JTTHECLOCKMAN

Extremely happy for you. You grew up with that saw. The question was is this a good saw. Yes a good saw but with flaws. if you go back when those saws came out the biggest criticism was that tool. There are so many other better saws on the market. May have to step up a little in price but they are available because people get out of the hobby for one reason or other. just letting the OP know there are flaws because they asked.

I personally do not like a tool to change a blade. I had a problem with my Hegner saw because you needed a wrench to change a blade too but at least you could take the clamp off the saw and work on it at eye level. You have to be a contortionist to use that wrench under a saw and the older you get the harder it is to do that. Again my opinion. And that is why it drives me NUTS.

Your question was would you buy this saw and my answer would be NO. As mentioned parts can be a problem and if I remember correctly that saw uses a tool to change blades that would drive me nuts. better options out there. My opinion only.

Now no one will be able to tell you what you should do because we have no idea what your intentions are. but we can mention the pros and cons. I do not have a 30" saw but have 2 RBI saws. a 220 and 226. The 226 does take up much more room as will the 30" If you have the room then that is a check in the +. I bought the 226 because I got a good deal and also I was making larger projects such as my mirrors. I was able to increase the size of those which made them more sales valuable. If you have plans for making larger projects than what you do now then put that in the + column. Now I found myself using the 220 much more than the 226 because it just felt more comfortable and yet both operate the same way. If you plan on keeping both saws you too will probably gravitate toward one saw over the other more. But if you want just one saw then you have to weigh the other +'s and see where they stack up. Good luck.

Looks great, but you should be making golfing items.

You saved more money than you know if you kept using that foot switch the way it was.

Nancy, would love to see some examples. Do you have a web site?

Move to NJ we have many lumber mills that you can buy 12" boards. I am just saying this would make a easy project for pattern makers to design. It would look cool. Glue boards together or buy some tools is all I can say. Having to buy woods milled already has to be a pain. and expensive. Glad I have an entire woodworking shop. What do they say, where there is a will there is a way. Life throws many obstacles at us each and everyday.

This is a Dirk Boelman pattern that challenged my depth of my 26" RBI that I had to improvise. I made a few of these. I believe I still have a couple pieces that I cut and also the frames. The inside pattern was the challenge. Larger than you think when you spin it . but worked it out. Makes a great project. Man I look back at his patterns and I made so many of them over the years. He too was one of my favorite pattern makers. Loved his work. https://theartfactory.com/product/the-light-of-the-world/

Easy to get 12" wide boards. Base you could glue 2 boards together. That would be so simple of a pattern.

That was what caught my attention. Back in those days I did a ton of those collapsable baskets/trivets. They were a huge seller and all the rage. That was the start of the Berry Basket. They incorporated that cutting on an angle for a ton of their patterns. Again that was how they expanded their line. The concept of the collapsible basket then turned into other useful patterns using the same footprints. They could be made into mirrors and picture frames and stained glass photos. They were the basis of my business just using their patterns and expanding. That was the beginning of JT'S Creative Woodworking. And grew from there. Examples of angle cutting. By the way the only screws or nails used in all 3 projects is to hold the bottom of the magazine rack on. Try that. All my shelves I made over the years were held up with keyholes. A router and many jigs make the holes. 3/4" thick red oak had some heft. Shelves were then able to sit flat against the wall and no fasteners noticed. Clean look.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/3656385241241166 here is a great idea that could easily be made into a scrollsaw pattern and many patterns. pretty cool.

I have run into a few situations like that over the years. I would have to stand to do my cutting in those cases and bend over. Not the most comfortable way but needed to be done. I also use a larger 1/4" zero clearance sub table top to help support the work piece or it has a tendency to flop. I hate spiral blades so there were a couple times I actually had to bend the blade 90 degrees so it cut to the side instead of front to back. Awkward but effective. As said though spiral blades would sure be the thing to use.

https://scrollsawbowls.blogspot.com/2015/07/an-easy-way-to-figure-out-cutting-angle.html

I have used both black and white and sometimes I think they mix the names. But never had a problem. I treat all woods as toxic and wear some sort of mask when cutting any woods. I also wear some sort of glasses to at least keep shards from getting in the eyes. Have to say of all the woods I have used over the years I never had an allergic reaction to using. It actually is a soft wood. Not sure why you are having problems drilling. Could you post a photo of the wood in question. https://www.wood-database.com/limba/

Rolf is correct. This is made to fit on shop vacs and not dust collectors. I do have some 2" hoses set up like Rolf from my large dust collector but they go to my spindle sander and one of my portable sanders. Those do not collect chips, they collect dust only. That is why we can get away with it. If you scroll through the photos that are embedded in that original link, you will see what the intensions are of this tool and you will see how it was intended to be used. The shop vac just needs to be a fairly powerful one like the Ridgid units. The size does not matter. they show more of the pieces you can buy to compliment this articulating arm. As I said if you have a decent dust collector system (dust collector is different than shop vac system) then branching off it like they show will work but limited. They are not designed for small hoses like that. A shop vac is. All your questions are answered in that OP link. Just need to keep scrolling and following the questions asked and answers given and within them there are additional links to click on. You can see videos of it in action and all. It is pricey, but some woodworkers that I trust have given their approval on it so it does work. These have been sold at woodworking shows for awhile now.

