Inspired by Steve Garrison's posts, I've begun making scroll saw shells. This is a tedious process that requires many steps, lots of concentration, and a fair amount of patience, not to mention hours of SANDING. There are some limitations to size, but the possibilities of various patterns are numerous.
These are more in the "fine art" category, rather than "functional art." Pricing will need to reflect the relatively large amount of labor that goes into making these beauties.
How to Make a Scroll Saw Shell
Credit to Steve Garrison
1. Purchase necessary tools, including scroll saw, band saw, table saw, appropriate saw blades, belt sander, dust extractor, flexible sanding extension, dremel, drill press and bits, router, router table, sandpaper, sanding belts, and numerous sanding attachments for a wide range of sanding textures.
2. Design desired pattern.
3. Drive to lumber supplier to purchase quality kiln-dried wood at retail pricing.
4. Drive home and unload lumber to workshop.
5. Cut lumber to desired lengths.
6. Discard or store off cut waste pieces of lumber.
7. Mill lumber pieces using jointer and planer.
8. Laminate pieces of lumber with wood glue according to desired pattern.
9. Bevel long pieces using bandsaw.
10. Cut down long pieces on table saw using table saw sled to create blocks.
11. Cut blocks on band saw to create wedges.
12. Sand wedge faces on belt sander to create flat surfaces.
13. Sand tips of wedges to 1/8” thickness on belt sander.
14. Cut small blocks on band saw for placement under tips of wedges. 2 per wedge. This allows shell to “grow” longer faster than it grows wide and gives a more pleasing look.
15. Glue blocks under wedge tips with Starbond epoxy and accelerator spray.
16. Number the wedges.
17. Draw pencil line down centers of wedges.
18. Angle the scroll saw to 10 degrees.
19. Trace small semi-circle at bottom of first wedge, centered over the vertical pencil line.
20. Cut out semi-circle with scroll saw.
21. Trace shape of semi-circle #1 at bottom center of second wedge.
22. Cut out second piece, and trace around it on third piece, etc.
23. After cutting out piece from last wedge, return to first wedge, and trace around last wedge’s piece at bottom center of first wedge.
24. Keep up cutting/ tracing/ cutting sequence until scroll saw blade cuts outside the margin of a wedge.
25. Number all the pieces.
26. Glue pieces to each other in pairs. i.e. #1 to #2, #3 to #4, etc. Sand each gluing surface before applying glue. Wipe off excess.
27. Wrap strand of rubber band around glued pieces in order to ensure good contact and to minimize glue line.
28. After glue dries, sand surfaces of each pair smooth with appropriate sanders and attachments.
29. Glue pairs to each other, i.e. 1-2 to 3-4, etc., and allow glue to dry.
30. Sand surfaces smooth.
31. Glue quads to each other, i.e. 1-2-3-4 to 5-6-7-8
32. Sand and glue sequentially until all pieces glued together forming your shell.
33. Shape mouth of shell as desired with sanders.
34. Carefully shape left and right inner circles with sanders.
33. Hand sand up to 320 grit.
34. Use tack cloth to remove all sawdust.
35. Apply sanding sealer to all surfaces.
36. Wipe on several thin coats of shellac.
37. Lightly sand surface with 600 grit.
38. Remove all dust.
39. Apply wax and buff
40. Make display step as follows
41. Cut main support section to size with bandsaw and/ or table saw.
42. Contour edges with router.
43. Sand smooth.
44. Drill 3/8” holes on drill press.
45. Cut 3/8” dowels using plug cutter bit and drill press.
46. Glue dowels into holes.
47. Complete sanding the support.
48. Apply several coat of shellac.
Congratulations! You’re done!
