intarsia92

I got my first scroll saw, a Sears, pin type, when I was about 12-13 years old and I still have the little Scottie-dog, corner shelf I made with it out of ¼” plywood. It’s the only thing I recall making with it. I know I cut a lot of wood, but my memory of things I made escape me. I have no idea what happened to the saw.
A few years after we were married my wife mentioned to me she had always wanted a Doll House when she was young, so I thought I’d surprise her for Christmas and buy her one. I looked at them at a toy store and couldn’t find one nice enough with out paying a lot more than I could afford, so I decided to make it myself. I had four years of Architectural Drafting in High School so I designed an old type two-story farmhouse and proceeded to make it. The house turned out great so then I decided to make the furniture to put in it. Not knowing any better, I bought a cheap Dremel Scroll Saw, with 3” pin type blades and used it to make about 100 pieces of miniature furniture.
In 1990 we attended the LA Co. Fair and as we were passing the Hegner Scroll Saws my wife stopped and wanted me to look at how beautiful they were compared to the one I had. She had to talk me into buying the 22” model and that’s when the bug for scrolling bit me.
(Truth be told, my wife was having little Panic Attacks, thinking about me going to retire the following month, November 30, and having the keen mind that she has she viewed me buying the Hegner Scroll Saw as a way to keep me out of her hair. “Well, it worked”)
And then in the August 1991, issue 44 of the Wood Magazine Judy Gale Roberts had an intarsia article in it with a pattern, “Cat on a Limb” I thought it was beautiful, and to think it was made with a scroll saw. I had to try and make it. It would be my very first Intarsia and it turned out good enough that I wanted to continue making more intarsia type projects. I ended up giving it to a lady that owned a Drafting Service Co. She acted like it was the nicest gift she had ever received, which made me feel good.
Anyway, after having the Hegner 22” for about a year the W. Coast Rep. (Scroll America) for Advanced Machinery, stopped by my house one evening to show me the good deal he got on a, just like new, Hegner 20” Polymax, which is their Industrial Model, rated for 24hr. continuous service. It retailed new, back then, for about $2,000.00 (Now it’s $2,895.00 with Stand) I fell in love with it when I tried it out It cut Oak with the same ease as my 22” cut Pine. “I’m sure Ron knew ahead of time I’d want the saw as soon as I tried it out, and he was right”. He offered to let me trade my 22” Hegner, along with a little cash for the Polymax and I’ve never been sorry. I’ve had it a little over Twenty-One years and put a lot of hours on it and it still purrs like new. I doubt I break more than a couple of blades each year.
After untold hours sitting at a Scroll Saw during the past sixty-five, plus, years I’ve owned them, I still love making “Scroll Saw” sawdust. It’s a hobby that can be very rewarding, mentally and monetarily.

-- Intarsia92