kmmcrafts

For the record, I struggled with the Hawk clamps when I first got my Hawk.. as well as all those other saws.. everyone has a starting point.. as I said.. not everyone is proficient on every brand and style of saw.. Let each of these guys run the saw for say 100 hours.. then see if they still struggle with blade changes.. I wasn't dis-crediting any of the " well known" sawers.. my point was.. they do not have the experience in running those saws for nearly enough hours to be proficient.. I understand what you're saying though.. promoting a saw and not knowing how to use the said saw proficiently makes the saw look bad.. In promoting this saw at these shows... They should have someone demonstrating the saw that is experienced in running one so to make it "Look" easy to use.. I sure wouldn't have wanted the cameras aimed at me when I first started using the Hawk.. Most of the talking would have needed bleeped out, I couldn't for the life of me get used to those round barrel clamps... or the blade Tension.. Kept breaking blades or having them pop out.. Mind you.. I was using a very well used saw too.. so not all of it was my fault.. it turned out to have a worn tension cam, wedge.. and other parts.. Now on the same saw.. I can reach around the front angle bracket and insert that lower barrel clamp without bending down to look.. I also have at least 200 hours run time on that first old Hawk I have.. I don't think you've offended anyone.. most folks won't reply to this thread because they don't want to spark a flamed thread or get involved in one.. You and I will stand our ground on our own believes.. which many times differ between us.. everyone else grabs the pop corn

Probably get many different answers to this.. but "for me" the rule of thumb is.. I try not to make my stacks any more than 3/4" thick.. Not saying I haven't made stacks that were 1-1/2 inch thick.. just saying I think the best results come in when i use a 3/4" thick stack than a 1-1/2" one.. Also.. the more pieces you add to the stack the slower the cutting becomes and there is a point where you can cut the same item two times and be faster than cutting it all in one stack.. an example of this is when i make backers.. I use to cut them all at the same time.. stack of 5 1/4" BB ply.. I found it's faster to cut it two times with 2-3 pieces per stack than one time with 5 pieces in the stack.. Hope this helps,

Two things come to my mind here and I've said this in various replies over the years both here and on facebook.. and also not trying to toot my own horn.. First thing is.. Just because they are well known scroll sawers doesn't mean they are professional and proficient at scroll sawing.. ( truly nobody is ) especially across all brands of saws.. They are well known because they aren't camera shy and put out videos and content, are in magazines, and they have time to go to these big events and become well known etc etc.. Most of these well known folks are well known because they take time to " get well known " by playing around with putting videos and content up all the time.. and many of them are designers.. they want to be well known to get people to buy their patterns etc.. So they don't spend " most " of their time scroll sawing.. they spend most of their time putting content out there and new patterns to get well known within the scroll sawing community.. I don't have any issue with inserting the blade in my Excalibur now that I upgraded to the Pegas clamp.. which is basically a Pegas saw.. The Hawk IS much easier but I am proficient with either saw as well as the DeWalt and old quickset II Delta blade clamps.. Though I haven't used the old Delta in a couple years so I might fumble for the first couple blades changes etc.. but that muscle memory will come back.. Just to give an example and not picking on Rolf.. But a while back when I was talking about putting the hour meters on my saws.. he mentioned he had nearly 400 hours I believe is what he said.. He's own that G4 since 2005.. He test patterns for the magazines etc. and is a ( in my opinion a well known scroller ).. I got nearly 100 hours on my new Hawk.. at that same time I put hour meters on all of my saws.. The Excalibur is around 60 hours now.. the older Hawk Ultra has about 35 hours and the oldest Hawk is only around 10 hours.. I cannot remember when I put these meters on the saws.. but it was right around the time I got my New Hawk delivered.. which was I think March.. I haven't cut nearly as much this year as I have in the past either because other family things have been taking up some of my time and I'm trying to learn this CNC.. Anyway, This is just my 2 cents worth. and hopefully I haven't offended anyone in what I've said.. Again.. not tooting my horn.. just making a point.. They are well known not because they're professionals.. but because they always putting content out there for people to watch..

I do the same.. I also add a choking hazard for small children paper in my wrapped puzzle too..

Awesome work as always Duke..

Very Nice Cutting!! Think this is a Sue Mey Design?

Beautiful work there!

