kmmcrafts

Love it!! Awesome Job!!

For the on topic part... There sure are some awesome patterns here.. I look through them quite often.. some I have downloaded and plan to cut someday.. then customers come and order things so I seem to never get to them.. plus I just don't do a whole lot of portrait type cuttings.. Now to the off topic.. I wish my wife could find a hobby thing to do besides read books.. she always seems to wait around until I get into shop and decide I'm going to tinker around doing something like tuning a saw or doing maintenance ( I don't typically cut on weekends or on her days off ).. anyway.. she waits until I am in the middle of something and says lets go to the store.. she has a store that she likes to shop at... which also is just a 1/4 mile away from a woodcraft type store.. so she'll ask if I need anything from there hinting around.. because she gets bored if I run out to the shop to do something, LOL Now I say I wish she'd find a hobby or craft thing to do.. and she has recently started doing some painting on canvas... I think she's very good at it to.. hopefully she will find something to do that she can enjoy.. I have a hard time just sitting.. she can watch TV.. I'm not a TV watching person.. only special things I watch and that is quite rare.. I've made it a point to watch a new show where crafters have challenges to craft things.. I think maybe Etsy put this show together? as they take etsy crafters and give them themes and challenges to make things then they are judged etc.. The show come on on NBC on Tuesday nights at 9 ( i think ) maybe 10 Eastern time.. I've been going to mention the show here but keep forgetting to do so.. Past episodes can be watch on NBC website.. show is called Making It Hope I got the name right, LOL

All of my saws are on factory stands.. When I first got my Ex-21 I mounted it on a cheap Harbor Freight stand.. the stand was their smaller one.. and was actually too small for the saw's foot print.. so I mounted a 1" plywood to the stand and then mounted the saw to the plywood.. This was good and bad.. the good... cheap... the plywood extended out and my legs fit under it.. the plywood caught the sawdust that normally drops down on your lap.. The Bad... the saw vibrated quite bad... bad enough that I bought a actual EX stand to mount it too.. That was much sturdier than the cheap HF stand was..heavier too which i'm sure helped with the vibration etc.. My most favored stand is from the deWalt.. that is a sturdy stand with three legs.. and narrow enough to straddle and the bottom brace is a perfect spot for the foot switch while sitting on the stool.. I wish Excalibur and Hawk could take notes on the DeWalt and Hegner stands.. The Ex and Hawk stands left me trying to figure out where to put my feet and my foot switch etc etc.. I finally got used to them.. but DeWalt spoiled me with their stand. All this said.. I think a nice HEAVY homemade stand would work out pretty well.. if you have a nice level floor to put it.. I would build in some sort of adjustable feet on the legs of a home ade stand so you can get even weight distribution on all legs.. this would help in any slight floor variances and or if you cut one just so slightly off from the others.. it would balance it out.. Most saws I've bought used.. vibrated bad when I first brought them home.. Once I loosen the stand and planted all legs firmly onto my floor.. they per like a kitten then.. So... having a very lever stand is quite important whether it be homemade or factory made.. I think a person can achieve the same results as a factory stand but they might spend some time toying around with getting everything perfect.. I'm not much of a builder.. and probably couldn't build a square box if I tried.. I could fab one out of metal and weld it together.. but for some reason I cannot buld anything out of wood.. other than clocks and scroll sawn stuff LOL so i opted to just buy a stand and not fuss with trying to get 3 or 4 legs cut the exact same length etc.. LOL Good luck with whatever you choose.. and share some picture of your stand if you make one..

