kmmcrafts

WEN has been coming out with some real knock-offs lately I think. I was searching for the Ridgid oscillating spindle / belt sanders thinking of getting a new one as mine I got used and it has a bent shaft for the motor and just doesn't work very well. Could see it being a nice tool. Anyway WEN has one of those that looks quite similar... not sure that it's a exact copy.

I think I was the one that started a topic about these WEN tools.. and did research to find that Steve Good did a review on it too.. Believe Ray bought one.. I still have not took the plunge to buy one yet.. Not expensive and should do it.. LOL.. Then I could leave my drill press set up with the Forestner bit..

It still could be bushings.. many manufactures will call bushings bearings.. they are a type of bearing in some cases.. they are made from self lubing brass and require no lube.. I don't know whether they are.. just saying..

Maybe a good time to make a video Ray LOL

DnD had contacted the manufacture and there is a known issue with the blades... something happen with one of the machines set up.. They are supposedly fixing the error and the blades will go back to what they were.. At least this is what I've heard.. meanwhile other dealers must not know of the issue.. since BW sent me out 2 gross of them. .. I guess I'd have thought Pegas would have let the dealers know.. so they didn't sell them but.. then.. they may have no idea or means of contacting all the people that are selling the blades.. so who knows.. anyway... Pegas knows and is supposedly fixing the problem.. wonder how many blades got past quality control... then.. this day and age.. QC is about useless anyway.. places I've worked in the past was more worried about getting the numbers on paper for their shift even though they knew very well they was running 8 hours production of scrap.. and many companies operate on this numbers thing rather than quality... never understood that logic myself but..

It's amazing how much smoother my saw ran when doing this... and I thought it was pretty smooth before doing it.. When I first did mine it was more of a pre-maintenance.. but I did find some bearings / bushings starting to get some wear that I replaced.. Good high quality synthetic grease has kept it running smooth for several years of production cutting.. but it's got some wear issues going on again as it's getting some slight noise.. I bought all the stuff to rebuild the complete saw with new bearings and sleeves a year ago.. still haven't done it.. but I no longer use the saw much now either, LOL

Hawk wasn't the best about updating their manuals I don't think... I also think there is some mis understanding about the saw maintenance of the saw.. The book says one thing and they say another.. I don't know when they changed the style of bearings they use.. it's been a little while since I took my newer saw apart to look at the bearings in the arms.. but if I remember correctly the Ultra has caged bearings and the way this is set up I do not really see how a few drops if oil will even get to the bearing.. The older Hawk has a total different set up... and yes.. I can see needing to oil that one periodically.. From what I've read about the new BM series.. they also use the same cage type bearing as the Ultra does.. When I took my Ultra apart there was no oil grease or any other type of lube in these bearings that I could see.. Not sure how these cage bearings work.. but I packed the bearing with synthetic grease and put it back together.. Maybe they don't need the grease for as little movement these arms do.. but I figured it can't hurt. I believe the folks at Hawk says these do not need oiled.. I can't remember if they told me this or if it was in the videos.. I think it was the videos on their site that mentioned it. Yet the manual say to oil the bearings, LOL ... I think the only oil spots now are the back wedge.. and then a dry graphite for the tension cam mechanism at the front of the saws upper arm.. Guess I'll find out when I get me new saw..

