Saw-Piercing Pattern Generator

Printable Islamic geometric saw-piercing templates for pendants and ornaments. All patterns are structurally validated — every bridge meets minimum width, every cut-out is wide enough to thread a saw blade through.

Pattern style

Fez Mosaic (6-point hexagonal)

More presets coming in v2 (Isfahan 8-point, Alhambra 10-point).

SmallLarge
MinimumHeavy
SharpWide
10mm
Outline
40mm circle
Gauge
20ga (0.81mm)
Cut-outs
30
Open area
~35%
Min bridge
1.44mm
Min cut-out
~2.40mm

Tips

  • Use rubber cement (not white glue) to attach the template — it peels off cleanly after sawing and won't gum up your blade.
  • Drill your blade-threading holes before cutting any interior shapes. A #2/0 drill bit works for most patterns.
  • Support your metal on a bench pin and keep the saw blade perpendicular to the metal surface. Let the blade do the work — don't force it.
  • For intricate patterns, use a finer blade (4/0 or 6/0). For thicker metal or simpler patterns, a 2/0 blade cuts faster.
  • After sawing, clean up edges with needle files and finish with progressively finer sandpaper (400 → 600 → 1000 grit).

How It Works

This tool builds patterns using the polygon-rosette construction method — the same mathematical approach used to design traditional Moroccan and Persian Islamic geometric ornament. A hexagonal tiling fills the design area; at each tiling vertex, a 6-point star is constructed, and interlace bands connect adjacent stars into a continuous, mathematically precise weave.

Every pattern is checked against structural constraints derived from the metal gauge you select: minimum bridge widths between cut-outs, minimum cut-out dimensions large enough to drill a blade-threading hole and navigate a jeweler's saw blade through, and a solid border frame that holds the pattern together. The star-size slider controls how big each star is — small stars produce fine, intricate work suited to 4/0 or 6/0 saw blades; large stars make bolder pendants with more visual weight. The band-width slider sets the metal thickness between cut-outs, and the centering selector chooses which symmetry point sits at the center of the outline.

Have an idea or found a bug? Let me know — I read every message.