kmmcrafts

While I somewhat agree.. My worst thing ever in my process is actually putting the items on my web site.. While cutting is my favorite..I also do like to prep.. mainly because I like to check out the wood grain and colors and matching them to the project at hand.. so most any of the woodwork portion I like doing.. but coming into the office to work on the web site or any of the computer portion of running my business I put off as long as I can.. So much so that I have approximately 200 new styles of Christmas ornaments that need to get put on the site.. not to mention many portraits and keychains.. I made a lot of keychains about 5 years ago.. had a few of them on my original site and sold quite a few.. just can't get motivated to do the computer part.. Funny though.. If I make a clock.. I'll be excited to get it listed.. so apparently clocks are my favorite thing to make.. and list.. love making ornaments.. but not so much for listing them.. I think the big reason is.. while ornaments sell year round.. I tend to make them in the summer and then get so many new ones to get listed that I just put it off as I get overwhelmed with it..

I mostly use a #3 or #5 Flying Dutchman Ultra Reverse or same numbers in the Pegas brand.. But.. I typically cut 1/2 - 3/4 inch thick material.. either by stack cutting 3-6 pieces at a time or just cutting solid wood at that thickness.. If only cutting one 1/4" board at a time you probably going to want a #1 or #3.. some people might even say a 0/1 which might be best for that thin of material.. I just don't use much of smaller blades myself so I don't usually have them on hand so I always make due with a#1 or #3..

That stuff looks to me like it's a self adhesive shelf liner.. Many stores carry that stuff.. while I use it to stick the the board then stick my pattern to the shelf liner.. I typically buy clear for that.. but they do have colors and patterns etc too..

Guess I can't offer much help here since I do not use Olsen blades.. That said I'd do to things different than what Steve suggest as a wood thickness.. 3/4" for the backer is quite a hefty backer.. not trying to hang bricks on my wall... LOL I only looked at the first pattern.. since I am production cutting.. I'd be cutting the fret piece from 1/8 BB ply.. then I'd cut the backer out of 1/4 in Walnut or other contrasting ply or hardwood.. Since i ship out most my items I look for light weight for lower cost shipping etc.. I'd also cut out the fret pieces and then use a flat washer to draw out a slightly bigger piece for the backer Make it however suites your needs though.. I just rarely follow the rules / suggestions on patterns.. I make them suite my needs

Looks nice to me Though I do feel like it's a little extra work to do this compared to what I do.. I'll bet it isn't as expensive as my way either.. I typically cut all the inside cuts in my stack cut of portraits.. then I tape a walnut or other contrasting plywood to my stack and cut the backer and portrait out at one time to make them all exactly the same.... That said.. for my portraits like that I use colored foam sheets that I pick up at either Hobby Lobby or Micheal's.. can cut those to size with scissors.. Things that are not framed I typically cut my stack then set one of the pieces of the cuttings onto another contrasting plywood and take a small flat washer and use a pencil and stick the pencil inside of the hole of the washer.. I use the washer as a guide to draw a slightly larger pattern of my cutout onto the plywood to make it slightly larger to give it a boarder.. this way the cutting and the backer do not have to match up perfectly.. Nice work you do anyway.. just different methods than I use

Yeah, I decided on that location because I didn't want to disrupt those classic mustang body lines to put it in the door area as I usually do.. I will say the clock is a very tight fit in that front wheel.. only about a 3/16 - 1/8" around that area..

Cut from 5/8 cherry.. modified Steve Good pattern. Left out the text on this one.. If I cut it again I'll change the text to just say Mustang rather than how Steve had it as 1968 Mustang GT Fastback.. Not a big fan of putting the year on these because some cars I've done are the same body but customers want X year instead.. so from now on to keep things a little more simple.. I plan to leave the year off of them..

