JTTHECLOCKMAN

Many things here. A sewing machine uses a universal motor that can be wired to be run on AC or DC. The speed is controlled with the foot which is part of the motor circuitry. The scrollsaw motor has a resistor pot that controls the speed of the motor and is part of that circuitry. if you add another speed controller you now change the current supplied through the pot on the saw and thus can burn up the board or the motor or both because they work in tandem. Change out the scrollsaw motor to a sewing machine motor and have at it. Comparing driving a car to operating a scrollsaw is apples and watermellons. You do not have to believe me for one second. Have at it. Now each saw does not use the same type motors but if it has brushes I advise you to not try but heck I am nobody. Good luck. Learning to control speed by feed pressure is the best way to scroll in my opinion.

Well I too do not want to be a wise guy. But to go into the workings of varying AC current on a DC motor is not a good idea. You will burn the motor out. Believe me. Besides you scroll all the time at one speed. If you have to control speed while cutting you will not be able to control it with your foot and concentrate on the cutting. Way too many things to be thinking about when cutting fine details. Control speed with the saw's controller. This question has been asked recently here and the OP wanted to leave the saw at full speed and use a sewing machine foot pedal. But again you can not do it or should I say can not do it for a long sustained time without damage to either the control board or motor. The way you control cutting speed is done one of 2 ways. speed of the saw with that controller or your feed rate. Plain and simple.

Look at the stickers and badges too. definitely 2 different saws. The stand was not even assembled correctly on the top one. So many things point to different saws.

Yea been doing that for years. I use a piece of marble tile I bought from Home Depot because it is a smooth surface and no grain. Some people use a piece of glass. Just spray back of sandpaper and stick to surface. Works well and many times I need to do a wet sanding for some pens and with the tile again no problem.

One other point that I would like to mention that can throw your picture framing production off is the saw being used as well as the blade choice. First the saw used, weather it is a tablesaw, a mitersaw either electric or hand operated, the blade must be 90 degrees to the table. Any amount of cantor in the blade, one way or other, will throw the 45 degree cut off. Next you would like to use a blade that has alot of teeth and this prevents splintering. I like to use at least a 60 tooth blade. You want a clean and sharp blade. If you use one with alot of pitch on it, it too can throw the cut off. Lastly the blade used depends on your quality of saw. Also the material and size of stock used. If you are using a thin kerf blade as most people do, it can have a tendency of flexing especially if cutting hardwoods such as red and or white oak. A full kerf 1/8" blade is a better choice. Cut slow through your stock and do not force it especially if using a thin kerf blade for this will flex the blade. Any small deflection from the points made in this thread can affect the look of the miters. Remember for each cut it multiplies the errors. Just some of my thoughts.

I would like to make a point about this method. If you are using flat stock and want to stack cut you can probably get away with it, but if you are using anything with fancy routed designs or if the profile of the stock is tapered then do not stack because the 45 degree cut will not be true. Your frame pieces must be flat on the saw when cutting. Best to cut one at a time. Just my opinion. This practice is carried over when doing moldings around doors and windows.

If I may make a suggestion. Never work with measurements when cutting sides. Work with a jig that has stop blocks. If you place your blank against the stop blocks they have to be the same length. If you use pencil marks and try to line up to blade you can be off just enough to throw measurements off. There are many jigs on the net to show. And of course that 45 degree cut needs to be accurate also. Good luck.

Looks good. Guess you were going for that singed burnt look as a finish. If miters are not square means the pieces were not equal on the opposite sides. Also needs to be 45 degrees accurately if making 4 sided. Good luck.

I too looked at the photo and see it is a Sureply wood product. They make both underlayment as well as flooring so hard to say what you have. But if it is the underlayment that is a poplar wood top layer. Yes it is very flat and void free. There are other brands that are just as good but what are the inner cores made from and as Bill said many times that plywood does splinter when cut. They always recommend to score with a razor knife first before cutting to prevent this when they lay this on the floor. Now if it is a flooring which I do not think it is because of the width then that could be different. Also looking at the wood closely you see small holes in it thus tells me it is a undelayment plywood. You could try it and see what you think is the only way for sure to find out. Good luck.

To me there is no better finish than a good coat of lacquer when you want a top coat that is durable and easy to apply. Poly is a plastic and many times it looks like it when applied on a nice piece of wood. I have used Deft for many years but when Lowes stopped carrying it in 2013 and Deft stopped making it I switched to Watco and found that to be as good. I use alot of lacquers over the years. This new can is suppose to be the same formula but there is no talk of it on woodworking sites for proof. everyone tells people to call the company to find out for sure. Why the marble I do not know but to me that is an indication the formula must be different if it needs a strong mixing. You get that with marbles to break up the solids.

That is the wife's job.

I say loosen up a little. You look a little too stiff behind that saw.

