Scroll saw box stage 3

Hi all,
The next stage in the construction of a scroll saw box is a bit of a chore, but it's got to be done. The pieces for the main box and the drawer pieces all need sanding and sticking together.You can either use clamps or put them in a vice, but the main thing is to get them lined up as closely as possible because this will save a lot of time with the sanding operation.

When gluing the main part of the scroll saw box together, do not glue the back on until you are happy that the drawers fit nicely. I sand the insides of the box first to smooth out any lumps that may foul the drawers when they are inserted. Be cautious when sanding the inside of the drawer compartments because if you take too much wood off, the drawers will look sloppy when they are fitted.

Once you are happy with the inside of the box, the drawers can be sanded and frequently tried into the box to see how they fit. During this operation, the drawers often become stuck and it is then that you will see the wisdom of not sticking the back of the box on too soon because, until it is stuck on, one's fingers can be pushed into the back of the box to release the drawers.

I use an oscillating bobbin sander to take the hard work out of the sanding and it does a brilliant job on the curves. It comes with a variety of drum sizes that are easily changed to take into account different grit sizes. It also has a dust extraction facility, which is a must if you are doing a lot of sanding. I have it hooked up to a cheap vacuum cleaner that serves it and my scroll saw.

I am getting older now, so I moan more and I take health and safety matters a lot more seriously than I did when I was young, knew everything and was totally invincible. With this in mind I am often to be found wearing ear defenders, safety glasses and a face mask. When I've got that  lot on, I look more like an alien than than a elderly gent whiling away a few pleasant  hours with some wood.

The only downside to this oscillating sander is that it is very loud, but I will have to put up with that little annoyance because I hate sanding by hand.

Care needs to be taken with one of these sanders, especially when using a rough grit. It spins very fast so it can remove a lot of wood very quickly.

I haven't done any pyrography for  a while, but that is about to change because I have just sorted out the drawing for my next pyrography project. The outline is that of an hare, which I have used before, but I have modified it to describe the hare in a series of tear drop shapes. I thought it brought an element of grace to what is a beautiful creature especially when seen in full running mode.

Hopefully, I will get my pyrography iron out over the next couple of days and I will post the picture soon. If you have any questions about scroll sawing or pyrography please let me know.