What each build needs
| Build | Stock | Cuts | Starter holes | Planning estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fretwork panel | Plywood sold as 1/4 in, 8 × 8 in | Nine inside cuts, then the outline | Nine | About 2 hours |
| Stacked-ring box | Plywood sold as 1/2 in, six 4-1/4 in squares | Four inside and six outside circles, then glue-up | Four | About 3 hours, plus the glue's clamp time |
Planning estimates, not timings. Both need a saw that takes the blade you choose and a drill for the starter holes. Measure the plywood's actual thickness: APA notes panels are labelled by actual thickness, and plywood sold as 1/2 in is often 15/32 in.
Choose blades by the stock. WEN advises very fine, narrow blades for wood 1/4 in thick or less and wider blades for thicker material, which turn less tightly; Olson's chart says the same in numbers — lower numbers for thinner stock and tighter radii, higher for thicker stock. A reverse-tooth blade stops the underside of plywood tearing out. Whatever blade you fit, drill the pilot hole its maker lists: 3/64 in for Olson's #5 reverse-tooth FR44602, for example. Setting up the saw and making an inside cut are explained step by step in how to use a scroll saw.
Build 1: a fretwork panel
| Feature | Size | How it follows |
|---|---|---|
| Panel | 8 × 8 in | Chosen |
| Openings | Nine, 1-3/4 in square, corners 1/4 in radius | Chosen |
| Webs between openings | 3/8 in | Chosen |
| Border | 1 in | (8 − 3 × 1-3/4 − 2 × 3/8) ÷ 2 |
| Centres | 1-7/8, 4 and 6-1/8 in from one edge; 2-1/8 in apart | 1 + 7/8; then + 1-3/4 + 3/8 |
| Area removed | About 27 sq in, 42% of the panel | 9 × (1-3/4² − (4 − π) × 1/4²) |
Making the panel
Lay it out
Cut a square of plywood sold as 1/4 in a little over 8 in. Draw the 8 in square, then the openings from their centres with a square and rule, rounding each corner with a compass set to 1/4 in.
Drill the starter holes
Drill one hole in the waste of each opening, close to a corner, using the pilot-hole size the blade's maker lists.
Cut the openings
Thread the blade through each hole in turn and cut to the line, turning the work at the corners. Cut all nine while the panel is still oversize, so there is plenty to hold.
Cut the outline
Cut the 8 in square last, along its lines.
Clean up
Sand the faces flat and ease the openings' edges with a folded abrasive; see how to sand wood. Finish as you like; finishes are compared in the wood finish guide.
Build 2: a stacked-ring box
| Part | Qty | Size | Material |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bottom | 1 | Disc 4 in diameter × t | Plywood sold as 1/2 in |
| Ring | 4 | 4 in outside, 3-1/4 in inside, × t | Plywood sold as 1/2 in |
| Lid | 1 | Disc 4 in diameter × t | Plywood sold as 1/2 in |
| Locating disc | 1 | A ring's waste disc, sanded to slip into a ring | From the rings |
Height overall 6t; depth inside 4t, or 3t with the lid on. For t = 15/32 in: 2-13/16 in overall and 1-13/32 in inside with the lid on.
Making the box
Mark six blanks
Cut six squares about 4-1/4 in from plywood sold as 1/2 in. On each, draw a 4 in circle (radius 2 in); on four of them draw a 3-1/4 in circle (radius 1-5/8 in) from the same centre.
Cut the rings' openings
On the four ring blanks, drill a starter hole inside the smaller circle, close to its line, and cut the opening as an inside cut. Keep the best waste disc for the lid.
Cut the outsides
Cut the 4 in circle on all six blanks. Cutting the opening first means you are still holding a square blank while doing it.
Glue the stack
Glue the four rings onto the bottom disc, lining up their outside edges, and clamp the stack as the glue's maker directs. Wipe off squeeze-out inside before it sets; glues are compared in the wood glue guide.
Shape and fit the lid
Sand the outside of the stack smooth and round. Sand the kept waste disc until it slips into the top ring, then glue it to the centre of the underside of the lid.
Finish
Sand inside and out and finish as you like.
Safety— Small parts, held firmly
Cut every opening before the outline, so the piece you hold is the large blank, and switch off before reaching for a fallen waste disc. Hold the work firmly on the table, keep your fingers out of the blade's path, and keep the hold-down or guard foot on the work. Drill starter holes with the work clamped. See woodworking safety rules.
Before cutting
- Plywood thickness t measured
- Layout drawn from centres; starter holes marked in the waste
- Blade chosen for the stock; pilot holes the maker's size
- Openings first, outlines last
- Hold-down set; saw secured
New to the saw? Start with the outside-cut builds in scroll saw projects for beginners. Plywood itself is explained in the plywood guide; the saw in the scroll saw guide, which maps the family.
Sources
Both builds are BenchRoot designs; every dimension is on the drawings or in the cut lists, with sizes that depend on the plywood written in t. The open area of the panel and the box's heights are geometry, worked from those dimensions. Build times are planning estimates, not timings. Neither project was built or tested for this page.
- 1.
DW788 20" (508 mm) Heavy Duty Variable Speed Scroll Saw instruction manual. DEWALT.
Used for: The inside-cut sequence through a pilot hole; a 2 in maximum thickness; relief cuts before long curves; holding the work firmly on the table.
- 2.
3921 16" Variable Speed Scroll Saw operator's manual. WEN Products.
Used for: Very fine, narrow blades for wood 1/4 in thick or less and wider blades for thicker stock, which reduces the ability to cut tight curves; not cutting a piece too small to hold safely.
- 3.
Scroll Saw Blade Selection Chart. Olson Saw Company, 2020.
Used for: Lower blade numbers for thinner stock and tighter radii, higher numbers for thicker stock; a pilot hole for each blade, 3/64 in for its #5 reverse-tooth FR44602; reverse-tooth blades to stop tear-out on the underside.
- 4.
Panel Thickness Tolerances and Labeling (Technical Topic TT-054). APA — The Engineered Wood Association, 2013.
Used for: Panels labelled by actual thickness rather than nominal alone, so plywood sold as 1/2 in may be thinner.
- 5.
Hand and Power Tools (OSHA 3080). Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 2002.
Used for: Securing work with clamps so both hands are free to operate the tool.
About this guide
Written by BenchRoot Editorial. How BenchRoot sources, checks and corrects its pages is set out in the Editorial Policy. If something here is wrong or unclear, the contact page explains how to tell us.