kmmcrafts

That's a very nice set-up.. I gotta do this with my saws.. The Excalibur has a dust port.... but most do not like it because it sucks through the bottom of the table and the vac suck the board down too which makes it a little harder to move the board.. I actually like it ( as long as I keep my table waxed good I don't have much issues at all )

I originally had a plastic tube storage rack with tubes that I bought from maybe sloans? Anyway it has worked great for me over the last 15 years.. When I got the Excalibur with the storage tube slots in the base the tubes I had was too big in diameter to fit the slots.. So I ordered these tubes and they fit snug but perfectly. kinda wish I had bought more of them as they are actually better quality tubes that what came with my storage system I bought years ago.. heavier plastic.. https://www.ebay.com/itm/10-Pack-16-x-150-mm-Clear-Plastic-Test-Tubes-with-Blue-Caps-6-Inch/381314545375?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649 Anyway as for organization.. I thought it was quite simple to keep track if I bundled them together.. Right side is Pegas MG.. Left side is FD-UR.. I put them in order smaller blades to the front and larger to the back.. since #3 and 5's are my more used blades #3 is the first slot then 5.. the back most slots are my less used blades ( spirals ).. After having these set up right on the saw.. I do not like the storage station thing I bought years ago.. but I do still use it since the Hawks do not have any storage slots.. Getting to like that Excalibur a whole lot these days now that I actually have it running as it should.. I have a cheap dymo label writer machine that I made stickers for the blade types and sizes to stick to the storage tubes.. but my old storage unit I just rolled up the labels that came with the blades and stuck them down into the tubes in a way that the size info was visible..

What you say? Can't hear you.. Vacuum been running all day in the shop.. I don't seem to hear the sucking sound with the larger dust port that the Excalibur has.. or maybe my vac is just too loud and drowns the noise out..

By turning the motor you change the position of the link rods that connect to the front portion of the saw clamps end.. The motor shaft where it connects to the crankshaft is off center so that's what creates the push / pull movement of those link arms.. by turning the motor you change where that push/pull on those link arms.. so you're able to line the link arms up parallel to one another at the front end of the saw.. which makes a straighter up / down on the blade.. Not sure that make sense at all to anyone.. but I sure understand it myself, LOL With the short arms at the front of the saw.. you'll always have some forward / back movement or rocking motion.. but you can tune the saw to make that motion to be very little or a whole lot.. depending upon your cutting style and preferences..

I think this info is in the manual but to add to what Ray and Jim said.. Your very first step should be to make sure the upper arm is parallel with the saw table.. I found it hard to measure with a tape measure so I used some wood blocks I cut.. actually some scraps, LOL.. I place the block under the arm and slide them down the length of the upper arm and adjust the rear knob until I have the arm parallel.. Then proceed as Ray mentioned.. Oh, a flat blade screw driver should work to turn the shaft on the motor.. at least my saw has a notch for this purpose.. I do it that way to get it close.. but I also have just turn the saw on with the speed at the lowest setting.... If I remember correctly it seems like the arm is right about 2-3/4 inch above the table so some blocks around that size to put under the arm is about what you'll need.. On my saw I had to remove all the bolts that hold the motor and spin it to the next set of slots.. then it's spun all the way to the max again before it got to the point it was as close to straight up / down motion as it could get.. I even took them out again and spun to the next yet set but that made it go back to very aggressive again.. so I moved it back.. The least amount of movement in the blade the easier it is to make nice crisp sharp turns etc.. but it will also slow down your cuts on the straight cuts too.. BTW, once that upper arm is parallel.. you should never need to mess with that knob at the back of the saw again.. However.. some saws will move that knob on their own over time.. If you do not have a mark on the knob ( some saws had a white line on the knob) you might want to reference the approximation of where that mark is located so if it does move you have an idea of where it should be.. My saw didn't have a mark on the knob.. I used a paint marker and made one.. also made a dot on the upper arm to line up the line I made.. Tape works too for marking if you don't have a paint marker..

