kmmcrafts

I've done the arleens tacky glue for puzzles and then used the triple thick glaze as Dan mentioned with good results.. But the trick with that glue is getting it on thick and smooth enough.. my first puzzle I got it on too thick and it ended up with some lumps or dips in it where I picked it up before the glue had dried.. so next time I made a fairly thin smooth gluing.. but in sawing it it lifted off the board.. Next puzzle came out better.. but I think a spray glue like for patterns might be a easier better option.. haven't tried that one yet though..

I always put my name in my signature... Helps me remember what my name is, LOL.. That said..many people have called me Kev over the years.. before I made the business name of KevsKrafts..

Only pricey if bought in small quantity's..... But most casual cutters probably would be never use a few thousand sheets a year either.. LOL.. I buy 1000 sheets at a time for around $50..I figure buy the time I pay for regular paper and many cans of the 3M-77 and the mess it makes with the over spray.. yes.. makes a big mess with the over spray getting on all sorts of other things surrounding where it's sprayed at.. and using it at my scale creates a gooey sticky floor and most everything around the area that it's spayed in, LOL So.. I use them always.. unless it's a large pattern that takes more than a 8.5 x 11

I buy the 3M 77 because it is used for so many other things in “my” shop. Awesome for gluing sandpaper to a disc sander. Also works in the Autobody repair sector of my life as it works well for gluing molding and emblems back on that are the super thin ones. The thicker moldings I use 3M double sided molding tape. Anyway, I use it more for that stuff that the patterns. Most my patterns are printed on self adhesive full sheet shipping labels. I only glue patterns that are larger than the standard 8.5 x 11 papers as I haven’t found any self adhesive papers any larger than that.

You know, while this type of customer is annoying.. I've found that in working with them... many times gets a great repeat customer.. About 5 years ago I had a customer like this.. but with a larger scale order.. she knew she was a pain in the you know what.. while she didn't say it right away.. she waited until she received her order and messaged me that she was a pain to work with... but a nice thank you note for being patient with her and making the exact piece she wanted etc... This customer orders $500 worth of products every holiday season from me now.. I grew to know what she expected and we grew a online friendship.. I have a few other customers the exact same way.. and are now repeat customers that are actually a pleasure to do business with from then on out... Besides.. we scroll saw for fun right? why not take advantage of getting to saw three or more items to make that "Perfect" gift they envision.. after all.. it is an excuse to make something new right? LOL When you bend over backwards to make a memorable experience for the customer.. They remember that.. and will talk to friends about the experience they got... if it's a bad experience.. then they also run there mouth about that as well.. In selling my work.. while many think it's all about profit.. in the end.. for me.. it's more about making a "perfect" gift for that special customer..When you start making the money the priority is when you loose business.. Yeah I make money.. but in some orders.. I loose money for now.. but many times make it up from that customer or from a friend of that customer later down the road.. Thank you all for the nice comments

I bought a can of the elmers once.. actually not long ago.. because it was half the cost of the 3M77... I had issues with it lifting as well.. then read something along the lines of what Jay said on the can.. While I still only sprayed the pattern.. I learned that you need to really wet it pretty good.. and stick it while it's still wet.. don't wait for it to get tacky.. I used it until the can was gone.... I did learn though.. even at half the cost of the 3M77.. In the end it was more money.. because you use twice as much spray to get it to stick..

The whole tube broke? or just a few of the sections? I took mine apart when I got my DeWalt as the hose was too long for my liking and kept getting in my way.. I took a few of the links out to shorten it up some.. Those come apart ( hard but they do ) and when trying to reconnect.. then it's easier to have them heated up so they have a little more flexibility.. Just run them under hot water for a few minutes and sometimes helps if the water is a little soapy so they slip together easier... though it does also make it harder to hold onto Enjoy making some sawdust

Thanks everyone for the comments.. I just got a email from her... just as I expected.. It's not exactly what she wants and she wants two slight changes but wants me to call her to hear what they are... this lady can email and normally gets back to me real quick.. yet she's always wanting me to call her.. I'd have to tell her that I'm booked for the year because she doesn't need these until Oct.. LOL.. funny thing is.. showed her the pattern I made.. she okay-ed it.. now that I made it.. she wants changes.. I typically get 1-2 customers that are like this every year.. at least this one has given me until Oct..LOL Typically they want it next day or the day before they contacted me.. LOL I'll probably call her Monday and depending on what those changes are whether I'll either talk her out of it explaining that I have to make a whole new clock since the clock is already glued to the base and a oil finish has been applied.. or I'll mark up my price to a point she won't want it.. On a side note: I don't typically cut a custom made item out until it has been paid for in full with no refunds.. That is stated on my site.. But then.. I always do my best to make the customer satisfied too so we'll see..

