kmmcrafts

Yeah, they are making them again.. been in Home Depot for a month or more now.. didn't know about Rockler though..

Jt in all fairness.. He used the Pegas blade because it's a more aggressive faster cutting blade.. I also use Pegas in my Hawk and use FD-UR blades in my DeWalt.. If I use the same FD blade in my Hawk that I use in my deWlat.. I feel as though it's the different between a snail and a Turtle.. LOL.. so in reality he was 2 minutes slower with the Hawk using a faster cutting blade.. I realize this seems like comparing apples to oranges.. but if he was to do the same test with the same blade.. the Hawk is hands down a much slower cutting saw.. Speaking of slower cutting.. you mentioned in the other reply that you didn't see how one saw could be faster than another.. same motion up and down.. But in fact it's not the same motion on every saw.. and even you mentioned that in the same reply a few sentences below.. talking about the old Delta Q3 type saws with the C arm.. Now.. to be fair I too have been saying the Hawk is too slow for my type of cutting.. Not saying the Hawk is a poor choice of a saw at all by saying that.. just stating that it's too slow for my taste.. Awesome saw to do delicate fretwork etc with thin wood.. I too have been using my DeWalt for 10 years.. I also used my Hawk most of last year until the Holiday rush orders came... and I can say.. the Hawk is slower ( even with the more aggressive blades ) than the DeWalt.. Not in a production minded set here... but it goes along with what I've been saying for a long time.. Get off the expressway at 70mph for a days drive and go 30mph for a while.. you feel like you're barely moving.. I'm not worried about production.. I bored cutting sooo slow.. .. I think this is what Iggy means when he says he's not sure if he can live with the saw.. the production numbers are going to get done on either saw in a days work.. but is it more enjoyable to cut them at a faster rate that you are used to or.. slooooow it down and get bored with cutting like this.. 10 minuted longer at the end of every day isn't a huge deal IF you can stand cutting at the slower rate...

You bring up a very good point about the speed of these saws.. 20% doesn't seem like much.. and at the end of the day it's not very much.. but... going from cutting on an aggressive saw for several years.. then going to the Hawk.. I was rather bored with cutting on the Hawk.. Similar to driving on the expressway for 6-8 hours and then go into a town.. going 25-35 mph after driving all day at 70 mph you feel like you're barely moving.. which.. for me..It makes me want to push too much to feed the wood into the blade faster.. Hawk does an awesome job.. love the ease of doing sharp turns with it.. love cutting thin wood with it.. but can hardly stand using it for anything more that 1/2" thick wood.. which... I stack cut most anything thin.. and the rest is over half inch.. so I just don't use it a lot.. I have two positions in the lower blade holder for blade forward / back motion for a more aggressive cut.. I find with mine is that the more aggressive position is a little too aggressive for much of any detail work.. great for cutting the outlined project out or cutting bases for the clocks etc.. I don't cut very many bases with the scroll saw in general.. Usually use the table saw or band saw and rip down 2" wide strips then cut to length on my miter saw.. then sand them on a belt sander.. much faster than scrolling them out. Using different blades can and will help tremendously.. finding the right combo for a different saw.. can and will make the experience better.... I imagine for puzzles though you have to be careful on your blade selection so the puzzle isn't too sloppy.. so that limits you on speed to a very few select blades..

Thanks, I had planned to look at that to see.. as the DeWalt doesn't really have an adjuster but the one screw that is at that pivot point can be loosened or tightened to your liking as well.. so I was going to look into doing that with my EX.. like I've said it's new and I've just set it up.. so I'll be fine tuning it to how I need it set up.. I think I'll love the saw once I get things dialed in..

Glad you're liking the lift arm on the DeWalt.. I'd be lost without it on mine.. On the Hawk... Have you messed with the blade forward / back movement to try to help speed up cutting? They push this feature on quite a lot of saws now days.. and I kind of always thought by making it more aggressive that it'd cut a little faster? Speaking of the "easy lift" for the DeWalt.. This will be something to get used to on my Excalibur.. While the arm goes up and stays there.. It's quite stiff moving compared to the Dewalt and Hawk.. actually the Hawk just goes up on it's own once the blade is un-clamped.. I think the Dewalt with the easy lift used to but the spring has weakend some I imagine.. I've had that on the saw for several years now.. A tip on the easy lift.. Whenever I wax my saw table.. I also wax the slotted hole area where the arm and those washers slide.. help keep it lifting and lowering nice and smooth.. probably helps with wear too..

I'll probably just keep on using the FD and Pegas blades that I've been using for years now.. I had never heard of the " on-line " brand and was just wondering about others experience with them.. Thank you all for the feedback..

I see Seyco sells a "On-Line" brand scroll saw blade.. anyone use these or have any info on them?

Yeah I know what you mean.. The smoothest running saw I have so far has been the DeWalt.. Both my Hawks run quite smooth.. except a couple speed spots where they have quite a bit of shaking... I have grown used to running them at the " sweet spot " but.. it's not at a ideal speed I would really like to run it at.. I'll have to do some test cuts on this new excalibur to see for sure but I don't think its as smooth as my 788 is either.. but very close.. might just be some fine tuning needed yet.. Kind of surprised at how the "rave" is on these other saws.. and so far.. I always go back to the 788 to cut.. some of it could be just my comfort zone.. I remember not really liking the 788 at first.. but that has been the main used saw type now for 10 years..