Something else to keep in mind is the micron of dust particles... I did a lot of homework last year but ran out of time before the end of the year for my tax deductions so I never bought one.. Anyway.. The Fein being much cheaper because it's not Hepa rated unless you spend another $100+ for the hepa filter.. Then you're comparable to the Festool which is... I don't know anything about the other Vacs you mentioned.. Nor the dust collector.. I do know "most" dust collectors with the bag only filter down to around 10 micron unless you "again" spend some more money for a higher end bag or the filter canisters.. I have the big dust collector from Harbor Freight and while it's great for getting the bigger chips from the planner it also will blow that fine dust right through the bag.. runs fairly quiet. Now the debate is.. How much filtration do we need? My noisy shop vac runs at 93 dB ( I have an app for sound level on my phone.. not sure how accurate it is but it works to measure sound levels between my machines..) and if you aim the exhaust through some light in the background you can see the fine dust blowing out the back.. Does it pick up the dust better than not using anything and sweeping the stuff up when done sawing... Yes... but there is fine dust everywhere in the shop after it settles the next morning.. So with all that said first consider how good a dust collection you're looking for too.. and these do not clean up the air so you can do without a dust mask.. I'm not saying that the regular old shop vac doesn't work.. or help.. as I'm using mine until I can get the Festool that I want.. My decision on a Festool over the Fein isn't anything to do with the Hepa filter or the quality of the machines etc.. it's because I have a local dealer and service center.. should I need that.. So yes most all the vacs are probably better than nothing.. and most any are probably perfect for the hobbyist.. I'm just looking for more filtration and quiet at the same time and as business grows, tools fail etc.. I'm replacing lower end tools to higher end stuff.. Thanks for the suggestions of other vacs and the noise levels.. I'm sure that'll sure help out in someone looking for a quieter vac

Okay so I lied.. Not a Jam nut it's a lock nut... The rectangle shape I circled #63 fits into the back of the saw where I also circled.. that piece ( 63 ) is threaded and if I remember correctly is threaded on the larger portion of the shaft..( My brains not working tonight guess I'm tired LOL ) anyway it seems like the lock nut only was to screw down onto the shaft a certain distance. I just remember after taking this apart I had a bit of trouble with getting enough thread to adjust that upper arm.. since I'm tired maybe someone else will be able to make sense of parts view. If you take off the plastic piece on the top of the upper arm you can look back in thee and see that lock nut and the lower portion of that mechanism.. I do remember one thing very well.. Once you unscrew that lock nut all the way.. there is a washer on there too.. that can be very easily dropped down inside the saw.. and also.. if you unscrew it all he way off... It's not very fun trying to reach back there to get the washer on and the nut on too.. I ended up putting enough grease or maybe it was a drop of glue.. to hold the washer onto the lock nut, LOL.. You will need a pair of long needle nose pliers to hold the nut/washer combo to get it started on the threads. then you can switch to a open end wrench, LOL

Okay, so if you actually did run out of threads.. If you dare.. and are mechanically inclined.. take the saw apart.. at the bottom of the threaded knob it is double nut ( jam nut) to lock the thing from coming loose and allowing the thing to accidentally being turned all the way out.. Its sort of an adjustment thing too if I remember correctly.. I'd have to take mine apart again to see exactly what it's all about now as it was a while ago that i took the whole thing apart to put the blue loc-tite on mine.. should have taken a million photos to help if others had questions.. Anyway.. It could be very possible that these jam nuts wasn't totally tight and worked their way up.. and now you are at a place where you have no more threads.. Not only have I had many things come loose on my saw, as I've read over the years of others having things fall apart.. even before they moved production to a new plant..

Ray, I'm very sorry for you and your families loss, I cannot imagine the pain and struggles you and the family are going through.. Praying for you and the family..

The VacNGo 500 is about $88 on Amazon.. Looks different than the one in the photos.. but probably is the same thing slightly modified..

actually would be better to just buy a drum sander for pre-sanding the blanks.. could you see me trying to hold a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood up to a mounted orbital sander...

They actually design the stand with adjustable legs so it can be tilted.. would guess that would be a more simple way to do it to accommodate everyone.. as we see here.. not everyone likes the tilted saw..

LOL, What guy does that? Directions are for the women.. guys just wing it and when they fail we ask the women how,

I've had my share of paint shakers / scroll saws over the years.. mainly when I first started out.. but every once in a while I buy another just for the confirmation that my expensive saws are worth it..

No I meant to the top side of the saw table.. many have a suction hose both bottom and top... But with that said... yes for now the dust goes directly to the vacuum as I have no dust separator yet.. I use bags in y vac so that helps a great deal.. so long as I don't over fill the bag.. My vac is a powerful one and it doesn't loose suction.. it just explodes the bag and makes a big ol mess, LOL.. I also use the bags and filter for the fine dust.. A dust collection set up is one thing I plan to buy late this year.. maybe a heating system for my shop too..

