# Scrolling on the other side of the pond



## BobD (23 Jan 2007)

Hi all, 
Gill turned me loose on all of you <GRIN> 

I'm Bob Duncan, the Technical Editor of Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts magazine, based in the US. I met Gill through our forum. You all don't realize what a great resource you have in her!!! 

I can't wait to see what you come up with! And as one British scroller I interviewed (Russell Greenslade) said, scrolling is just drawing on wood!!! There's no better way to learn how than just doing it! 

Bob


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## Woodmagnet (23 Jan 2007)

Welcome Bob, 
:wink: pitbull


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## StevieB (23 Jan 2007)

Hi Bob,

I really like Russell Greenslades stuff, is the issue with his article available as a one off purchase yet? 

Other than his fish in a fish in a fish and a couple of parrots I have not been able to source any patterns of his at all - did you print any in that issue along with his interview?

I don't know if he has or ever intends to publish a book of patterns but I would definately be interested if he did!

Welcome to UK Workshop,

Steve.


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## BobD (23 Jan 2007)

Here's the back issue. 

http://www.foxchapelpublishing.com/prod ... sccode=SSW

We've got the pattern for the wizard in that issue. And we've got a Paul Bunyon pattern in our inventory for a future issue.

We'd love to do a book with him as well!!!

Bob


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## DaveL (23 Jan 2007)

Hi Bob,

Welcome to the forum.

Your link as a newbe has been caught by our spamulator :twisted: 
So here it is for everyone to use:-

http://www.foxchapelpublishing.com/prod ... sccode=SSW


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## Gill (24 Jan 2007)

It's great to have Bob's support - he's a smashing chap  .

SSW&C is the only woodworking magazine that I take nowadays. Although it's American, and caters primarily for the US market, it respects its international readership and caters for them too. Does this sound like an advert? Forgive me - it _is _a good mag  .



BobD":2gvzvihy said:


> I met Gill through our forum. You all don't realize what a great resource you have in her!!!


  But Bob, you've already got my subscription :lol: !

Gill


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## BobD (24 Jan 2007)

Hi Dave,
Thanks...we've got the same thing on our forum; I kinda expected it <GRIN>

And Gill...hey...I tell it like it is <GRIN> We've definately benefited from your knowledge!

Bob


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## StevieB (24 Jan 2007)

Many thanks for the link Bob, with the exchange rate at almost 2 dollars to the pound now your magazine is getting cheaper and cheaper!

Steve.


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## Anonymous (24 Jan 2007)

Welome to the forum Bonb. 
I haven't used the scroll saw much so far but hope to develop the skills in the coming months as I have a few ideas to try out


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## BobD (24 Jan 2007)

The best advice I can give for someone who wants to increase their scrolling skills is to take a piece of scrap wood about 8"-wide and 24"-long (sorry, don't know the metric equivalent) and draw on a 1/2" grid. Start in the center of the board, cut into the first intersection, rotate the wood 180-degrees and cut back out. keep doing this until you get about 1/2-way through the board, then move to the next line over. On the left side of center, rotate the wood clockwise. On the right side of center, rotate counter-clockwise. 

I was mainly a carver when I took this job (I'm technical editor for Wood Carving Illustrated magazine as well), but I took a class on scrolling and did just that for about 4 hours. It's done wonders for not only my scrolling but my hand-eye coordination as well. 

It's really a mindset; when you start driving, you look at the front of the car and try to keep it on the correct side of the road. But as you gain more skills, you look out ahead, knowing where the front of the car is. You just need to get to the point where you KNOW where the line is and don't have to focus on following it.

Bob


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## PowerTool (24 Jan 2007)

BobD":3b5rqy1w said:


> a piece of scrap wood about 8"-wide and 24"-long (sorry, don't know the metric equivalent)
> 
> Bob



Don't worry,most of us are bilingual - we can speak in inches _and_ millimetres :wink: 
And oddly enough,we still measure our height in feet and inches,and weight in stones and pounds.

Andrew


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## chrispuzzle (25 Jan 2007)

I believe - this is from my knowledge of maths history, not woodworking, so I am very open to correction - that metric measurements were in general use at least as early as the 1920s by British carpenters.

The modern distrust of metric measures in the UK has more to do with hostility to "Europe" and being forced to use it, than with any historical devotion to imperial measures. British scientists in the 19th century led the drive to develop the ISO standards which include the metric system. In fact, believe it or not, the Saxons had a decimal system of measuring distance and land way back in the dark ages.


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## BobD (25 Jan 2007)

I'm trying to convince the rest of the staff that we should convert all measurements to "Bobs"

With the Bob system (the fact that it matches my name is a happy accident, nothing more), there are 12 bobs per inch. So it essentially makes the imperial system into the metric system.

I just can't convince the others, though. I started trying to convince them to use the metric system (because I HATE stacking fractions through an entire article) but they also refused...

Bob


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## StevieB (25 Jan 2007)

Is it only me that uses the archaic system of Gnats then? As in ooh, it just needs a gnats shaved off to make it fit or ahh, just a gnats too small ...?  :wink: I got the term from my Father who always uses it. Its actually an abbreviation of Gnats appendage (ahem) and refers to a very small length indeed :lol: 

Steve.


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## Gill (25 Jan 2007)

Gnat's whiskers are indeed very small, Steve.



Gill


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## BobD (25 Jan 2007)

My father refers to a specifically colored (coloured <GRIN>) hair from a specific part of the female anatomy...the colour is "red," and since my wife is a redhead, I don't dare elaborate <GRIN>

Bob


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## Woodmagnet (25 Jan 2007)

:shock: the mind boggles bob. :lol:


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## chrispuzzle (25 Jan 2007)

I don't suppose anybody's taken a pair of calipers and checked the accuracy of that one, Bob...


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