Need pointers

[teachnlearn]

On 9/17/2019 at 9:51 PM, Dusty Trucker said:

Thank you all so much for the wisdom you have shared with me... its a lot to digest. But i will slowly check everything off the list. The lighting will be the first. I have junk for lights right now.

Shop around for lights, there are clamp lights and there have been suggestions on the forum to clamp else where and not on the scroll saw. Especially magnifying lamps, which may vibrate. LED is a nice feature, also look at the color, bright wihite, white, or warm. The warmth of the lighting may look like 5700K or something like that, I don't have the numbers off hand, maybe someone can pitch in on that.

Again, reading the forum, some found there scroll table reflected the light.RJF

[Wilson142]

22 hours ago, teachnlearn said:

Shop around for lights, there are clamp lights and there have been suggestions on the forum to clamp else where and not on the scroll saw. Especially magnifying lamps, which may vibrate.

It's weird but I'm on my 3rd attempt of trying to get used to a mag. light. Tried 1 in the 90's, when I actually had good eyesight. Everything looked  skewed to me. Then when I bought my new saw, I once again tried a light and once again everything looked odd to me and I used it as a light only. Then a few months ago I saw a picture on another forum of a guy who had bought a saw just like mine, with a foot pedal and a mag. light. The light was clamped to the back of the table and I assumed it was simply there for transporting. Well, I thought, what the heck. I had never really gotten far enough along to see if vibration was a problem for me. I mounted my light to the back of the table and found that in that position I could maneuver the lense better and eliminate most of the distortion. It does vibrate slightly but now I use it all the time and am happy with it right where it is.  Strange, I know.

Edited September 22, 2019 by Wilson142
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[OCtoolguy]

On 9/16/2019 at 4:51 PM, Hermit said:

My pointers would be a foot switch right off the bat. Harbor freight has them pretty cheap  about $15.00 if I remember right. They have 2 kinds. You want the one where it's on with one click and shuts off with another. 

Good lighting and then some more lighting. I also use a magnifying light which really helps. 

I personally only use 2 drill bits now both which I'm able to use in my drill press. A 1/16" and a number 61 which I order off Amazon. 

A dust mask, ventilation, box fan with a filter etc. 

Never stop challenging yourself. I like to pick patterns I like but also patterns that challenge me. Lots of straight lines, circles, letters, etc. 

 

I have to take issue with that switch. You want what is called a "deadman" switch that requires you to keep you foot on the switch to run the saw and as soon as you let off, it turns the saw off.

 

[Wilson142]

44 minutes ago, octoolguy said:

I have to take issue with that switch. You want what is called a "deadman" switch that requires you to keep you foot on the switch to run the saw and as soon as you let off, it turns the saw off.

 

I use the other one. I like to move around when I saw from a standing position and a dead man won't work for me.

[teachnlearn]

Military messed up me and my family. Don't know if its age or disability. I have a foot switch packed away and don't remember which type. For those of us with sight problems or spasms, I would go with the deadman switch. Don't think a scroll saw would take off a finger, but its going to tear it up pretty good. RJF

[Jim McDonald]

29 minutes ago, teachnlearn said:

Military messed up me and my family. Don't know if its age or disability. I have a foot switch packed away and don't remember which type. For those of us with sight problems or spasms, I would go with the deadman switch. Don't think a scroll saw would take off a finger, but its going to tear it up pretty good. RJF

Actually, I have only drawn blood once with my scroll saw. Had my fingers in close doing some fine cutting and then sneezed. Bandaids on top and I was good. 

Now as far as catching a fingernail--that's another story. I have hurt myself far worse with a screwdriver. 

[teachnlearn]

9 minutes ago, Jim McDonald said:

Actually, I have only drawn blood once with my scroll saw. Had my fingers in close doing some fine cutting and then sneezed. Bandaids on top and I was good. 

Now as far as catching a fingernail--that's another story. I have hurt myself far worse with a screwdriver. 