That's one of those 220's that has no tension release lever at the front of the saw.... Not sure but I'm thinking it's a belt drive and may or may not be a single or maybe 3 speed model..

Someone from a dog show / club contacted me about making a Brittany clock.. She referenced the clock to my pheasant hunting clock.. so I asked about if she wanted the hunting clock with a Brittany in place of the pointer dog.. she said no just a Brittany.. So I made the clock from Harvey's / Iggy's puzzle pattern ( posted on here a couple weeks ago.. I sent her photos and she said that's not what she wanted.. she wanted the hunting clock with a Brittany, LOL.. Lady make up your mind, LOL.. she wanted me to call her to talk about the clock.. so I call and she didn't have anything to say that she hadn't already said..other than she is in charge of the prizes for this organization and has a healthy budget to get Brittany items for the prizes and a raffle.. asked if I had any other ideas for items... Dang.. I tried my hardest to send her to Iggy's web site... as I could tell already she is going to be one of those dreaded customers that has you make all sorts of things then doesn't want anything in the end, LOL Anyway here is another Brittany themed clock for her... if she frowns on this one I'll send her to anyone here that might like to deal with her because I'm done after this one.. BTW I cut this on my old Hawk 220VS and used several different blades to experiment with some different blades.. and I did get some slight burnt ends on some of the pointed spots.. won't use the Olsen Mach Speed for cutting Cherry.. they was cutting good.. and didn't have the saw speed up much.. even turned it down to around less than half speed.. FD-UR did the same for me too.. but the Pegas.. no burnt edges even on high speed.. Gotta love those pegas MG series blades..

I'm always torn on the search function of a web site.. because on one hand.. most questions have already been asked.. so I feel the forum would be one of those other boring lame forums that seem as though they are basically dead.. If one gets tired of reading and answering the same old question.. sometimes it's time to take a step back and find another forum or hobby to do or forum to read.. I'm not trying to offend one in saying that.. but it is true that the forum is dead if not many people are posting things and asking questions.. Plus.. many times topics go off into some interesting discussions.. Sometimes it's a pain in the behind to search and sift through the thousand search results to find a simple answer that someone could just answer for you in a few minutes.. Plus.. sometimes.. a new question will get a different perspective and possibly a different out come on the answer.. Like I said in my last reply.. many times a newbie can teach a old dog new tricks.. many old timers get stuck in their same old ways of doing things..

I may offend someone here in saying this but.. it's how I feel.. First off.. I don't feel there are "ANY" pro's here on this forum... We are all here to learn from and give advice to one another.. I don't consider anyone above or below another.. I've been sawing for 12 years.. about 6 years production cutting.. so what!!.. I don't want to cookie for that statement LOL I learn new things here almost on a daily basis.... and those years don't compare to one that production cuts.. a production cutting may have more experience in 1-2 years over someone cutting for 50 years as a hobbyist.. My point is.. Everyone has room to improve. and sometimes that improvement is from a newbie.. that tip or trick for doing something different or out of the ordinary.. I have to be honest and say.. Many of the old timers have been doing things the same way for several years.. a newbie comes on board and shows a different method and bam.. the old timers say to themselves.. why didn't I think of that? Also there are many styles of scroll sawing.. Ie.. not everyone does fretwork.. not everyone cut's wood.. some cut plastic or metal etc etc.. a scroll saw is a very versatile tool and many many different types of projects and materials can be done on a scroll saw.. In my mind. a pro would be one that has done most all materials and all styles of cutting.. from fretwork to intarsia to inlay etc etc etc... I've pretty much done fretwork and lightly touched inlay work.. So, like I said in your post the other day... Have a question? ask it.. because there are many different ways of doing things.. even though I've been on this forum for years.. I learn something new almost on a daily basis.. even though I've been sawing hobbyist for 6 years and production cutting for another 6 years.. One thing I find with production cutters.. they are very routine in how they cut.. and what they make Ie.. I keep it as simple as possible.. very seldom do other styles of cutting... because one... I don't have time to do a lot of playing or experimenting with other styles of cutting.. for instance I don't think Iggy has ever cut anything other than puzzles.. I went a long time with only cutting ornaments and clocks.. I'd like t do more puzzles, and portraits... and try making bowls.. more bandsaw boxes.. but all the orders I get.. I get stuck making ornaments and clocks the most.. because that is what I started my business doing.. BTW.. not complaining about that.. I enjoy making whatever is ordered and making the customers happy.. but I miss out of other cutting styles and other things to make..

