[Playscale Enthusiast]

Which is better for making playscale (Barbie, G.I. Joe) furniture, a scroll saw or a band saw? I need to have the ability to make straight and curved cuts in order to make Chippendale and Queen Anne chair seats, arms and backs. I also need to be able to make cabriole legs, which I have seen some miniaturists use a drill press for; is that the tool of choice? If so, why? Can I use a scroll saw instead? Or do I need both to get started? Thank-you in advance for any knowledge you can throw my way.

 

[jw2170]

bump....

 

[OutoftheWoodwork]

OK call me confused.... This post was done in August?

But in my opinion I'd take the scroll over band any day because its more versatile and can do intricate cuts where the band saw is too limited. But band saws definitely have their usefulness.

 

[bobj3]

Hi Laura

I would say the band saw,it can do more than the scroll saw but the same as the scroll saw.... .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7gmzra_5_c

Carter Products Bandsaw Guide Kits - YouTube

Carter Band Saw Blade Stabilizers Presented by Woodcraft - YouTube

Band Saw Clinic with Alex Snodgrass - YouTube

==

Which is better for making playscale (Barbie, G.I. Joe) furniture, a scroll saw or a band saw? I need to have the ability to make straight and curved cuts in order to make Chippendale and Queen Anne chair seats, arms and backs. I also need to be able to make cabriole legs, which I have seen some miniaturists use a drill press for; is that the tool of choice? If so, why? Can I use a scroll saw instead? Or do I need both to get started? Thank-you in advance for any knowledge you can throw my way.

 

[Semipro]

Laura
I would first go with the scroll saw, but there are some small bandsaws that would go well in conjunction with it.

 

[OutoftheWoodwork]

BJ the band saw can't fret cut like a scroll can but a scroll has a harder time with thick wood. If I were doing barbie furniture I would use both in conjunction with each other

 

[bobj3]

Hi


I'm not sure why you would do any fret cuts for barbie furniture


===

 

[OutoftheWoodwork]

lol BJ you're "talking" to a person who does nothing "normal" for one and secondly a scroll is more versatile in its use. I've used a band saw and loved it for straight cuts but for sharp and detailed cuts I prefer the scroll. Not knocking the band saw at all but for Barbie furniture if you want it to look elegant I think a scroll would work better

 

[bobj3]

Hi

Can't wait until you find out about the

Carter Bandsaw Stabilizer Guides

Carter Bandsaw Stabilizer

==

 

[jw2170]

OK call me confused.... This post was done in August?

Yes it was, Barb. It was caught up in the forum "spam net" and I just released it.

I sent a PM to the OP to get them to check back.

 

[JOAT]

For toy furniture, I'd vote for scroll saw over bandsaw, if you only had your choice of one.

 

[OutoftheWoodwork]

Yes it was, Barb. It was caught up in the forum "spam net" and I just released it.

I sent a PM to the OP to get them to check back.

Ahhh ok thanks James

 

[OutoftheWoodwork]

Hi

Can't wait until you find out about the

Carter Bandsaw Stabilizer Guides

Carter Bandsaw Stabilizer

==

Really!? Hmmm when I get a minute I'll have to go check that out!! (And not on my phone. Much easier to maneuver on my laptop over this stupid smart phone lol)

 

[tvman44]

Definitely a scroll saw for the finer cuts or all of them. A band saw will not be able to make the tight turns you will need for a lot of the cuts.

 

[kp91]

For Barbie sized furniture I have to vote for the scrollsaw. I would feel a lot more comfortable handling small pieces around the scrollsaw blade than the bandsaw blade.

Several of the doll house furniture plans have inside cuts (tabs and slots) which are perfect jobs for the scrollsaw.

 

[MAFoElffen]

Don't quote me... I have both a scrollsaw and bandsaw (with the carter stabilzer)...

There's a place and time for each. I thought I could do it all with a bandsaw... then ended up later buying a scrollsaw to do those things I couldn't.

I can do detail work with both, but do finer detailed work in thin stock with a scroll saw. There's no way to start a cut from inside a hole with a bandsaw, like I can with a scrollsaw. With the way the carter stabilizer is set with a preload, every time I try to back out, I usually end up losing the blade... so I usually just do a 180 with the direction and go through the same cut "forward." Thin stock, I have more control with a scrollsaw.