Just wanted to add a bit more.. I don't think it matters what saw you try.. ANY saw that is set up different than what you are currently used to using is going to be awkward to get used to.. I like to mess with different types of scroll saws.. I've owned many many different brands.. with different blade clamp styles etc.. each saw was a period of trial and error until I learned what worked for me.. Gotta tell you.. I started sawing with a old Delta 2 speed saw 40-560 type 2.. quickset II blade clamps.. Took a while to learn to operate those clamps.. but I'd never used another saw before.. then came a ryobi with special wrench to change blades.. I hated that thing but did get used to it after a short time.. Then came thumb screws on a Dremel I had.. Thought those was the dumbest things ever as I felt like no way can a guy get those stupid little screws tight enough to hold a blade.. learned to love them and that I don't need to use pliers to tighten them down more Again... when i bought my first Hawk last year.. after a week or so I was about ready to give that thing away or put it in the trash can, LOL made up a lot of new cuss words too .. most of the first 3-4 months I had that saw.. I only used it a handful of times.. mainly because the time of year I bought it was my busy time of year.. I needed to production cut and cut fast as possible.. just wasn't efficient enough on the Hawk for that type of cutting.. but anytime I had a chance I was playing on the Hawk.. slowly got used to the blade changes etc.. Now I can pretty much cut almost as fast on either saw.. Hawk is a little slower cutting than the DeWalt due to the aggressive nature of the DeWalts.. Would love to have a new BM series saw to work on since I can dial in the blade to where I feel like I can cut at a more comfy speed.. Mine has two setting for blade adjustment.. the one is slow going but wow is it great for fine detail work.. the other setting seems to be slightly too aggressive for my type of work.. other than I can stop and change it when doing long outside cuts such as cutting a base for a clock etc.. Anyway I guess my point is.. probably any saw you decide to go with outside of what you use now.. it's going to be awkward to use at first.. I will say though.. I do think my Hawk was the hardest one to get the hang of using.. as a hobbyist I wouldn't worry about it because I'd have all the time in the world to play around with a saw.. but as a business that relies on a comfy fast reliable saw.. well.. lets just say the saw sat for a few months until I was at a point to take my time to learn the saw.. And for the record.. I think every saw should come with the old Delta style quickset II blade clamp.. no thumb screws.. no nothing.. just a cam lever much like the tension lever on the Hawk.. BTW.. that old delta had a tension lever like that too.. only downfall was the lower clamp had a special tool to use.. Also for my type of work.. I think that new Jet saw with the single action clamping / tension in one lever is quite nice looking.. often think I'd like that feature..

Thanks Rolf.. but mine is bigger than a 7/8" while I haven't measured it yet.. I did write down the numbers (1616-2rs) from the seal when I had the seals off.. just did a quick search..that shows mine as 1/2 x 1-1/8 x 3/8.. Not sure if the one in the other end is the same... I plan to take the whole saw apart and just do a once over on all the bearings etc.. think I'll do the same with my old 220VS too.. but one at a time.. I have a local bearing supply that I'll most likely get my bearing from.. The vibration has almost disappeared since just cleaning up the bearing and adding grease.. but I never could get the bearing to work completely smooth so it definitely needs replaced..

I've had my DeWalt apart a few times too.. while never had any electronic issues other than dust in the switch which I blew out and then sealed it with a cut up latex glove and tape.. then bought a foot switch.. I half wonder though.. did you by chance check the motor brushes.. probably good motor still and just the brushes? could have maybe saved you the lap dance.. LOL My DeWalt doesn't like to run when it's cold out.. yeah I'm in the north and have yet put heat in my shop.. anything below 30-35 out there and she spits and sputters until the motor warms up a little.. which is a big reason I bought a different brand (Hawk) saw for a back up as my busy time of the year is when it's cold out.. Saw out there a lot in 10 - 15 degree temps..

Both my Hawks are before the redesign in 2005 ish so mine are only bottom feeders.. that works out good for me as I grew up a bottom feeder, LOL That said.. I could see one having issues with these style blade clamps.. even as a bottom feeder.. they was a little tricky to get used to..

He said it was magnetic.. so it's easily moved....

Nice work!! Cut on the Hawk? or you back at it on the DeWalt? I swap back and forth between the two ( actually three ) saws.. Today was ornament cutting day for me.. cut several stacks of them on my Hawk now that I replaced the VS switch.. one day very soon will be finishing day.. I have about 400 ornaments to put a finish on and ribbons

Forgot to post this the other day... this was another custom order I did last week. Made the pattern from a picture the customer provided.. Not sure how well I really like it.. but the customer just loves it and has been showing everyone.. now i'm sure there will be more orders for car clocks coming.. as they are in some large car club..

These are the best clocks I've found.. USA Made Clock Movements As for larger inserts.. That same company will make custom order clocks.. but.. they have a minimum order amount.. and it might be pricey.. I haven't ordered anything yet.. still sorting through the ones I have.. I've been building my own USA made clock inserts buy using the insert I have stocked up on.. and swapping out the movement in the insert to the better USA made movement... As for the little 1-7/16 inserts.. I've honestly never had one come back.. and also.. I've bought these from many different suppliers.. and my findings are.. they are all the same clock.. just different pricing points from different suppliers.. There used to be what they called a premium and standard ones.. premium was a metal back cover and case with glass lens.. I don't find two different options anymore.. well re phase that.. some places might still offer it.. but I've purchased and it's the same clock.. pretty much all of them are plastic casings but I do think they are mineral glass lens and all now seem to have the stainless back cover.. so as far as I know.. all the little clocks are the same.. just choose the lowest priced place to order, LOL I don't have any experience with any other clocks other than the 1-7/16 and the 3" inserts.. so I don't know anything about other sized clocks.. those are the only two sizes I've used..

Nope, top clamp is different.. I doubt 1/16 would fit.. if it did it'd be a tight fit..

You may already know this but Hawk sells a drip system for their scroll saws.. not sure if one could be retrofitted to another machine or not.. while it looks simple enough to make one anyway..

