kmmcrafts

Ray this is a newer version of what I have.. you could run it in the house so long as you're somewhat close to a window or even a dryer vent that you could plug the exhaust tube up to.. Many times this company will have these refurb models cheaper than this one is.. I got mine at the beginning of the trend of lasers and the popularity for these K-40's for the sweet price of about $300 that i gave for mine they are a very powerful and a decent starter machine especially for someone that like's to tinker.. and learn.. https://omtechlaser.com/collections/pre-owned-machines/products/40w-co2-laser-engraver-cutter-us5-032r-us Or like Larry said he's doing.. build an enclosure.

I used the Maple and Walnut 5/32 project panels by Columbia Forest products from Home Depot. The Basswood sheets is a good choice, never thought of that before.

You can just put painters tape on them and most of the stained area is eliminated.. other than the edges where the cuts are. For the most part I don't use tape and just use 400grit paper on my R/O sander and sand it off.. as it's a lot of work to pick that tape back off.. can't soak it with mineral spirits because that washes out the dark engrave part too.. so you're stuck picking it off. The box I never even sanded as it was my first time making something like that and like a dummy I put it together fresh off the laser.. it's such a tight fit I didn't think I could get it back apart without destroying it so I just left it as it was.. This set is going to be a gift to a family member since they spoke up saying they'd take it like it is with the bad burnt up lettering on some of the ornaments. Only time I do use that tape is if I'm working with white laminated MDF board from Lowes.. that stuff cuts very nicely on the laser.. and it's a lot cheaper too. Not sure if I'll put any up for sale, I mainly just planned to make as some gifts for family and a few friends.. If I get a couple extra sets maybe I'll put a couple on to see how they do. Thanks anyway though.

Yeah the plastic piece is sure a dumb idea on those older saws.. The new one has spring steel blade holder keeper things on it. At least they improved that part on these new saws.. and I've been reading a lot about how much better customer service has been so that's good too. My very first Hawk I bought needed the front tension cam and lever replacement.. on all three of my saws.. that is the only worn part that had to be replaced I've ever had so far.. They are very well built and made for production type work.. sure happy I made that move instead of replacing / rebuilding DeWalts every year..

I'm using K-40 Whisperer, but the files made from most of the design files on etsy are making them geared towards lightburn or whatever glowforge uses.. I have to edit every single design to work with my software.. real simple though as I only need to change the colors for cut or engrave lines.. I believe in lightburn you can select what colors you want to do what within the software.. K-40 Whisperer has specific colors for cutting or engraving and I cannot change it within the software thus making me change the colors of the drawing for my software.. hope that makes sense to you.. I really need to get a motherboard for my laser so it can run lightburn, that'd make things a lot less complicated. There is a lot more you can do within lightburn and is the better software out there for lasers so if you're using it or trying to learn to use it.. you're better off, I know there is a lot of learning with it but once you have it figured out it's much easier in the end.. K-40 Whisperer is a very basic real simple to use but in that it's also very limited.. that's why it's so simple to use, LOL.. I have two K-40 lasers now as I found a great buy on a back-up machine.. I'm thinking about getting the motherboard to be able to convert it to lightburn.. then get it all set up so I can then do the same on the laser I'm currently using. Ideally I want to go to a bigger platform.. the one I'm using now only has a workable area of about 8 - 12 inch so projects are limited to small items.. Ideally I'd like to get a 16 x 24 or so.. I'd like to be able to do photo engravings then cut into a jigsaw puzzle.. I think they would be a pretty big hit.. having a wood burned image jigsaw puzzle makes the puzzles that much harder to do.. I should also note since you just recently started playing around with lasers.. I posed in the "laser group section" here in the scrollsaw village site about my findings of different grades of plywood and how they affect the efficiency of the laser.. basically it's saying that the BBply that we use for scroll sawing takes a lot more laser power to engrave and cut than other types of plywood.. Just the same as scroll sawing it.. BBply is harder to cut than some of the MDF core plys.. IF you're engraving and cutting a lot of BBply it's wearing out your laser faster as the more power or more passes you have to make the more you running the machine..

