R emember the old credit card carbon papers?  This is basically transfer paper in a crude form, only much smaller.  Transfer paper (also called graphite transfer paper) generally comes in large sheets of around 24" x 40" and is used to get a curved woodworking pattern traced onto the wood you plan to cut it out of.  Just like the credit card machines transferred your credit card number to the receipt, this paper transfers the pattern to your wood.

O ne uses the transfer paper by fastening it (transfer side down!) to the wood using masking tape.  Next you fasten your pattern over top the transfer paper, again using masking tape.  Finally, use a dull pencil or a pen to trace the lines on your pattern.  The lines you trace will show up on your wood -- pretty handy.

T racing paper can be used over and over again.  The only bad thing about it is that it is somewhat fragile, so you need to take special care of it.  If you care for it properly, you can trace tens...maybe even hundreds of patterns with a single piece!

T here are other ways to get your patterns onto the wood, though.  One old trick is to use newspaper.  Use it just like transfer paper; the newsprint comes right off the old paper and onto the wood.  The problem is that the lines are pretty light colored and have breaks in them.  Another trick is to Xerox the pattern, then use a lightly heated iron to go over the pattern while it's on your wood.  This will transfer the ink from the photocopy onto the wood.  A great trick, but what do you do for larger projects?!  Try some methods and see what you think.

N ow you know about transfer paper.  Why some people use it and others don't.  With all these methods of transferring patterns to wood, I don't understand why some people insist on cutting up their project plans when they could use them over and over again.  Anyway, hopefully now you have a few new ideas.