With a scrollsaw, I can only do so thick a stock... where a bandsaw just eats it up and spits it out from there on. So they coexist in my shop, with very clearly defined jobs for each of them. But then there things that some still hold to their bandsaws, which I then carry over to my table saw... Things that some hold over to their table saws, that I carry over to one of my miter saws...

Maybe just me, but... Miniatures? --> Scrollsaw.

 

[Dejure]

I have a nice 14" band saw and a Hegner scroll saw (only because it showed up on craigslist for $200.00 and I was willing to drive the hour and fifteen minutes to get it). As the boy from Tumwater said, there is a place for both.

My Carter Stabilzer came the other day and it is remarkable. I put a 3/16" blade in it, tossed on my glasses and ear muffs and cranked out some 3/8" cuts that would have trashed my blade. Because of the preload (I didn't even reset the ride on the tire), I backed out of several scroll cuts that would have pulled me out of the guides instantly with my stock bearing guide system. Wow.

All the foregoing aside, the Stabilizer can't begin to compete with the Hegner for fine work in thin stock. For that, we are talking apples and aardvarks.

Oh, and when I grow up and can afford it, it's going to be the Excalibur for me.

_____________________________
SIDE NOTES:

* I kept the guard nearly all the way up when pushing tight turns with the Stabilizer. Normally, I'd keep the guard just a fraction of an inch off the work, for safety reasons. They didn't talk about that in the Stailizer video, but that's the way the guy ran it, so I tried that and it seemed to allow me more abuse [of the blade].

* Again, I didn't reset the tracking on the wheel, though they recommend resetting it, but things seem to work fine with the old setting.

 

[Playscale Enthusiast]

Extremely Helpful

First of all, thank-you for taking the time to find and send these links; they are extremely informative.

WOW! After watching these videos I can see I need a bandsaw, too. After my original post, and then not hearing anything, I decided to go with a Craftsman 16" variable speed scroll saw. After reading as much as I could find I figured it would at least get me started. But I thought at some point I 'might' need to also get a bandsaw; the videos convinced me of that. Now I need to figure out which one (any suggestions are greatly appreciated).

I also recently acquired a second-hand Dremel 4" table saw, which I am looking forward to using.

I am also researching lathes; Dremel used to make one but I don't know yet if it has the great reviews their 4" table saw has. Any ideas on that one I also look forward to.

Thanks again for all the EXTREMELY HELPFUL INSIGHT AND INFORMATION.
Laura

Hi Laura

I would say the band saw,it can do more than the scroll saw but the same as the scroll saw.... .

==

 

[JOAT]

I am also researching lathes; Dremel used to make one but I don't know yet if it has the great reviews their 4" table saw has. Any ideas on that one I also look forward to.

I would say get the largest lathe you have room for - within reason that is. Anything you can do on a small lathe, you can do on a large lathe - and you can do tons of things on a large lathe you can't do on a small lathe.

Long ago I bought a new Harbor Freight wood lathe, 37" between centers. Loved playing with it. Than got serious, and started turning wooden carving mallets, for my own use. Did about a dozen or so, varying weight, different sizes, different types of wood. Love my mallets. But then realized, the only thing I had any interest in making on a lathe was carving mallets; and I have all I will ever need. So, sold my lathe. Haven't regretted it yet, and it's been awhile. So, you might consider finding someone with a lathe that will let you play with it for a bit, before you buy.

 

[Dejure]

Just so others know what swapping your stock guides for a Carter Stabilizer can do:

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=..._rukY9e9FDFlSmxTKWBg0Ww&bvm=bv.70810081,d.cGU

First of all, thank-you for taking the time to find and send these links; they are extremely informative.

WOW! After watching these videos I can see I need a bandsaw, too. After my original post, and then not hearing anything, I decided to go with a Craftsman 16" variable speed scroll saw. After reading as much as I could find I figured it would at least get me started. But I thought at some point I 'might' need to also get a bandsaw; the videos convinced me of that. Now I need to figure out which one (any suggestions are greatly appreciated).

I also recently acquired a second-hand Dremel 4" table saw, which I am looking forward to using.

I am also researching lathes; Dremel used to make one but I don't know yet if it has the great reviews their 4" table saw has. Any ideas on that one I also look forward to.

Thanks again for all the EXTREMELY HELPFUL INSIGHT AND INFORMATION.
Laura