kmmcrafts

Ray, I believe the single speed Hegners run at 1700spm. I think the best people to ask about converting it to VS would be the fine folks at Henger. I'm sure someone here probably knows as well but I'm not that person, LOL Sounds like a heck of a deal though for $40.

This is very sad news. Like Dan said, I think he was like a friend to most everyone on this forum. Condolences to his family and friends.

I think being a little over weight would be a healthier option, LOL

Just a tip that I do with veining to get more detail. Not sure what you're cutting and may not work for your current project. If you cut the veining with your straight blade then pop in a small spiral blade. The spiral blade will pretty much follow the original flat blade cut line.. and you open up the veining width. I do this with most of the car clocks I make for the body lines.. I normally cut with a #3 Pegas MG. Then swap over to a 2/0 FD-NS and open up the veining. Practice on some scrap to get a feel for it.. but seriously the spiral likes to follow the path of least resistance.. which is sort of why many struggle to use them on solid lumber as the different grain lines etc. are different densities.. Learning to control spirals works best on BBply as it is more consistent than a solid lumber.

That's too bad.. I'd be lost without my large air compressor and my welders etc.. I sprayed this with project with spray cans. I haven't really run any wood finishes in my spray equipment yet. I bought quart cans to do that though, just haven't done it because I don't like the thought of cleaning them every time I'm done. Think I'm going to buy a cheap spray gun to use just for woodwork stuff once I get my CNC into production mode. I like the sprayer someone posted the other day that just used mason jars for the canister.. then I can maybe keep finish in a jar and cleaner in another and be able to somewhat seal the finish with a cap / lid for later use. Also thought about that air brush as it looked to have multiple containers.. but not sure how / if it could be sealed with a lid out not.

I think it was luck, as I really don't know much about wood finishes or even finishing wood. Wood finishing is so much different than auto finishing.. wood has grain and texture even when you sand it to its smoothest state it's still got texture. Wood also will soak up a lot of the finish. Auto primer will soak up paints too but the cost of auto paints it just makes sense to spray sealer over any primed surface before spraying the paint. Having a history of spraying paint possibly does help some in laying out a nice even coat.

I ended up using 3 coats poly spray from the gold / brown can. Hand painted the lettering with acrylic paints and then sprayed a couple more coats of the poly clear. The white paint was painted first and not ever using these paints I think maybe it was old paint as it was very thick and kind of dried really fast. The black paint was more runny and brushed much better so thinking the white was old.. all in all it turned out all right.. to do it again I'd probably do things slightly different but everything was a fun learning experience and I got a acceptable product.

I could see this being very beneficial for production runs of certain pieces for someone that doesn't have a table saw or bandsaw.. Several years ago I could have used that to make clock bases when I didn't have much for any other saws. I wouldn't say it's totally useless but it probably is for the majority of us that have a full shop of tools that would be better suited to do straight cuts. My clock bases are typically about 2 inch wide and whatever length I need typically 7" and 11" I used to make them oval shaped rather than just a simple rectangle but shipping the oval shaped ones required me to use larger boxes and also sometimes put the weight up to where it was in the next pricing bracket which was substantially more money and required me to scroll them since I didn't have any way to cut oval shapes back then.. I now use my CNC to carve out my website address on the bottom and then cuts out the base. Before the CNC I started cutting them on the table saw to save a lot of time. Table saw is faster than the CNC but I like the website address being engraved on the bottom of the base. Anyway before the table saw and CNC etc.. This could have been beneficial back in the beginning days.. That said it probably wouldn't work on any of the saws I had since every saw I've owned had a rounded table.. the EX has the most squared front of the table saw I've had, and I think it's still rounded to some degree..

I second what Melanie said, I almost posted this morning as I seen he wasn't on at all yesterday but when checking he had checked in sometime through the night. Anyway, hope you're feeling better. Take it easy and get plenty of rest. Sending more prayers to you both.

If you want to avoid that construction you could get off at the Bellevue / Olivet onto M78 ( Butterfield HWY ) take a right ( east ) off the exit go to the stop sign ( about 1 mile ish ) which will be named... well they name it everything, LOL. Marshall Rd. , old 27, whichever it's called in that particular area but same rd. take a left ( north ) follow it all the way to Johnsons as they are on that road and the road pretty much goes right along side of I69. You'll go through small town of Olivet then then it's a decent two lane rd with a 55mph speed limit until you come into Charlotte.. Old 27 goes all the way down to near the state line just south of Coldwater Mi. I don't know how the road is after you go about 15 mile south of Marshall as I've never been on it any farther south of there.

