hotshot

This could have really been a positive post, but in my opinion, General took a step the wrong direction which will tarnish it's name with a new line of junk/cheap tools. Worse yet, it looks like their new "Scroll Saw" is a rebrand of the same saw you see from Jet/Wen/Shopfox/etc. I say that because it looks very similar to those tools, and in some ways I would say identical. In another part of Generals new site they talk about their tools being manufactured by factories completely owned by General, so I'm a little confused as it's hard to dismiss what I see. So, from a high level, General started a new "affordable/hobbiest/consumer" line of tools under the General International Star Shop brand (http://www.gipowerproducts.com). Perhaps I'm wrong, but it feels like my label for this would be the General Internation Ryobi/Harbour Freight Brand. These tools are bright red, so easily recognizable with the General International label. I think my main problem was that when I first saw the Scroll Saw, I immediately recognized it as a cheap Tawain knockoff, whether that is true or not. I was certain General would never put their name on something like that, and assumed another company was stealing their name. I checked, and it is not so unfortunately. Can you imagine Powermatic putting their name of this line of tools? Below, I'm including a picture that gives visual comparison of the various tools I believe are in the same design family, including Ryobi. This new saw, the BT8007 is available at Home Depot and other stores now. HomeDepot list saw at $92.28 or from Sears for $89.59. This new line of tools has been out there for a little while, I'm not sure how I missed it. HomeDepot has had it since at least last August. --------Randy ps: I'm not saying there is anything wrong with using cheap tools if that is what you need, but I am saying you don't slap a Cadillac sticker on a Pinto. If I had < $100 to spend on a saw, I would have to compare the top clamp of the Ryobi with this saw. It looks like Ryobi has a clamp knob, this one appears to require a tool.

It doesn't make sense to me that rotating the motor and putting it back would have any result. Rotating the motor to find the point that minimizes blade travel would make more sense. I hope this does work for you, but the logic behind the fix eludes me. -------Randy

Jim, I think these probably are less than 2.5 inches, but there is a trick that allows us to get the boxes a bit taller. Before you cut out the middle section on the scrollsaw, you cut off the lid and the bottom (or make the top and bottom from different pieces). That allows boxes that end up in excess of 3" So basically, only the center section that you cut out with the scroll saw is limited to 2.5. Neat huh? Also, to completely blow away the 2.5" limit, you can cut multiple smaller body segments and glue them back together after they are cut. ----Randy

I've been making scrollsaw boxes for a while, but I thought I would try to spruce them up by cutting some grooves with the tablesaw, and then placing strips of the same width in those slots. The Red wood is Padauk, and the white wood was reclaimed, so I'm not sure what it is. The last box was made more traditionally with traditional glue-ups -------Randy

There is another kind of footswitch that works good for standing. You press once to turn on, and press again to turn off. Some folks even prefer these types for sitting. You can get both types of foot switches pretty cheap at harbor freight. ------Randy

Mike, I work in Nashville, but live in Manchester, TN. It is nice having a Scrollsaw store close. It is the only scrollsaw centric store I know. A few years ago Sloans used to host scroll saw festivals "picnics", but have not in many years now. We had a few of us get together a few years ago, meet at Sloans to shop around, then go eat at Demo's. We should do that again this summer for those within driving distance. -------Randy

As Dan says above, I do cut a lot of coins which are usually cupro-nickel with pure nickel on the outside. I also cut pure copper coins. I have not tried aluminium, but I would think it would be easier to cut that the stuff I do. I use Jewelers blades, but those are not pinned. I would suggest finding a blade with a high tooth count. The blades I use leave a smooth finish, so there is no need to touch anything up with a file. As for lube, I've tried the lube sticks by Olsen, but I couldn't tell that it helped. I don't use oil because I usually have patterns attached to my work, so the oil would mess them up. If you are using spray adhesive glue (3M77 for example) to hold the patterns, the oil will release the pattern about as fast as mineral spririts, so another reason I avoid oil. I have recently switched to using superglue and releasing with Acetone, which seems to hold better. From the projects you describe, it sounds like heat will not be an issue. If you deside to try something much smaller, and if you are cutting intricate pieces, you will find heat will become an issue for you. The smaller and more intricate the piece, there will be less metal to dissipate the heat, so the further into your project you go, the less metal, and more heat issues. Besides burning your fingers, the bigger issue is that heat will also break down the which ever glue you are using and release the patterns. I try to be conscious of this and to stop to let things cool back down when the metal starts getting too warm. If you are drawing your pattern on the metal with a marker or something, oil might work for you. I'm not stingy with blades, so when they start to dull, I change them. It's not worth trashing a project to save blades. I hope you found something helpful in all of that :-) Please post some of your work, we would all like to see it. ------Randy

If you only finish one side of your work, you are in for a warping nightmare. A good finish all over should help stablize it. If you are cutting fretwork, use thin plywood instead of solid. Jerry, I like how you think. ---------Randy

I don't cut silver, at least yet. Most of my coins are Kenney half dollars and a few Eisenhower. I have recently bought and cut a few solid copper bullion coins like wbr posted above, and have several waiting for the right pattern. I did buy one silver coin, but am too chicken to cut it yet. I use Pegas 3/0 Jewelers blades. =======Randy

I give some away, but most goes to the craft store located a couple of miles from my house. I've thought about etsy and ebay, but for now, I'm just happy playing with my toys and experimenting. --------Randy

I tried this same pattern in Padauk and I like the results. Larger size is the size of an Eisenhower dollar, smaller is Kenndy Half dollar size.

Good idea!