Never heard of one of these before, I had to google what it was... now I want one.. just what I need.. another saw

Well, Guess I should have looked at the ad.. The 226 is a G4.. That 220 is a old one.. The newer 220's was machined out fora round insert in the lower arm at the back for the wedge.. I can't see it real good in the photo but I think it has no round insert just a machined arm..

Yeah but we all know they use whatever stickers they have on hand right If you look at it ( I haven't looked yet..) but the plain 226VS and 226 Ultras the lower arm was behind the angle adjustment mechanism.. The G4 and newer saws had that lower arm come out past the angle mechanism.. Just for another reference..

Yay.. The Hawk is back up and running again.. however somewhere I got mixed up on my testing and connections and wired it backwards so the slow speed was on high.. so.. I took it back apart and swapped the wires, LOL now it's correct.. Now.. to take it apart for the bearing swap.. but first.. I think I want to run it a little and see if it's better with just cleaning the bearing up and adding grease... Didn't run it tonight other than testing the switch.. Thank you all for the help,

For practice plywood is great..because it lets you get a feel for blade control.. I suggest practice with plywood rather than hardwood.. Why?... because BB plywood is pretty consistent.. cutting hardwoods has hard and soft spots in the wood grain.. that really complicate things for a new scroll sawyer.. I have a shop full of equipment as well.. and dimension most of my lumber to whatever my project needs are.. that said though.. for thin wood and making ornaments.. I typically make them from plywood... for a couple reasons.. first being.. plywood doesn't cup /warp like the thin wood will.. second is because of the strength of the plywood for small ornaments of thin wood ( especially red oak ) will break easily along the grain on very detailed pieces.. which is especially a bad idea for a new sawyer.. All of my ornaments used to be made of hardwoods.. but as I got busier selling them I found that I don't have all the time in the world to search out "GOOD" tight grained wood.. cutting my own hardwood got to time consuming to resaw and plane down enough wood to cut a few hundred ornaments a week.. purchasing the wood already cut to size proved to get me a lot of cupped / warped lumber by the time I got home with it.. I'd suggest the good Baltic Birch plywood.. not the stuff sold in the big box stores either.. Good luck with your practicing.. take your time learning..

While you've made more clocks and have sold more than I have over the years.. it sounds like to me you haven't had to purchase any of the "NEW" junk made in China clocks yet.. Allot has changed with these clock inserts in just the last 3-6 years.. ( I've been selling for about 5-6 years ).. I've actually been building my own clocks to replace the junk ones I've sold to customers that have complained.. Yeah, I replace them for free so I don't get a bad rap from the junk the suppliers are now offering.. I've done the whole thing about buying and pre running the clock for 3-4 weeks.. many of them come back to me anyway because they just stopped working.. while most complaints have been running either fast or slow many come back as completely stopped so whats the point.. they are simply junk.. About 40 -50% come back.. not very good odds.. They are warrantied by my supplier for only 3-6 months ( cant remember now but I have to have receipt ) and the manufacture has a 3 year on these.. but again proof of purchase and dealing with them is just as much hassle.. I still wonder if I didn't just get a bad batch.. but since I order a few hundred at a time.. I'll have a few around here for a little while The manufacture ( now that I know who that is ) will custom make clocks per your request.. my next order will be inserts made with the USA made motor.. I've already talked with them about this..

Sometimes it's harder to sell a low priced item than it is to sell a higher priced item.. I usually have a set bottom dollar amount that I will take for a piece.. Sometimes I play around with a piece.. for instance I had an item that was priced at $18 sat on it two years.. finally I raised the price to $28 but scratched it out and reduced to $22 sold it for 22 and actually got a couple orders for a few more, LOL sometimes it takes people thinking they are getting a bargain to make a purchase.. I have yet to not sell something for what I needed out of it.. always figured if I can't sell I'll donate it to salvation army or goodwill.. since all items have my web site on them.. I figured maybe some free advertising on items I cannot sell.. however I haven't ever had the chance to actually do that yet.. because I play with pricing on those items to mess with minds to think they got a deal.. Good luck with whatever you choose to do.. but by all means.. I wouldn't make firewood out of it when you have the opportunity to use it as advertising.. and advertising is tax deductible.. firewood? I doubt can be deducted, LOL

Yeah, not to sure about that one... many customers I have message me after getting their clock asking what size battery it takes.. I cannot imagine them trying to put the clock motor on or purchasing a motor for 1/4" wood when the product is 1/2" etc.. For what it's worth.. I do include a care sheet with battery size wood care etc in my boxes I ship out.. let alone.. it's also listed in my listings what battery it takes.. I've found that many people read about as far as the first couple sentences and that's it.. sometimes I don't think they read any of the description.. they just look at the picture.. I'd much rather just fork out the $$ to buy a quality clock motor.. those $$ are transferred to the cost of the clock anyway.. so it's not really my pocket it comes from..