kmmcrafts

Kind of depends on the size.. for the most part I drill.. and I typically cut a batch of clocks at a time so I'm not setting up the drill press all the time. I need to get a dedicated drill press for the forestner bit I mostly use since I do so many clocks. IF I'm making the large clocks that take the 3" forestner bit.. then I pretty much just cut that out. I either bought a cheap bit or it's just that slow with the big bit like that I don't know. I will say there is a huge better experience in using a quality bit.. not the cheap sets of bits you get at the box stores.. I've not found a good sharp bit outta those sets yet and trust me, I've tried several different brands.. Pay the big bucks for the single bits is way cheaper in the long run. I had a bit that was getting real dull and needed to send it out for sharpening ( I sharpen once or twice myself but you can easily get it way off wack with them and it only $5 to send it out to be sharpen ) so I bought a set ( my first full set ) and the new one in the set was duller than my old one that needed sharpened, LOL The brands Amana and Freud will be your best friends.. not cheap friends but ones that work hard.. I don't even recommend buying those cheap sets just to use one time, LOL

If you're talking about the blade being off center from the hole in the table, you can loosen the screws on the table ( under side of table ) to the saw and center the blade in the hole and re-tighten the screws.. I had to do this with a couple saws I bought over the years..

Been playing around with modifying existing patterns to make them into things that others are not doing.. seems everyone selling the puzzles so I make clocks, LOL Also shrink them down to make ornaments.. Did a larger wall clock design but I broke it trying to cut the hole for the insert, so might try redesigning it from thin stock and adding a backer for strength.

Cut the one you made pattern for and then make the star and trace around it to make the pattern for the second star.. that'll be the challenge..

I know right..

Right, it's amazing how much time is "really" put into creating a project and something I think most everyone overlooks..

Yes it is working well considering insulation not completed yet. I’m running it on low all the time and run about 3 bags a week through it.

So added about 6 hours to my Excalibur’s hour meter this week but actually spent about 4 hours a day in the shop, lol. A good example of those folks that say they “run”their saw 8 hours a day. This is my thought when I see people say that. “ whatever” . I didn’t saw nearly as much as I’d like to have but had errands to run and a exhaust to replace on my wife’s Jeep. Anyway this weeks cuttings and the 6 hours of time added to the saw and 16 hours to the shop. Still working out here today so not a full weeks work either yet. 20 Aussie Ornaments 1 Aussie desk clock 1 Aussie wall clock 1 Basset Hound desk clock 1 Blue Tick desk clock 4 Dachshund puzzles 1 Stiletto shoe clock 8 Masonry ornaments 8 Medical Helicopter ornaments 8 Paint Roller ornaments Note: pictures of the shoe clock and Dachshund puzzles packaged and gone to customers before taking pictures. Lol darn it!

50ft patterns is a little excessive don't you think.. must have one massive scroll saw.. Congrats on scoring that.. sound like a very useful printer.. I had a large format but only 11 x 17 inch.. I bought specific to save me from having to piece together those large patterns.. But, I only printed a handful of the larger patterns and when it was worn out I went with a standard cheap laser printer that only does black.. Sure wish I had thought that through a little better since I like red lines on my patterns.. But I do like this laser printer better than the inkjet ones I've always used in the past..

I haven't been to the lumber store in over a year I think.. I still have enough to probably get me through most of this year since I have picked up a lot of cut offs etc. from my brothers mill. I'll likely need some BBply by early summer though. My local news did a report saying the prices are heading back up due to covid.. and short supply etc.

The Hawk stands are high too, I think back in the day people didn't "sit at jobs" and thus they made them to stand at, LOL.. Like Dave, I have a adjustable stool that I can use at both the Hawk and the Excalibur. The EX-21 is short compared to the Hawks.. The stool I have is at the tallest setting for the Hawk and almost near the lowest setting for the Excalibur.. I think the stool would be a much cheaper option than a new stand.. Cutting the original stand down might work though.. I'd be worried about cutting all the legs exactly the same though.. unless you have a way to add adjustable feet to it? Don't know how well the stands sell used but I've seen them on eBay and other places for over $100.. If you chose to go the new stand route.. you might be able to pull part of your money back from selling the taller stand.. I'd think it'd take some time to sell it though, but I could be wrong. Edit: Forgot to mention I also use a 6 x 6 chunk of pole barn post to place my foot switch on for the taller stand at the Hawks.. otherwise I can't reach the foot switch / floor from my stand..

While the only folks ever going past my place is the neighbors.. I have had 3 intruders.. first time was a chipmunk, second time was a large blue racer snake, and one other time the neighbors dog got loose and come to visit me, LOL.. My old shop had a neighbors cow get out and she thought my old shop was better than her house, LOL Oh.. and their chicken roosted in there for a few days once too.. LOL

Daughter got me this new sign for Christmas. Made from heavy maybe 10 gage metal and powder coated. Can’t wait for some warmer weather to hang it up on the shop.

