Ahhh The Simple Things

A while back one of my wonderful test market ladies at work asked me to make something for her two daughters with their names on it. Well, we thought for a while and one of the other gals came up with the idea of a small coat hanging rack with their names on top. So I made her a couple before I knew it I had orders for three more. Then another and another and so on.

The one in this picture is a little bit fancier than what I usually do. I usually use the old fashion wood shaker pegs, but Grandmother decided she wanted something a little different so she picked up these glass knobs at Home Depot. They sell for about eight bucks a piece as opposed to about 40 cents apiece for the shaker pegs so it added considerably to the cost. But I'm sure she feels little Grace Elaine is worth it.

By the way, sorry for the lack of posts lately. Guess I just haven't been bitten by the writing bug till tonight. Cheers...

Forsooth! Thou dost fine scroll saw work.

Behold, a portrait of old Bill Shakespeare himself. It is not a self portrait, but rather one done by myself in 1/8th inch oak plywood. Portraits in wood are quite popular among scollers. It is amazing how close you can capture the image of some one by converting a photograph of them into a scroll say pattern. I have cut patterns of John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, Judy Garland and more and they are great fun to do. Some are very simple, like this one and others are very complicated.
Now...before you ask me if I can do one of your Dad, Son, Baby, dog, Grandfather or someone else I must ask you to consider the following:
First of all I do not have a system yet for turning photographs into cutable patters. There are a couple on the market but their cost is a little to high to justify my purchasing them right now.
But I must say I am tempted because cutting portraits is a lot of fun. I know of a guy on-line who will make a pattern from any photo you give him...at 25 dollars a pop!
The second thing is, when people find out what you need to get paid for these they just look at you kind of stunned, swallow hard and say "Well never mind then. I'll pass." Most of the scroll saw artists that I know of sell portrait cuttings for from $75 to $1oo dollars framed and at least $50 unframed. Let me know if you think it would be worth my while to look into some pattern making programs for portraits. I am tempted. I just need a little push.