kmmcrafts

Exactly why I have 3 Hawks, a EX-21 and a old Delta..

It takes a lot longer than one would think to put a lot of "actual cutting time" hours on a saw.. While I do spend a good 30,40,50 hours every week in the shop.. I'm lucky to actually put 15-20 hours on the saw a week.. and that would be a pretty busy week of cutting.. I think I'm averaging about 400 ish hours a year of actual saw running time.. No doubt this will go down some since I'm putting a bit more focus on CNC and laser work this year.. I usually do a 100 hours on one saw then move to a different one for the next 100 hours.. so each saw gets at least 100 hours a year. Had the new Hawk going on 3 years and nearing the 300 hours.. I split it up between saws not only to keep from wearing out a saw in no time flat.. but to also make sure that a saw isn't rusting up or the grease dries out from just sitting.. Almost as hard on equipment to just sit as it is to over use it.. If I was to only use the one saw.. in the last 3 years.. I'd have over 1000 hours on it.. And to think my EX - 21 was only good for the 150 ish hours before needing bearings.. Though it was a cheaper China made saw.. soo. But I'm betting the DW's and older EX's was probably getting 2-300 hours before needing bearings etc.. I think it'd be interesting if all saws had a hour meter hooked up to them.. wonder how many hours a saw is actually good for.. Scott wears out a DW every 12-15 months.. I'd guess that'd probably be the 300 ish hours..

Iggy didn't like the saw and gave it away to someone.. He is a devoted DeWalt guy.. even bought a new Pegas and didn't really care for it either and went back to his trusty DW's.. You get used to a certain way a saw cuts and it takes a long time to get into the groove with a new saw... some people struggle with that change.. I bought a new one back in Dec. 2017 but didn't take delivery of it until late March 2018.. I love it...

I know you have installed a hour meter on your Hawk.. Just curious how many hours you have on it.. I installed hour meters on all my saws back in 2018.. My new Hawk I ordered has little over 230 ish hours.. I rotate between 4 saws and sometimes use the 5th saw which doesn't have a hour meter on it.. Both the other older Hawks are pushing 150-175 hours and my EX-21 is in the 250 hours range.. The EX needed rebuilt at around the 120 hour mark but I just took it apart and cleaned / greased it. got another 50 hours before I did the full rebuild.. So far have needed nothing on any of the Hawks other than the oldest one (1993) $100 saw I basically rebuilt it back when I installed the meters.. and the newer 1998 ultra needed new pitman arm bearings.. as it had a squeak. May not get too many hours on the saws this year as I'm playing with the CNC and Laser as of lately..

About 10 or so years ago I had a customer request a special cross for a remembrance piece for their father. I made one of these crosses for each of the kids whos father had passed.. At the time they was cut from spalted maple as shown in the photo.. I had a large amount of it given to me.. and still have most of it left.. Beautiful wood but for fret scrolling the light and dark streaks takes away from the cutting.. Anyway the customer contacted me a couple weeks back when I was on Vacation and said sadly her brothers house had burnt to the ground and he lost everything.. asked if I could make another one similar.. Fortunately I save ALL my custom order patterns.. well I save any patterns I have cut and sold in a special folder and back it up onto thumb drives and disc etc.. so I knew where to look for the design.. Talk about customer service... I made the piece for them and mailed it out totally free of charge and thanked her for doing business with me back when I was first starting my online selling venture.. First picture is the original.. second is the replacement I made.. Due to the spalted maple wood grain I didn't cut out the leaf decor on the originals.. I cut the second one from a piece of Poplar.. Kind of wish I had done it out of cherry but that poplar board was just staring at me like choose me me me.. LOL Turns out his favorite wood is lighter colored wood so it all worked out great in the end.

Firm believer that everything happens for a reason.. many times we look back on the bad in life and actually see why and or what good came from that bad.. God works in mysterious ways.

Another archived topic risen up.. Been a lot of that lately..

Totally understand your frustration.. Had a few projects last year that way and currently working on another one today that has been the same thing..

