kmmcrafts

Wow many nice workshops.. I wish I had a workshop to work in.. I work right in my driveway when it's snowing hard it's hard to see where my lines on the pattern are. .. I'll grab a few shots of my driveway.. when it's not dark out..

That's the one I use.. One thing many over look in a mask is filter surface area.. Before the Elipse mask I was using a Totobobo after seeing Steve Good do a review of it.. I loved that mask.. but the filters surface is about the size of a half dollar coin.. ( slightly larger than a Quarter ) .. and I would need to replace the filter very single day.. The Elipse mask doesn't fog up my glasses ( unless I don't have it on tight enough ) but the exhale port / valve is right in the front of the mask... I tend to get close to my magnifier light lens.. and when I do that the fogged up mag lens reminds me to back away some.. I love this mask though.. and I don't need to replace the filters but only every few months... which reminds me.. I need to order some of those.. I'm thinking once I get my dust collection fab'ed up.. I won't need to change filters but every 6 months or more, LOL..

I'm on many other scroll saw and turning boards as well.. however this place is the only one I really visit.. and my name here on this one is different than all the other sites.. not sure why I did a oddball screen name here.. as they are the same everywhere else but this place, LOL

Yes, I would use a accessory over having the screw too tight.. I used the Jim Dandy easy lift.. It's only $22 http://www.jimdandy.com/products.html

Cutting boards can be a tricky situation f you don't know your wood types.. and I see it all the time at shows.. .. if they are glue ups you need a water proof food safe glue for cutting boards etc.. I'd make them into clocks or you could always scroll a head shot if some music stars.. I've seen them with beetles and jimmy Hendrix etc... just some other ideas.. But i wouldn't sell them as cutting boards..

I also have this pattern printed and plan to make it a clock.. Though the pattern is originally kind of large.. I plan to shrink it down some.. and use a 1- 7/16 insert.. because that is the size I have on hand.. plus.. I personally like the smaller size of this type of clock.. Guess I think of it as a space saver and... less a plus is less lumber, LOL But yeah the original size.. I'd certainly use a bigger clock..

If I do advanced portrait style cutting.. I drill 10 holes at a time for two reasons.. I get to move around.. and I put a tally mark on the paper pattern for how many holes I've cut out.. Kind of nice to be able to tell in my listing ads on the web site how many holes was drilled and cut.. makes for some conversation... Could do a give away drawing if I was doing craft shows as a promo type thing.. I'd do it online but then there is no way to keep people from downloading the photo and zooming in on it to count them..

http://www.woodenteddybearonline.com/x/product.php?productid=6661&cat=1023&page=2

I may be wrong.. but for some reason I think this is one of Harvey's pattern that designs the puzzles that Iggy makes.. I know I've seen the pattern for sale some where...

Thanks to all who have replied.. I'm looking forward to cutting more puzzles.. but more just looking forward to nice sunny days to work in the shop.. doing whatever type of cutting.. getting tired of these cold days.. but trying not to complain too loud.. because I'd much rather work in a cool shop that a real hot one, LOL

I live in the boonies.. and we just got electricity last week.. or maybe that was a few years ago .. I have 3 options for internet.. first is... No internet... second is dial-up.. and third is DSL.. Other than that..I have to refer to the first option .. I've had the slowest option for DSL for the longest time.. which for the most part worked for my needs... Until everyone gets home and get's online.. LOL.. I just bumped up to a higher speed one and it's much better now.. We have one more faster speed I could upgrade to.. hoping they get us some more options that are affordable someday soon.. I pay more for my DSL than most pay for the High Speed stuff that live in town.. and wow.. what they have is super fast..

