Welt carving (openwork) and stencils. Technology and drawings for sawing with a jigsaw from plywood Openwork sawing with a jigsaw drawings

Openwork sawn ornamental carving is perhaps the most beautiful type of artistic woodworking. The carving technique involves the preliminary marking of a flat surface, on which patterns are subsequently cut with a jigsaw. The result is, as a rule, beautiful openwork lace, although here everything depends only on the master's imagination.

Unfortunately, these days, many consider it more expedient to buy a finished craft than to make it yourself. However, mass replicated production does not know such a thing as "exclusive".

And many of us would like to put something original on the shelf that no one else has. And the most obvious way out is to make such a product yourself, which we will talk about in this article.

Jigsaw sawing technology

Probably, few people in their school years did not pick up a jigsaw at labor lessons. And those who not only held this tool, but also tried to cut something with it, probably made sure that it is quite difficult to achieve high-quality crafts with a manual jigsaw. Only the most diligent and assiduous manage to become true masters of their craft.

By sawing out patterns from plywood, over time you will be able to move on to more complex patterns that will require you to be more precise in your work. However, in order to learn all the subtleties of this craft, you must first master the basic principles of work.

Tools and fixtures that will come in handy at work

First of all, you will need the jigsaw itself. The price of this tool is low, because it has a very simple design.
It consists of the following elements:

Frame. Made in the form of the letter "P". It comes in both metal and wood.

Advice!
The metal frame can be tubular (in the form of a tube) or lamellar.
The tubular frame is preferable because it ensures uniform file tension.
In addition, the length of such a frame is longer, which allows cutting more distant edges.

The wooden frame has a screw for fixing the file. The metal frame has no screws.

Advice!
To make sure the quality of the metal frame, it should be checked for elasticity.
To do this, it should be pulled strongly with both hands, holding in this position for about two minutes, and then slowly released.
If the distance between the clamps is restored, the frame is of good quality.

Files. Today, you can find a wide variety of jigsaw files on the market, but two will be enough for you to work: with a small and medium tooth. Fine-toothed files are used in the formation of a small ornament with sharp turns of lines. Coarse teeth are needed for cutting carved slots, large holes, etc.

Advice!
When fixing the file on the jigsaw, make sure that the teeth "look" down.

To fit the part, you should stock up on a sharp knife, as well as needle files: flat, rhombic and round.

wooden cutting table, strengthening of which at the workplace is carried out with the help of a clamp. It is necessary when cutting small ornaments.
Awl for making punctures.
Old carbon paper(for a not too intense print) is useful when transferring the pattern to the surface to be treated.
Sandpaper I drank to clean up places.
Carpenter's glue for making crafts.

Features of sawing with a jigsaw

Carrying out sawing work is carried out in several stages:

Templates for cutting out plywood are selected. Nowadays, they can be found anywhere: from specialized magazines to pictures, including on our website. Many masters also use patterns from knitting or embroidery magazines. (see also )

transferred to paper using carbon paper.
Next, in the paper pattern, all the places intended for cutting are cut out.
The pattern is applied to a sheet of plywood and transferred to it with a pencil.

The pattern is cut with a jigsaw.
The product undergoes a decorative finish (cleaned with sandpaper, varnished, or assembled from several parts, etc.)

Getting Started

To avoid mistakes in cutting, the following instruction will help you:

Sawing should be started only after all the punctures have been made in the workpiece, since the workpiece will lose its strength during operation (drop-down contours are removed). A “weakened” sheet may break when punctured. Holes are pierced in all places where "closed" patterns are present.
Punctures are made with a sharp awl. It is impossible to pierce all plywood layers at once, because in this case its bottom layer will crack. The puncture is done as follows: we make a hole in such a way that only the tip of the awl comes out on the other side. Then turn the sheet over, expanding the hole on the opposite side.
Sawing obtuse corners is carried out by turning the sheet in place. Having finished sawing to the top of the corner, stop pushing the sheet onto the file, while continuing to move the jigsaw. Feeling a freer movement of the file, turn the sheet in the right direction.