Okay first off yes these was done on the laser. I posted here because aside from the text around the ornament being engraved these could easily be done with a scroll saw. The designer is on Etsy shop name “ Homestyle Customs “ and they have a lot of pattern files that easily could translate to scrolled work. When you download the designs they come in a few different formats one of which is PDF for easily made to print and cut on a scroll saw. With the laser the box joints are precise enough that the box needs no glue, just snaps together. I used a different than normal plywood so the fist few I made the laser was too much power and it cut through too deep on the engraved text and some of the top laminate came off on the a’s, b’s r’s etc so near the end of the batch I finally figured out the power level to work best. Lol I cut them from Maple and the backers from walnut. Oh I should mention that the patterns come with the ring of icons around the outer edge of the ornaments or without them. I have the icons shown here but without the icons the center portion is much larger and probably a much easier way to do on a scroll saw. I’m going to make the ones without next. Almost think without the icons might look better without all the small icons taking away from the center of the main image.

It's a possibility that oiling that wedge is making it wear more, as it could be attracting dust / grit... which is why I moved over to the dry lube also recommended by Bushton.. I was always just following the recommendations in the manual for maintenance.. I don't know. I will say that some saws that wedge is wider than what the arm is so just visually looking at it from the side it looks unworn and like new.. however if you actually remove the wedge and look at it straight on there is visible wear. It has never been very much wear but certainly very little wear.. Since it's off I just dress it and put it back together. I'm doubtful that it'd be worn to a point where it'd need replaced yet if I had never dressed it out.

Good stuff, I spray all the roller wheels etc.. and you can clearly hear the difference in the sound of the motor of the door opener. This sprays as a liquid and will drip until it dries.. usually dries pretty quick but just know it might drip while applying it so move the TVR out or cover with something first. It is mostly clear in color if it does get on something but it does have a slight translucent whitish film it'll leave behind.

Thanks, I’ll check this stuff out.

I've been torn on if I really even like using oil on that as it tends to get messy and attract dust and grit. I started using a dry lube on mine.. in fact I think if you ask Hawk or look in the manual for the new saws that is what it recommends if I remember correctly. I started using this product from P.B. Blaster. https://www.farmandfleet.com/products/369279-blaster-garage-door-lubricant.html?blaintm_source=google&blaintm_medium=lia&setstore=41&gclid=Cj0KCQjwsp6pBhCfARIsAD3GZuaXMxevy-147voUGmPw9cNDV0iUkbYhhlX6bROqBSTz_-PI2o-zMlAaAkO-EALw_wcB I ended up liking this stuff so much that I've been using it on almost everything from car door hinges to lawn mower cables and wheels.. sure makes a slick surface and seems to last quite some time.

That wedge is a wear point as it pivots slightly during the up / down stroke of the saw.. It's not about making adjustments with the tension.. I also do as you and never mess with it at all.. However it still wears over time just by running / using the saw. All three of my saws would wear the point on that wedge and I have the old round barrel clamp style, the ultra and the newest BM series saw and they all wear on that wedge. That said, I have no idea how long it takes for it to get worn to the point where you start having blade tension issues.. But it says right in one of the videos on their site that if you have problems with keeping the tension or blade breakage it could be that wedge is worn.. That wedge should be pointed to a pretty sharp edge on it almost to the point where it'd cut something.. I have seen then rounded over to the point that the edge was probably close to 1/16 thick on the edge instead of a nice pointed almost sharp edge. Never had blade issues with the 1/16" thick edge but that was the oldest saw when I first got it and I dressed it out just as I mentioned in my last reply.. there is no need to have to buy a new one unless you let it get worn down too far.. The more you dress that wedge the shorter it becomes and thus eventually you'll need to make some adjustments to the stop nut on the bottom of the tension rod.. You should be able to adjust that stop so the upper arm comes down and bottoms out at the correct height to insert the blade and thus being able to tension each new blade with the same tension every single time... unless you use Pegas blades because they cannot seem to make every blade the same length every time, LOL Or if you change blade sizes as smaller blades need less tension. I only change that if I'm using really small blades.. otherwise I tension all blades with the same setting until I get down into the 2/0 blades. Rarely use those small blades and most times instead of changing my saw settings I just move over to the Excalibur to do the cutting, so basically I never change the setup of my Hawks.

