Baby Yoda – Star Wars May the Fourth be with you.
A scroll saw cut out of Baby Yoda from the TV serious The Mandalorian.

The full video can be viewed here... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XOy1LjjVWA

Experience – Intermediate

Supplies

Tools used;

Scroll-saw
Table-saw & crosscut sled. (Or Dado stack)
Thicknesser (though in reality, you don't need this)
Chop-saw
Drill & drill bit
Random Orbital Sander
Small hand files
Chisel

Material Used;

19mm Ply 210mm x 297mm
3mm hardboard 210mm x 297mm
Some form or pretty wood, to contrast the ply I used purple heart, but you could use mahogany or any contrast coloured wood for the base and frame.
Blue painters tape
Spray adhesive

Step 1: Cutting Ply and Backing Board.

Print out the scrollsaw template on to A4 size paper. Template can be downloaded form Wacky Wood Works website here.

Cut the 18mm ply and the hardboard to A4 size on the table saw. The backing board does not have to be hardboard, this was all I have laying about but gives a nice contrast in colour. You could use another piece of ply and paint it.

Step 2: Masking

Using the blue painter's tape, cover the best side of the ply. Get your template and spray the back of it. And leave for a minute or so till it goes tacky. Then apply the template onto the blue painter's tape.

Step 3: Pre Dilling

Use your drill and drill the holes for you scroll saw blades to pass through. On this template we are cutting out everything that is black. So drill holes in the black parts. We are now ready to scroll saw.

Step 4: Scrolling

Carefully scroll saw out all the

black parts of the template. This will take time and patience. But it is worth it. I use spiral blades which allow's you to cut in any direction and is a very fine cut and kerf.

Once complete now here is the reason why we use blue painters tape. Now simply peel the painters tape off revealing the cut-out. The painter's tape will leave no residue and makes it very easy to peel the template off.

Step 5: Tidy Up Cuts

With your sander give a very quick-sand to get rid of any burs from the scroll saw cut. Get your tiny files ready and now use them to tidy up and cut marks. This can be time-consuming but again is worth it.

Step 6: Making Base

Now we need to make the base.

Choose the wood of your choice and make a block you can make this any size but make sure you make it at least 210 long (the width of the template and your cut out) also make sure it is wide enough to put a groove or dado in to hold the cut out. It needs to be the thickness of your ply.

I put a 45 chamfer on the front using the table saw to give a bit of shape to the over all project. I then used my chop saw to cut to the length I want.

Using your cross cut sled make a dado or groove. If you have a dado stack then use this as it is easier.

I then used a chisel to quickly clean up the blade marks in the groove.

Step 7:

This stage I am going to suggest to it a slightly different way than I did in the video, and suggest you glue the template to your base first.

Now measure the back height, depending on how deep your dado or groove is you need to cut your backing board down. I slightly miss measured mine as I guessed the backboard size.

Sparingly put glue on the black of the template, we are trying to avoid to much squeeze-out, and glue the backing board on and clamp. Be careful to get it aligned and even the best you can.

Step 8: Cut Frame Parts

Cut strips of material you have chosen for the frame on the table saw.

I put them through the thicknesser but you don’t have to if you get a good cut. The reason I did was Purpleheart is very hard and I had the wrong blade in my saw at the time. If you have one by all means... but you don’t need to.

Step 9:

Cut the strips to fit around your piece, the way you do this is entirely up to you, I simply did the sides and glued them on and then cut the final strip for across the top and glued it on. I didn’t have a clamp the right size so for the top I simply balanced my drill batteries to add a bit of weight.

Once dried, give a quick sand, and spray with a spray lacquer.