Q: I can't find Western Red Cedar (WRC), do you know of a mail order place to get it?
A: One of the many reasons we use Western Red Cedar is that is so widely available. We do not mail order the WRC and at this time do not know of a mail order source. However, here are a few tips if you are looking for a source for Western Red Cedar.
Call around to lumber yards and ask for “Western Red Cedar”. Do not ask for “Red Cedar” because they are two different types of wood. Red cedar is the cedar that you use in cedar chests, etc. We do not use the Red Aromatic Cedar. The WRC we use comes from Canada and Washington State as well as a couple other states. WRC is mainly used for exterior purposes. Lowe’s and Home Depot also carry some WRC but at times lacks the nice colors we look for. Try calling or visiting locally owned lumber yards. You can even ask for Cedar Fence Pickets. The 1" X 6" pickets can be very beautiful.
The WRC we buy is “S3S” which is finished on 3 sides. We often hear the comment “I can't find that beautiful cedar” that you use. Guess what ? We use the lowest grade we can find and that is where the gold mines lay. Our WRC is also green when we buy it and has to be dried. A good rule of thumb when drying WRC is 6 weeks for a 1" board and 6 months for a 2" board.

Q: Can I use hardwoods or exotic woods?
A: The color and grain are more important than the species of wood used. It is a good idea to have a combination of straight grained wood as well as some highly figured wood to accent areas. We have shades marked on our pattern (D-Dark shade of Wood, M- Medium shade of wood, etc.), any type of wood will work. On most projects you will need 4 to 5 shades of wood from a white wood to a dark wood. When you are just getting started there is nothing wrong with using some stains. It can take a while to build your "pallet of colors".

Q: What kind of white wood do you use?
A: We use aspen for our white wood which stays pretty white. If you can't get the aspen you might want to put one coat of "whiting" on the part as the first coat. We have white "Old Masters" on the hardware page that folks use for this purpose. First coat of white and then two coats of the clear. Too many coats of the white will make the wood look too white and almost painted. You should always test on scrap piece of wood first.
You can make your own white by using artist oil colors and mix it with some of the clear gel. You can also use colors with great results. Just pull some clear out of the can and put it in a baby food jar or something like that with a lid that seals. Add some titanium white oil color (in a tube) and mix it up. Start with a little and mix then test and keep adding until you get the results you want. Remember that too much of the white will make your part too white and look “painted”.

Q: Can I have copies made of a pattern that has a copyright on it?
A: Yes you can have copies made. Most people are making multiple copies of the pattern and cutting the pattern pieces to glue on the wood for sawing the parts. You can use carbon paper to transfer the parts onto the wood, however cutting and pasting the actual pattern onto each color of wood is going to be the most accurate method. We found 6 copies will be enough for most projects. The pattern copies cannot be sold. They are for the buyers use only.
On each invoice there is a release for the patterns purchased on that particular invoice. Take the invoice with you. Many times we will receive a copyright release form faxed to us from copy shop, we will sign it and fax it back. Fax Number (865)428-7870

Q : What kind of Scroll Saw Blade do I use?
A: The kind and size of a scroll saw blades can vary from one user to the next. What works for me here in the studio on my Excalibur saw may not work as well for you on your saw. I have a certain “feel” that I like when sawing and that can be different than what you like. A universal size 5 works for most intarsia projects. If I cut back into the same part to split it up I will put in a very small blade size (2/0 or 0).
One thing for sure (as far as I am concerned) there is not one blade that is good for everything. The blade that I use for our Intarsia on Western Red Cedar is not the blade that I use on plywood, nor is it what I would use for harder woods. I use different blades for different things. Then there is the “How Thick is the Wood”, is another factor to consider.
All in all, there is only one way to figure this out. Get an assortment of blades and a stack of material and start sawing. Experience is the best way to figure this out. Another thing is how long a blade will last. It seems that some people want to use one blade all day long and I can tell you right now from my experience one blade will not last all day and you will not do yourself any favors trying to kid yourself. When the blade gets dull it will not cut well, you may find yourself pushing the wood too hard into the blade causing the cuts to be out of square. We can help you get started with blades but in the end you will have to decide for yourself.

