JTTHECLOCKMAN

Not sure why you want to send unset. You need to at least try the insert to make sure it keeps good time in my opinion. At least set it to your time and if they live in a different time zone then they can adjust. The insert is the whole clock. That is what they are buying mainly. I have had bad inserts and as I mentioned today they are not as reliable as they once were. especially the China ones.

Sit, want to be comfortable when cutting. Only stand when cutting a large piece and need to maneuver it around some.

Kevin just about all my projects are dipped in Watco Danish oil and let dry then I buff with Watco satin polish. This gives them a nice warm glow and feel as these that I have show were. I have been sticking those things on with scotch tape and never had a problem. Being on the bottom they do not get played with or touched much at all. As you see I also place felt dots to keep the clock bases from scratching furniture or anything and also helps keep that paper off the base to prevent from rubbing. As you said the instructions probably will get tossed but that is why I try to keep with the clock. If they are small clocks and people have a hard time getting them out they could take to a watch dealer and have them change the battery or ask a younger person to do them. The 2-3/4" inserts are also push in inserts. I do not like leaving a hole in the back if the project can accept the full depth of a clock insert. Sometimes you have no choice. Here is an example of that. The billiard ball clocks and also the golf ball for this golfer's clock. You do not want holes in the back of these.

Not sure what you are cutting but will say Laun is not the best material to work with. It is substandard for scrolling in. Maybe good for backerboards but I would think about Baltic or Finnish Birch plywood. Will also warn you thay plywood dulls blades faster than hardwoods because of the glue to hold the layers together and when stack cutting you are now fighting grain directions. I only scroll hard woods but have used Baltic Birch plywoods also. To your question many ways to do this. I have used a few. Hot glue the ends, brad nails in waste areas, double sided tape (always use blue painters tape between layers though if doing this method). No right or wrong way just a way.

Thank you sir. I wish I had taken photos of all the clocks I have made over the years and been able to show them all. I use to work for Steebar the clock insert business, scrollsawing and pen making (was not when I did work for them) supplier back in the day when the original owner had the business. His main business at that time was clock inserts and motors and he sold the best of the best. I use to design projects for displaying his inserts so many of the patterns that are still there are mine. I sold him the rights to them. I also use to work with John Nelson the pattern designer. He would design patterns and I would do the test run and tweak if need be. The owner passed away and the new owner really did not keep up in good graces with the business so I left and he has had many complaints over the years. It is too bad because it was a good company to buy from.

Kevin you know this is one of my primary forms of scrolling and selling and I make hundreds of different clocks over the years and still do. When I do a craft show it is alot easier to deal with what you are asking because the person is in front of you. I always change the battery right there for them to a fresh battery. These are so cheap it is a no brainer. When you buy in bulk and from China such as you did they usually send batteries separately or have the plastic tab to keep the stem out so the clock is not running. They use to include a small piece of paper for each clock insert that had instructions on it to change the time. I always attach that along with a short message as to how to get the insert out of the clock on the bottom of each base and if the clock has no base I include it attached to my business card. I have shown a photo of this set-up. At the show I show the person what I am doing so they have an idea and if it is a gift I also tell them of the instructions. Now when at a show I can see a clock is running when I installed but things do happen and I give all customers a lifetime guarantee for replacement if it stops working. I do this also when sending clocks. These instructions are included on the sales receipt I send with them. Not sure if dealers are still sending those pieces of paper but I just make copies if I do not have them. I always set the time for what time zone if sending and if selling at show. Now for larger clocks I also include a battery because these are just alkaline batteries and there is no law against sending them in the mail (that I am aware of). I wrap the battery in bubble wrap separately and do not install it because you do not want the hands moving and probably the battery will fall out anyway. But if need be I again include instructions on installing battery and what type is needed. Again on sales receipt or on base. I always ship fresh batteries. Again small expense. Been doing this for over 35 years since I got into this. I do not sell on line so I do not do that volume of sales as you do. My sales are mainly at shows. But always have gotten custom orders and still do. But one thing I do is when I get a sale to send, I right away pull an insert or clock motor and run it for a few days to make sure it keeps time before sending. In your case you do not use as many different inserts as I do so it maybe wise to have some running all the time so you can install one that you know is working well. The motors in these clocks are not as reliable as they once were. Better to know a motor is running well before shipping. Simple things like that can hurt a business.

Better saw. Many times the saw will be the key to enjoyment. The easier it is to do and undo a blade will be a factor. This is one of the reasons that top end saws are pushed so much. When you start getting into production work all aspects of cutting and working with the saw come into play. We do not push those saws because we have interests in the companies. The amount of room under the saw is also important especially if you have large hands. You are doing fine and the more you do this the more little tricks you will learn on your own. Hopefully someday you can step up to a better saw and really enjoy the fun. For now take your time and keep having fun.

Where are the blades breaking can be an indication of your problem. Are they breaking in the same place?? Is it different materials that they are breaking in?? I do not know who makes those blades for them but Flying Dutchman and Pegus blades are the best on the market for wood cutting. Prices are about the same wherever you buy. There are many specialty blades so matching the right blade to the work is important. You may want to get a starters package to try different blades and get the feel for them. You touched on a few things that cause blade breakage so you are on the right path. Good luck.