I bought an actual Excalibur stand back in Dec. and now with being sort of caught up.. I went out today and swapped stands from the Harbor Freight stand I had that was too small and actually light weight compared to the actual EX stand.. I haven't cut anything on it yet as I had to come in and warm up.. but anyway I did plug it in and run it through the speed ranges.. very smooth running now.. I have a couple orders to cut so maybe I'll try it out.. Might have to play around with the adjustable legs.. I put them all at the highest level as my stool is a tall one.. I like a tilted saw too.. so I'm sure I'll be changing this up some before I get it all dialed in.. Now that there isn't much vibration.. I'm kinda excited to give it another try

Yes, my first post said it couldn't be done and to try again in 15 seconds.. so i hit it again.. apparently they both went through..

My Oldest brother had one of these when I was about 5 years old.. he was around 20 at the time.. yeah big family I have 6 older brothers ( I'm the youngest and the perfect one.. that's why my parents stopped after me Hahhaha)... anyway I used to play on that thing all day long.. pretending to drive all over the place, LOL.. He still has the same old tractor.. and he bought it from my grandfather.. memories LOL

Another custom request finally done.. With all the car clocks I have.. someone always wanting the car that I don't yet have on the web site.. Made this one from Poplar

Another custom request finally done.. With all the car clocks I have.. someone always wanting the car that I don't yet have on the web site.. Made from Poplar

Made this for a customer in the UK.. Used spalted maple for this and tried to use the wood grain at the bottom to look like dirt / mud....

That's awesome.. Glad you was able to make a purchase on a quality saw.. Hope you will enjoy making lots of sawdust with it

This happen not very far from where I live. I remember this on our local news. can't remember how long ago this was now.. within the last 3-5 years.. not recent for this one.. but happens every year I think.. not usually this bad though.. this was a bad one.. Most times these happen on the highway rather than the side roads.. typically inexperienced drivers or those in a hurry and going too fast for the conditions at hand.. Many times we get what they call white out conditions.. which is either snowing really hard in select areas ( typically lake effect snow ) or from wind that blows the loose snow around.. In these cases.. once one stops / slows down they don't see the cars in front of them until it's too late to stop on the slick roads..

JT, I have one of the pattern books that tells the story of how he got the idea and how everything took place.. I'd copy and post it but I'm sure the story is part of the copyright in the book.. Story is about a page and a half from the book.. good read.. on the history of them.. I'm pretty sure he was the original designer for these style puzzles..

Yes, I knew there was a site years ago that had these.. and Dales Puzzles is it.. I couldn't remember the name.. I bought several of his patterns several years ago.. but lost them in a hard dive crash.. I had most of the collection...and only got to make the Boxer and Great Dane ones before my drive crashed..

If you google woodimals there is a domain name woodimals.com.. but by clicking the web site actually takes you to Fox chapel web site.. That is because Jim sold out several years ago.. Not sure Jim is even around anymore.. this venture of his started after he retired.. and this was back in 1989.. There were actually many more patterns.. apparently he didn't sell the copyrights too "All" of his patterns to Fox Chapel.. https://foxchapelpublishing.com/scroll-saw/woodimals.html

There was also someone doing them called " Puzzimals" I don't have any info on who this was / is..

Jim Sweet started making them in 1989.. Not sure that he was the first.. seems to be several designers doing the same thing.. Edit to add.. He made the ones called Woodimals.. Those are the ones that Fox Chapel now sells.. They have disc with many particular categories (ie Dogs, Cats, Wildlife etc.. ) or a large disc with all those on one disc ( 445 ish patterns ).. I used a holiday coupon back in Dec.. and ordered the full disc for $80 shipped.. Think regular price was $145 Pretty impressive collection for not a lot of money..

Of all the places I've been.. which isn't too many places.. Tennessee has always been my wife and mines favorite... We aways said if we was to move south.. we like Tennessee.. Spent spring break in Gatlinburg about 7-8 years ago.. and two years ago we stayed in a cabin in Dale Hollow.. Cummins State park and hiked to the water fall was an awesome time that the whole family really enjoyed..

I live out in the boonies.. anyone that comes to my house says it's so peaceful and quiet out here... can hear the birds chirping.. hear old dead trees fall every now and then out in the woods.. which is all that is around me.. the beauty of the fresh fallen snow in the trees is breathtaking along with the cold air .. I grew up in this very house.. have only not lived here for 3 months of my life.. and that was right after I was married we had a small house we rented while looking for a place.. then my parents decided to sell.. probably because I wasn't here mowing the lawn every week.. I have a very large yard.. 4 hours of mowing on a commercial Z mower.. each time.. dad was 70 at that time and it was a bit much for him to keep up with.. No young boys around here with the pants hanging off their rear.. no loud thumpin stereos vibrating my house in the middle of the night.. If a car goes by.. it's either someone lost.. or a neighbor that lives a half mile down the road.. when a car does go by we always stand up to look who it is and wave.. usually the neighbor. Only down side is.. if I need a loaf of bread or a gallon of milk a car part or something.. the nearest store is 10 -12 mile away..

Thank you for those pictures, Gives me an idea of what I need to do to repair this.. I have replaced my lower blade holder plastic piece as shown in the one photo.. I also did that upgrade to the adjustable hose.. Just need to repair that tension mechanism I guess.. These Hawks are hard to beat.. very simple and reliable.. I'll give Bushton a call and get the parts ordered in the next few days..

I messed around with it this afternoon.. and what is happening is.. I'm hitting the set screw thinking I have the blade all the way back but it's not.. Figured it was user error.. Like I said.. I've only cut the couple ornaments out and that was it.. I need to get this thing set up and use it..