We cut out templates from plywood only with the correct fit and position of the hands. If the fit is incorrect, the cut of the file deviates from the vertical. You can check the correctness of the cut as follows: when after, insert it into place from above. If it inserts effortlessly, the cut is perpendicular and you are doing everything right.
Sharp corners are also sawn out, but in this case, the file should be slightly pushed towards itself so that excessive rounding does not come out.

Conclusion

In this article, we examined the basic principles of openwork saw thread. With this knowledge, you can, with due perseverance, cut a drawing of any complexity out of plywood. In the presented video in this article you will find additional information on this topic.

Slotted wood carving: photos, drawings and sketches

The main key to success in creating interesting gizmos with slotted carvings is the choice of pattern. It is he who conveys the general concept and sets the aesthetic tone for the entire product.

The easiest way for beginners is to make geometric patterns, as in the photo.

Carved drawings of floral and animalistic themes are classic ornaments for any application.

Inscriptions - a modern version of the use of carving on wood and plywood. At the same time, you are unlikely to be able to find drawings and sketches on the net - they will have to be compiled purely individually for personal requirements for sizes, fonts, words.

Stencils for slotted threads

However, unlike cut-out inscriptions on plywood, drawings with plant, animal and fantasy themes can be found on the net. So feel free to choose your favorite stencils in the album, and there will be enough ideas for creativity for a long time!

The simplest sketches are suitable both for training at the very beginning of the manufacturing process, and can become separate elements of a complex design. For example, this is how carved houses are decorated.

More complex templates will require some skill and patience, but the result is worth it. Such pictures can serve as an independent product, even a gift.

Whole compositions with an idea and meaning usually serve either as a separate work or form the basis of the work.

Tools for slotted carving: jigsaw or router

However, the choice of drawing is only a third of success. Another important aspect that must be considered before starting the work itself. Namely, the choice of a tool that will be used for carving wood or plywood.

Equipment depends on:

how thin the thread will turn out;
the complexity of the pictures;
cutting speed;
accuracy of work.

Therefore, it is important to evaluate all the pros, cons, capabilities and limitations of each of the traditional sawing tools:

Jigsaw - a device for curly cutting out parts. It is quite laborious to work with a hand tool, but it allows you to very accurately cut out according to the drawing. The power tool allows you to quickly produce figured products from plywood, but requires caution.

A milling cutter is a tool that makes flat relief slotted carvings look thinner and more complete. It is with its help that it turns out to round the edges, remove chips, make gaps, and carry out the most difficult cutting.

Theoretically, a milling cutter can perform the same work as a jigsaw, and even more, but in fact such handling of the tool is fraught with its rapid failure, frequent replacement of the frieze.

Materials for slotted threads

In most cases, plywood is chosen for this type of work - it is uniformly thin, has a pleasant color and structure, and does not lead to further use or storage, unlike solid wood. It is the choice of material that becomes the third pillar of successful work.

The modern market is replete with different types of materials, so it's easy to get confused. For such work, you should choose:

plywood FK - harmless to humans and the environment, durable, easy to cut, practical;
FB plywood is also safe for humans, but resistant to aggressive environments, since it undergoes special processing and receives a protective coating, which can cost an order of magnitude more.

Note! In no case do not choose FSF class plywood for interior work - it is treated with carcinogenic preservatives and is only acceptable for use in the fresh air - they are perfectly lined with a bathhouse or a house outside.

Photo of carved wooden houses

For Russia, slotted carving is of particular importance as a decoration for building facades. Since ancient times, ornaments carved on birch bark and other similar materials have been decorating huts, baths, churches, which is colorfully demonstrated by photographs.

Wood milling video with a manual router

If you just decided to try your hand at curly slotted carving, it would be useful to watch a video with a master class. It will help to better understand how drawings are created, and how such house beauty appears.

Wood and sheets (plates) based on it are one of the cheapest and most pliable materials. For those who like to work with a jigsaw, plywood is primarily of interest.

It is her home craftsmen who most often choose to make various crafts. If you organize the work correctly, you can create real masterpieces.

Crafts from this material are made for various purposes, but basically they can be divided into two groups - for decorating rooms or territories (for example, fencing from the inside, a garden plot, and so on).

