How does one "bottom feed" without standing on your head?

[MarieC]

49 minutes ago, dgman said:

Marie, if you can top feed, there is no reason to bottom feed! When I first started scrolling, I had a bottom feeding saw. Oh how I hated changing from on hole to the next. When I got my first DeWALT saw, I took to top feeding immediately. It is so much easier to top feed. I would never go back to bottom feeding.

Well maybe I should look for tips on top feeding...does anyone know how to keep the Ex 21 arm from coming down when you want it to stay up?  I sometimes wish I had a third arm! 

[kmmcrafts]

26 minutes ago, MarieC said:

Well maybe I should look for tips on top feeding...does anyone know how to keep the Ex 21 arm from coming down when you want it to stay up?  I sometimes wish I had a third arm! 

There is a adjustment screw to put more tension on the arm to hold it up. If you look at the back of the saw on the opposite side of the motor there is a screw with a large thin locking nut on it. You loosen that lock nut and turn the screw in until you get just enough resistance on it to hold the arm up.. move the arm up and down a few times to be sure it's where you want it then tighten that locking nut back up.. If your arm stays up most of the time you probably only need to move the screw in just slightly..

Edited April 5, 2023 by kmmcrafts

[jerry walters]

Girl, you have really opened an issue. You are getting a lot of responses is a very short time. For many of us the only way to thread the blade through was to bottom feed. Didn't have a choice. Now, with being able to raise the arm, bottom feeding is much easier. Also, as Paul said, when top feeding, especially with a small pilot hole, you are basically cutting wood because the teeth of the blade point down which is the cutting direction of the blade. I will use an awl to try to enlarge the hole on the bottom and will use a pencil to mark a black spot to make it easier to see the hole. I have used dental picks which can help. Another useful tool is just use an old blade and feed it from the bottom while holding the board and use a sawing motion to try to enlarge the hole ever so slightly. As far as feeding from the top, I can't do it, even if the pilot hole is big enough to accept the blade without any issues. In order to get the blade in the lower clamp, what do I have to do, get down on my knees and feed the blade into the chuck. The big issue with this is that I can't get back up without the aid of a garden kneeler. One other thing that helps is a good light that you can point at the bottom of the board.

Jerry

[MarieC]

8 minutes ago, kmmcrafts said:

There is a adjustment screw to put more tension on the arm to hold it up. If you look at the back of the saw on the opposite side of the motor there is a screw with a large thin locking nut on it. You loosen that lock nut and turn the screw in until you get just enough resistance on it to hold the arm up.. move the arm up and down a few times to be sure it's where you want it then tighten that locking nut back up.. If your arm stays up most of the time you probably only need to move the screw in just slightly..

Okay, I  think I found it and tightened it....it seems to be holding better.  I will give it a try and tighten it more if needed.  Kevin, thanks so much for your help!  Very much appreciated! mc

[MarieC]

4 minutes ago, jerry walters said:

 In order to get the blade in the lower clamp, what do I have to do, get down on my knees and feed the blade into the chuck. The big issue with this is that I can't get back up without the aid of a garden kneeler. One other thing that helps is a good light that you can point at the bottom of the board.

Jerry

Jerry. Thanks for all the great tips.

So  yes. I have to often get down under the saw to put that darn little blade in the clamp...I just assume it is because I am such a rookie, which I surely am....That is the other reason I wanted to try bottom feeding because tilting the board up seems easier than getting on the floor and clamping that blade.  I will keep practicing... thanks again for your help!

[kmmcrafts]

I say do it however is most convenient to you, I started sawing years ago and didn't have the option to top feed. I did learn to top feed when I had my DeWalt but to much muscle memory lends me back to bottom feeding.. just what I know better. As others have said, the blade teeth point down and tend to catch on the wood, if you're not careful you'll bend / break your blade.. with practice you'll figure it out.. how much practice? might be after ruining 2-3 blades or 2 - 3000 blades, LOL.. for me it was closer to the ladder of the two. 

[Eplfan2011]

Another choice, if I'm not pushed for space I'll drill man hole size holes that you don't have to struggle with, top or bottom feeding. I only use the real small bit when that's the only choice.

[kmmcrafts]

They say to use as big a bit as you can.. I'm certain I read that somewhere, LOL.. however if you're like me I typically need that small bit on every project at least once.. and lazy as I am I use the smallest bit recommended for a #5 blade I think it's a #58 bit? I know what bit tube I grab but not sure what the number is now, LOL.. anyway I'm too lazy to swap bits so I just use the small bit for all the holes..

But anyway, yes.. larger holes if possible does help a lot. 

Edited April 6, 2023 by kmmcrafts

[Dave Monk]

I might as well weigh in with my two sense.  I have a Hegner and a Pegas. On my Hegner I can only bottom feed. My Pegas I can bottom or top feed.  For me it is much easier to top feed. 

[OCtoolguy]

3 hours ago, MarieC said:

Thank you....So Ray, is the counter sink attached to your small drill bit or do you do it after you drill the holes?

What got me started in scrolling was a guy who I watched out at the Orange County Fair who was doing marquetry using a home made foot powered scroll saw. I took one of his classes and bought a tool package from him. In that package was a Dremel countersink mounted in a hand held pin vice. That's what I use. I use a Dremel plunge router with needle drill bits. I have a number drill set that goes from #1 to #80. Most blades will tell you what number drill bit to use. Denny Knappen sells the most popular sizes in 10  packs. When I get all done drilling out the holes, I flip the board over and countersink the holes and then just touch them with a marker to highlight them.