Beautiful work there Ray, I have a boatload of spalted maple that just doesn't work well for the things I normally make as all the streaks of dark color wood distracts from fretwork type projects.. Anyway, I might have to try making bowls to use that wood up.. I've never done a bowl before, but did make some coffee cups and boxes out of some of it. Won't the size blade also affect the angle you use? In other words if you start out with a #3 blade you should finish cutting with the same number and style blade?

For my personal use, I frame with glass to help keep dust contaminates off the piece. If you've tried dusting a detailed fretwork piece you'll put glass in it to help from having to do the horrible dusting job, LOL That all said, portraits I sell.. I do not frame at all.. Selling online has it's benefits and my conclusion on frames or no frames has come from being able to "offer" just the piece and framed and framed with glass. Over the years I've only sold one piece that was framed.. I think it has to do with a few things... 1) shipping cost is substantially more with a framed piece 2) homemade frames aren't as cheap as a dollar store or even hobby lobby etc. and I'm not competing in their category for frames 3) customers personal decor style.. Before I gave the options for unframed.. they'd ask if I could make a dark wood, light wood, painted black, blah blah blah.. and then offering different prices for unframed vrs. framed and not selling any framed.. well.. one less thing I gotta make to sell it. LOL I have thought about re-offering framed again to see if maybe things changed in the last 8 years... 10-12 years ago portraits was the main things I sold aside from ornaments.

I didn't really complete the pattern as in this case I didn't clean up the wheels / spokes and also didn't make bridges for where to stop cutting on the wheel profile and the riders head. I don't normally share my patterns because I almost never make a completed pattern. I knew what I wanted to do with it so I don't take the time to make a cleaned up completed pattern. With that said you're welcome to use it if you can.. or have someone finish cleaning it up to make it a more comprehensive pattern. I should take the time to do this on many of my patterns but I don't because I don't sell them or typically share them.

Do you remove the clamps to change to new blades? My new 3 year old Hawk BM-26 has the metal clips.. they work as they was new BUT, I don't remove the clamps when putting new blades in. The old saws you had to remove them to change blades.. This new saw you don't really have to. But I do understand doing it that way since that is how you've been doing it for 30 years..

Yeah still getting orders for Christmas ornaments. This one the customer sent me a clip art image of a BMX bike rider and asked if I could make an ornament. I thought it might be cool to put the image into a bike sprocket shape so this is how that came out. Cut from 1/8 BBply with a #3 Pegas blade. These measure about 3.75 inch diameter.

If it falls off the saw then this piece here is worn out and needs replaced.. Or it's completely missing. https://stores.bushtonhawkstore.com/barrel-style-blade-holder-clip/ These plastic clips get weak over time and don't hold the clamp in place as it should. The newer saws have upgraded the "plastic" part to a spring steel one.. If you're decent with forming metal you probably could make a metal holder that maybe last much longer. They are cheap enough buy a couple and have one on hand, as the expensive part of ordering one is the shipping.. wait till you need other parts or order some blades or something too..

This saw here in somewhat the general same geographic area is the same vintage as the one you are looking at.. This saw has the round clamps as I mentioned. Has been rebuilt with new upgraded front upper tension and clamping system. Upgraded flexible air blower.. clean looking saw that someone put some money into to keep it nice. Has the older motor on it.. This is just like a saw that I sold another member here a couple months back. With the work and the upgrades this saw is actually not a bad deal for a old saw.. Some may say too much.. but boy there just isn't much that wears out on these old saws.. so this $500 saw would last just as long as the brand new one of these same models that cost $1450 https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1356988461381679/?ref=search&referral_code=marketplace_search&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3Acfa17f72-7bec-49d6-a10f-2b7c17239ddd

That's a pretty old saw judging by the air blower tube. I'm guessing it has the round barrel clamps which nothing wrong with that and nothing wrong with a very old saw other than the price.. also as others have mentioned, the pile of sawdust around it does show it works.. but really one should clean up the items they're selling and honestly I think you're way farther ahead to wait it out for a better one.. Or wait and watch to see if the price gets lowered on this one. $200 would be max. on this saw if it worked good and seemed to be is decent condition and that's being a bit generous LOL and assuming not much wear on it.

I've bought a lot of stuff over the years from these folks. Not sure if anyone here deals with them at all or not but this was in a newsletter email to me.. just thought I'd pass it along

Those are very nice! Have yet to try the compound cut ornaments.

If you find one let me know.. I have the Seyco dust collection for scroll saws.. it works "okay" but lacks collecting from the top. Even though the stock dust port also collects from below the table my experience is that works better than the Seyco one.. but it maybe the powerful shop vac I have as it does vacuum the work piece down too. I couldn't deal with the loud shop vac, even from across the shop. Thought about getting the Festool or Fein vac. but I'm not sure how loud one is on the higher power.. and not sure if the lower power would be enough. The Seyco system does help an awful lot.. but still get dust in my lap from spinning the wood on the table. I think the powerful vacuum I have is sucking the dust even off the top of the workpiece once I get a couple fret holes cut out, LOL as there isn't much left after cutting for several hours.

Just cut the stingray a few weeks ago.. and it's a challenging cut.. the detail in the wheels and side pipes take a bit of time and patients.. fun one to do as I like the challenging cuts but just wanted to give you a heads up that it's a bit of a challenge.