I've done that a few times with my saws.. Might take quite a lot of filing if it's really that rounded though.. I typically will take mine apart once a year or so and just dress it up on a flat surface with a piece of sandpaper and sharpen the point up. They can last a very long time provided they are oiled properly.. Getting them rounded out too badly can also wear the pointed surface on the actual arm and then you have a much bigger problem.. You have to send it off to Hawk and hopefully there is enough metal of the arm left so they can re-machine it.. They finally got smart and started making a "insert" on the arms so one can buy just the insert instead of having to machine the arm or replace it. For a small fee you can send in your arm and they'll machine the arm to accept those replacement inserts.. I might do this with my Ultra since I'll likely have that saw for a long time... The new BM26 came with the machined insert option..

Thanks for the update Frank, I think you'll be happy with the decision.. my experience with the WEN tools has been good so far.. However I have read some bad about their newest model scroll saw.. Many of their tools seem to be a knock-off of the higher end stuff and makes me wonder if it's actually the same tool.. I currently have a WEN belt sander that's been used a lot for over 10 years now, a WEN Dremel tool and now this Drill Press.. so far I've been happy with them.

I'll bet the round sign makers would love these. There are a lot of people that make these round signs and they scroll saw text and then cut shapes of themed things and glue them to the round part. Search Etsy for round sign and get you some ideas.. Here is something I just searched and thought was pretty cool. These used to sell really well.. not sure now how well they sell but 5-7 years ago these was a hot item. https://www.etsy.com/listing/1276706674/fall-door-hanger-svg-laser-cut-files?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=round+sign&ref=sr_gallery-1-27&bes=1&sts=1&dd=1&organic_search_click=1

The lever on the left is the variable speed adjuster.. I'm with you on the laser crosshairs light.. useless to me.. but some might find it handy. For the depth stop.. I never change that... I just raise / lower the table top while pulling the lever all the way down until I get it to stop at the depth I need it to. If drilling a hole for the clocks I place a 1/8" scrap on the table and lower the drill all the way down and then move table to just barely touch the 1/8" scrap.. That gives be the proper depth when I remove the 1/8" piece and then drill.. This was always difficult to do on my small drill press because the table had no gear / crank.. I can understand certain cases where you'd need to have precise hole depth and needing to use the stop.. but for the most part I just adjust the table height to meet the drill bit.

The 4214T is the same one I bought last fall, So far I love it. My old Delta 8" DP I have to change belt to various pulleys for speed changes.. and the table didn't have a crank on it.. However that all said it is my first DP so I never knew the luxuries I was missing until I bought the WEN. Also love the work light, I don't use the laser crosshairs thing though but could be handy in certain situations I suppose. One has to wonder what is different about the WEN 4214T and this Jet 716000 Looks like the same drill press for around $300 more for the white colored paint and a jet sticker..

Wow, those are cool! Yes that is her.. I think her name on the sites was Jr Ranger but in her signature she was The Saw Dust Mistress.. Then she signs patterns Sylvia.. or any of the other names above. I sure miss those days.. and many of the nice folks on those groups.. when MSN was doing away with the groups the members all kind of split up.. even though the magazine site was accepting all that wanted to join up.. During the MSN groups a person could ask for a pattern and an hour later there was be 4-5 made and ready to chose from. Unfortunately I think there were people taking advantage of the designers and many stopped helping out.. and now days it seems there is only a handful willing to help make patterns. Do you remember the wedding cross I was talking about. It was very similar to this drawing here but inside the rings was the names and at the top right side was the wedding date.

Wow! beautiful work there JT!! I can see why those were good sellers.. This is a tough question to answer for me.. I've had several real good sellers.. some of which I got tired of making and just stopped offering them, LOL That being said, I'm going to take us back to a time of before I was trying to sell things.. Unfortunately I do not have pictures because of a computer hard drive crashing but I know you'll know this item as it was very popular. Here we go back to memory lane to the day of the MSN Groups 2006 - 7 ish.. Do you remember Sylvia TheSawDustMistress ? She made patterns for a wedding theme.. it was a cross with wedding bands at the bottom of the cross and cut out of the inside portion of the wedding bands part was the names of the bride / groom and the wedding date was cut into the top of the band. I'll get a picture once I go to my inlaws as I made one that sits on their shelf. I'm sure you'll remember this one though. Sylvia's husband retired ( I believe he was a firefighter ) and they bought a RV so she stopped doing patterns and lived their lives on the road. She was a talented pattern maker and very nice person, never would take any money from someone and always offering up her patterns to many folks. Before she hit the road she gave me the template and font etc to make my own patterns from her template. Told me I could make them for whomever I wanted to but not for profit. Her one stipulation was I was to tell whomever was receiving the product that "may God bless their marriage" . I still have the pattern template etc.. Anyway, I bet I was asked to make around 50 of those before I ever started as a business. I have never offered these up for sale.. only as gifts..