Well there is a little more to it than just the length.. They also have a notch cutout in the ( most times ) top of the blade.. about anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 inch down from the top.. this notch gets hung up in the pilot holes.. so it takes some fiddling around to get the blades through the hole.. then about 1/3 of the time while fiddling with getting this notch through the hole since the notch makes the blade thinner in that spot.. it also bends easy in that spot.. If I can keep from bending them.. the blades are decent.. but once I bend it in this thin spot.. more times than not. it breaks during the cutout in that spot... Some blades.. I never even get to use because they'll snap before I get them fed through the hole.. seem to be brittle in that spot.. The blades are weaker in that area.. have to cut both ends of every blade.. this isn't something I should Have To put up with for 3 gross of blades that I have.. Yes.. I can cut them but there is still the issue of that notch.. plus.. should a customer ( me ) have to deal with a companies defective product? Pay decent money for 3 gross of bad blades.. Zoom in on the picture.. Blade on left is defective... right side is what it should be... I've figured out the correct length is just cutting this tip off the Top and Bottom as both have that little extra nub which was giving me too long a blade.. not a big deal to snip it off really with some side cutters.. That notch gets caught in the hole of my stack and almost every time i bend the blade there and it will break in that spot.. The notch doesn't seem to bother when cutting solid wood ( clocks ) but dang.. using 3 gross of bad blades only for cutting clocks... going to be a long year with these things if I keep using them. LOL.. I wouldn't complain about it if I was just hobby cutting.. and if it was just a few dozen blades.. Kinda like buying a loaf of bread that is moldy on the crust.. you can peel the crust off and still use it.. feed it to the birds.. put it to use somehow.. but why? You paid for it to eat yourself.. and the initial reason you bought it was to eat.. do you just deal with the loaf of bread or take it back.. at a discounted price you'd be happy to give it to the creatures but you're still out a loaf of bread.. I can use the blades.. but should I fight with them and try to use them.. or do I try to send them back.. I seem to break about 3 -5 out of every dozen.. is it worth the full price I paid and the frustration.. Not bad now that my holiday rush is over.. I can use them still.. just not sure that I should..since some are breaking... some don't break until they are getting dull anyway..but it's a toss up.. Also the issue if I send them back... how long before I get some good ones in stock.. maybe dealing with a few bad blades is better than not having any blades at all..

Plastic piece that goes on the lower arm to keep your blade holder from falling on the floor when there is no tension on the blade... or if you break the blade the blade holder stays put so you don't loose it... I think I've read of other saws that if the blade breaks sometimes the lower blade chuck comes up missing, LOL..

I know DnD took it upon themselves to replace the blades and hoped to get refunded for the defective blades.. When I went to check that out they was sold out of stock.. Maybe not sold out.. but out of stock on the web site.. might be that they don't have any good ones in stock, LOL So then I seen BW's had them in stock.. so I ordered two gross hoping that I got some before the bad batch.. or some of the new ones that might have the issue resolved.. only to have both packs bad.. Oh well.. I think after the holiday I'll contact BW just to see what they say about it.. and at least let them know so that some other person doesn't get a bad batch.. It's not a huge deal because I can just snip the ends off.. but doing so and getting the correct length is kind of tricky.. though I'm starting to get use to it now, was a real pain during the holiday rush orders.. and I got fed up enough that I just started using the Excalibur and the DeWalt instead of the Hawk.. as no need to cut them at all on the other saws..

Yeah Jet saws changed a few years ago and they have a upper blade clamp that the tension lever also clamps the blade all in one step..

Well, I ordered several gross of blades from them... Unfortunately the two gross of #5 are the same messed up funky cut ends like the other gross of blades I had... was hoping to get a couple good packages of blades until Pegas got their issue fixed... I might just have to send these back.. I don't really need 3 gross of these screwed up blades... LOL.. DnD is sold out is why I bought from Bear Woods... These blades work okay in the DeWalt and Ex type saws where the blade length doesn't affect blade tension... but they can't be used in the Hawks... I suspected this could happen... The gross of #3 and #7 I ordered seem okay... Maybe I need to make me a jig so I can clip these funky ends off at the right length every time so the tension isn't compromised when using them with the Hawk..

Maybe time to upgrade your saw to the new Jet.. yeah you have the funky barrel clamp for the lower clamp... but if you're a bottom feeder.. that top clamp requires no turning of any knobs.. just flip the lever.. Hope you heal quickly and are able to make some sawdust very soon...