Last year due to the pandemic and my normal buying source was closed.. I ordered two gallon ( case ) from Home Depot.. Actually a little cheaper than my local source. I was just looking the other day and see it's not available for shipping.. Though it looked like they had it in store I thought.. My local supplier had in on the shelf when I was there a month ago. I need to make a trip again for some lumber for the CNC side of the business so if they have it I'm picking up a couple gallon again. Only thing I can think of on the shortage is because they may have gotten behind do to covid.. Be interesting to find out what's going on though. EDIT: I found this doing a search online.. This is a reply to a question about being out of stock everywhere on Lumberjogs.com "Hi, I am having the same problem finding the natural version of Watco danish oil. I’ve searched far and wide, and finally reached out to the manufacturer (Rust-Oleum) and after a couple rounds they said “We just checked internally and it seems as though we’re out of stock also – which is why you’re likely having trouble, and we apologize for that inconvenience. If you’d like to check in with us in a few weeks, we can provide an update with our inventory status.”. I did some more searching and a amazon seller had some but $110 for two gallons ( case ) free shipping.. double the price I gave for the case last year from Home Depot. Then I searched woodcraft.com and they show that it wont ship until March 19th.. must be they are expecting a shipment..

Is this a sudden onset? I assume so by the way you found this issue so I'd first check the table alignment of the saw.. ie have you pushed / picked up on your saw by the table? Check to be sure it's mounted correctly in the pivot point at the back of the table as well as seated in the front angle adjustment mechanism... I believe the Delta is like the DeWalt and there is no adjustment like the other slightly higher end saws have. This is what we talk a lot about with Excaliburs and like saws.. as well as Hawks.. Some of the first few DW type 2's was horrid and people was modifying them to make them cut right.. one of these mods was raising or lowering the table to come in line with the blade better.. so if this is a kind of all of a sudden thing.. I'm wondering it you may have picked up on the saw by the table and bumped it out of whack somehow.. This also can happen over time with worn bearings inside the saw at the back and allowing the upper arm to drop lower than it used to.. Make sure the upper arm is also coming down all the way and that there is no build up of sawdust or something that maybe stopping it from coming down all the way.. That upper arm should be parallel to the table.. My opinion is either the table got bumped out of alignment or the upper arm is not down all the way... hopefully it's not worn already and coming down too far.. normally in this case though.. I'd think you'd hear a lot of racket knocking noise of a worn bearing.. Loose motor could also do this some.. as that is the way the EX saws change the alignment.. by rotating the motor it changes the geometry of the blade angle during the up down movement. Also check the front rocker arms for excessive slop where they connect to the saws link arms etc.. these bearings and bushings could be worn enough to allow the alignment to be wacked.. but again I would think you'd have some noise or vibration issues.. Best of luck figuring this out.. I'll touch back on installing Pegas blade chucks later if nobody has done so yet. But to answer the quick question.. I do not believe this will resolve the issue you are having.. I gotta get out to the shop and get these orders done.. I'll touch back maybe at lunch time or this evening.

For the price some of them are I agree.. they should have a built in vacuum line somewhere too.. The glass on the bottom side of mine will get covered in dust. I use the RainEx window cleaner in my car so I keep a spray bottle of it to wash the magnifier lens and car windows etc.. I think this has prevented mine from fogging up.. Never put the two together until this topic came up but I haven't had fogging for a few years.. I played it off to the more mild winters we had the last couple years.. Not an issue now that I put heat in the shop..

I'm pretty sure the internet might have played a role in the show decline as well.. I mean it's free advertising for companies to do short clips on youtube doing demonstrations and things of that nature.. IF you're big well known content creator companies seek you out and offer you free tools if you'll do a honest review of the said tool.. many times they give special offers on tool purchases IF you do a video review of their products.. The down side is there is no option for a hands on set at this saw or that saw for a in person comparison.. But for the companies.. this is also a insurance liability to have people trying out saws etc that you really have no idea how educated they are on safety etc too.. There is many videos on youtube to watch and see for free.. while the content creator also can make money ( from ads within the video ) rather than paying for those travel expenses. Internet has changed so many things in the last 30 years.. You can watch all these things at your will... whether that be laying in bed at night or during break at work etc.. so it's a good thing / bad thing... depending on how you want to look at it..

I have an Elipse dust mask and the exhale vent is in the front.. This happens to my magnifier lens in the cold sometimes.. Many dust mask exhale in the front.. so I'm now wondering what mask you all wear that doesn't.. LOL.. being a autobody tech for many years.. I've worn many different brands and styles of both dust mask and respirators.. I'm trying to think of one that exhales on the sides etc.. where it wouldn't fog up a cold lens.. https://www.amazon.com/GVS-SPR456-Elipse-Nuisance-Respirator/dp/B01663XTM0/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&keywords=elipse+dust+mask&qid=1615125584&sr=8-7 You can go to a autoparts store ( actually even walmart etc has it.. product by rain ex called Never Fog.. helps tremendously BUT it's not always 100% effective..