Yeah Ray.. well I have a whole 24 x 24 pole barn full of old antique John Deere Garden tractors.. worth a fortune that I got awesome deals on.. that I purchased with the intent to flip it for a buck... I just don't need to bring anymore stuff home that I plan to resell at this moment.. Plus.. my 24 x 32 wood shop is filling up with more tools than I need..since I have 5 scroll saws now.. dust collector big bandsaw planner jointer and well you get the idea.. Just not anything I need in this sale.. Now.. had the pastor not just come and took those 22" Hegners.. I'd have one of those and sell one of my Hawks ( maybe )... as i want to try a Hegner... but not a single speed mini one LOL. They asked me what some of the things was and what the value was.. I said the little guy was probably $75 - 100 ish.. The kicker of this whole deal is.. they person who hooked me up with these presale deals... said the deceased persons pastor came and just took the guys Cadillac and three of the Hegner saws.. There was only one Hegner there when i got there and it's a real small one.. I almost thought it was a toy at first.. but it's not.. Not sure what their smallest saw is.. It was probably the 14" saw.. though it seemed smaller than that.. was a single speed and no quick release lever up front.. tag showed 1984.. I should have took note of the tag for the model.. I still could get it and have contemplated it.. Was sort of hard for me to walk away on some of this stuff.. but in reality I don't need any of it.. I made an offer of the wood.. I can use it but it'll be a year or better down the road before I can even use it up.. I just bought ( yesterday ) about $500 worth of lumber that should last me close to a year for just the scroll saw clocks that I make.. I also made an offer for the pyrography tools set.. was one of those nice sets that come with the big box and a set of different pens you plug into the box unit.. with adjustable heat settings.. I was going to look it up and see what they are new.. I wanted one of these sets about 10 years ago but if I remember right they was about $150-200 just for the box and two pens.. this has at least 10 pens etc.. and is in a nice carry case etc..

This should explain a little bit on my theory of what is in a shoppers mind.. LOL

Was just at an estate sale where the guy did woodwork crafts of many types.. scroll work, pyrography, power carving etc etc also did leather work and sewing etc.. Had 5 scroll saws... mostly Hegners probably should have bought me a $50 Hegner but I have 5 saws of my own...LOL Pretty sure I'll be buying the stash of Cherry and Walnut lumber for $100.. Guessing at least 500 Bft of each.. he had two good sized sheds full of it.. all was rough cut so it needs machined down.. The sale hasn't actually started.. I got people that knew my work that contacted me about this sale and I had first dibs on most anything.. no family and the lady cleaning the place out just wants it gone so they can put the house on the market..Might buy the pyrography machine.. with all the little pen attachments.. and clean out the sheds of the lumber.. This guy had three shops full of high end tools... just too bad that it's more than I have room for and also to be fair.. more than I have money for as well..

I was thinking about you yesterday while I was at the event... and thought we should have planned a area / time to meet up.. would have loved to meet up with someone from the village, LOL.. I bought 5 bundle packs of Cherry lumber and a couple of quarter sawn Oak bundles.. I don't saw a lot of Oak but hoping to add some options for my clocks I already make to be from cherry or oak.. Should have bought some Poplar.. Probably should have picked up a few sheets of BB ply but I didn't.. simply because I don't need much of it.. and the pricing for 3-4 sheets isn't much different that buying a lot of sheets at a time.. any time of the year so I passed on that. Where is the seminars you do? I'd like the router info since I've never used one but have interest in getting one and playing..

I was at the wood expo in Charlotte Mi today and they had the new Jet 18" saw there on display next to the 22" saw... The 18" saw looked to have a thin table compared to the 22" saw.. Looked much like the table on my Excalibur other than they had a slot cut through it that ran almost out to the edge of the table.. The 22" saw also has a slot but it is a much wider slot.. Believe Jet is running a sale at the moment.. think it's only 10% off though..

When I first started using the full sheet labels.. I tried to to just stick the label to the wood.. i had issues with them lifting off.. but never did have an issue with them stuck to the tape or other surface.. But.. those first few labels I got also didn't stick the greatest to my shipping boxes either.. well they did stick okay on boxes but not the poly bubble mailers.. so I ended up taping each end on all the packages I mailed out until they was gone.. that was the only batch that I purchased that wasn't as sticky as they should be.. ever since then they are so sticky now that I'd be afraid they wouldn't come off the wood if i tried that.. can hardly get them off my fingers if I touch it, LOL I buy my labels off eBay.. Typically in large quantities.. and I suspect that they are probably seconds that someone gets from the factory that makes them... and that the glue is not enough or too much for them to be sold as the certain brand.. or fail quality control.. either way... they are cheap compared to buying them local.. I typically pay about $50 for 1000 sheets or approximately $50 a year for them..