I thought the FD scroll reverse blades was stamped but the ultra reverse was ground? The Olsen PGT blades are nice blades... BUT... they don't come in a very small size.. AND.. the smallest one (#5) would work for me in many cases IF.. they'd make the ends smaller.. it seems the ends on the PGT series blades are considerably larger than the actual blade portion.... FD ultra reverse blades are a great blade and was my main blade I used.. BUT.. they do have ( I think ) two teeth down and one up configuration.. they cut very fast and aggressive compared to a scroll reverse blade.. but those reversed teeth make for tougher turning and they tend to grab the wood.. if you're not on your toes ... you will be once it grabs the wood.. Just makes for having to hold the wood down better.. The Pegas MG blades are super smooth in turns.. and are a real quiet cutting blade compared to many others.. FD scroll reverse blades are a quiet and good cutting blade as well.. just they are stamped and have to be cut on that pesky angle, LOL... But I love to use them from time to time and keep them on hand.. dull much faster than the Ultra reverse... Pegas MG seem to last a really long time.. for me.. I think maybe 20-25% longer than the FD Ultra Reverse.. i've seen you mention many times about the FD Penguin Silver blade.. That's one blade I've never tried.. Years ago when I first tried the puzzles like Iggy makes.. I had a hard time with cutting the thick hard wood.. Someone told me to try the FD Polar blades.. I haven't found a use for those blades yet.. hated those blades... so yeah really blades is something that everyone has a different opinion on.. so I just say.. what I like and my experience is.. My next order of FD blades.. I plan to get a small pack of the blades like you use just for fun to see how I might like them... as you can see.. I'm not one that get's into a closed box with what I know is a good blade.. I like to try ALL my options.. I was skeptical that any blade could be better than the FD branded Ultra Reverse and scroll reverse blades.. The comfort of cutting and ease of turning sharp corners for me with the Pegas is very relaxing to cut...

YES!! That too... they are super quiet compared to FD-UR or Olsen PGT blades..

Those are AWESOME!! I also do a lot of car stuff.. I need to learn the pattern making part of it.. Can do many styles of pattern design.. just not on the things I like to make LOL.. I have trouble with making patterns of cars.. can do portrait style sometimes but not like these.. and would like to see car Ornaments.. just quite hard to get much detail in a ornament size pattern of a car..

The Master is only the master because he has failed more times than the novice has tried.. I have that in my signature to remind myself that I need to keep working at it.. Doubt I will ever reach the Master status, LOL... but i keep trying.. You only fail when you quit trying..

Spirals do tend to break easier and therefore you do end up with breaking blades.. That said.. probably much more so for the smaller of the spirals.. For some reason I cannot cut on my Hawk with spirals without breaking them often.. But my Dewalt I rarely break them.. But I do remember my first try at spirals.. I broke many of them..( don't remember what saw I used way back then so not sure it was user error or somewhat saw error ) I also flip all over the place with blade styles and brands from FD, Olsen, and Pegas... Don't use the Olsen much any more and almost exclusively use Pegas now... but do keep a gross of FD around..

There are many variables when talking blades.. not only variables with blades but the saws set up too.. But generally speaking.. I use them on most everything i cut anymore.. I still use a lot of other styles of blades and saw set ups.. which is one reason I have several saws.. I mostly use the #3 and 5 for the things I make.. but on occasion I wish I had a few #1 and 7.. That said though... I have plenty of other style blades for those needs.. but when they run out I'll probably order some of the Pegas MG.. My next Pegas order is going to have some samples of their spirals.. Which reminds me.. I need to place an order soon..

Well last week I started putting a few puzzles on my web site.. Just sold this Moose one.. Think I've got a ways to go to catch up with Iggy but the first one is a start.. watch out Iggy.. I'm on a roll now

I have a favorite blade from every manufacture that I've tried ( FD, Olsen, Pegas ).. I think each manufacture has great blades.. I mostly cut 1/2" plus hardwoods ( mostly cherry, but also Oak, walnut, ash, poplar, and Maple )... I also cut quite a lot of stack cutting of 1/2" + or - stacks of BB plywood.. If I couldn't get blades any longer from any one of the manufactures I mentioned above... It wouldn't kill my business / hobby.. I try many manufactures for the simple reason to find what I like / dislike about each manufacture.. I guess I learned this from my father.. Years ago he had a favorite go to blade and all of a sudden he couldn't get them any longer.. He complained about all the other blades.. He finally settled on some type of Olsen blade.. Guess my point is.. I like to keep well rounded in all aspects of scroll sawing ( fretwork style ).. I can use spirals.. or most any other blade configuration.. and I swap blades out all the time just to stay use to that type of blade..

