If you are looking for some easy to make projects to try your new scroll saw out on then this list is a must see. We found some of the best crafts that you can make for gifts, personalized items for the home and as keepsakes that you can cherish for years to come.
Script Sign
Single word signs are a big trend right now and offer a timeless decor piece for your home. The hardest part of this DIY project is figuring out which word you want to turn into a sign. The good thing is that you can make this signs with almost every cheap scroll saw on the market. Family, Create, Love and Inspire are some popular choices.
- First you will want to print out and trace the word design of your choice onto a piece of plywood (transfer paper works wonders).
- Next you will begin cutting out the main body outline.
- For inner cuts like the little hole of a lowercase “e” you will want to use a power drill with a bit to open up the inside so that the scroll saw can easily fit in and begin cutting around the inner lines.
- Finally you will want to follow-up by sanding the entire area down, this reduces the amount of sprinters and rough edges that will be present.
If you do choose a word that has a “i” make sure that you cut out an extra little circle to mount above it.
Scroll saws come in all shapes and sizes, but you don’t need the biggest, most powerful one for projects like these. For projects like these, the best scroll saw for beginners has basic functionality and an accurate blade. You can do all of the projects on this list with a basic model.
Christmas Ornaments
Customizable and able to be personalized to fit each member of the family is what has us raving about this project. The trick to keeping this DIY craft easy is to focus on tracing or freehanding simple shapes.
- Start by tracing, transferring or freehand drawing some christmas shapes or letters onto pre-cut squares of plywood. (Christmas trees, stars and boxes for presents are popular)
- Next you will simply cut out the shapes. Don’t forget to use a power drill bit to create a small hole in the top center for tying a string.
- Give the edges a quick sanding and then let your family and friends personalize their own ornament by painting them.
These homemade ornaments should last for many years so that you can remember them each holiday season. If your family loves to be crafty then as your scroll saw skills grow you can start creating ornament themes for each year to gather the family around for a crafty Christmas evening.
Wooden Puzzle
Who knew that you could make your own jigsaw puzzles with a scroll saw? This has got to be one of the best ways to surprise the people in your life that love doing puzzles. Not only can you make them a customized puzzle, but you can also adhere your choice of images on the top of the puzzle. Looking for ideas? Check out Unidragon puzzles for inspiration!
- Begin with the printed out picture that you want and a similar sized piece of plyboard (⅜” is a good size).
- Trim off any excess overhang from the picture to the plyboard and adhere the image with some spray on adhesive. Make sure that you allow it to fully dry to the plyboard.
- Next you will begin cutting the puzzle pieces out around the picture until you’ve sectioned it all off into interlocking pieces.
The best advice for the puzzle is to do it in waves. You don’t want to begin cutting the puzzle and then allow your craftsmanship to fade as you get tired. Cut a few pieces and then take a break. Come back a little later and cut a few more. This process allows the puzzle to maintain its high quality look and the pieces will all look about the same since you won’t get tired and sloppy.
Conclusion
Finding easy to make projects that don’t take up too much time is a great way to dive into the world of using a cheap scroll saw. Once you have made some simple projects, you will get a better feel for how this power tool works and then you are able to start experimenting with projects and designs of your own.
