Standing Crab

by kelly — July 3, 2024

Take your hardwood from drab to crab with this snappy pattern

By Wayne and Jacob Fowler

This multiuse design works well with many kinds of wood. I thought it would be fun to cut it from a piece of maple as a freestanding decoration or a gift for those born under the Cancer zodiac sign. Then, the editors asked my opinion on SpectraPly, so I cut a crab from that, as well. I have also experimented with it as a smaller design, cutting it out of 1/4″ (6mm)-thick hardwood for Christmas ornaments. Before finishing your crab, think about where your piece will be displayed and if it will be in direct sunlight. Then check out our exclusive article on how sunlight affects color and gloss.

Making the Crab

First, cover the wood with clear packaging tape. Attach a copy of the pattern to the tape. Drill the blade-entry holes and cut the frets. Save the exterior cuts for last. Be careful on the freestanding antennae; the veneer layers in the SpectraPly chipped on these as I cut. After you finish cutting, remove the pattern and hand-sand with 220-grit sandpaper. Apply an oil finish to bring out the color.

The standing crab
cut in red Spectraply plywood.

Materials:

• Maple or colorful wood, such as SpectraPly AppleJack, 7/8″ (2.2cm) thick: 5-3/4″ x 8-3/4″ (14.6cm x 22.2cm)

• Sandpaper: 220- or 320-grit

• Oil finish

Tools:

• Scroll saw with blade: #4 skip-tooth

• Drill press with bit: 3/64″ (1.2mm)-dia.

• Belt or disc sander (optional)

About the Authors

Wayne Fowler has been scrolling for over 30 years, first puzzles and then fretwork. Jacob Fowler has been drawing scroll saw designs since he was five (he drew a whale bank for his father, who collects whales). He got serious in his teens and has drawn well over a thousand designs since then. Together, Jacob and Wayne have published over 160 magazine articles, as well as the Woodworker’s Pattern Book, available at Fox Chapel Publishing. They live in wood-rich Ontario, Canada, just outside Toronto. Find more of their work on Etsy at FantasiesISaw.