Kind of plywood

If you focus on the optimal combination of indicators such as quality and price, then PSF or FC products are selected. It is characterized by resistance to moisture and temperature fluctuations. This alone is enough to ensure the durability of the handmade crafts. But between these varieties of plywood there is a fundamental difference - in the composition of the adhesive, which holds the veneer layers together.

In the first case, it is toxic, so FSF sheets are used only for outdoor work. But for crafts intended for placement in the house, FC plywood is quite suitable. Its counterparts are much more expensive, and therefore are not considered as a material for simple, easy-to-perform crafts.

Type of sheet grinding

It is easy to understand: Ш1 and Ш2 - respectively, one- and two-sided; NSh - rough plywood. That is, the craft will still have to be “brought to mind”, polished. The choice for this parameter depends on how it is planned to be designed and placed in the future. A sample fixed on the wall and, for example, a figurine (stand, vase, toy or other), which can be viewed from all sides, are different things.

plywood texture

A lot depends on personal preference here. If it is planned to preserve the natural look of the tree when applying the protective coating of the craft, then under the varnish it is better to purchase plywood from birch veneer. But for subsequent coloring, it is desirable to choose pine.

For various plywood crafts, it is advisable to focus on oil or acrylic based. The explanation is simple - they are less prone to fading in the sun, and therefore do not have to frequently renew the outer coating; it will not change its original appearance for several years.

Plywood grade

When choosing a sheet for crafts, it must first be inspected for knotty and inclusions. Significant defects will not only complicate the cutting of the material, but also initiate the appearance of cracks or “pits” (as a result of the same knots falling out). Next - inspection of the end surfaces. During the cutting process, plywood is subjected to dynamic loads (vibrations). If at least signs of veneer peeling are visible on the side parts, such material should not be purchased, even if its price is too tempting.

In the future, in the process of making crafts, many problems will arise. As a result - rejection of plywood and its increased consumption. In total terms, this will come out approximately the same in terms of money compared to the acquisition of high-grade material, and in terms of the time spent and the quality of work - a big minus.

Sheet thickness

If crafts are cut out with an electric tool, then it is limited to 30 mm. For a manual jigsaw, it is advisable to use relatively thin plywood; maximum three layers. That is, no more than 9 mm thick.

What you need to work

jigsaw

This is a priori, since we are talking about making crafts using such a tool. The question is different - which one is better to work with. Electric models are much more expensive than manual counterparts, but have a lot of advantages. About in .

For example, high cutting speed and accuracy, edge cleanliness, the ability to change cutting parameters, and a number of others. If a plywood craft is not a one-time, short-term hobby, then it’s worth spending money on an electric / jigsaw. It is universal, and it will come in handy more than once on the farm, because, depending on the type of file, it can “work” not only with wood, but also with non-ferrous metals, plastics, and plexiglass.

A little more difficult with a manual jigsaw. Its design is quite simple - a frame with screw clamps and a handle + file.

The nuance is that the cutting blades break quite easily (from excessive pressure, changing the position of a hand tool), and therefore it is advisable to purchase them with a margin; well, they are cheap.

Hacksaw

It is needed only at one stage - when cutting the overall sheet into separate fragments. Doing this with a manual jigsaw is an unpromising and unprofitable occupation; a lot of time and files will be spent.

Stand

No one will lead cutting plywood on weight; This is clear. Cut out the details by laying the sheet on the countertop - the risk of damaging it. It is in order to ensure the "safety" of the latter that the stand is needed. With your own hands, it can be made from cutting boards. What such a device looks like (one of the options) can be seen in the figure.

The stand is fixed on the base with clamps (on a non-working table) or self-tapping screws (in case there is a carpentry workbench in the outbuilding, shed, garage). Although this is not the only mounting options. It is easy to understand how to proceed, in accordance with local conditions.

Skin

The ideal tool for fine woodworking -. But for plywood crafts that do not differ in large areas, it is not suitable. Therefore, only sandpaper; medium fraction - for primary grinding of workpieces and with fine grain - for finishing.

Additionally

Files and files.
Awl.
A simple pencil and carbon paper.
Glue, if the craft is created composite or multi-level, that is, with the fixation of two or more figured fragments in separate sections.
Varnishes, paints, stains.