Well... The laser wasn't supposed to be here until Monday... but it showed up today... I wasn't ready for it just yet.. gotta figure out where the thing's going to be parked at.. Probably won't really mess with it much at all until spring.. I'm really in need of ( work before play at this moment ) because.. I need to build back some of my inventory.. took a hard hit this year.. I'm really looking forward to my new Hawk though.. but as for the laser and the CNC.. they may not even get set up until summer...

That's great news.. I always like to see new scroll sawers in the community... My neighbor also just got a scroll saw and so I gave him samples of about every blade I have.. even ones I don't like.. never know he may love them, LOL He has been a woodworker for years.. and now has picked p interest in the stuff I do.. he's always coming over to check out what I'm working on.. or to buy some clocks from me... he has become a clock maker this fall..

Yeah most my car patterns are already on the larger side for a desk clock.. making it bigger would also make it longer.. most are already 12-13 inch with the 1-7/16 inch clock... I just don't see it working on many of my designs.. Yeah the whole group of patterns I have from the Berry Basket etc would probably work.. but then.. those clocks aren't really my hot sellers anyway.. Maybe because the clock is too small..

Interesting find.. 1996 and never been apart.. probably never had any other maintenance done? short of a couple drops of oil on the wedge? Glad you was able to get it figured out..

I see they offer the Pegas too... noticed that when I was shopping for my new BM 226 last week.. I'm considering buying from them simply put... the busier they are the less likely they go out of business.. they are great people and.. well... I'd rather support a business I really like than one I know nothing about.. Not saying the folks from Bear Woods are not nice etc.. but.. supporting the business I like AND getting to know them on a more personal level by doing a lot of business with them can and will be an advantage some day if I was to ever be in a pinch and need something desperately, IMO.. On a side note about doing business.. The people in China that I order my clocks from.. even though I only order about once a year.. we message back and fourth all the time throughout the year.. They message me on holidays saying Happy New Year Happy Fathers day etc etc.. They do this because WHY.. they are doing this so the customer doesn't forget about them.. the extra little things that doesn't cost money to do ( advertising ) once one has some sort of contact info.. goes a long way.. and you get the feeling or sense of comfort level as if you know them... even though you've never met and in this case.. they are completely across the world LOL... Response to messages is usually within a couple hours.. That's good business.. Always hated when I order somewhere and never really get any kind of message that they even received the order, never hear about any shipping info... and next thing you know it just shows up in the mail... even though it might have been shipped quickly and arrived fast.. its better customer service letting the purchaser know Something , LOL

The dispute was over a couple weeks ago according to my eCommerce news that am subscribed to.. maybe they gave me wrong info... even so.. an email saying they are in a dispute might delay them getting the order into the mail would go a long way.. Again, the time in the mail system isn't my issue with them.. getting it into the mail system timeline is what is bothersome.. 9 days from the day I ordered to package it and send it to the mail system is a long time.. especially when it's an international order and that takes a lot of time in the mail system.. I'm going to give the benefit of doubt on this one.. This is only my second time ordering from them... and the first time took a very long time too.. but...I didn't pay any attention to the process of how soon they got it in the mail etc.. I won't need blades again for quite some time.. but.. just for fun and a test... I'm going to order another gross in the summer months..

BTW , all my shipping experience.. I do send a lot of stuff over seas and most do take 2-3 weeks.. even though I mail out the next day ( when in stock ).. The Key is.. I mail it out the next day... especially.. international orders where I know it takes time... it's about Caring for the customer... waiting 10 days to get a package in the mail make me think they really don't care about your business... especially with no email indications or anything.. makes me wonder if it's standard practice... I know some people who only make 1 trip a week to the post office... I don't drive there.. they come to me because I'm special like that

Yes, that is exactly it... communication is a key factor.. I myself have many made to order items in my etsy store and web site.. I write on the very top of every made to order items description to allow up to 14 days for me to make the item before I can mail it.. Once a person orders.. I'll send them a message saying about how long it might be.. and I typically will give myself an extra 1-2 days in that email just in case something comes up.. Even in my busiest time.. the longest it's taken me to get an order made and in the mail was 8 days... This day and age people are spoiled and want their stuff now... but anyway.. to make a business thrive.. one needs to have at least good communication and customer service..on top of good lead times.. It turns people off when their order takes a long time.. and then people will start shopping elsewhere..