Well, selling physical patterns is got to be tough to please everyone.. Years ago we used to buy packaged patterns from a local lumber and tools supplier. The patterns was packaged in plastic envelopes and hung on a turning display rack in the store.. The patterns was folded as to fit into these packages. Same with the scroll saw magazines.. they put patterns on a very large sheet both front and back and fold it all up to fit into the magazine pages.. you have to take the staples out of the magazine to get the patterns out in one piece, LOL. BIG reason I no longer subscribe to them. I'm amazed that they say the tubes get damaged more, I sold decals for about 8 years with over 20,000 orders before I handed that over to a friend that still runs the shop. I only had maybe 1 issue with damage and always used the tubes to mail the decals in.. The decals were reproduction tractor emblems and logos to restore classic tractors.. so they had to be perfect in order to use them.. It appears it's more worth stating up front that you'll be damaging the patterns before you put them into the small box. I think the real issue here is more about cost effective shipping rather than mailing out a undamaged pattern.. With all that said, I can see both sides.. It's hard to ship practical for patterns and yet compete with electronic files being downloaded from other sites. Seems like there could be an option to let folks know that their order will have the patterns crushed into a box or for extra shipping they can have them mailed into a tube or other means they prefer that makes it easy for both parties to be happy and no squabbles about crushed patterns if they choose the cheapest method of shipping. I don't know the answer, but I do feel like there could be a resolution to this to maintain and gain happy customers that come back to order again.. and stating that it's just how you do you packaging isn't really that answer in my opinion. I've lost a lot of money up front a few times over the years of doing business just to give a customer 120% satisfaction.. a bragging customer will almost always bring in more customers.. a dis-satisfied customer can chase away several thousand customers and for many years.. Look at the issues of the type two DeWalt scroll saws as an example.. They went to the type two saw nearly 20 years ago.. moving that production line to another plant and calling the saw the type 2.. having issues with it's first run of production and people still talking about the type 2 saws being junk and recommend you find a type 1 that is now 25 years old.. just because a few bad apples slipped past quality control 20 years ago and this is still brought up in discussions today to stay away from any type 2 saws.. With the internet these days it's never been more important to leave a customer with a positive experience because the word gets around very fast and sticks around for years.. Not like the old days where the local town might hear about a bad situation but with internet the whole world seems to hear about it.. and within only a few days.. and basically sticks around forever..

Just a heads up, They have I69 tore up and it's only 1 lane for several miles before you get into Charlotte. They've needed to repair this interstate for at least 10 years now and finally doing it but everyone complaining about it. LOL They have the southbound lanes completely torn up and have them crossing over to the northbound side. It was pretty smooth going for me last week but that was mid morning.. I could see that being a jam during busy times of the day though. I probably won't be making it to the expo again this year. I bought 200bdft. of Poplar and 100bdft. of both oak, cherry, maple, and walnut back in January when I learned I get the same pricing as the expo sale if I buy 100bdft or more. LOL I also picked up 20 sheets of 1/8 BBply and 5 sheets of 1/4".. I've barely touched any of it other than the Walnut and Poplar and haven't used much of those yet either because a bunch of my freebie lumber from my brothers mill is finally dried good enough to use. Depending on what's happening I may show up to the expo if the wife and I decide to not take a short trip for our anniversary. The expo always lands on our anniversary, had I known about this 28 years ago I would have changed the date. But that being said it is frontier days or something like that so lots of activities and a nice crafts show on the courthouse lawn that we like to attend.. which is actually how I learned about the expo in the first place, LOL Anyway, we was thinking about going to Niagara Falls so I'm probably not going to the expo.