I use the shelf liner and or tape.. either blue painters tape or clear packing tape... but the painters tape is not all created equal.. The high dollar stuff you get from a automotive paint supply store is good stuff.. though not cheap at all either.. which is why I use the shelf liner.. The shelf liner works great for me.. IF... I cut out the projects the same day.. or at least finish it up and peel it back off within a couple of days.. I found that using some light heat helps a ton on the stubborn ones... Use a hair dryer or heat gun if needed.. but be warned.. get it too hot and then it sticks worst.. so I found working a smaller area at a time is best... actually the best for me has been just to st it out in the direct sunlight for a few before attempting to remove it does wonders..

I will run a sale for certain occasions with my online stores.. but it's quite rare to happen.. I know what you mean with the sales.. some places are always running some sort of sale...Harbor Freight is a prime example.. If I see something on sale that I want but don't have the money at the time or just see something i want but it's not on sale.. I won't buy it ( unless I desperately need it right away.. otherwise I'm waiting for the sale on it or the coupon for 25% - 30% off before I buy it... I know.it'll be on sale again very soon, LOL They miss out too.. because many times I forget that I had something I wanted.. then i never actually buy it, LOL That all said though.. the strategy to get business is to run sales and promotions.. people like to feel as if they got a bargain

I go to the same auto parts, grocery stores etc... and a returning customer to them... they all do the same things.. part of doing retail business.. though most of these places mark up the price in a way that even though they sell at 50% off.. they still making money.. Problem I see with most crafts people... they try to sell at what "they would buy it for " (which is bottom dollar to even make money).. rather than what the market would really pay for it.. again.. local sales is different than a worldwide market like I'm in online.. But I still say.. most crafts are sold under priced and they leave no bargaining room.. If a returning customer called me out on it.. and they wanted it.. I'd offer it at the price they seen it at.. nothing wrong with being paid for the work you put in.. rather than giving it away for nothing.. or sitting on it for a few more years.. I have a set price I need to sell my items at.. if they do not sell at that price or higher.... then I don't ever make that again.. I write my web address on it and donate it to charity or a goodwill type store and right it off on taxes as advertising.. so I really didn't do the work for nothing.. and in the end.. I got my tax deduction and with some luck.. advertising done too.. That being said... I don't have much that hasn't sold within a year or so.. and have not really had to do any donations like this yet because of them sitting around too long taking up space.. Have don it for fund raisers for different things just because.. but not because I can't sell it..

Congrats on the new saw...

Usually what works for me in this situation is raising the price by 30% then offerng 25% off.. they think they're getting a deal... really amazing what goes through a shoppers head.. sometimes the price is too cheap so they see no value in it... other times you need to make them feel like they;re getting a great deal.... I toy around with prices and customers a lot.. I find that raising the price actually works better than one would really think, LOL...

Welcome to the village.. glad you decided to join..

Awesome... Thanks for the heads up on this.. Only place I could find one online.. was here.. https://bisjettools.com/727300b-jet-jwss-18b-18-scroll-saw.html

First time I taped mine.. I did as you with just the masking tape... however the tape shortly started ripping from using the switch.. yes.. I use the switch from time to time even though I have a foot switch.. before you know it the tape was funneling the dust down to the switch, LOL.. so then i used the palm of a latex glove cut it out so it completely covered the switch.. then taped the edges of the glove down.. this allows the use of the switch still without ripping / cracking the tape... This works for about 6-8 years before needing to replace the latex piece.. Like I said.. I use the switch on the saw when working on the saw or tuning it etc.. when standing.. some large cuttings I have to stand so i use the saw switch instead of my foot switch.. as I have my foot switch mounted to the lower portion of the deWalt stand.. where it's perfect when sitting on my stool.. but pretty awkward if I'm standing to reach my foot on that lower ledge of the stand.. I have the click on click off switch on the DeWalt.. I prefer this style over the one I have to keep my foot on.. and it's also nice for using the saw while standing.. as I can just kick it on and then use the saw switch.. without having to disconnect everything..

Yeah I sure am.. can't afford to miss it.. I've been out of Cherry lumber for quite some time... I'm hoping to go Friday morning after I take my kids to school.. That said. I might have to make another trip on Saturday .. You planning to go? Really hoping the rain and storms we've been having here along with the heat and humidity are done before the Expo..

I also love my Excalibur.. but not so much until I upgraded to the Pegas blade chucks... though many people mentioned they thought I must have had a defective upper chuck.. which I sort of think so myself too...