Nice work! Are you sure it's Jim? I thought it was Jake from State Farm

Thanks everyone for the likes and comments... They was certainly fun to make.. I have about 300 clocks in inventory.. Okay, Bob made some more clocks patterns.. sooo.. I gotta get to work,, maybe I'll add a few more clocks to my inventory today

Maybe two vacuums would work better, I like your set up.. I need to do this at some point.. It's on my to do list which is quite long.. But first thing is.. I want to get a quieter vacuum.. so I can hear myself think.. Suppose I could get a lot of piping and put the shop vac in the living room next to the TV.. Probably 150ft would do perfect.. That might get everyone off the couch and away from the TV...

That's what I had thought too JT.. That blade was smokin, LOL betting the blade is junk after that bit of cutting, LOL.. I'd get much more use from my bandsaw than this thing..

Scott needs it for his puzzle factory, LOL

Keeping up with orders and bringing adding NEW cuts has been a bit of a challenge this summer.. will be starting my ornament restocking and making new designs very soon so this maybe the last of the new clocks and other things until I get some of my ornaments stocked up..

It might be a chore finding a regular priced item.. This is one of those stores that almost everything is marked way up and then they make you "feel" like you're getting an awesome deal because it's 20-60% off LOL.. Then they put out this 40% coupon and get people to come shop through the store for a " regular priced item " along the way looking for the regular priced item you find 5 things on sale you just gotta buy, LOL I like Hobby Lobby.. but I don't really buy much from them.. as Jim said sometimes a walk through the store will spark some ideas..

Was in need of a new bulb a couple weeks ago... was at Menards looking at the LED bulbs and they have dimmable and regular.. If I remember correctly the dimmable ones were a couple dollars more a box.. I was always under the same thought as you.. I really question if the dimmable ones are the same bulb with a "marketing ploy " to get a few more $$ out of the same bulb, LOL

Mine's from China.. and one of the first few made in China, believe this is why I've had the issues I have had.. the back part of the saw is noisy like something ready to fly apart.. works good and smooth but noisy

I'd like to upgrade to the whole Pegas saw.. and ditch my Excalibur, LOL

Beautiful work Jim.. Someday I'm going to give inlay another go.. If I ever get out of clock and ornament mode LOL

I don't fasten mine to the fan so the suction of the fan holds it tight to the back of the fan.. If I put it in front it'd blow the filter away..

You must have found a machinist to help you make that..

I've tried wrapping it around the edges and found that it's thicker than packing tape and also seems to not stick quite as good as packing or blue tape.. so I always put the shelf liner on the top piece and then use packing tape to go around each side to hold the stack together.. Seems to work better than the shelf liner for the stack cutting..

You're brave, I'm not even going there with those kind of statements after the Guitar Clock thread in the Pattern Request section..

I cannot agree with you more about the Hawk blade changing, LOL I have three of these lights.. and the fourth one is unknown because it came new with my old Hawk ultra and I have no idea of brand etc.. anyway my oldest one of the Menards ones is 13 years old.. I just changed out the bulb last year to a LED bulb.. liked the LED so much better than I changed it in all of them.. I'll link to the bulb I bought too.. as they are not all created equal.. One of the bulbs is from Menards as well.. but the plug for the wires is fixed in one position and at an angle that while works.. took some finagling to get it to work.. The bulb in the link below has a swivel pin connector so you can change the angle of it.. MY light: https://www.menards.com/main/lighting-ceiling-fans/indoor-lighting/lamps/desk-lamps/patriot-lighting-reg-apollo-45-h-black-1-light-magnifier-desk-lamp/tb1306b/p-1444438446926-c-1531402259058.htm?tid=6120375444130429389&ipos=1 The LED BULB https://www.ebay.com/itm/8-inch-Circline-T9-Daylight-6000K-LED-Relamp-Fluorescent-FC8T9-Bulb/222261066257?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

I've ordered from uline before but they aren't the best price place.. I think I ordered my bags from papermart.com as well as my ornament boxes.. JT, since you gear more for the artistic taste of things why not make wood box to put the puzzle in? Something I always thought about hen I messed with puzzles.. I was also going to laminate the photo of the puzzle onto the box.. This would make for a very nice puzzle / box.. but it might price you out of your targeted customer range.. I know if I did get into puzzles.. that was what I was going to "try" to do.. Not sure if I could of winged it that way.. price points for a box and puzzle would put the price up there for sure.. Or ales tactic maybe make a box that the puzzle could fit in to upgrade the sale.. If no takers.. just sell the box, LOL Hard to say.. anyway just a thought..