On a plus side.. all but one saw is right next to each other.. I think what I need is some wheels on the one I have.. and a small motor Maybe just make one like this one.. then I just start it up and drive around to each shop tool.. wouldn't need to get up at all

Yeah, my shop doesn't have heat... other than a small propane "buddy heater" radiant heater.. and I work out there pretty much year round.. Not too bad in the shop until mid January once the concrete floor cools off to those cold winter temps.. On a plus side.. if I keep it shut up that cold floor acts as a air conditioner though about mid late summer.... seriously feels like an air-conditioned shop in the summer. and that floor somewhat heats the shop through my busy season... All that said.. I hope to ad heat to at least a portion of the shop in the next year or so.. Maybe this year.. but as usual.. Murphy has been tampering with my cars ( head gaskets ) and it's a big labor intensive job... common problem with this car.. but checking around the cost was $1800 ish to have that done.. I can get a new motor with 100,000 mile warranty for around $2000 LOL.. I'm going to do the job myself and have around $500 in parts.. been there done it a couple times so I know how.. just didn't want to... as making sawdust is much more fun, LOL

I think I could have gotten the vibration to a manageable point with the set-up I had with a lot of tweaking.. But the small stand I had even adjusted out as large as it would go still had quite a small footprint compared to the larger footprint of the saw.. Some of this was where I mounted the saw to the plywood I had.. It ended up being a little too far to the front and to one side of the stand .. which made it not put the weight down onto the 4 legs evenly.. I just did a real quick mounting up to that stand as I was excited to try the saw out.. and it was like 15F out in the shop at that time.. and I wanted to just set it up hassle free.. I think one could get good results off one of those cheaper light weight stands.. I just wasn't in any mood to fuss with it.. and I really wanted the matching stand for the saw... The cheap stand also didn't set up to a comfortable height for my stool I use.. I only have one stool for 5 saws, LOL ..

Just to add, If it has a stand or not would make a difference in the price tag too.. Even if you're not interested in the stand.. Last Nov. I bought a EX-21 still sealed in the box for $350.. came with the foot switch but no stand.. so by the time I got a stand for it I had $450 ish into it.. I had a stand to mount it on ( cheap Harbor Freight ) and the stand was too small.. so I mounted a 3/4" plywood to the stand and then the saw to that.. but it made the saw vibrate quite a lot.. The purchase of the actual EX stand made a night and day difference for me..The stands run $120 ish for a new one.. I was able to find one that someone else had and didn't use.. so I got the stand a little cheaper.. but still around $100 with shipping etc.

Duh, I guess I missed that, LOL

What size you talking about? For me.. I wouldn't go that high on a 16" as in my opinion.. it's worth the extra $100 for the brand new King ( same saw ) with warranty etc.. .. Highly doubt being an Anniversary one really adds any kind of value.. same as any other of the saws other than the paint scheme.. and badges.. Though some may like the cool gold lettering and the scheme and maybe that is worth more to them.. A 21" saw or the 30" yes.. I'd pay that for a nice lightly used one... Anyway.. that's just me.. Some would be happy to get a $500 Ex-16 and save a hundred.. If it was REAL SLIGHTLY used.. Personally I wouldn't buy a brand new boxed EX-16 for any more than $400 unless if was from a store that would back the warranty.. or accept returns for up to 90 days etc.. I might have a different opinion on that is the King saws hadn't came out at a reasonable price..