That's awesome everyone!!! We Did It Again!!! We got another scroll sawer hooked.. LOL Congrats, on all the new equipment too.. sounds like you've got a good selection to start playing around with.. enjoy.. and show off some pictures of your work...

This what you need ?? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Clarke-CSS400B-Scroll-Draw-Spare/dp/B0184YIXS4

I thought it'd be neat to do wood burning photos. etc.. I seen a guy at a craft fair last year that did woodburning.. then he took the burning and cut jigsaw puzzles from them with his scroll saw.. was hard to tell they was puzzles because he followed the lines etc of the burning pictures.. I also would use it more for engraving and burning rather than cutting.. i don't like the burnt looking edges they leave behind.. Can engrave many different materials.. so I think one would be fun to toy around with..

Yeah that's right... most of my car clocks I make started out as a DXF file for CNC machines.. I use a lot of these patterns because 1) I'm not good enough to design my own pattern from scratch.. and finding designers to take on some of my things I like to cut is far and few between... I like to make the clocks and ornaments.. not so much for portraits.. which is what I find mostly in the scroll saw pattern world.. So I buy the CNC designs and I've downloaded a DXF file viewer where I can ( long work around but) turn it into a SVG or whatever file I like.. then I can go to inkscape and create the design as I see fit.. adding the spot for the clock and most times.. adding text at the bottom.. Usually the text is telling what the car is.. For what it's worth... most all the CNC artist will create a file type for you.. I started asking them if they'd make them PDF or SVG and explain that I don't need all the fancy stuff since I cut by hand.. Most of them are happy to make a few extra $$ to change it up for you.. They are many times in awe that my things are created by hand too.. which many times create conversation and a new friend. I tell a lot of them that they need to look into doing scroll saw type drawings as we are always looking for new designs etc.. Now.. speaking of CNC lasers... I've been toying the idea of buying one just to play with for the last 3-4 years... almost bit the bullet a few times but then back out.. I enjoy doing my work by hand.. I have heard a scroll saw can stack cut items ( for production ) faster than the CNC laser could cut.. while the laser might cut 1 faster than you can with a scroll saw.. but the advantage is.. you can stack 4-6 at once.. laser has to do just 1 at a time.. I don't know how true that is..... One advantage with a laser is.. you can get several machines running at once.. though as do not have to be right there doing one machine at a time.. though you wouldn't want to leave one unattended too long as they can catch fire etc..

Yes I know, but I think a lot of them don't like it because they like to top feed... Steve Good reviewed the saw and mentioned how he liked the set up but didn't like it also as it wasn't what he was accustomed to.. which gave the saw a bad rap in my opinion.. Used to be a lot of talk about how people don't like the barrel clamps of the Hawks too.. and how the older Hawks aren't top feed etc.. I think this is a big reason why the Hawk G4 was talked about so much.. as it is top or bottom feed..with a few other improvements.. but the biggest and most talked about is... Top feeding.. For me.. I am a bottom feeder... I am use to the barrel clamps of my Hawk.. so I could probably slide right in and go.. comfortably on the Jet with no issues.. There is a learning curve to those saws with removable clamps that those that are not used to that.. they absolutely hate fussing with that little clamp and having to take it out and put it into the slot / tool to remove and replace the blade.. etc etc.. I remember when I first got my old Hawk.. I thought those removable clamps was about the dumbest thing.. but.. once I gave it a good bit to learn to use the saw.. I've found how much nicer it really is to be able to have several sized blades loaded and ready to go.. and an switch out from a straight blade to a spiral for veining etc.. I think most dislike the Jet clamping system because they have given up before really giving them a go for a good 100 or so hours of use.. I almost gave up n the Hawks at one point.. because I was so accustomed to the way the deWalt cut..

I've really wanted to try the new Jet saw.. I like that it has that removable lower clamp.. like the Hawk has.. but the upper clamp is what really seems like would make an awesome fretwork saw.. because of the tension and blade clamping is done in the same single set.. I've contemplated selling both my Hawks and the new Excalibur just to buy one of those new Jets.. but hate to do that if I didn't like it , LOL.. and.. I certainly couldn't get another deal on these same saws I have that I got on them.. should I not like the Jet and want my old Hawks back.. LOL One day I'll find a deal on a Jet or at least get the opportunity to run one