I bought a WEN drill press last year but haven't really used it a lot since it's only been a year. It's not the small one though, I think it's a 12" with variable speed and had a LED worklight as well as a laser guide light.. So far it's been good.. for what I've needed it for. I still have and use my old 8" 5 speed Delta.. I just leave the Forestner bit in that one for drilling the holes for the clocks I make. Sure is nice not having to set up for the forstner bit all the time.. always had to change drill speed via changing belt to other pulleys and then change back for drilling small holes for scrolling..

I see some folks as extremist on both ends of the spectrum here.. some not worried about time the slightest and some obsessed with it either how slow or how fast.. I don't see anything wrong with keeping track of the time it takes on a project.. then you have some sort of reference or value in each project.. I get people saying all the time when showing some of my projects "wow how long did that take" or "wow I bet that took a long time" so in some respects having an idea of the time involved is important "in my opinion" because it gives people perspective that " no it wasn't put into a machine and push a button and 10 minutes later here it is.. no it's not how it went.. The more important thing is.. you not worrying about what everyone else is able to do or not do... You will progress as you go.. many of us on here have been scroll sawing for 20+ years and make things "look easy"

So that is a factory set-up, thanks Denny for clarifying that.. Did your replacement assembly come with that same set-up or was it one piece like the newer saws.. I wonder if these older saws had this setup and if it was a problem so they made it all one piece.

Not sure how mechanical incline you are but in my opinion the Excalibur saw is one of the top saws ( pre 2017 before China bought the General International name ). IF it were me, I'd just spend the money on the C-arms etc.. and rebuild what you have. You can refurb the whole saw minus the motor and electronics of the saw for around $200.. and you have a like new saw.. You're likely not going to find a "quality new" saw comparable to this one for less than $800 ish.. Sure you can scope out a good used one though.. but the average price of that would be probably in the $400 range.. Well, I just looked and the prices went up on the parts.. I see the main part you need is now $150 https://seyco.com/product/excalibur-drive-link-complete-assembly/ You may not need this part but replacing these as well is what would make the saws mechanical parts completely new saw with all new bearings and sleeves. https://seyco.com/product/ex21-c27c-top-and-bottom-front-rocker-arm-assemblies/

You might consider sending a email with those photos.. as well so they can see exactly what you have and what you're talking about. Here is the website, I believe there is some contact info on emailing them or also their number is listed near the bottom of the page. I'm super curious how this turns out.. I'm really doubtful it's factory like this but your story sounds as if it might be.. certainly something many of us have had these saws apart and none of us have seen anything like this yet anyway, LOL https://seyco.com/

I agree with Larry, enjoy the time.. I do this as a business but still take my time to enjoy the process.. IF I don't enjoy making it then I don't sell them.. I make a lot of different things as trial runs to see IF I Enjoy it and IF I can sell it reasonably priced.. IF the answer is can't sell it or don't enjoy it.. then I give it away to someone that likes it and it never sees the websites or the craft markets.. Because if it's a really hot item and I don't like making it.. then when it's seen by the masses.. they try persuading me to make more of something that I don't enjoy making.. then this fun business becomes a job!

I agree, I'd call Ray or Mike at Seyco and ask them about this.. I don't think this is a factory set up.. and this worries me that there could be some damaged bearings and who knows what at the back of the saw.. General International was well known for quality saws back when this was made ( now made in China and not the greatest quality ) and this setup looks nothing like their work.. having that set up like that looks like a weak point and will just keep coming apart or destroy the whole saw. I would buy a whole arm assembly and install it.. I did this to my saw due to worn bearings.. you can see my rebuild posting topic here.. If I recall the assembly cost around $115