There are several topics here in the forum with links to the videos.. Might find it by searching this forum for Dewalt bearings.. To watch all 3-4 parts of videos is about an hour+ of time so have coffee and snacks LOL Edit to add link: Here I'll make it easy for you... videos are in this topic.. Not sure why it put two links in here.. but click on the JoeM part on the top.. that should take you to the post where the vids are

Taking it apart to add grease is easy to do... however I wouldn't personally do that for a couple of reasons.. First being.. you void any kind of warranty that it might come with.. second is.. in order to grease it the " right " way you need to take it farther apart than just exposing it enough to "add" grease.. Reason I wouldn't "add" grease is because there are many grease's that are "not compatible" with one another and could actually do more harm than good.. To properly do a good grease job on it.. you'd need to clean out all of the old grease.. then re-grease the bearings with a high quality grease.. I'd run the saw for a year or so.. then do the maintenance.. or wait until it starts making noises and buy a better quality bearing to put in it.. The bearing quality in these saws isn't that great.. then top it off with not much grease.. and it leaves for a failing saw in a short amount of time.. quality bearings added with quality grease will actually make these saws run a long time and run much better.. My Dewalt needed a rebuild after just a couple of years for me.. I bought the best bearings I could and high end synthetic grease.. that was 6 years ago.. and the one that is making noise now if the one that I didn't do because I needed to put the saw back together for a order..

Very nice!! That saw should serve you very well for quite a long time.. I remember the amazing difference when I went from my old Dremmel to the Dewalt.. what a smooth quiet saw.. Then going from the DeWalt to the Hawks and Excaliburs.. Like your light and light mount, LOL.. cool idea.. I'd have never thought of that one.. If you don't have a foot switch... that would be my next investment.. was amazed at how much easier to control the saw with the simple foot switch.. Have fun making sawdust.. and post pictures either of the projects or the pile of sawdust

Thank you

Thank you, If I do this again I might try a bigger insert.. I thought the insert was small for as big as the piece was.. however the clock is also about the size of one of the balls.. so I had mixed feelings with it.. I'd like to see what you make out of that pattern.. Also we was at a restaurant and ordered sandwiches.. they put in a tooth pick to hold the sandwich together.. it was a odd one from the other picks I'd seen.. but I'd also thought the way they was shaped etc. they almost looked like they could be used as cue sticks.. which i contemplated adding to the next one.. Anyway, love to see what you come up with.

Thanks everyone for all the likes and comments.. Was a fun one to make.. thinking about doing it again

I'm also a bottom feeder.. and think I'm a good person / and hope others feel the same about me.. LOL Something else to consider on a saw.. is the fact that.. the top arm rises.. and something real nice is a saw where the top arm rises on it's own when the blade is un-clamped.. Might not be an issue for some.. but for me it is.. When I first got my DeWalt 11 years ago.. I hated trying to hold the arm up while trying to feed the blade.. ( many use a block of wood etc. ) at any rate.. I bought a "jim dandy easy lift" and haven't looked back since.. My Hawks both have the spring loaded upper arm.. break a blade.. the arm pops up and doesn't keep running trying to stab you hand until you get it shut down, LOL... My Excalibur you have to lift and lower the arm manually.. it does stay up on it's own.. but is annoying to me to have to manually do this with each cutout.... I love the Excalibur.. but also do have two complaint about it as well.. One being the manual arm movement. the other is the blade is out near the end ( front ) of the table way closer than my other saws.. doing larger work makes your work piece hang way out off the table.. Not a issue doing smaller items.. like most my clocks that are typically at most 10".. for me.. I'd never buy a large Excalibur due to price.. and I don't care for the blade being so close to the front.. so doing large work and having a large saw throat for me personally.. the EX wouldn't be my choice.. That's why I plan to hang onto my 26" Hawk.. But in doing your research. everyone has a different style of cutting.. and likes and dislikes about a saw.. I'd be nice to have a line up of all the brands at the stores that could be test run.. so keep that in mind when reading reviews.. I have had many entry level saws that while worked good.. but they lacked features and production cutting qualities.. I try not to knock down any brand of saw.. I have 2 Hawks, a DeWalt and a EX-21.. I think if I had to choose one saw.. It'd be a tough call between the Ex and the Hawk.. If the EX had the blade set back a little farther.. it'd probably be my choice.. I can live with the manual lifting arm.. since it stays up on it's own.. unlike the DeWalt (without the easy lift attachment ) .. I suppose my Hawk would be my choice.. for just one saw.. I find myself starting out in the shop on one of the other saws.. but I end up on the Hawk before the end of the day..

