kmmcrafts

Been busy but have been cutting everyday.. just not cutting a lot yet.. Have more new ones in the works but need either backers or bases depending on which style clock it is. Wall or Desk.. Anyway, haven't posted much new lately so here you go.. Should be doing a lot of cutting in the next week or so.. finally getting caught up on other things and getting inventory built back up a little too so NEW stuff is coming soon.. Lots of designs to cut..LOL

I played on the New hawk today... put several hundred hours on it today .. or.. maybe that was several hundred it put on me? LOL I made two new car clock patterns per customer request.. ( no pictures yet coming to the bragging section soon though ) Then I went out and cut those and then cut two Honda clocks like the picture below ( Steve Good pattern by the way.... without the clock I should add ) that I sold out of the other day.. I also had about 15-20 clocks and a couple puzzles that needed a finish put on them so I did that too.. ( no pictures of that either.. ) Now that the weather has been a little better and I bought a new / used car so now I hope not to have to walk / push the old car which should give me more scroll sawing time .. maybe I can get something done.. so far this year it seems like everything needs repaired or replaced.. and we seem to be only getting one sunny day a week.. and with all the rain the grass in those 6 rainy days gets about 9 foot tall LOL.. I mowed wet grass most of this evening so I could find my car in the morning.. kid as almost late to school this morning because the grass grew so much I couldn't remember where the car was. ... did I mention that we been getting a lot of rain and the grass just grows and grows.. I finally got the blown head gasket replaced on my lawn tractor late last week.. runs great now.. so I ran it down to my other shop to take off the snow thrower and put the mower on.. all ready to go mow I thought.. but unfortunately I need a new belt now.. Guess maybe tomorrow while I'm in town I'll get a belt.. because mowing 2 acres of lawn with a 21" push mower up hill both directions in the rain twice a week is getting kinda old..

Years ago when I first started scroll sawing and started finding all these websites, clubs, groups etc. I was definitely a hoarder I saved every pattern I can across.. Did this for about 6-7 years.. Then my external drive that I saved them to crashed.. There was over 30,000 designs on that drive.. LOL... I had them all organized by category etc too.. These days.. I save a few that interest me but the thing is I probably will never cut them all.. Many are even purchased patterns.. I love my patterns.. and the ones I buy... I like buying complete sets of designs... Sheila and Keith Landry put pattern sets together and also sell individual.. I almost always buy as a sets.. sometimes I get tricked into buying sets because it's a deal but I really only wanted the one design.. LOL I bought a complete set of the woodimal puzzle patterns from Fox chapel a couple years ago.. I asked Iggy ( Scott ) once if they offered any sets or a complete design package.. So if you're a designer selling patterns.. I like to at least think I'm getting a bargain.. even if I'm only planning to use a couple of the designs.. I like to think I'm getting a deal.. Some of those pattern designers figured this out.. I can't be the only one because Sue Mey also offers sets etc..

You know... now that you mention it.. I had a piece of cherry the same way back a few years.. kinda forgot all about it.. and for me I had cut most of the project but once i started cutting the outline of the piece out once the fretwork was cut near the bottom of the project I couldn't cut it without burning.. even slowed the speed way down etc.. The wood was softer and sort of wet.. almost as if it was somewhat rotted.. for a lack of better words..

I've often wondered the same.. I sometimes cut without any paper attached to the wood at all because sometimes I just draw it on the wood by hand... I've never really noticed anything different.. short of the lines on a white paper are much easier to see than pencil on wood... especially when I'm usually doing this by pencil on my walnut backers I cut.. This all said.. I've never really burned the wood since I stopped using my DeWalt which run faster SPM than the EX or the Hawks.. well the new Hawk runs just as fast but.. Another thing.. I find I don't burn the wood when using Pegas blades.. over my old go to blade FD Ultra Reverse... I find the Pegas do turns easier than the FD-UR blades... in part because the FD-UR has that reverse tooth all the way up the blade.. and I think it tends to try to grab the wood out of your hands so it might subconsciously make me cut putting pressure on the side of the blade more so? I'm not sure.. either way.. I'm just glad I found the Pegas blades work better for my type of sawing style.. About the easiest burning wood is Cherry ( I believe ).. from what I experience and what I've read on these forums etc too... Cherry is actually what I use most.. short of BB plywood anyway..

Let it cool and it'll set up to a loose paste type wax.. I brush it on with a acid brush let it set for a while.. then I use heat ( hair dryer ) to sort of melt it back down and let it soak up into the pores of the wood.. then wipe off excess with paper towels..

Yes that is actually what I use.. I said food grade but it's actually medical grade.. But I thought it said food grade on the bottle too.. either way I pay $1.78 for the bottle and the beeswax is relatively cheap for the amount 1 batch uses.. so for less than $12 a year.. I finish most all my products.. as a little goes a long way..