 

[redwine]

18 hours ago, OCtoolguy said:

I have a very small countersink that I "open" up the drill holes on the under side. Then I take a black marker and dot all the holes. It's fairly easy to see them without having to stand upside down. Far easier than top feeding as far as I'm concerned.

 

I was going to put my 2 cents worth in until i ran across your post! When i used to do a lot of portrait cutting with many, many holes, I would use a Sharpe marker to dot the holes!  For the work I do now that requires lots of openings, I use an awl to open the holes and the blade just slides in almost with out looking for the hole!

Erv

[Wichman]

On the top ( pattern side ) I dot each opening in red (either a extra fine sharpie or a .035 dot printed ) so I can tell at a glance that the hole has been drilled.

Once drilled I use either a hand held "bead reamer" or a Dremel mounted bead reamer to de-burr and slightly counter sink the hole. A light mounted above and to the left of the saw, so that the light bounces off the table and onto the back of the piece. I tilt the piece to the right and thread the blade. Occasionally when the hole has rough edges inside the hole ( stacked cutting ) I will thread a 2/0 spiral blades and "saw" back and forth to clear the inside of hole of splinters.

 

[barb.j.enders]

On 4/5/2023 at 12:30 PM, MarieC said:

Thank you. Great idea about adding a counter sink...I will have to look for a small bit with one of those attached to it.  The smallest one I have is way too big...

I have used the pointy end of a small needle file or an old compass (for drawing circles) to dimple the holes.

[trackman]

I was self taught. Didn’t know what way to feed the blade. But to me it was a no brainer top feed made more sense. It only took a few times I could just feel were the blade goes into the clamp without looking. I have a EX21. 

[MarieC]

1 minute ago, trackman said:

I was self taught. Didn’t know what way to feed the blade. But to me it was a no brainer top feed made more sense. It only took a few times I could just feel were the blade goes into the clamp without looking. I have a EX21. 

Now that I tightened my arm (it would come down before I finished tightening the blade...so they broke or were bent] I  am top feeding...but I can see a reason for bottom feeding.

[wombatie]

It's funny but I have bottom fed from day one, 24 years ago, I guess I would have problems top feeding.  So if you are used to doing it one way, why change?

Marg

[JessL]

I've been bottom feeding since day 1, which wasn't to long ago, and find it easier than top feeding. And since I learned about the black marker trick on this feed, things have gotten way faster and easier.  It's almost effortless now finding the hole! I like that my Delta's arm will lock in the up position for me.

[OCtoolguy]

I really did try top feeding but after putting the blade through the hole in the wood, I couldn't find the hole in the table. So, I'm back to being a bottom feeder. It must by the catfish in me. Or I'm part lawyer.

[Roberta Moreton]

On 4/5/2023 at 7:29 PM, MarieC said:

Jerry. Thanks for all the great tips.

So  yes. I have to often get down under the saw to put that darn little blade in the clamp...I just assume it is because I am such a rookie, which I surely am....That is the other reason I wanted to try bottom feeding because tilting the board up seems easier than getting on the floor and clamping that blade.  I will keep practicing... thanks again for your help!

I top feed, my fingers have learned what to feel for. Remember, the bottom clamp is the exact same as the top clamp. I feel for the slot and push it in, feel for the bottom of the blade with my left hand to be sure it is all the way back, hold it and tighten the clamp. I hope that helps. 

I never could bottom feed

[Ctutor]

Marcie I always dimple the bottom of the board with an ice picK.  NO NEED TO LOOK FOR A DRILL.

[MarieC]

 

1 hour ago, OCtoolguy said:

I really did try top feeding but after putting the blade through the hole in the wood, I couldn't find the hole in the table. So, I'm back to being a bottom feeder. It must by the catfish in me. Or I'm part lawyer.

I have trouble finding the hole in the table as well, ever since I tipped it up to see better.  So I tipped it down a notch and that seems to help, plus it stops my pieces from sliding off the table and landing on the concrete....ohhh I hate when that happens.

[OCtoolguy]

3 hours ago, MarieC said:

 

I have trouble finding the hole in the table as well, ever since I tipped it up to see better.  So I tipped it down a notch and that seems to help, plus it stops my pieces from sliding off the table and landing on the concrete....ohhh I hate when that happens.

Especially if you keep a good coat of wax on your table.

[heppnerguy]

On 4/5/2023 at 1:02 PM, JessL said:

Some darn good remedies in here.  Never thought to do any of them - though I did just start trying fretwork. Man I'm glad I joined this village! Everyone is so helpful and friendly!

We are all also glad you joined our family, (as we like to prefer this group as) too

Dick

heppnerguy

[Wooden Lace]

Hi, just curious as to how you get scratches on the top of the board from top feeding.  Not something I've every heard of or experienced.

Nancy

[MarieC]

5 hours ago, Wooden Lace said:

Hi, just curious as to how you get scratches on the top of the board from top feeding.  Not something I've every heard of or experienced.

Nancy

Nancy, I  was wondering the advantage of bottom feeding since to me it seemed more difficult....I just threw that out there since I couldn't think of any reason....but many folks told me good reasons....mc