Examples of drawings and sketches of plywood crafts

Copying "one to one" in this case is hardly advisable. Any work done by one's own hands is a process with a creative component. That is why the dimensions should be determined independently, depending on where it is supposed to place (or how to use) the craft. For example, whether it will “look” in a particular place, whether it will organically fit into the interior of the room.

Even if you liked the drawing, it is not difficult to change the geometry of the figure by applying the scaling rules. Especially when it comes to drawing a contour on plywood with a simple pencil; correct any mistake, in some areas it is quite easy to correct something. It is not much more difficult to modify any sketch, bringing something original, original to the sample.

There is another solution - you can download from the Internet any picture that you like. Printing it in the right scale is not a problem. It remains only with the help of carbon paper to transfer it to plywood and shade the areas that need to be cut out. This is when it comes to curly crafts. With a contour sample it's even easier; cut exactly along the line - and that's it, you're done. It remains only to do the decoration of the product.

Basic rules for sawing with a jigsaw

Laying under a sheet of rigid substrate. It is in order to ensure the hardness of the surface under the plywood that the stand is used. A sheet, even a small one, bends quite easily (under pressure), therefore, without this device, a high-quality cut, strictly along the line, will not work.
The working body of the jigsaw (sawing) must be strictly perpendicular to the end of the sheet. And constantly, throughout the entire process of cutting the material.
The tool is fed along the line in a translational motion, but without effort. Otherwise, the file will break immediately. As well as when it deviates from the "vertical".
Sawing holes "deaf", that is, somewhere on a sheet of plywood, indented from its edge, is carried out as follows. At any point of the outlined contour, a "hole" is drilled with a slight offset to the center of the fragment. The diameter is chosen so that the file easily enters it. After attaching it to the tool frame, you can cut in any convenient direction.
Figured drank in plywood involves sharp turns, smooth bends, and so on. First, at the point of change of direction with a jigsaw, without changing its position, it is necessary to make a small hole in the material. To do this, you need to continue the cut with a file, strictly maintaining the orientation of the tool, and at the same time turn a piece of plywood. As soon as the plane of the cutting part coincides with the required direction of further cutting, it can already be carried out along the intended line.

Having mastered the manufacture of fairly simple plywood crafts, you can take on more complex options. As an example - self-assembly of furniture (racks, whatnots, original hanging shelves). With a skillful approach to business, plywood makes excellent countertops, cutting boards, window trims, and so on. It is easy to make a folding chair from this material, and various modifications. Who is interested in this.

Plywood also makes excellent frames for paintings and photographs. Those who have a plot will be able to do the decoration of outbuildings; the same gazebo, a house over a well, or something else. Lots of options. The main thing is to want to learn.

In the process of preparing for sawing with a jigsaw, one should not forget that all drawings and drawings are nothing more than the basis for developing your project. A little imagination, time, effort, and you can make a really real masterpiece out of plywood.

First of all, you should properly organize the workspace. Despite the seeming formality, this is a very important condition. A properly equipped place provides not only comfort and convenience, which is important when working for many hours with a manual jigsaw, but also directly affects the quality of the project being implemented.

As a persistent structure, a special machine-table is used, behind which the name "dovetail" has stuck. It is a small rectangular board with a wedge-shaped cutout that turns into a working field for sawing. The dovetail is attached to the edge of a table or workbench with a clamp.

They work with a manual jigsaw while sitting or standing, placing the workpiece for cutting at a level of 30-40 cm from the eyes. The light source is placed in front at an angle to the work plane. Compliance with these rules will allow you to control the cutting line as accurately as possible, thereby improving the quality of the sawn project.

Which jigsaw to choose?

Despite the simplicity of their design, modern manual jigsaws have a number of features that you should pay attention to when choosing. It is better to refuse models with a sheet iron frame by choosing a jigsaw made of a metal tube. This option provides a better tension of the blade and eliminates its distortion, so that the file will not “take away” during operation.

The file is fixed in the frame by tightening the upper and lower wing nuts. When choosing a jigsaw, pay attention that it is equipped with high-quality steel lambs with wide ears. This will significantly increase the ease of use of the tool in the process.