Hey thanks for your report.. I always wondered if anyone ever made any to try from my video... or was it just a waist of my time.. I get asked all the time what finish I use etc.. but nobody ever reports back if they did it... Thought the video might help.. but still until now never really got any feedback.. This finish does give the best look to the wood that I have ever tried.. also makes the wood feel smoother.

I also like the DeWalt over the EX for cutting thicker wood.. when i say thicker wood I mean anything more than 5/8" I kinda kick myself in the behind for selling my DeWalt and hanging onto a couple of my other saws.. But they are doable anyway.. just a bit slower.. and I don't cut a lot of thick materiel anymore. Good luck getting it back together and all dialed in.. For me putting it together wasn't bad at all.. but getting things all dialed in and adjusted up was as much time consuming as the re-build..

Congrats on the new saw... I'll be taking a hard look at the Pegas when I'm ready for a new saw... that might be a long time though since I have the new EX, and Hawk's.. But Pegas will most likely be my saw of choice.. of coarse something new will probably be out by then anyway..

I sell all my portrait work un-framed... but I do state they are designed to be framed since I make them from 1/8 material some are quite fragile.. What the customer actually does I don't know.. I do put a backer on them.. not felt though since I don't care for felt.. I use foam sheets from the craft stores.. I used to sell them framed.. but I tend to sell them better unframed.. I don't like framed because everyone has a different frame taste for every project.. and what matches their decor style... sometimes I display them in a frame but I don't sell it framed..

Where did you get those at?? I haven't seen those at Harbor Freight yet.. I'd like to get a set..

Very nice work! You've been busy.. I figured if you are't posting pictures you must be cutting and no time for pictures LOL..

Those are very nicely done.. I never was much for painting wood but these look great painted..

Well, that's one way to flip everyone the bird.. ( those metal pieces look like a hand with the middle finger sticking up, ) What a great idea.. for holding the sandpaper.. I really like that.. I might make me one.. except it'd always be flipping me the bird.. but I have several people I'd like to make them for anyway.. Maybe the younger folks will know what they are if you say the metal bird flippers... I think they have an emoji for that.. so you can text them a picture.. Okay I better get out of here... having too much fun with this one.. I bet whoever designed these did it by accident.. they was just mad at their boss..

My understanding on the China made saws is similar.. BUT.. my understanding is the only Excalibur saw made in China was the 21" saw.. and that the 16" are made in the Taiwan plant still.. I'm not saying that the new China made saw's are less quality or junk... BUT.. I would say that the first several made is very possibly less quality.. simply because they are NEW to making them and they always find issues with machinery etc running production on new stuff at first... at least that is my belief.. they may make a very well made saw as was done and still is done at the Taiwan plant.. Back when DeWalt moved from Canada there was all kinds of bad quality on the type 2 saw.. most of that was the first few runs of production at the new plant.. Now most of the type 2's are good saws.. They got a bad reputation on the type 2 saws because of the first few runs of them did have quality issues.. and this is how I think the EX-21's will be.. My saw I wouldn't say is junk but is not the standard I expected from a EX from what others tell me.. But I have had to make many repairs and adjustments that I feel I shouldn't have to have made... My saw had to be one of the first few made since I got it 6+ months before they even released the 21" back on the market.. If I was in the market for a new saw of this style.. I would hold off and buy the Pegas... just from what I've seen with the blade chucks and also what I've seen with how they handle problems..if a issue does arise..

I've found that sometimes actually going to a smaller blade will cut through better than a larger blade.. That said you have to watch for the blade bowing so be careful not to push through too hard.. I do not have any experience cutting compound cuts so not a lot of offer.. other than the blade size sometimes works...

I've bought many tools from them and always had good luck.. The one thing that I did have an issue was.. back in 2007 I bought a Dremel 1800 scroll saw and the first one mailed to me didn't work.. They gave me a form to print and take to the local UPS to send it back.. they sent another one out right away just as you said.. the only hassle I had was getting it to the local UPS store.. which wasn't much hassle because we drove by is every time we went to town.. Could be an issue for some if there isn't one very close by..Probably now days they do it different anyway..

I totally agree with what you say here... If I was in a construction or other type business where these tools got used all day long every day.. I'd be buying higher end stuff.. but those prices are way overkill for my needs.. and most my tools in this category don't ever wear out... they need batteries and those cost as much as another cheap set cost.. I only have my DeWalt drill because it was a good deal on Black Friday and it was a $199 set that I bought for $60 with a coupon etc that I had.. I just don't buy stuff unless I'm getting a deal on it.. The only tool in my shop right now that I paid full price for is my new Hawk... Most times I don't buy something unless I feel I can resell it for the same money or at a profit..