My wife purchased a lightbox from Amazon for my birthday several years ago.. While it was a great start.. the thing was made of cloth material.. and i had a hard time keeping the wrinkles from creating shadows and other distracting elements in the photos.. So.. I made just a cardboard box.. cut a large window in the sides..and taped white tissue paper over the windows.. I use the tripod lights that my Amazon lightbox came with to shine light through the windows.. I then bought a plastic poster board to tape to the top in the back and let it drape down with a natural curve at the back.. This has been by far the best box I've used so far.. Short of it being a little on the small side for photos of my "large" portrait cuttings ( 11 x 14 inch) .. I plan to get a larger box this year for the larger projects.. I do use the fotofuse web site.. and I have the pro version because I have over 2000 photos.. It is linked directly to my Etsy shop so once I edit the photos it will edit them for my automatically to my etsy shop.. That said.. I only recently went with the pro version because of my Handmade@Amazon site requires a certain size photo.. and fotofuze did that automatically for me.. with the upgrade.. it also resized the etsy photos for a nice large image when one hits the zoom button.. I think it's well worth the $5 for the larger photos. Once the photos are uploaded to the sites.. I can drop back to the free version..

Just curious.. what saw do you use.. I ask because Pegas in my DeWalt almost always leaves me with a slightly rougher edges.. but not in any of my other saws.. My DeWalt is getting noisy and has a little slop and I believe this is the cause of the rougher edges.. I've never used a blade that gave rough edges other than a old Delta saw that had quite a lot of side to side play in the bushings.. That saw would leave a rough edge.. and never could use a spiral blade in that one ..

Good friend of mine did that on a mini hay wagon for to pull kids around at the lawn / garden tractor shows and parades.. made from walnut and wow! sure is a sharp looking rig.. But it doesn't see much outside weather so durability is a ? I would think it would be one of the best options.. coming from a ex auto collision worker.. But who knows how it holds up on wood..

I've done the base paint on a sign I did a few years ago.. The odd part of my story is.. the counter people at the mixing station thought I was nuts that I wanted paint that had no pigment in it.. And they didn't belive me that it would dry clear.. as the can of paint without the pigment looks like milky white.. He took a sample and let it dry.. sure enough it dried clear.. Funny thing was is he argued with me that it wasn't going to be clear.. Should have wagered some money on that. like if it dries clear I get the can free, LOL... You have to do real light coats or else it will dry kind of hazy and not look real great.. The signs I did was about 4-5 years ago.. still looking pretty good.. haven't been recoated or anything yet..

I also use pegas #3 MG blade for the puzzles I have made ( not many yet ).. I've made mine from hardwood such as oak.. and today what little time I've had at the saw I started cutting a VW Beetle puzzle out of Hard Maple.. Yeah I know what you're thinking.. that it's insane to cut a 3/4" hard maple puzzle.. my answer to that is. it's not 3/4".. that would be too easy.. I like a challenge when things are slower on the orders and I have a little play time.. So I decided to cut this at 7/8".. Now for the truth.. it's an experiment.. so i am not some sort of crazy mad scroll sawing man, Hahaha Never know I may not even cut the est of it.. that said it's cutting amazingly easy with that #3 pegas.. I'm always amazed every time I cut with them blades.. Might be a while before I get this done now though.. I have a custom order today so now the Beetle is on the back burner Iggy, I find that a lot of times.. that #3 actually cuts better then the #5.. in some cases.. it's actually cutting better than the #5 did in cutting the outline of the Beetle in this Hard Maple.. Bigger isn't always better with these blades..

Just a couple of pictures of a pool table type clock I made about 10 years ago.. just ran across some old pictures and thought I'd share this one..