Well just doing a quick search online for Seycos model number for the vac.. and I found these.. not all that cheap and it's different from the photos above.. The photo Denny posted it shows like a filter or muffler type thing on the opposite end from the suction hose.. I'm assuming that is sort of a muffler thing if these are the same.. as this one is much louder than the one Seyco sells.. Seyco list it being 62db noise level and the one from the link below shows 75db https://www.grainger.com/product/9TF54?gclid=CjwKCAjw29vsBRAuEiwA9s-0Bw1jD77P62NvTYrLi2tlUjWAL5i8dakg2Y2XB61WBcvmTYeMSh2LCBoCK4IQAvD_BwE&cm_mmc=PPC:+Google+PLA&ef_id=CjwKCAjw29vsBRAuEiwA9s-0Bw1jD77P62NvTYrLi2tlUjWAL5i8dakg2Y2XB61WBcvmTYeMSh2LCBoCK4IQAvD_BwE:G:s&s_kwcid=AL!2966!3!281698275117!!!g!472467987775! Also a couple of them used on eBay for around the $50 mark

I have a ash vacuum, and i wouldn't recommend it to my enemy... This thing i have is louder than any vac I've ever used.. and the not a whole lot of suction.. while you don't need a lot for the fine dust really.. but the noise is terrible.. I read somewhere too about those.. maybe they have a different model.. Mine is a Cheeta II vac.. I think that's what it's called.. Nothing more than a vac motor top to and a spark resistance filter bag thing and a 5 gallon metal pail.. I did some research a while back on the Seyco vac and found just the vacuum on another site.. was a lot of digging to get that info and I lost the bookmarked page.. Think the price was like $100 ish.. You got me thinking again.. maybe I need to research it again..

I've gotta also say that I've been using my EX the last week and put about 15 hours on the meter.. noisy as heck but I've have decent results with just running my shop vac to the dust port provided on the saw.. It works really well for me.. BUT you gotta keep the table really slick.. because the Vac sucks down on the work piece.. those that use the hold down foot probably wouldn't need to with that set up, LOL.. I do get a small amount of dust on the top side as there is no collection for the top..

Yeah it's a small self contained system.. with a small canister vac and a small dust separator jar to help make the vac bag last longer.. This topic from the other day might have some better pictures.

I've been using the HF sander quite a lot the last few days and the dust collection canister I have yet had to empty, LOL.. Normally my Bosch I have to empty it after sanding 5pcs of 7 x 11 inch BBply blanks for cutting ornaments with just the 100 grit paper.. after the 100 grit they almost can be sanded through the other grits up to my final of 320 grit with only one more emptying.. So far I've sanded 20pcs.. and my dust canister is only about 1/4 of the way full.. I thought must be a much bigger canister.. that is until I was done sanding and looked up through the window on the other side of the shop.. Thought it was foggy out there this morning, LOL.. Had both my ceiling filtration running and my box fan with filter.. The filters were covered in dust even though I just cleaned them up the day before.. Probably my biggest complaint of the sander really.. as it does work good.. Not very comfortable to use for long periods.. I think I'm going to order a refurb Bosch and be done with the dusty shop.. My old one only has bad brushes.. but the last time I took it apart to change them I damaged the rubber seal between the two half's and it was leaking some of the dust out into the air.. Was going to order $10 brush's for it but the dust canister is also cracked which is another $10 part.. Probably farther ahead to just keep it for parts and buy another one.. My wallet is making me wait a few weeks though now that I spent the money on this HF one and I bought way too many patterns recently, LOL..

https://www.dndsawbladesonline.com/ Their bits also come in little storage tubes too.. Mikes just come in the zip lock bag.. Not that it's a big deal.. but... LOL..

Over the years I've bought most my small bits from Mikesworkshop But the last time I thought since I was ordering Pegas blades instead of FD that I'd just buy the bits from DnD.. I don't know the brands they both sell but those bits from DnD are a lot better quality than the ones Mikes sells.. so from now on I suppose I'll also switch where I get my bits from..

My dog ( great dane ) is bigger than the tree,

Steve Good did these patterns years ago... been good sellers for a long time too.. But yeah Sue Mey also has quite a few dog ornaments too

I have no experience with the Hercules brand from HF.. I have many HF tools, so nothing against HF tools but nothing from that particular brand.. Back in about 2007-8 ish I bought a reconditioned Hitachi miter saw.. Not to steer you away from HF but don't cheap out on a good name brand tool when there deep discounts on refurbished name brand tools.. I've bought a lot of refurbished tools over the years and all of them are still going strong.. Here is a place you might want to look at for some refurbished tools.. https://www.cpooutlets.com/reconditioned-miter-saws/reconditioned-miter-saws,default,sc.html This place below here I've ordered most of my stuff from.. I've had good luck with Hitachi tools.. and all of them have been refurbished.. They sometimes sell DeWalt but mostly Hitachi.. They have different categories if you click on the grade tab on the side of the page.. Couple of the tools i bought from them was a grade C... which is much cheaper.. I've always tried to buy all grade A but the grade C was like new and still working great.. so not sure they really sent me a grade C.. https://bigskytool.com/tools/saws/corded-tools-miter-saws.html Good luck on your research and decision..