The very best cordless drill I ever had was from Harbor Freight... it was my first cordless and was a Christmas gift... not something I would have chose myself.. but ended up being one awesome tool.. This was 20+ years ago.. and the drill isn't what gave out.. it was the stupid batteries died after 7-8 years of hard work.. and they was some oddball batteries and I couldn't find any replacements.. I built a lot of stuff with that drill and used it as a sander and a wire brush back in my painting days.. On the flip side.. I needed a sawzal for a couple of days when building my shop back in 2012... had a coupon etc and with all the deals I got one for $4.99 LOL.. I only needed it to cut a few sections of 2" PVC pipe.. That saw almost made it through my first cut.. My wife was headed out to town to pick up a few things so i had her swing in to get a replacement.. That saw made it through 4-5 cuts.. and then it went to the trash can.. HF at the time didn't do returns but would exchange under the warranty.. but taking the thing back every few cuts was not going to cut it ( no pun intended ) for me.. Now.. be different if they was across the street.. That all said, I have bought a fair amount of their cheap power tools and have had good luck with it for my intended purpose.. short of that one sawzal.. most stuff has been good to me for the price. I'll also say.. they've stepped up many of their tool lines to some higher quality stuff from what they offered years ago.. and they have more variety from cheap junk to better cheap junk.. Like these drills we've been talking about.. they have some real cheap ones that might get you through a job.. or they have two other lines that are more money but also higher quality..

This is what I thought you all might be talking about.. This one says compare to Ryobi P1811... whatever that is, LOL Anyway this one on sale for $59.** https://www.harborfreight.com/20V-Hypermax-Lithium-12-in-DrillDriver-Kit-63531.html?ccdenc=eyJjb2RlIjoiMjEwNDE1NTMiLCJza3UiOiI2MzUzMSIsImlzIjoiNTkuOTkiLCJwcm9kdWN0X2lk IjoiMTIxODYifQ%3D%3D &cid=paid_facebook-{campaign-name}-{adset-name}-&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc&mkwid=[marinadid]-pcrid-[marinadid]-pkw--pmt--pdv--slid--product--pgrid--ptaid--&utm_campaign={campaign-name}&utm_content={adset-name}&fbclid=IwAR2uGyH5MHmmEP9GiBezRllg8kGRh_z1qKtlQ9ZX4ZiqMShDSXTuRWxwDYA

You need to stop by and give them a try, LOL I've got a Excalibur and three different Hawks, LOL.. I've experimented much with the different saws and same blade and even cutting on the same project just as a test.. The DeWalt is by far the fastest most aggressive cutting saw.. followed by the Excalibur.. but it is definitely slower.. but also is easier to get the finer detail work than the DeWalt.. but not as precise as the slower Hawks.. If I'm doing lots of detail work I always use the Hawk.. otherwise I use the EX.. I sold my DeWalt because it was quite worn for the third time of needing rebuilt.. A very happy medium speed saw with ability to do detail work would be the EX type saws.. I think with tuning the EX for minimum blade travel and adjusting the blade speed one can do just about as detailed work as one can on the Hawk.. No so with a DeWalt though.. DeWalt is a great saw for primarily cutting thick stock without a lot of fine detail.. Now that the Pegas saw is on the market.. I wouldn't even look at the other similar saws.. Their blade clamps and competitive price makes it the top choice saw in my opinion... I actually use the EX a lot more than I think I do.. and if I could only have 1 saw I'd choose it over the Hawk for my type / style of cutting.. I've got 40 hours on the meter of the EX.. 30 on the Hawk ultra and 20 on the New Hawk.. I find myself going to the Excalibur to do the majority of my cutting.. now that I have it running decent..

I think it probably makes a big difference if you're cutting very thin stock and or doing a lot of fine detail cuts.. That's where you notice the difference.. not so much in the speed of the cutting... Another difference with these types of saws over the Hawks etc.. is the blade is mounted ridged to the clamps and the clamps are fixed to the saw.. The Hawks blade clamps are mounted with a roll pin and are designed to move or flex a little.. if you push / feed the wood hard with the Hawk the blade chucks flex... If you do so with the EX type saws you're pushing the wood through it faster as there is no flex or give to the blade chucks..

I've played around with my Excalibur and also find it doesn't make a huge difference in the cutting speed / time.. I think this short link arm style types saws all cut about the same way.. The difference between the Pegas / Ex saws from the DeWalt is the SPM ( strokes per minute) .. The Pegas and like saws only run at top speed 1500 SPM where as the DeWalt runs 1750 SPM.. I don't cut many puzzles.. and don't cut much of any wood over 5/8" thick.. When I do cut thicker wood.. ( puzzles ) I do NOT use the Hawk simply for the reason you mention.. they cut slow..

That lower hose piece looks like the one that Seyco sells.. it's the magnetic one?