Tool shopping

I’ve been woodworking since high school – a very long time – and I’ve managed to do it without a particular tool. I’ve finally decided I need to get one.

I don’t (at the moment I’ve writing this, although facts my change by the time you read this) own a scroll saw. There are plenty of times I could have used one over the years to cut smallish openings inside solid stock or sheet goods, but those times never seemed to come often enough to buy one.

In their place I’ve cut those openings by other means: jigsaw, plunge router, using a combination of Forstner bits and jigsaw or coping saw, etc. I’ve sometimes cut things in two, created the opening, and glued the two pieces back together. I even used a reciprocating saw once. All of these methods work fine – well, I’ll never try it with a recip saw again – but they all take longer to accomplish and sometimes require a lot more finish work than if I’d used a scroll saw.

As I wrap up my current book I’ve been looking back over the manuscript, and I realized that when outlining ways of accomplishing a particular task I’ve listed using a scroll saw several times. I did the same thing in my last two books. But in each case, I’ve used one of those other methods (not the recip, though) because I don’t have a scroll saw.

Well, I’ve decided it’s been long enough. Before I turn in the finished book, I’m going to buy a scroll saw, then reshoot and replace a couple of the project step photos to illustrate how a scroll saw can be used. This will better server the reader, and make for a more complete and accurate book.

So, it’s not like I’m going out and getting a new tool for myself. No, I’m doing this for the reader. It’s kind of like a sacrifice I’m making, so I’ll take no joy in buying one.

Nope, no joy at all in getting a shiny new tool. Shiny. New. Tool. It’ll be a chore really. Just a task that has to be done. I’m sure I’ll hate doing it.

Sigh… What we woodworking writers do for the cause of journalistic excellence.

Till next time,

A.J.