Yeah, I honestly could do without it.. I had intended to sell it last year but with all the lock downs of Covid etc. with our wonderful gov. shutting down the whole state. I wasn't able to really put it out there for sale and have people coming by my place to look / try it out. I don't really need another saw if I sell it.. the 3 Hawks are all like new condition.. doubt I'll need any parts anytime soon for any of them. I do want to get a Hegner.. just because, LOL.. often think about selling the EX and one of the Hawks and buying a Hegner.. maybe do that later this spring / summer..

Just goes to show us all that the different saws that are liked / disliked by people is varied by the types of projects and cutting styles they prefer.. Like Paul, I have a Excalibur and I do enjoy using it on certain projects.. but 9.5 times out of 10.. I'd prefer to cut on one of my Hawks..

I've never been to that show.. nor any other of the really well known shows.. We have a local "wood expo" show and they do all sorts or demonstrations and have tool vendors there.. big deals on lumber, tools etc etc.. It's a 3-4 day even always in Sept. I always go to this event as that is when I buy my lumber and BB plywood for the year because of the big discount. IF you wanted to see all the demonstrations etc. at the wood expo I go to you'd want to be there everyday as they don't do "all" events every day and some might get overlapped with other demonstrations etc.. The problem with tool vendors is that they "all" don't always go.. so you may or may not miss out on trying some of the saws.. really just depends on who shows up.. at least to the show I go to.

One reason you haven't seen any Seycos for sale is they've only been in existence a short time.. same with Pegas.. That said I've seen 3 Pegas and one Seyco on Craigslist for sale.. Lots of DW,Hawk and Hegners.. BUT.. these saws ( especially Hawk and Hegner ) have been around for a long time too.. so in my mind I'd guess there is probably 3 times as many DW's out there than there is Excaliburs etc.. how many saws of each brand out there would make a difference on how many might show up in the used market too.. But I get what you're saying to as it does bare some weight too.. But you can't totally judge by what's in the used market..

First let me say I'm not in the market for either saw unless a deal on a used one popped up that I couldn't refuse. But I do look and keep myself informed on the many different scroll saw brands and prices etc.. Now that Pegas has upped their prices they've priced themselves out of their market and are the most expensive in their class.. and if I were in the market for a like saw I'd go with a Seyco hands down now.. BUT, Pegas "could " do something to change my mind on that. First lets take a look at the prices and see what I mean. These prices would be how " I " would buy the saw based on my needs / wants.. because the tiny table of a Pegas is pitiful at best ( for me and my opinion based on my usage of a saw ). SO below is what I would be buying "If" I was making the purchase of a Pegas saw. Prices from bearwood but believe they are the same price across the board. Saw: $837 Stand: $82 Foot Switch: 33.50 Large Table: $137 Totaling: $1089.50 + shipping Approximately $80 - 100 we'll go with the cheaper $80 but it may vary depending where you live etc. Shipped to your door $1169.50 Now where they could change my mind that I mentioned earlier.. There should be a credit / option to choose what table you want for your new saw.. why would one buy a new saw only to remove the small table that they paid for and discard it to the scrap yard or landfill and install the larger table they paid more money for.. You should get some form of credit when buying a new saw for the table swap.. OR just offer the larger table on the new saws from here on out. Can't imagine the larger table cost that much more to produce and save them money over the long run by just adding it as standard on all saws .. However this is a marketing ploy to put more money in their pockets and they don't care about the scrap metal of the old table going to a landfill they only care about the money in the pocket. (JMO).. You could get lucky and find a Excalibur owner that's like to buy that table.. but myself.. I wouldn't pay more than $40 -50 for a same size table that's in better shape.. and unless that person is next door.. shipping would be close to that price.. so not likely to get much money in return.. Now for the Seyco saw.. Not much to say here on purchase options as the saw comes with the stand, larger table is standard, they don't have the Pegas clamps BUT they do come standard with a upgraded clamp that is better than the standard Excalibur clamps.. So basically there is nothing to add to the purchase of the saw. Saw price also includes the shipping... so you're out the door with a Seyco for Price: $929 Now go to the customer service and parts / repairs of each saw.. I'd say both have decent customer support.. But I would say that Seyco would have better customer support and parts on hand, and a person ( Ray ) to walk one through trouble shooting and repairs right over the phone.. I don't think Pegas has that knowledge.. now does any of Pegas distributors stock parts on their websites.. If you need parts for a Pegas you may have to wait for the ship to get your parts into the USA.. or.. maybe just buy them from Ray provided the parts needed are the same. These prices are getting right up there with a Hawk 220 priced at $1200 + $150 shipping or that small Hegner priced at $795 but on the Hegner by the time you add the goodies you look at price near that of the much larger Hawk. But we'll end the discussion of the Hawk / Hegner as they are in a total different class of saw and a topic for another time.. I was talking about Pegas and Seyco. This is all just my uneducated opinion and everyone would have a different opinion based on their own needs / wants etc. such as.. I do realize the Pegas has a better angle adjustment mechanism and blade chucks.. but for me.. I don't do angle cuts so once set I shouldn't need to mess with it again. Both saws are great saws.. but now that the prices are this much different.. Seyco saws are looking to be a better bargain ( once again.. IMHO ).

