Don't be afraid to experiment.

[Rapid Roger]

I'm cutting some Jig Saw (Scroll Saw) puzzles for my grandchildren as Christmas presents.
I'm using Steve Goods patterns and watched his "How to" video again to get started. Tried one and it worked OK but seemed a bit wasteful by using another 1/8" thick piece of plywood and so much packing tape for each one. I'm frugal......OK, I'm cheap.....and thought about another way of doing it.
I had printed the pictures on standard typing (print) paper instead of photo paper (I told you, I'm frugal) so after spray gluing the picture permanently by spraying both the paper and 1/4" plywood piece, I used spray polyurethane for a few coats on the face to protect the picture. After everything was dry, I temporarily glued the puzzle pattern to the back side of the plywood by spray gluing only the paper pattern and glued that in place.
I then put on another coat of wax on the saw table and buffed it nice and slick to protect the picture even more and started cutting the puzzle UPSIDE DOWN!  Well, the first few cuts went OK but, I was getting fuzzes on the bottom where the picture was and it didn't look so good. So I removed the saw blade (Flying Dutchman Superior Puzzle blade) and turned it UPSIDE DOWN TOO! Now everything is coming out looking good on the picture side and I'm saving some time, wood and tape also.
Yes, the wood does chatter some and you have to hold it down firmly but,it is working for me. Your mileage may vary but, it might be worth a try for you at least.

Am I going to go to scroll saw HECK for putting a blade in upside down on purpose?

I am still having some trouble with cutting using a new blade but after it dulls a bit I find it is much easier to control until it gets really dull. It tends to wander and cut a lot faster than I'm ready for so I may cut some scrap first to get it in to shape before using it on the puzzles. HEY, anything is worth a try at least twice! 

Rog

[dunk]

The way to save even more time and money is to cut the pieces freehand no puzzle piece pattern.  The first few will take a bit longer and won't be as uniform but who says they have to look the same.  Your family and friends will still love the puzzles and most of us "puzzleheads" wouldn't be caught with a piece pattern.  I've cut 100's of jigsaw puzzles and never use a pattern.

[Billy in Va]

Mike I have not quiet progressed to cutting puzzles pattern free yet.  But I am sure it will not be to far in the future.  I'm with Roger on the 1/8 inch ply.  The only 1/8 I have is Baltic birch and that is to costly to use as a waste piece.  The big box stores around here do not carry anything 1/8 other than the hard brown board. No door skin as it is called. I have one other lumber yard to try but they are further away too. I do my puzzles two at a time. Put the picture on 1/4 inch board - either Baltic Birch or oak veneer ply. I put the two pictures  face to face wit a sheet wax paper or just regular printer paper between them. Tape the two pieces together and put the pattern on the back side of one and cut.  Have had good success this way

[Rapid Roger]

Well, this is my first try at puzzles and I can see that I have a lot to learn. I'm not sure that I'm ready for doing them "free hand" yet so, I guess I'm excluded from the "puzzleheads" club. I'm not much of a joiner anyway. 
I love Billy's idea of cutting two at a time as I have eight puzzles to cut and it sure is boring cutting all of those little pieces. I'm still very slow and getting used to those thin blades but, am improving and now have two 126 piece puzzles cut and am on the third.

Rog 

[Dean A]

believe it or not....cutting puzzles is easier without a pattern. My wife and I have been doing some cutting on some practice pieces and found when there is no pattern, it goes a lot smoother. What we did was took a picture that was not important, glued it to a 1/4 ply with tacky glue and cut away. The hardest part is making uniform looking pieces, but as you get going you seem to get a feel for it. Saturday she is cutting the real deal, 8x10 pic for her granddaughter. Will post pics soon