kmmcrafts

I've been meaning to post this for a couple weeks but I've had a lot going on and keep forgetting.. I was moving some boxes around and doing some cleaning in my loft a few weeks ago.. seen my box that the EX came in.. I noticed the label said China on it.. had to go downstairs and look at the tag on the saw Sure enough.. All this time I thought my saw was the one made in Twain since I bought it before they really released the China made saws in the USA.. But.. the guy I got it from did mention that they was going to be bringing the Excalibur back and he seemed to know what he was talking about.. He claimed to have won the saw in a drawing from his work Christmas party or ? and he had no use for it.. How they got their hands on the China made saw before they released them in the USA is beyond me.. I'm just wondering if this is why my original blade chuck was basically junk... why my back knob turned so quickly out of adjustment and the thing sounds about like it's falling apart when running it very fast.. it is smooth but seems noisy to me.. but was always that way.. not being around a EX before I didn't know if they was just a norm for them or not.. But I've always kinda shook my head in amazement that people love these saws so much.. Now I think I just got a lemon of a machine.. I really see how someone could like them as my saw does cut nice.. but it just seems cheap made and have had issue after issue with it.. Maybe the first batch trial run machines that came off the new factory line.. So that kinda explains a lot to me.. I've been very temped to take the whole thing apart and give it a good going over.. almost sounds like a greaseless DeWalt running... so now I'm wondering about the bearings etc.. it is noisy though smooth.. sometimes it makes a loud clanking sound at the back of the saw like one of the links or the connecting rod or something is hitting the side of the machine... probably is, LOL Sure cuts nice.. and I think if it was as quiet and smooth as my other saws have been it'd probably be my favorite saw.. It just cannot be right.. not the way people rave them so much..

Yeah but don't buy from him...Don is not a rip off.. BUT.. he moved into a retirement home and has no internet and it's been posted on here in the past.. You buy the pattern but you never receive a pattern.. The site is set up so he has to email you the photo.. He needs to take the site down.. but not sure maybe he's not even alive anymore.. I used to deal with him a lot because he has a lot of car designs.. but no more.. since he moved to the retirement home..

I’d go with the Pegas saw if I was in the market for a new saw again. Love my new Hawk but I think the Pegas is where I’d go if I was to do it over again.

Doesn't look like the place I linked to sells it anymore.. it's where I bought it in the past.. Grizzly sells it.. not super cheap though. https://www.grizzly.com/search?q=(Inlace)

I don't have experience with clay but I have used stuff called inlace.. It comes in a can and you mix it with a activator.. Comes in several colors.. Problem I have is.. I never have the color I need, LOL Not sure if you've ever mixed up or messed with fiberglass or bondo ( body filler in the automotive industry ).. This inlace smells and acts just about like a fiberglass resin.. not as hard as the stuff I've used in the autobody world but it's very similar.. I only have Red and Black colors.. Bought it several years ago for a few certain projects and haven't used it since.. I keep thinking I need to use it up if it's any good still.. Below is a picture of a key rack I made for my son about 2010.. I cut the design out on 1/8" Oak and then filled it with the red inlace then glued to a 1/2 or 3/4 Oak backer.. Guess it turned out okay and still looks good.. I also used to make the oval kaychains Steve Good patterns. and cut them from 1/16 then glue to a backer and fill the cutout with this.. Made those in 2008..and mine that I carry everyday still looking good. When filling it I would fill it higher than the wood.. then sand it flush on my belt sander.. http://www.inlaceonline.com/text/products/kits.html

