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General Category => General Scroll Saw Talk => Topic started by: northie66 on April 22, 2010, 09:44:33 pm
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How do you organize your patterns? Are they on paper? On the computer? If they are on paper, do you have them in a file or a book or something?
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I have plenty on file and transferred to disk. As long as we have computers I will store them on a file on the computer itself, then after I get a bunch together, I categorize and burn to a disk. I also change the color from black and white to red and white so I can see where I am cutting. Hope this helps some. Oh yeah, I also scan paper to the computer.
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I have mine in a folder on the computer and then separate folders as to the topic, then in those folders I have a folder for the ones I have printed, if I'm looking for a particular pattern I can see if I already have a copy in my filing cabinet in the shop. I usually go ahead print most of mine since I have a copier at work, lots cheaper than an inkjet printer. I also have them backed up on a portable hard drive. I have well over 5000 patterns that I have collected from various sources.
Greg
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I have mine scanned to my computer and take folders and put them into binders. Each binder is numbered 1/2/3 ect. I then have a spreadsheet that keeps track of each pattern in each binder. One of these days I plan on taking a picture of each project I finish and put it in the spreadsheet as well, sometimes I forget what is what..
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Tonybell, you are much too organized for me... LOL
Most of mine are on my computer. I print out what I want to make in the near future and put it-them in a 'to make' file folder. Once made, I put a copy of it in a 'made' folder, with info of when, who for, what stain [used rarely], what finish was used etc...
Works for me so far...
Ez
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I have to admit that I'm not organized at all. I have several files in different places on my computer, some of them containing multiple duplicates where I've saved "freebies" more than once. I have my magazine collection and other books on my bookcase, and I have several stacks of printed patterns here and there around the house. Usually these come from when i print a pattern that I'm planning to start cutting within a day or two, but then end up starting a different one instead:-\
I really need to do better! ::)
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I have lot and lots of patterns all in files in some sort of either alphabetical order or subject order. No I'm organized you can bet that the pattern I'm looking for isn't filed and I can't find it. LOL.
Marg ;D
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I have a folder in my documents labeled patterns then inside that folder I have a sub folder labeled patterns printed. I also have a folder labeled scroll saw workshop just so I know where I got those patterns.
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I have mine stored on a thumb drive and every so often scan them all to disc for backup.
JD
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I have a lot of patterns on the PC, a lot on disc, some on a external hard drive, a lot printed out and quite a few books, i try to categorize the patterns but my filing systems not great, when i scan a pattern from a book i always do an extra one and file it so i can scan that one next time to reduce the strain on the spine of the book, every so often i back up all the patterns on my PC and external drive to CD or DVD, i can rarely find what i'm looking for very quickly but going through a load of patterns isn't such a bad thing as i often find patterns i had forgotten about and i get ideas from looking at the patterns, works for me anyway...
Ian
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We're supposed to organize them?????? ???
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I use a expanding file with pockets and have them labeled accordingly,
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I picked up a lateral file cabinet off of craigslist. I have all different kind of patterns stored in there and on the computer as well. Things that are in the "to Do" list usually wind up in an expandable file folder.
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I collect patterns and with over 40 000 of them the only way in to keep them on the computer and I use Microseoft Access to keep track of the author, where they came from, title and description/keyword. That way I can do a querry and locate the ones I want to cut.
Edgar
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I have most of mine in the shop file cabinet on paper , I do have some CD ..........Marshall
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I keep my patterns on my computer and once a month I transfer them to my thumb drive and copy on to a CD. Then I erase the one on my computer.
JP
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I have most patterns on my pc. As already said by others in file under scroll saw patterns and then I file in catogories and sub catagories eg Animals and under this Cats, Birds etc. My printed copies I laminate and number and put in a folder, I can copy at my work so I mostly only print a pattern once and make copies to use as I need them. I have a spreadsheet with the numbers of patterns on file and how long it took to make and what finish and for whom and the costs of making it. Works for me. Only orginized this about 2 months ago, took me about a week, but works well. I used to have my patterns all over my pc and all over my workshop and could never find what I was looking for.
David
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Jan,
Organize? Did you say Organize??? I got patterns all over the dang place. I have patterns from "Creative Woodworking and crafts" all the way back to 1999 by years in manila floders in a file cabinet. I have the magazines themselves in those magazine holder boxes on a shelf. I have patterns from scrollsaw woodworking an crafts magazine in the same manila folders an boxes too. Could never find the pattern I wanted so I created a data base on the computer and all I have to do now is do a search. I also have a big ring binder that I was saving Steve Good's patterns in protected by plastic sleeves till it occured to me one day to just down load the things into the computer and save them there and print them whenever I want. I'm a pack rat an very disorganized. You should see my scrap wood storage "system" in my shop"! If you find a good system that works for you let me know. I probably won't use it, but it would be nice to read about.
Regards,
Terry
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Downloaded patterns are in a file on my hard drive, paper patterns are in a plastic file cabinet in my shop.
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I am totally disorganized. But then I don't have all that many patterns yet. I am counting on this site being around a good long while as I tend to print as I go.
I do remember Steve mentioning a program in one of his videos. It was to help organize patterns but might only work with pdf format patterns. I believe it would pop up a picture from each file to show the finished product of each pattern. It sounded nice but I think it cost $40 or thereabouts.