I think he posted a question or maybe it was a reply in the questions section a day or so ago.. Lots of people seem to have went silent in the last few months.. and I might be a little more scarce around here in the coming months as well.. I've been on some laser and CNC forums as of late.. and now that I have my CNC back up and running as well as my laser.. I'll be "toying" with them in my free time.. hoping to learn to program files etc.. and hoping to make something worth selling with them both.. LOL Not to mention I have a ton of inventory to build back up as I took quite a big hit in my sales last year..

Don't forget that Hawk G4 (2005 and later saws ) are top or bottom feed saws as well..

These are older cuttings and I may have posted these before.. anyway.. here is what I have..

Thank you, thankfully the cat was good and healthy except about a week she started kind of going down hill.. and she was really only bad for about a half day so she didn't really suffer or anything.. being she was 20 years old we all knew it was going to be coming sooner than later. Hit my daughter pretty hard as she and the cat were like two peas in a pod.. plus my daughter is 22 years old so that cat was around her whole life..

I've been off on for the past two weeks on vacation.. traveled to South Carolina spent some time at Folly Beach.. Cut our time short as my daughters ( our ) cat was kind of sick when we left.. and we got a call saying she wasn't doing good so we came home and ended up having to put her down.. she was a good cat for the 20 years she spent with us. I laser engraved a ornament for the Vet that took care of her and one for my daughter.. I forgot to get pictures though.. however I'll be making more since I want a ornament for my tree too, LOL.. Anyway, haven't touched the scroll saw for almost 3 weeks now.. I think that's the longest time away from scrolling I have been in the 18 years of the hobby.. Hope I can remember how to use it.. as I have 3 orders I need to get working on.. You know you love what you do when while you're on vacation all you can think about is getting back to the shop.. Most people enjoy vacation and don't want to go home and go back to work, Here is a picture from the living room of the vacation home we rented.

Lumber at the stores don't seem to fluctuate as much as it does in the lumber mill according to my brother who has been in lumber mill business since the mid 1970s... He said it's playing the stock market with lumber in his business.. sometimes he buys logs at X amount and by the time he saws it into lumber the price he gets for the lumber is less than what he paid for the logs, LOL.. One year because of supply and demand for sawdust.. he was getting more out of sawdust than lumber so he ground up some logs instead of running the mill making lumber.. that was done for about a 3 month period.. back around 2007 -8 I think it was.. I try to buy most my lumber during a huge wood expo that goes on at my local lumber yard.. and I typically buy it in enough quantity to not need to buy again until the next years show..

Right, It's hard to get into those price brackets unless you buy a lot of tools and or lumber.. LOL.. having this CNC helps me spend a lot of money with them.. buying bits, add-ons etc... and you can scrap a lot of lumber in one day if you don't know how to use the CNC correctly.. also can scrap $50 - 75 bits in 2 seconds if you don't know what you're doing.. don't ask how I know these things.. Not really wanting to tell the stories, Hahahaha.. Lately I've made a lot of high dollar campfire wood.. should have plenty of wood to have smores every night this summer.. probably should start burning now so I can get rid of it all, LOL