Q : How much tension should I use on my scroll saw blades?
A: That is a great question, also a question hard to answer in words. I put together a quicktime slide show with sounds. You will need to click on the image to go to the next sound. I think the best way to describe the sound is by hearing it. Click here to listen to the "ping" of the scroll saw blade.

Q : Can I use a band saw?
A: Most of the patterns are designed for either saw, we used a band saw for about 10 years. Half of the pattern projects shown were cut out using a band saw with an 1/8" blade. The scroll saw will make a much smoother cut.

Q: My Kirges 120 inflatable sander will not hold air, any ideas how to fix it??
A: This is hard to put into words, the sander is so small it doesn't take much for it to deflate. I have put together a slide type of presentation to walk you through the steps to get that handy little sander up and running. Click Here for Kirges 120 Sander Help

Q: What book or video should I get to learn the process of Intarsia?
A: That's a tough question to answer. Let's start with the oldest video and book that we have. Our book #IT-1 "Easy to Make Inlay" is great and is our first book. It deals with Intarsia from start to end. In this book as well as V-1 Intarsia Video we are showing a layout method which is the hand drawn method using carbon paper to transfer the different parts onto different pieces of wood. We used the carbon paper method all the time and still do use it on larger projects. It is a technique that can come in handy if you run out of pattern copies or if you do not have a way of making copies of the patterns. We do not show the technique of making of copies of the patterns to paste the pattern parts onto the different colors of wood. We were also cutting out the parts with the band saw and not scroll saw. If you are familiar with scroll saws, then that may not make much difference.
We have two books that are more or less patterns books with detailed instructions on the first two projects in each book, that would be # IT-2 "Small Intarsia Projects and # IT-3 "Artistry in Wood. They are geared for scroll saws, however with some modification a band saw will work also.
Jerry’s video JB-1 “Scroll Sawing for Accuracy” deals only with scrolling for accuracy which is a major element for intarsia projects fitting well.
Judy’s Video JB-3 “Contouring Intarsia” touches on several subjects like the new layout method etc. and heavy on the shaping aspect. The I-172 "Horse Run" project is used as an example. It starts with a flat project and ends with a nicely contoured three dimensional horse head, sharing all the techniques Judy uses on all intarsia projects.
Last but not least is our IT-4 “Intarsia Workbook”. We start from the beginning with a very simple project and work your way through to more complicated projects. It has lessons, and each lesson adds a few more elements to slowly build your intarsia skills.
I hope this helps you a little in deciding which one to go with.

Q: Why is our Luxo Magnifier-light so expensive?
A: This is another one of those - you get what you pay for items. There are magnifier-lights out there that sell for $40.00, they look similar to the Luxo that we carry. Trust me - there is a difference in quality and this is one that you can actually see. The lens on the cheaper models are “Molded” lenses and the lens on the Luxo is “Ground Glass” which is like the eyeglasses we use. The Luxo has less distortion. I bought one when I got my first Excalibur saw 14 years ago and it still works fine.

Q: Can the Gel Finish (Old Masters) we use be bought in stores?
A: Yes! Unfortunately it is not widely available, but there are some paint stores and hardware stores that do carry it. You can call Old Masters 1-800- 747-3436. Perhaps a search on the internet will bring up some other dealers.
If you can't find a dealer remember that we mail order the gel in the US. Sorry, no Gel to Hawaii or Alaska and Canada.

Q: Where do the patterns you sell come from?
A: Judy designs all of our patterns. First she makes a rough sketch of the pattern, shading the parts to get an idea what it will look like using the different shades of wood. After it passes the compostion/balance step the design is enlarged to scale. Next Jerry looks it over and edits it from a sawing standpoint. The pattern is then made into an intarsia piece, during the creation any modifications to make the pattern easier to use are noted on the test pattern. Next the finish is applied and the project is glued to a backing. It is studied again to see how the shades and grains work together. After all these steps the patterns are printed and made available to the public.

Q: Do you design "custom patterns" if I send a picture?
A: We have a list, and invite everyone to send in requests, of pattern ideas people have asked about. When a subject idea is requested numerous times she will make a pattern available. Judy does not create custom patterns, there just isn't enough time in a day. If we could only clone Judy she would have more time to create custom patterns.