Well I can tell you right now that the best dust collection at a lathe is a good dust collector system. This is not that. This is a supplement of for using a true dust collector. It is designed for use with a shop vac. The photo where they hook to a dust collector is pretty but because you are choking down the size of the hose the efficiency is so pinpoint it is not worth it in my opinion. As I said my objective is to be more pinpoint because of the dust I will produce when turning those billiardballs. Even when I try it on my tablesaw I do not expect much because again I have to focus right over the blade. My dust collection on my lathe is a 8" hood with a 4" hose hooked to it and works well but dust gets pulled toward it. It is a bigger hood so captures more dust as this is a small hood to match the CFMs of the shop vacs.

I bought this about 2 months ago. I have yet to set it up. But my thoughts I will use this in conjunction with my dust collector on my lathe for now. I plan on making some billiardball trinket boxes and the dust from them is pretty intense so I figured I will add my shop vac with this arm in a different direction to capture the dust. The arm is articulating enough and small enough to get in a position under the turnings as opposed to my dust collector hose and port. I also thought it maybe something I could use on the top side of my tablesaw. Yes I have my dust collector hooked to the bottom of the saw but many times what happens is when you use a zero degree throat plate the dust stays on top mostly as opposed to all be sucked downward. That I can tap off my dust collector hose. These are my intensions. It is a dust collector and not a chip collector. It will collect chip if used as a vac hose where you need to be real close to them Just like any dust collector. That is why they are called dust collectors and not chip collectors. Now setting up for scrollsaw I have no idea but could imagine it would work depending on the power of your shop vac or dust collector. I never used any vac system on my scrollsaws in all the years I scrolled and I scrolled alot. I just used a good dust mask and cleaned the area after each session of scrolling. I have an overhead air cleaner that did a great job and still does of cleaning air in the shop. I ran that because the noise is nothing compared to listening to a shop vac for hours in the shop and besides, shop vacs are not built to run for hours at a time. Running hoses to my dust collector would just be a waste of time in my eyes because how small you have to choke the hoses down and that defeats the efficiency of any dust collector. These are my thoughts on this topic.

There is some fine detail in there. That is what makes it stand out. Beautiful work.

Very nice detailing. Looks great.

I deleted my remarks and am out of this conversation.

Ray I did not get to see your reply to my reply which I guess you did not approve. Approve or not it is just my thoughts. I ask you why do you think that HF started making Hercules and Bauer tools. The reason is because they had so many complaints and returns for the junk they were selling before. if the tool fits your $$$ value and needs by all means buy it. But when I buy a tool that has a motor on it I want one that is reliable and brand name. yes they all have lemons but I feel better. Too late in my lifetime to worry about $$$$. That is just me. You noticed I never said in this thread or anywhere on this forum to not buy HF tools. I buy lots of things from them that are not powered. Again I stress this that is ME.

Never, Never, Never use a VS speed control footpedal with a scrollsaw that is VS speed control. You will burn the board out or possibly the motor. Speed controller can not control a speed controller. Get a on/ off foot switch and set speed by way of scrollsaw. I have always used the momentary ones where you need to stay on it to keep saw running. There are ones that is push to start and push to stop. But I found that just taking your foot off the footswich is faster than trying to panic and step on it again to stop for fear of stepping on it more than once and you now start it again. Especially when the blade breaks and the blade will break.

This is true Travis and that is why as many scrolling questions are just impossible to answer and put hard answers to. You scroll till you feel it is time to take a break. Your body will tell you. I am done with any sort of time lines because I do not scroll to sell any more. So you always have to take those things into consideration too. If I go into the shop these days it is to make something. Wandering around I can do outside or at the computer. You better be focused when in a shop at any time. There are many things in there that can hurt you. My time these days are pen turning and lathe oriented. That too takes time but that is all done standing up so there is that factor as opposed to sitting. Everyone will find their own rhythm the more they do this.. they find out what works well for them.

Travis I just reread your response and have to ask, how do you get anything done? 10 to 15 minutes and you have to get up. Then take another 5 minutes or more to do other things. Concentration man is key. if you have to rest after 15 minutes of cutting you need to get your chair or whatever in a better position to cut longer. I bet 30 minutes is an average here for normal cutting. I would go bonkers if I am getting up every 10 to 15 minutes. i think it is a better question to ask what position you work in when cutting. if your shoulder are slouched over and neck bent down to get a better view, of course you will tire faster. that is poor posture. You should be able to sit upright fairly straight while scrolling and if you have eye strain then either use a magnifier or get better glasses. Scrolling is suppose to be relaxing like sitting and watching TV.