How to properly prepare the tool for work?

The file in the jigsaw is fixed strictly vertically, with the teeth down. The fabric must be stretched. The degree of tension is regulated by compressing the frame: the tool rests on the edge of the table or is squeezed by hand, after which the lambs are tightened, if necessary, tightening them with pliers. When straightened, the frame will provide the proper tension to the blade.

Small saw blades with a large number of teeth per inch are used for sawing small details, sharp contours and complex patterns on wood with a hand jigsaw. They do not stick on turns, creating a thin and neat cut, leaving no chips. To create large plywood products and long straight cuts, blades with large teeth are used, which cut an order of magnitude faster.

Let's get down to business. How to cut plywood and wood with a jigsaw?

To get an accurate and accurate cutting line, a number of basic rules should be observed:

The hand with the jigsaw should only perform vertical movements.
Up and down movements are made without sharp jerks and with maximum amplitude in order to use the entire working length of the web.
The second hand in the process of sawing smoothly unfolds and moves the workpiece.
No need to press the file on the workpiece and exert lateral pressure on the blade.
Sawing occurs only at the moment when the file moves from top to bottom, so the reverse movement must be carried out freely without pressure.

Working with a manual jigsaw, it is not driven along the line of the pattern, but along the inside of the contour, since even the thinnest blade leaves a cut, the width of which should be taken into account. This is especially important when sawing products with precise fitting elements, for example, or.

When finished, do not forget to loosen one of the clamps so that the jigsaw frame does not lose its elasticity.

And what about the development of basic techniques?

The most intricate patterns are always based on a series of basic shapes and elements, having worked out which you will be prepared to complete complex projects. It is desirable to do this on thin plywood up to 3 mm thick.

Obtuse and right angles : the jigsaw moves smoothly without pressure on the workpiece, as if idling; at this time, the second hand slowly turns the wooden blank to the desired angle.

Inner circular contour : for this, a small hole is drilled in the inside of the figure, through which the file is passed. When sawing a circle, the cutting line is drawn along the inner contour of the pattern. The stroke of the tool should be of medium intensity; the workpiece unfolds in proportion to the movements of the jigsaw.

oval outline : When sawing such a figure, increase the stroke of the jigsaw in steep sections, turning the workpiece in this place faster.

sharp corners: a neat sharp corner without chips and other defects is obtained by bringing together two cuts.

Advice! Sawing complex openwork patterns, start work from the center of the wooden workpiece, evenly shifting to the periphery. This will greatly simplify the sawing process and avoid breakage of fragile work at the finishing stage.

You have felt the jigsaw well, achieved a smooth ride and keep a neat cutting line, but here the movement of the tool is difficult and the saw blade is wedged in the workpiece. This is a typical situation that occurs when carving plywood with a hand jigsaw. It happens for the following reasons:

Overheating of the file - during prolonged work, the blade expands due to heating. To avoid such situations, take short breaks or periodically wipe the canvas with a damp cloth.
Features of a wooden blank. The movement of the jigsaw may be difficult due to the fact that the file has run into a denser area: a knot, a clot of glue in plywood, etc.
On long cuts, the file can be clamped between two almost separated pieces of plywood. You can continue comfortable sawing by fastening the divided ends with a clothespin

What kind of plywood is needed for sawing with a jigsaw?

Practice shows that the best material for working with a manual jigsaw is birch plywood with a thickness of 2 to 8 mm. It is affordable, easy to use and highly durable.

To create small details or a “dense” openwork pattern, it is more appropriate to use three-layer plywood up to 3 mm thick. It is easy to cut and at the same time it is quite durable. The probability that you will spoil the sawn curl at the next jamming of the canvas is much lower.

When choosing material for crafts, pay attention to the fact that the plywood is even and without a lot of knots. Examine the end for the presence of air chambers, their presence indicates uneven application of glue. It is better to refuse such low-grade plywood, otherwise you cannot avoid a large number of chips that will spoil the appearance of the product.

But what if you use wooden blanks?