JT, I ordered the same 1-7/16 size.. A lot of my patterns I cannot change the insert size without changing the whole design of the pattern.. then the clock would end up much bigger.. I do want to change the size of those that I can though.. and will maybe once my inventory runs out of what I have that takes the smaller size.. Well, I gotta say that I have ordered other things from China and it did take a month to get here.. I don't know how she does it.. but can say the shipper is DHL and the tracking says DHL Express.. I'll also say that she didn't even send it out until Christmas day.. Here is a screen shot photo of the tracking.. I've never upgraded shipping or anything with this place.. just how they do the shipping.. I order every year about the same time.. Last year i ordered on Christmas eve and the was delivered new years day..

LOL, Maybe I expect too much from companies.. But.. I ordered 300 clock inserts on the 18th.. from China.. and they was custom ordered to my specs so she didn't have them ready made... They was delivered a couple days ago...so.. Location is hogwash.. but the time frame it's in the mail isn't what bothers me...as I understand that it has to go through customs etc.. especially this time of year... My point is... why does it take them nine days from my order day to bother to package and hand them over to the mail...Like I said... nothing was mentioned about being out of stock or back ordered... If they are in stock ready to package and ship.. why so long to be packed and shipped out.. I've always ordered from Mikes or DnD.. there was a time I ordered from Leslies Patterns.. and they was slow.. no big deal as long as I expected that.. I stopped ordering from them when they was out of stock on some blades and sent what they had saying they'd send the rest when they got more.. only to forget that they was supposed to send me more when they got them in... one time okay i get it... everyone makes mistakes.. but three times in a row and I was done with them.. I'm not in a hurry for the blades... I have plenty to work with.. I was only asking because I was wondering if this is normal practice for them to be slow at getting the order packed and mailed out.. I did expect it to take time in the mail.. especially as the Canada post had been on strike and the time of year.. they probably had a lot of catching up to do... just didn't expect the slow end of it to actually be them getting it to the mail system..

I know a few of you order from them.. I also realize that they are in Canada but.. Anyway.. I place a couple hundred dollar order for blades on 12-11 took them until 12-20 to even ship out my package.. still no blades.. The tracking number I received doesn't seem to work.. Got a message today from them about how my experience was with my purchase and wanted me to give a review, LOL... How can I give a review if I haven't even received my order.. I ordered one other time from them ears ago... ordered some clock movements and that took forever to get here too.. I'll certainly not be ordering again from them.. DnD orders come within about 4-5 days max.. I expected this order to take some time because it's coming from Canada.. I don't expect them to wait several days to even get my order in the mail though.. Anyone else have their order not ship out for several days after placing it? Just wondering if that is normal for them.. Maybe the one blades I order was out of stock.. they was on DnD which is why I placed an order with BW.. nothing was on the site about being back ordered.. no email saying it was back ordered.. just waiting in limbo for my order, LOL Not out of blade by any means.. but.. do feel they need to be a little quicker on mailing stuff out..

Looks to me as though it's had a replacement motor at some point in its life.. the replacement motors don't come with a identification tag sticker from DeWalt to decipher the model and type or serial number.. Where does the noise seem like it's coming from? back of the saw or up front? I'm betting since it looks as though maybe the motor had been changed.. makes me wonder if they put it back together and made sure to get everything nice and tight back there.. Watch the video's JT posted a link to.. they might help you better understand the inside of the saw and will certainly give you some pointers on what to look for.. I might suggest getting some solvent to clean out the old grease and repack the bearings ( provided they are in good shape ) with some good synthetic grease if you end up opening it up..