I've had intermittent spasms for years. The one my family loves is me with a cup of coffee or coke and spamming. Never fails, over the shoulder or straight in my face. Don't know if i would shove my hand straight in or out, Though, I've planned a clamp holder on everything when I start up. RJF

[Wilson142]

2 hours ago, Jim McDonald said:

Actually, I have only drawn blood once with my scroll saw. Had my fingers in close doing some fine cutting and then sneezed. Bandaids on top and I was good. 

Now as far as catching a fingernail--that's another story. I have hurt myself far worse with a screwdriver. 

I touch spirals all the time when trying to stabilize thin pieces of fretwork. You'd have to be trying to cut yourself with them to do any real damage. The larger flats may bite a bit but I can't imagine leaving your finger in contact long enough to do much.

I carve a bit and those blades can send you to ER real fast. I've cut myself on the chest more than once.

[teachnlearn]

2 hours ago, Wilson142 said:

I touch spirals all the time when trying to stabilize thin pieces of fretwork. You'd have to be trying to cut yourself with them to do any real damage. The larger flats may bite a bit but I can't imagine leaving your finger in contact long enough to do much.

I carve a bit and those blades can send you to ER real fast. I've cut myself on the chest more than once.

Must carve bracing it against your chest. Aren't there various sizes of benches called carvers bench? RJF

[Wilson142]

8 hours ago, teachnlearn said:

Must carve bracing it against your chest. Aren't there various sizes of benches called carvers bench? RJF

Bingo. Carving benches don't lend themselves to the style of carving I do. They work well for mallet and chisel and rotary carving. I have a thick leather apron for carving, but it doesn't jump on by itself. And it's heavy and uncomfortably hot here in the desert.  (just some of my poor excuses for not practicing safety, I have more) I do use a glove and a thumb protector. 

[Scrappile]

The worst hurt I have managed from a scroll saw, I pinched the blade between my fingers once immediately after it stopped cutting..... that puppy was hot,, hot enough to blister my skin!!  Duh!

[teachnlearn]

7 hours ago, Wilson142 said:

Bingo. Carving benches don't lend themselves to the style of carving I do. They work well for mallet and chisel and rotary carving. I have a thick leather apron for carving, but it doesn't jump on by itself. And it's heavy and uncomfortably hot here in the desert.  (just some of my poor excuses for not practicing safety, I have more) I do use a glove and a thumb protector. 

I knew someone that carved decoy ducks. They attached a block of wood to their carving block and mounted it to a swivel clamp. Cut the block off after caving. Wonder if something like that would work? RJF

[Wilson142]

2 hours ago, teachnlearn said:

I knew someone that carved decoy ducks. They attached a block of wood to their carving block and mounted it to a swivel clamp. Cut the block off after caving. Wonder if something like that would work? RJF

In my case it's about ignoring the basic rule of not cutting towards yourself.

[teachnlearn]

You probably know of this vice for carving then. RJF

[Wilson142]

14 minutes ago, teachnlearn said:

You probably know of this vice for carving then. RJF

Expensive piece of hardware. Wouldn't help me. Google Harold Enlow or Pete LeClair. That's the stuff I try to do.

[OCtoolguy]

On 9/22/2019 at 7:10 PM, Wilson142 said:

I touch spirals all the time when trying to stabilize thin pieces of fretwork. You'd have to be trying to cut yourself with them to do any real damage. The larger flats may bite a bit but I can't imagine leaving your finger in contact long enough to do much.

I carve a bit and those blades can send you to ER real fast. I've cut myself on the chest more than once.

I carve too. I will say, the worst cut I ever had was with a dull blade. Any dull blade will cause the user to "force" the workpiece and cause damage of some kind.

Edited September 24, 2019 by octoolguy

[Wilson142]

1 hour ago, octoolguy said:

I carve too. I will say, the worst cut I ever had was with a dull blade. Any dull blade will cause the user to "force" the workpiece and cause damage of some kind.

So true. Even in the kitchen the most dangerous knife is most likely the dullest.