For all its practicality, plywood does not have such an expressive texture as a board. When cutting plank projects, you can use these advantages: play on the difference in colors and shades, the orientation of the wood fibers (as in intarsia), etc. Crafts made of wood have a more attractive end (without a layered structure like plywood) and are much easier to process with a finishing compound.

For sawing with a manual jigsaw, blanks from soft and hard rocks up to 10 mm thick are used. When choosing a material, give preference to tangential sawn boards. It is not recommended to use radial cut blanks, because. they have parallel annual rings, which, due to their hardness, will lead the jigsaw away when sawing.

What to do if chips constantly appear?

The number and size of chips depend on the type of plywood used, the quality of the canvas and how correctly the master cuts. Cutting with a manual jigsaw without chips will help a few tips and professional tricks:

using low-quality plywood that is prone to chipping, cut more intensively by installing blades with a fine tooth;
work with a file with a reverse (reverse) tooth designed to minimize chipping.
glue the cut lines on the reverse side with adhesive tape or masking tape;
moisten the back of the workpiece.

How to transfer the scheme to a wooden blank?

There are several convenient options for transferring a printed drawing to a wooden base:

using carbon paper and redrawing the template manually;
gluing the sheet on double-sided tape;
sticking the picture on the glue, the remnants of which are rubbed with sandpaper at the finishing stage.

One of the interesting hobbies is artistic sawing with a jigsaw. Beginners look for drawings, drawings and descriptions for them on the pages of numerous printed and electronic sources. There are artists who realize their creative ideas on plywood by drawing a drawing on their own. This process is not too complicated, the main thing in the work is the accuracy of the actions.

Some use this type of handmade just for fun, creating wall art or photo frames. Others use artistic sawing with a jigsaw according to drawings, drawings and descriptions to decorate furniture or as additional income.

Skeptics may say that with the advent of the laser, this type of creativity is outdated. Yes, indeed, the developers of industrial lasers have made this task much easier by performing large volumes of thread quickly. But this is for an industrial scale, maybe a suitable option, and if you want to have an item in which the soul of a master, a real artist, is invested, then you will still get a unique thing, created in a single copy.

And besides, artistic sawing with a jigsaw according to drawings, drawings and descriptions will definitely captivate you, you only need to try it once.

Necessary materials

For such fine and accurate work, you need a good jigsaw. If you decide to speed up the process and use a jigsaw, then be prepared for the fact that he can cope with radii up to 2.5 cm. Small details will have to be completed with a hand tool. The saw must be fixed firmly so that there is no vibration, which will lead to uneven cuts.

It is better to do artistic sawing with a jigsaw according to drawings, drawings and descriptions on plywood from 3 mm to 5 mm. This is the best option. It will not bend during operation. It is better not to spare money and purchase good quality plywood, so as not to subsequently have problems with chips or knots found on it.

Think in advance how you will cover the product - with varnish or paint. You will also need sandpaper (large and small).

Beginning of work

Having prepared the necessary materials, you need to find or draw a drawing on paper yourself. A vector image will do. For the first time, try something simple with a little twist.

Then a large sandpaper is taken and the material is well processed. For convenience, use a wooden block. After removing the dust with a dry cloth, treat the surface again, but with fine sandpaper.

Then they transfer the drawing to plywood with a simple pencil. A sheet of paper can be attached with buttons or tape so that it does not move. Then the paper is removed. If necessary, correct the contours by eye.

To start artistic sawing with a jigsaw from plywood according to drawings, drawings and descriptions, you need to drill a hole for the file. Then carefully guide along the contours. Plywood must be well fixed.

Samples of artistic sawing with a jigsaw

Vector drawings, pictures and descriptions can be printed on a printer. If the diagram is large and divided into several A-4 sheets, then make sure that the scale is the same, then the individual details of the pattern will be comparable without drawing deformations.

If you like this kind of art, then your house will change beyond recognition over time. After all, with the help of a jigsaw, you can beautifully decorate the doors of cabinets, make carved shelves. And how original will look like a carved tabletop covered with glass! In private houses, craftsmen decorate shutters, window frames, roof ridges, gates, etc. And how happy your daughter will be if you make toy furniture or a whole castle for her! The list is endless, because there is no limit to human imagination.