The problem with this question is we do not know what you have done on a scrollsaw to begin with. We all have family obligations and other projects we need to work on and that goes without saying. Everyone can say there is never enough time in the day to do everything and if you say that then carve out some alone time to enjoy a hobby. if that be scrolling then there are tons of projects as well as different types of projects that can be done with a scrollsaw. Be creative and combine woodworking skills that maybe you picked up with working on your house. Maybe you used a lathe some so combine projects that use both a lathe as well as a scrollsaw. I use a lathe and combine using a router with a lathe. I gravitated away from the scrollsaw in the past few years because I do not do shows any more and I have plenty of stock if need be. So I challenge myself on free times that I have on the lathe which is just as rewarding. My point is you do not need us to tell you what to do in your free time. But if you want suggestions on a scrollsaw give us some insight as to what you have done in the past. We can not follow you if you do not post so we have no idea what your talent level is. Help us to help you.

I too am a self taught scroller from way back. Forums like this were not there but there were some old forums that I am sure a few members here recall back in the day. There were many pattern makers that have pasted away but their work still lives on. This all paved the way for more talent. Hopefully along the way I did help a few people out with some of what I picked up along my journey down the path of this hobby which has been fun and rewarding. If asked a question I try my best to pass information on. Now as we all know there is always more than one way to do just about anything so the more ideas one has to chose from hope they can make up their own minds and follow their own paths. But bottom line is always have some fun along the way. Making a few $$$ is a bonus in the long run. Giving away our work is also so rewarding in many ways. Happy Scrolling.

This is one of those woodworking questions that plagues most people. Alot depends on how much glue you use. being we are talking wood glues will sick with that (pun) . My thoughts are: Try to buy the smallest bottle that suits your needs. Better to buy multiple bottles than to buy a large gallon bottle and then it goes bad. Been there done that. Just like most conditions in a shop, cleanliness always wins out. A couple things can be done. Yes you can buy those cheap condiment type bottles if you use alot and then pour from your gallon into those but they too will clog and they usually are not very air tight. Now you can buy those so called rubber caps that stretch over the top to help seal the cap. That could help. I have those and they are a pain if you use glue alot. I usually forget them and then their purpose does not work. Probably the best way to keep glue bottles like Titebond has with the slit in the top, to keep from clogging is to always wipe the off after use. When done using the bottle. let the glue settle back into the bottle and then push the cap up and down a few times and wipe that extension piece off. If you buy multiple bottles and use one up take the cap off and clean it with acetone and keep it as a replacement and then change a new bottle often and soak the cap in warm water while the glue is still soft and rinse and repeat. It has been spoken on other forums that if you store the glue bottle upside down when done the air can not get into bottle and the glue does not harden. I never tried this. I basically take the entire cap off and clean it with acetone of just scraping and picking. To me there is no clear cut answer that is full proof. Again you mileage will vary depending how much you use. I find myself throwing more glue out then I use these days because I am not making many wood projects any more. Will say this though there is nothing like using fresh glue as opposed to glue that has started to turn bad. The joints are more secure. Good luck.

One saw that many people forget about that was one of the highest priced saws back around 1999 was made by Ernie Mellon called the Eclipse. It was the revolution to the front back movement in all saws even the short linkage saws such as the Excalibur and then the Dewalts and so on. They competed for $$$ also back in those days. I do not believe these saws are even made any more. Ernie passed in 2015. They were a true 90 degree travel of the blade with no rocking back and forth. Probably some of them still out there too.

I got you. But for the same reason I also stated why I think you are seeing more Hawks than the other 2 saws you mentioned. I am not really comparing performance wise, I am comparing makes and models that have hit the market. There are by far more models of Hawks out there than the other 2 and as said some models were not as good so they made another model. Maybe just a change in motors but still that constitutes as a new model. These are highend saws and production saws. I bet you there are more Hawks sold than the other 2 for sure. Hawk and Hegner saws were highly touted at woodworking shows at least the ones I went through back in the day. That was my only point. The Hegner has not changed much since it started. Excalibur is not as old as either of those saws. Again just my opinion. As far as sitting behind a Hawk saw, I am sure you would enjoy the movement and low vibration and ease of use. I am a Hawk user and love mine. I have had the chance to try a few saws over the years as these saws use to make it to the scrollsaw picnics that were put on in different states way back in the 90's. Having recently selling my Hegner and Dewalt a few years ago I do not regret sawing on them but to thin the herd I kept the 220 and 226 Hawks. Very highend saws.

Not a fair comparison because there are a ton of Excallibur look a likes on the market that use that sawing motion as opposed to Hawks. Thus much cheaper versions of that type saw. Hegners is an acquired taste type of saw and they were always way over priced in my mind. But they too are a very reliable saw. Hawk of all 3 of those saws had the most turnovers in that changes were done. Some good and some not so good. Hegner is basically the same saw as it has always been. So is the excalibur. This is my opinion on the subject.