Could be well worth the effort and drive IF you're in the business as Scott is to have a storage shed and go make a 200 mile trip to buy 200 board foot as I do.. Though my local source is only 35 ish miles away. It's nice having stocked up lumber.. also nice to get bulk pricing. I only have to make this trip once a year.. 200 board foot cost me around $400.. at Lowes prices that same 200 board foot is costing him nearly $1500... and then you get this glued up junk? I get to sort through the lumber stack at the lumber yard and can pick through what I want or don't want. They'll plane it down to whatever thickness I want for a little extra if I don't want the 7/8 inch thick ( considered 1" ) Most times I run my puzzles at 5/8 thick.. I resaw those boards so I get one at 5/8" and one at 3/16 - 1/4 to use for ornaments etc.. But if you don't have the equipment to do that the 7/8" for puzzles etc. works fine too, or have them take it down to the 3/4" The money you save in lumber could buy you the planer and bandsaw to resaw if you like.. within a year or two.. of doing this. Edit to add: The road trip miles can also be deducted ($0.54 a mile) and your meals etc. can also be deducted for the road trip, plan a mini vacation with tax deductions, LOL My wife and daughter have a thrift store ( actually 3 of them ) that they like to go to so we all go to the mini vacation when I make that trip..

Hmm, Being an online business myself and primarily communicate through emails / messages. I will say Mondays are a crap show.. because you have all your orders to package up from the weekend because no package deliveries on the weekends. That said I do try to reply to every email and I almost always check them and reply by the importance.. something like this.. a existing customer issue is my top priority rather than the new customer asking if I can make something custom etc. or those that seem to not read my item description and ask dumb questions that is already in the description such as size or wood types etc.. get a lot of that and it's really annoying but also is a part of being a business and dealing with customers. IMO, they should have or at least I would have made sure to message back Sunday night / Monday on a issue like this.. A good customer service is considered by etsy and amazon as replying to messages within 24 hour period. If I were a pattern seller mailing out physical patterns. I'd roll them up and send in a tube. Also would roll them in a way so they'd lay out flat on a surface and not try to coil up on you when you try to scan / copy them..

Wow! sorry to hear that, praying for you both for a speedy full recovery. I've read that vitamin C and D help fight it off better.. not sure if that is factual or not but makes sense to me.

That's not a glued up panel, this is the effects of global warming making the trees grow. inside out. I mentioned years ago to Scott about buying lumber from a actual lumber yard or mill, he likes his specific 12" x 6 ft. boards. I pay $12.60+tax for the same board at my local lumber supplier.. and that isn't direct mill price this is planned to the same size as what the box stores get. Actually I pay less than that.. as they have a rewards points thing and the more you spend the larger discount % off.. at the local mill buying green rough cut is probably about $6-8 for the same size board maybe less, I get mine free from them because I get the scrap pieces ( whatever doesn't meet the 30" minimum for them goes into scrap bin to be ground into wood chips. ) Problem is it's green and rough cut.. gotta wait a year plus to dry out good and then run through the planner..

Okay thank you Bill, I got to go to the hardware store anyway so maybe I'll grab a couple spray cans of it. I know what you mean about the small print. I use reading glasses but never have them in the shop.. so I took my quart can and sat at my saw under the mag light to read mine, LOL.. was still a struggle because the can is round and would go out of focus as I read. LOL

I did this carving from Maple last fall and used the water base poly.. about three coats.. then just spray painted the whole board.. sanded the top surface back to the wood color and top coated with a couple more coats of the poly.. Pictures kinda suck but you get the idea.. running the orbital sander on it with the holes for dust collection in the papers.. got caught on the points of some of the stars and broke them off. I might just stick to what I know with this project.. and use the water based poly but instead of spray paint I think I'll hand paint with small brush for less sanding / clean up. Because I need to get it finished up and out of here.. Just wish the water based poly made the grain stand out at you like a oil finish does.. either way I think the customer is going to love it no matter how I finish it up..

Unicorn spit that's a new one for me, I had to look it up. Still not exactly sure what it is but at least I know now I won't need to go find a unicorn and try to get it to spit in a container, . In the past projects I've done I just used spray paint and after it's all dried good I just sanded the surface and whatever is carved the paint stays.. But I have seen where some will use a artist brush and try to keep the paint from going on the main surface. I think I'm going to try painting it in with a brush like that.. might have to look into the unicorn spit a bit more.. most the sign makers on the CNC site use acrylic craft paints or some use the house paint as I mentioned above also have a few using spray paints like I have done in the past.. but boy that can be a mess if you don't get a real good covering of seal coating on it.. and never try it without a seal coat of something first.. especially on red oak... don't ask how I know that one, LOL Anyway thanks to teaching me about unicorn spit..