Looks like you've had some quality shop time... Neat little compressor.. I've always wanted s small portable compressor.. The one I have I bought back when I was doing a lot of body work, I wanted one big enough to handle a sandblaster.. so I have a 5hp two stage with a 60 gallon vertical tank.. I use it plenty but nothing like I used to so many times I think it's just wasted space.. but then when I get my pressure blaster out or the blast cabinet.. I remember why I still have it.. Same goes for my Lincoln wire welder.. don't use them much anymore but sure nice to have on hand without having to hunt down someone that has one I can borrow. I've been busy in the shop but not really scroll sawing much.. I've only put 15 hours on the saws this week.. Got a lot going on.. My tractor blew a head gasket last winter while plowing snow.. now I need it running to cut the lawn.. so put new gaskets in this week and then while putting the thing back together I broke the starter solenoid so got that on order.. My older van blew the rack & pinion seals.. they've been leaking for a year or more.. It's getting pretty rough shape so I never bothered to change it out.. just said last year to the wife that when that blows out I'm scrapping the van.. so.. now I'm swapping parts since I have another van just like it so anything that's in better condition on one I'm swapping the parts around before I take it on it's last drive to the scrap yard.. Been a good old van.. and given me 12 years of great service.. I bought it used for about $1800 with about 150,000 miles.. now shes just shy of 300,000 miles.. never put a dime in that van other than just regular maintenance.. Wife wants a Jeep like I bought a couple years back for my daughter.. so I've been jeep shopping too.. Also put some more of my CNC machine together.. got my coolant containers for both the CNC and the laser.. I might get one or the other fired up before June, LOL.. Our weather has been chilly still.. for the time of year.. and it been just rainy for several weeks.. shops just long enough to get the grass cut.. boy gotta get this tractor running.. I have 2 acre of lawn.. and the 21" push mower makes a bit of work.. Lucky me.. I have kids to help do it but making them work like that makes the refrigerator go empty faster for some reason..

I also did the HF sander.. I've told several on here to stay away from it.. They have two different models or at least they did.. the one isn't as aggressive as the other.. but neither are great.. All of my sanding is done with a Bosh variable speed RO sander.. I've not had any issues with fragile fretwork with it.. Bosh makes a single speed and a variable speed.. Get the VS one because you can turn it way down for sanding those fragile portraits.. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Bosch-2-5-Amp-5-in-Corded-Variable-Speed-Random-Orbital-Sander-Polisher-Kit-with-Carrying-Bag-ROS20VSC/203866770 I've had this sander for about 5 years and just the beginning of this year had to change the brushes in it.. The little dust can is nice but it is hard to get it open to empty the dust out..

https://www.dndsawbladesonline.com/ http://stores.bushtonhawkstore.com/pike-and-pegas/ http://www.scrollsawbladespatterns.com/ Of these places I've ordered blades from.. DNDsawblades and QTE that jerrye mentioned had the fastest shipping and customer service.. scrollsawbladespatterns was the worst.. I got my blades but they took a long time.. quite often back ordered and they'll send what they have and a few months later they send out the rest LOL

I think if it's that far off you're going to need to loosen the bolts that hold the table down and sort of alien it and tighten them back down.. There is not really any adjustment for the table but there is enough slop around those bolt holes that it'll throw that off enough like this.. Had to do this on my DeWalt years ago when I first got it.. or maybe it was the Dremel anyway one of my saws came that way.. I thought I was going to have to send it back but then someone suggested this.. which fixed it..

I'd probably use inlace instead of clay.. no baking.. I always burn food if I bake... so.. I'm sure I'd ruin the earrings.. LOL Inlace

I just use my credit / debit card.. Don't use the drivers license.. that one cost money to replace... don't ask how I know this,

Another tip is to pay attention to where you place your starting hole and which direction you normally cut in so that you start and end your cut in a not so fragile spot.. Not only that part.. but also pay close attention to grain direction of the wood.. take that into account when drilling these holes for your start finishing points too. and lastly.. The type of blade you use in these fragile type cutouts make a huge difference too.. A reverse tooth blade will make the wood bounce more because it's cutting on the up stroke too..

Very nice job on both the pattern and the cutting.. Since I seem to like the car themed stuff I might take a shot at cutting this one.. Thanks for sharing..