Never did it. I have sanded the ends where the blade touches because sometimes they build up with oil. Even though I sand every end of my blades front and back with the metal on metal action it can become slippery. I suppose it can't hurt to clean. I would use the same stuff I use on my tablesaw, http://boeshield.com/why-boeshield/

Don't you supply a battery with your smaller clocks. I have never had a problem with shipping a battery with. I order batteries through the mail. Never heard of a problem. I do wrap the battery separate. I just got some small turntables from ebay which turns out they came from China where else but they came with batteries AAA Plain white boxes. Batteries did not last long.

Keep fighting and doing what the doctors say. I have recently been down the blood clot path in the lungs too. Not fun. Take one day at a time and rest.

Do you supply the first battery?? I just place bubble wrap around the clock. Years ago I got that large bubblewrap off a job site and had a good supply of it. Wrap most my shipments in it. Works well for me.

The price made me buy them. My 226 came about because I needed a larger saw than the 220 for the projects such as my mirrors and shelves I was making at the time. Now it is my backup. The Dewalt fell in my lap so to speak. Would never had bought it but deals a deal. The Hegner was a deal I could not pass up at a woodworking show. and had that before the RBIs . Have that now for my angle cutting. Had a dremel before that but sold that for a few $$$. Please do not ask how many routers I have. Lost count for sure.

As others have said if using tape under a pattern the longer you leave it on the harder it can be to take off. Being I do not scroll like I once did I now take one project on at a time. I also turn pens and other things so I have other projects going. But if I were scrolling a piece now it is from start to finish. Now if you are into production work then an assembly line mentality is a good idea. Good luck and have fun.

Ray try running without the foot switch and see if it still does that. If possible a complete blowing out of the switch and parts could not hurt. Look for the easy things first. Make sure all plugs are plugged in properly. If you are using anything else on that circuit while saw is running, shut it off and run the saw and observe.

So is scrolling.

I hesitate to answer. Are you using a foot switch?? Does this happen all the time?? Slow speed will increase hesitation but it should not hesitate again after running unless power was dipped or power interruption. If you can live with it leave it alone. If not then call the boys at Hegner.

Nascar talk about a sport that is boring watching people go in circles wasting gas Everyone hopes they make right turn one of those laps.

hear what you are saying and if it makes you happy make whatever suits your needs. For me I have way too many things to do than to work on something I can purchase relatively cheap. I gave you the answer for the large hole and again if it means anything in your design. Good luck and show a photo of the finished product.

I too use a bar stool and what I did is place a board across the bottom rails and lay the foot switch on that. My foot is now at a comfortable height.

Not sure what you are asking but I never found that holder to be any problems and I have used fine 2/0 jewelers blades and also #12 blades in them. I would not make them, just order a bunch. Not worth the effort in my opinion. Why mess with success. Besides it needs to be large because of the arc of the hole. To center the blade you may need to be off center of the hole so now that hole has shrunk if you are following what I am saying.

I always did and always use the dead man switch. I sit when scrolling. Rarely will I stand unless I am scrolling a huge project and then the center portion of my body which has many more layers of clothing on seems to get in the way. But still the dead man switch works for me. After awhile you do not think of it. Want to stop just take the foot off and if you need to just bump the saw no need to push on and off.

I was going to reply here but Randy summed it up well and saved me alot of typing. I do own a Hegner, 2 Rbis and a Dewalt and my go to saws are always the RBI saws. All very good saws.To me the RBI is the easiest to use and built like a tank.

You showed 2 different styled scrolling patterns. The first is block scrolling. No fret work. Usually used for puzzles, toys and other basic scrolling needs. The second is fret scrolling and it has the cutouts throughout the pattern. Most popular. Then there is the combination of simple fret work in block scrolling. As far as telling what to cut out, just stand back and look at the pattern. After awhile it comes to you what you want when all said and done. The second pattern you of course want the dolfin left and not the tiny pieces. The first one you want to hold the duck and not the out line of the duck. Now there are cases that you may want the outline so again it depends on what you want to hold when done cutting.

I really have no answer for this question. I have 2 locations for lumber. One is I built shelves on a wall in my utility room and it stores all types of wood. My overflow is stored next to the pool table that gets no use any more. Smalls are stored in the shop. there is no filing system. I can pretty much look at a piece of wood and know what it is. I work with many domestic and also many exotics. I use to hoard wood because I got much of it on sale from my local hardwood dealer. Now that he had a fire in his warehouse he has gotten out of the business so not much hoarding any more. But do have plenty of stock left. Domestics I buy as needed from another local dealer. This is the mahagonys, walnuts, oaks, and maples. I always keep some on hand. Again stored in one of 2 places and that is a crap shoot. I use to save my small cutoff pieces and tried selling when I had a couple barrels full. Could not even give it away. People did not want it even for fireplace because it has exotic woods in it too. So I just throw away now and do not look back. I am fortunate to have a shop full of big boys toys so I can buy lumber in the rough and mill it to whatever dimensions I need. Cheaper to buy this way. I make so many different products so my ability to do this is an advantage. I could not tell you how much wood I have gone through over the years but many of BF have run through my tools. Having slowed way down now this too has slowed. Everyone is different and everyone's $$$means are different. But my suggestion do not get into the habbit of saving every scrap piec hoping for a project to use it on. Never happens and you clutter the shop. Toss it or burn it or give it away but get it out of the shop and keep things moving. Good luck.