Occasionally, there is a mention of coin cutting on the forums, and I'm always looking for something different. I googled coin cutting and found some amazing stuff that really interested me, but none of the "good" stuff was being done on the scroll saw as they were being cut by hand frames with jewelers blades. Even the jewelers blades have a disclaimer about being used in a scroll saw. This totally babbled me, so I set out to determine if the scroll saw could indeed handle "detailed coin cutting." I love a challenge. After some experimenting and some success, I caught the bug, and proved that the scroll saw is very adept at this kind of work. Kevin, I don't have a lot of experience with flattening coins, so was just using a short handle sledge and using the back anvil that is a part of my vice. Real anvils are very expensive. I would love to have a better way to expand out the coins. I also spread out a quarter to the size of an Eisenhower. I have been thinking about heating up the coins with a mini torch to see if I could do this easier. Those of you that work with metal a lot probably have a better way. -------Randy

Ah, yes, this comes up a lot. The law says that you can do whatever you want to coinage, with one major caveat: You can not deface a coin in an effort to defraud. For example, alter one coin to look like a more valuable coin by changing the mint mark or denomination. Fraudulent intent is the key word, and the phrase that protects coin cutters or machines that flatten pennies at Disney. The below exerpt taken from "www.treasury.gov" (https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/faqs/Coins/Pages/edu_faq_coins_portraits.aspx) ---------------------- Is it illegal to damage or deface coins?Section 331 of Title 18 of the United States code provides criminal penalties for anyone who “fraudulently alters, defaces, mutilates impairs, diminishes, falsifies, scales, or lightens any of the coins coined at the Mints of the United States.†This statute means that you may be violating the law if you change the appearance of the coin and fraudulently represent it to be other than the altered coin that it is. As a matter of policy, the U.S. Mint does not promote coloring, plating or altering U.S. coinage: however, there are no sanctions against such activity absent fraudulent intent. ----------------------- Hope that helps. -------Randy

. . . . Backstory: When I was very young, I figured out that if I put a penny on the gas stove, get it super hot, I could then bend it with a couple of pliers. I thought I had bent the unbendable, Then proceeded to bend many more pennies. Some time later, I went to the shed, found a vice, and found I could do it without heat. Feeling all proud of myself, I showed off my bent pennies to my Dad. Unexpectedly, Dads reply was, "Why would you want to do that?" I didn't understand why he didn't think that was the coolest thing ever . . . Fast forward to today . . . . I got a copper penny, and beat the crap out of it until it was the size of a 50 cent piece. (Some of you immediately thought of train tracks). Then I cut out one of my older half dollar sized patterns. The result is totally impractical as Jewelry as it it fragile, and not my best cutting (cutting very thin material is hard), but still, feeling good about doing something cool/destructive with a penny, just like 40 some years ago ---------Randy

Easy coins, $15, this coin would probably go for $20 or $25. I see them on Etsy for a lot more, but I'm selling in a small craft shop, so I charge what I can get. The coins that really sell are the $15 Kanji Patterns. Ironically, my best work doesn't sell, go figure. -------Randy

Kevin, about 4 to 6 blades (I wasn't counting), but that is pretty typical of this type project with jewelers blades. Scrapile, I tried reposting the pdf. The other forum is a bit flakey, so maybe that fixed it. It worked for me anyway. If anyone wants the pattern, and can't get it from the other forum, send me an email address and I'll email it to you direct. ---------Randy

I saw this design in the movie Constatine. I looked it up and found it to be a ancient design used in Chistianity, Paganism, and other cultures as well. I got excited, grabbed a Kennedy Half Dollar, and had it cut before movie was over. Couldn't post the pdf pattern here, but if you want it, you can download it from the corresponding post on the Fox Chapel Forum (http://forum.scrollsawer.com/forum/scroll-saw/general-scroll-saw/835232-triquetra) --------Randy

With a name like SpiritHorse, you win the free coin lottery. Send me your address if you want this. ---------Randy

Thanks for all the positive feedback. Here are a few answers. Fab4, the center is very sturdy. Kevin, here are your answers:, I used Pike 3/0 Jewelers blades for this project. If you look carefully, you can get these very cheap on Amazon.com. I held this project by hand (not gluing to wood) as I do all my larger coins. Some time back I experimented with the wax based lubricant to see if it made the cutting easier, but did not find it made any difference, so I did not use it. I'm not sure about the time it took for this project, but I would guess the cutting took a couple of hours or less. As for problem areas, I'm always nervous about pattern lift on delicate cutting, but I got lucky and had no lift this time. Since I started using superglue instead of 3M77, lift is less problematic. I did no detail filing. Ranger Ray, if you are interested, I have a step by step tutorial in the tutorial section in the tutorial section: http://www.scrollsawvillage.com/articles.html/_/resources/love-birds-coin-cutting-tutorial-r74 I couldn't figure out how to post a PDF in our gallery here, so here is a link to the pdf posted on the Fox Chapel forum: http://forum.scrollsawer.com/filedata/fetch?id=835120&d=1451434412 -----Randy

My version of a Dream Catcher, cut in a Kennedy Half Dollar ------Randy

Better order you some blades quick. Looks like it takes pinned blades only, so I would suggest Olsen. You can get Olsen at http://www.woodworkscraftsupplies.co.uk. Enjoy ----------Randy

Very good Kevin, now time to try the pattern. ---------Randy

Kardar, I think he indexed all the mags and has the issues/patterns listed in a spreadsheet so that they are easy to find. I'm pretty sure he didn't actually digitize the mags. I wish Fox Chapel would buy out the rights to those issues, and sell on a CD. --------Randy

Pete, if you don't have a large floor based magnifier, I highly recommend it. Along with that, I use +3 Reading glasses ------Randy