Oh it does help. I was just pointing out it does it at a slow rate. Any dust or chip collecting device you have set up will help but it is not the catch all, thus the dust mask. Our shop tools of any kind are just not possibly built to encase all dust produced from them. many of the better brands of tools have better than average dust collecting ports where shop vacs can be hooked to and if one that uses a low micron filter does really work. Learning to use your tools properly is just one part of shop safety. Cleanliness is another. Have fun and enjoy the hobby.

I have said this numerous times here that there is no full proof shop that is dust free 100%. Imposible to do. People come here and other forums and talk about dust collectors as well as air purifiers. There is no such animal that will collect all kinds of dust or purify the air. The air cleaners we hang from the ceilings to collect small particles of dust are just air exchangers. They take air in one end and expel so called clean air out the back. Well that air out the back actually stirs up those very fine particles of dust and the front part can only take in so much at a time. Thus why it is a good thing to leave running for some time even after you leave the shop. But that cycle starts all over again as soon as you step into the shop again because now you stir up the dust on the floor again. yes we try our best to collect dust at the source. We as scrollers have devised many types of vac contraptions to collect dust both at the top and bottom of the tables which again helps but never will collect all. just impossible. As in that video, dust masks is the best way to protect your lungs. But also remember we must think about protecting our eyes as well. Dust in tear ducts is dangerous as well which does not get talked about alot either. Bottom line to all this is we protect ourselves only when we protect ourselves. Walk in a shop and not wear a dust mask, your risks increase. Wear a good quality dust mask and shop time becomes more enjoyable for longer times. The human body is a complex tool and it self corrects to a degree but does need help. I would like to make one more point about dust masks that does not get talked about much either and that is storage after use or even before use. Do not take your mask off and just throw it on the work bench and open end up. As I said dust is always settling in the shop well after you leave and it can collect in that mask just as well. You then go to put mask on for next day's use and first thing you do is suck in a big gulp of dust. Defeated your purpose of wearing it in the first place. So either lay mask down with opening down at least or store in a safe place such as box or drawer that has clean air circulating around it. You do not want to use air tight baggies because now that moist mask from your breathe has nowhere to dissipate to dry out and then we start talking mold spores. I walk out of shop after each day wearing the mask and have a bench outside the shop for spill over projects and place the mask opening down on that. At least I am making a conscious effort to keep clean. Happy and safe scrolling. No scrolling is not going to kill you but can compromise your enjoyment but as mentioned you can take actions to avoid some of those complications.

Dick it is a great hobby and there is many patterns out there along with making up your own. It is relaxing and really inexpensive once you have the saw. There are people that are amazed that can be done with a saw. I was fortunate enough to make a few $$$ over the years to support the hobby and when I moved onto the lathe, the same applies there too. Could I have taken both hobbies to extremes and done the entire web net selling and travelled to more shows, sure but to me it takes the enjoyment out of it. My career job fed me and my family well and this was a past time. Keep at it and enjoy and have fun.

Thank you for the nice words. Not often I get to read some. Over the years I loved working with wood and my hands. I also have tried different medium to work with as well as designs. Sometimes my brain gets overworked and I have way too many ideas that I can not possibly finish all that I want to. Now that I have gotten older the body has slowed way down. But I still get in a mood to get in the shop to try something new. My focus these days is pen turning because that is a field that believe it or not has so much potential. That small canvas which to work with can also create so many design techniques. I can make a pen that will sell for close to $1000 in the right market. My scrolling days could never produce that. I add a specific display box with such pen and the value could double easily. But just like selling scrollsawn items you need the right audience. It is all about having fun with what you are doing and trying new things. Trial and error is always a good way to teach yourself. keep at it and have fun. thanks again.

Thank you. I have fun making those unique type boxes and usually are for special pens I make.

I have over the years made a few frames. Not all were standard 45 degree 4 sided frames either. really once a good accurate jig is made they become quite easy. Good luck and look forward to what you come up with.

That is basically not true. The fence is not really a fence but a support block of some sort that keeps both halves of the plywood flat. With a sled as you show the plywood can warp ever so slightly up on one side of the cut and will throw the cut off. The support can be any height you want so that you do not cut through it. Many people make this about 4" high. As far as weight well I can not answer that. We are talking a couple ounces. The riving knife is no thicker than the thinnest blade you are using. Yes you can not use a blade guard but that should not be a problem. I have no blade guard on mine since I got the saw. I use too many different type sleds that the guard gets in the way and is not useful . Safety is amplified with the use of sleds and hold down clamps. I would suggest hold downs clamps as well. This keeps the pieces being cut from creeping up on the blade and you push through. Any slight movement gets amplified with each cut. Again the most important part of doing a frame with 45 degrees is the exact same lengths on the parallel sides. again good luck.