I can't find anywhere on the can that deciphers if it's waxed or de-waxed.. It does say something on the back about not for use as a sealer and to use bulls eye shellac seal coat or something along those lines. It also mentioned something about not top coating it with poly etc. I'm trying to not to have to go buy a special product for this one time use.. I read my Minwax poly spray can and I use two types.. one is a brown / gold color can and I think maybe oil based as it does somewhat make the grain pop like I'm after. So in reading the blue can ( water based ) it mentioned it can be applied over oil base stains and other minwax products.. now I'm thinking about trying a coat of that and then coating the second coat with the water base. Most water based stuff can dang near spray over anything.. I know lacquer and some other paints do not mix well.. at least in the auto paints.. so I'm hesitant to use the lacquer and then paint my colors and then top coat with the lacquer over the whole thing.. That could be a disaster.. done that years ago by painting a car that had un-baked un-hardened enamel and I used a lacquer primer on it.. the lacquer melted and lifted the enamel paint like a paint stripper would.. ended with stripping the whole car down to metal after that, Not a good day there, LOL

Just an update on what I've researched on so far.. I found that a lot of the CNC sign maker guys use house paint rather than regular spray can paints.. One guy says you can go to Sherman Williams and buy small samples of paint but only in the interior paints, not exterior. This piece is going to be inside so that's not an issue for this piece. A large amount of folks on the CNC sites use either Lacquer or the water base Polyurethane which is why I bought that quart can of poly. I have "some" experience working with it as I have done a handful of carved signs just playing and learning the CNC and finishing process for carvings. My experience is I do like the poly as it dries fast and I have used it enough I'm comfortable with it, but it just doesn't pop the grain as well as dipping in Danish oil that I normally use for scrolled projects.. though I never paint scroll work. I've used Shellac years ago.. but I haven't experienced messing with in and painting over it etc.. I do know it does pop the grain like I'm looking for but really don't want to mess up this project either.. don't have a lot of hours into this yet but have used a large amount of wood since I've made three of these so far.. This thing is big and requires glue-ups as it is 16" diameter. Though as many times as I've made it.. I now can carve and cut this out within an hour so long as the glue ups are ready to go, LOL I'm kinda torn on just using what I know ( the poly ), or using Shellac, OR, going with a Danish oil.. let dry a week and then proceed with the poly that I normally use.. Meanwhile while deciding I have a ton of sanding to do on it, LOL.. really don't want to have to make this again, LOL Hoping to start finishing process by Monday morning.. so I guess I need to make a decision and send it, LOL

Did you stain a carved out area? Just asking as the carving exposes all sorts of different grain patterns.. I think that's why the CNC guys use paint more often. With carved flat grain you get both edge grain, end grain and a flat grain surface to cover usually on each letter... we all know how stain takes differently on the ends and edges.. I'd think that would create a disaster. But again, I'm no finish expert when it comes to wood.. Not a expert in the auto painting either but I know my way around that stuff a lot more than wood.. since I did that body shop stuff for several years.

So this is a Unity Puzzle (haven’t cut the pieces yet) I’m making. This is both a CNC and scroll saw project as I used the CNC to mill (pocket carve ) out the center of the walnut board and also to cut out all the circle rings down to about a 1/8 inch left then sawed the rest on the scroll saw since I still don’t have a spoil board set up on my CNC. Anyway, I’m not much of a wood finishing person short of just dipping in Danish oil or once in a great while shooting some poly. This piece I’m going to have to learn a bit, lol. I will be painting the carved text out ( white paint on the walnut and black on the cherry and maple. ). In order to prevent the paint from soaking into the wood grain I need to seal it up good “very good” yet I want to make the grain pop like Danish oil would make it do. Intend to seal it spray paint the text and then sand off the paint on the main surface so the text gets the paint. Then I’ll top coat all of it with another couple coats of clear. Now my question is. What do I seal this with? I have the water based poly in a quart can and can brush or spray it. Also have a quart can of shellac. Not sure how well either would do with top coating them with paint. Actually have done it with the poly , but the poly doesn’t really make the grain pop like I would like it to. So wondered what you all my suggest?

I must have missed the original posting... Glad you was able to raise some money and help others with the donation.

I do this a lot.. in fact.. not many patterns these days that I use where I don't modify them in some way.. sometimes I take several patterns and combine them to make up a completely different design. Or adding text, sayings etc. I'm not super great at actual designing.. but I can modify existing designs so that's what I do to try to make things that nobody else is so to speak.