So that's why my orders take so long to get to the customer.. They almost always make it to Australia in just a few days .. but then they set somewhere for several more... Mail a lot of car clocks over there.. Must be big into the classics over there..LOL Those Pegas clamps are awesome.. love mine.. I truly believe I'd have sold my saw had I not bought that upgrade.. I just couldn't get the hang of those stock EX clamps..

The quality of work you do and with that beautiful display of your items it's no surprise you did well..

Not too much of a story other than I like to make clocks.. and had been looking for more wall hang clock patterns.. ran across these on Sue Meys site and had to cut them.. Been good sellers so far.. Bigger one made from Red Oak.. and the other is Ash

Glad you mentioned that.. as I sometimes forget that I go through more material than most others do... I typically run through 20+ sheets a year.. though I only buy 10 at a time.. because as you say.. you don't want it setting around too long.. I do also chop several sheets down to size.. but also keep a few sheets cut into 3rds. ( 20 x 60 inch ) for those odd jobs I might need a larger piece than what I typically use..

It's too bad some of you can't find a local source for the full 60 x 60 inch sheet.. I buy mine this way.. one sheet cost $12.75 for 1/8 inch.. But the more you buy the better the price.. I buy 10 sheets at a time and my cost is $11.05.. per sheet.. 1/4 inch is $16.50 per sheet or $14.30 for 10+ sheets.. I don't use the 1/4 much so I only get a few sheets at a time.. Getting the full sheet allows you to make the blanks any size you want, LOL

Yeah my DW788 is steel.. as all the other saws I've owned other than the ryobi I had years ago i think was Aluminum.. Old Deltas.. The old Dremel I had was steel too but I think it was the only model of Dremel that had steel table.. because the older smaller ones had aluminum too,, But anyway.. the majority of saws are steel and non coated.. So that's why I've always said.. why bother.. If kept waxed it don't rust..

Love the cat... thinking I've cut that cat before.. but may have been a different one.. Maybe a dumb question but what's the triangle things?

Awesome work as always.. Glad to see you got back to posting pictures...

Keep mine waxed too...

If you think about it.. why even bother putting a finish on the tables? No finish on DeWalts, Deltas ( new or old ) , Hawks, Hengers? and many other brands.. The only saws I've seen with a coating like that is the Excalibur, Pegas, and Jet's new 18" saw has a black finish.. but the 22" I've seen is not coated.. Save some $$ for the company and leave them uncoated.. makes for a ugly look after a couple days of use.. most the finish was gone on my EX after about the first two days.. I mean the finish looks nice.. but I don't care what finish you put on.. it's going to look bad after 6-12 months anyway.. Someone on one of the FB groups powder coated theirs.. betting it'll be worn off in 6-12 months... unless they don't use it much..

The journey isn't always easy.. but nether is day jobs.. as for health insurance.. you'd be surprised how cheap that really is for self employed.. there is tax breaks for the self employed and small business's.. My wife quit her job last year.. we pay less for health insurance than what she was paying out of her portion plus the deductibles etc. from the insurance that her workplace offered.. and we had a much better insurance plan that was geared towards more of what OUR needs were compared to the 2 generic plans her work offered.. Not saying quit your day job, LOL... Just saying everything... job/career/self employment/ small business etc etc.. isn't always easy.. nor is it for everyone.. what matters most is that people are happy doing what they do.. since work/business etc etc.. is what 90% of what we do in our lives.. don't waist time doing something you hate for your whole life..

Congrats on the promotion.. but I must say.. It sucks to have work interfere with business... why I quit working 20 years ago.. I've been on many different journeys since then from running my own autobody shop to lawn care to selling tractor parts on eBay.. I must say.. this scroll saw / woodworking has been by far the most fulfilling less stress business / work I've done.. Not as big of an income but money isn't everything in life.. so long as I can pay bills and put a little aside..