the tools, skills and experience cut it out for you.

BobbyG66

[Matt Berry]

Besides using a scrollsaw you could always go the manual route and buy a coping saw or fretsaw. It might take you a little longer but it sure wouldn't cost you that much.

[JonnyBoy]

Be sure to practice on a piece of scrap before tackling it with a coping saw, they have a bit of a learning curve.

[rwhip41]

Fozzy is right...you can get scroll saw type blades for a jig saw. Just be careful when making cuts on tight curves...these types of blades will bend easier, giving you an unintentional draft angle on your fabricated edge.

Is your wife into crafts? If she is, convince her that she needs a scroll saw. Otherwise, jig saws are relatively cheap at your local hardware store. I paid around $30 for a Black & Decker variable speed jig saw. The variable speed is a nice feature to have...I recommend it, especially for what you have in mind.

[Sapper]

Coping saw has the most control and accuracy.  I'm in Kingston...and do a fair bit of woodwork.  PM if you still want help.