This Music Box project is from Berry Basket Patterns On CD, Holiday Music Boxes which contains full-size printable patterns, photos and assembly instructions for 65 music boxes.
For over 200 years music boxes have fascinated and enchanted millions of people the world over. Antoine Favre, a watchmaker from Geneva, Switzerland, invented the first mechanical musical movement in 1796. The industry stayed centered in Geneva until 1811 when it moved to the village of Sainte-Croix, where the tradition lives on to this day.
In 1996 - 200 years later - The Berry Basket started a music box tradition of their own. Designing the first of hundreds of scrollsaw music box patterns to come, world renowned scrollsaw artist Rick Longabaugh, created a beautifully animated Christmas Nativity. From this first pattern's overwhelming response came new patterns for snowmen, santas, angels, Noah's Ark, carousel horses and more and eventually their Music In Motion Series™.
Scrollsaw Tips & Techniques
The following scrollsaw tips and techniques are intended to get you started and on your way to scrollsaw success. Not only will you find these techniques helpful in completing this music box project, you will also find that they can be applied to many other scrollsaw projects as well.
Lumber Choices
Selecting the type of material to use is very important for the final outcome of your project. Although, plywood could be used for many of the music box projects contained in this book, we highly recommend choosing any of the beautiful hardwoods available. The elegant nature of these heirloom-quality projects is far more impressive with the creative use of contrasting hardwoods. Mixing dark woods such as walnut, mahogany, koa, etc. with light woods such as maple, birch, alder, etc., will give the most striking effect.
If you are relatively new to scrollsawing, we recommend using a high quality Baltic Birch plywood, for cutting such pieces as overlays, figures, the tops and bottoms, turntables, etc. It is easier to work with, and can be stained for color contrast.
Sanding
For most projects, it is best to sand the work piece prior to applying the paper pattern and cutting the design. Once you've cut the design, and removed the paper pattern, it may be necessary to lightly sand any glue residue remaining, along with any "fuzz" on the bottom side.
Pattern Copying
The patterns contained in this article are intended to be your master patterns. We highly recommend printing your patterns and using a repositionable spray adhesive to adhere them to your work piece, rather than tracing. It is easier, less time consuming, and far more accurate! Note: you can print as many copies of the patterns for this project and all projects contained on Berry Basket Patterns On CD if you have a printer installed on your system. If not, copy the PDF file that contains the patterns onto a floppy disc or CD and have a friend or neighbor print them for you. If you purchased Berry Basket Patterns On CD, you can take the CD to a friend or neighbor to print the patterns.
