Bill WIlson

I watched that same video a week or so ago. I've long known about the risks of BLO rags and spontaneous combustion, but this video really highlighted just how quickly things can turn bad. Also remember that many stains are also linseed oil based and pose the same risk.

I've seen a fair amount of antique furniture that looks fantastic on the surfaces that you can see, but if you look underneath an antique chair or table, you will often see that, not only is it not finished, but it may not even be milled/smoothed to the same degree as the show sides. Of course, 200 years ago, there was a lot more manual work involved with planing and finishing wood, so doing it to surfaces that no one saw was viewed as a waste of time and resources. In modern times, with machinery doing most of the hard work involved with milling lumber, and finishes being applied with spray guns, it became much more common and often more practical to finish all surfaces. I don't know if the need to finish both sides of a piece of wood is myth or not. It sounds logical. If wood movement is a concern, I think it is probably prudent to at least seal the hidden side. One may not want or need to follow the exact same finishing schedule, especially if it involves steps like grain filling, staining/dyeing and multiple coats of a clear finish that need to be rubbed down after each application. I don't make stuff to sell, so my perspective may be a little more casual. Personally, if I'm making a piece that is intended to hang on a wall, I don't get too concerned about finishing the back to the same degree as the front. I might give it a quick coat or 2 of shellac, but I don't worry about it much. I don't want it to look like trash either, so I also take care not to leave a lot of glue squeeze out on the back or let stain and finish run down over the back. If I can't keep the stain from getting on the back, I'll go ahead and stain the whole thing.

I've never really had an opinion of Gnomes before, one way or another, but I gotta admit, all these Gnome patterns & projects lately have me thinking I gotta get on the bandwagon. Baseball Gnome = Awesome!

I think that part of the reason for this is that narrow lines and fine detail can kind of get lost when cut in thicker material. Thicker material creates more shadows, which can obscure some of the detail. I try to match up the pattern, blades and material. If the pattern has a lot of really fine detail that necessitate cutting it with a very small blade, then I would prefer to cut it out of thinner stock. If I can get away with using a larger blade, then I'm more likely to go with thicker material. These aren't hard & fast rules though. There is plenty of overlap within those parameters. Our personal preferences are mainly derived from our experience (trial & error), which makes it a little tough to recommend a blade for someone else. Knowing what blade you can use to cut a particular pattern is something best achieved via experience, as your circumstances and conditions will differ from mine. For example, I use a #1 FDUR blade for a lot of stuff that it probably isn't recommended for. I routinely cut 1/2" thick red oak with it and have no problems. Many would use a larger blade, in a similar application. As for the pattern above, I wouldn't hesitate to cut that out of 1/2" birch. It all depends on the final presentation. Is this something you want to mount onto a backer or in a frame? If so, then I think thinner stock is a better look. If it will stand alone, then I think thicker material generally looks better. I think a lighter colored species will help mitigate the shadow problem. I would likely use my go-to FDUR #1 for that pattern in 1/4" - 1/2" thick stock. I rarely use anything smaller these days, unless it's a spiral blade on a really intricate portrait pattern.

I've been scrolling for over 25 years, the last 6 or so in an EX-21. I haven't ever damaged the table or enlarged the blade hole on any of the 3 saws I've owned.

I have an EX-21. I'm not sure what the dimensions are of the blade hole, but it can't be much more than perhaps 1/4" wide and less than an inch long. As for the dust extraction holes, I do not like them. Small bits of wood have a habit of getting hung up in them. I removed the dust collection apparatus from below the table, as it was more of a hassle than it was worth. I've considered filling the holes with Bondo or something similar but have never gotten around to it.

Can you mount the plexiglass on the inside of the front piece?

I don't think spirals vs regular flat blades has to be an either/or proposition. Blades are designed for specific applications. Spiral blades work very well for certain types of projects, in certain materials, because that is what they are designed for. If one doesn't make those kinds of projects, then there probably is no good reason to use spirals. I use both, but only use spirals where they are the best option. They are not my go to blade for general scroll saw work. I don't think they are well suited for a lot of things, but are perfect for some. As for the learning curve, I've known several very skilled and experienced scrollers who never got the hang of spirals and didn't use them. It doesn't always come naturally to everyone, but there isn't anything wrong with that. I maintain that, with some practice, any scroller can learn to use them, maybe not love them, but be capable of using them. It's up to the individual as to whether or not it's worth the effort.

I have this one; I occasionally use it for sanding, but I don't find it all that ergonomically friendly to use for extended periods of time. My suggestion is try to figure out why you have to do so much edge and corner sanding. With practice and the right blade, edges can be smooth, right off the saw and need no sanding.

My wife & I will celebrate our 45th anniversary this June. She rarely sets foot in my basement shop. I'd be afraid that if she hung out with me, she would start putting stuff away and cleaning up.

My deadman footswitch is mounted to a piece of plywood and sits on the floor. I have a small block of 2x4 in front of it. My heel rests on the 2x4, allowing the natural weight of my foot to apply pressure to the switch. No fatigue at all. In fact, I have to sometimes move my foot a bit, when I'm not sawing, (like when changing blades, etc) so that I don't accidentally step on the switch and turn the saw on.

Sweet!

Back, a lifetime ago, when I was working in construction, you were able to get hollow core doors made from birch as well as luan. I have no idea what is available these days.

Personally, I would be comfortable cutting that with an FDUR #1, which has become my go-to blade for a lot of patterns. I have a few Olson 2/0 blades, but rarely use them. Actually, for veining cuts, I think the 2/0 is almost too fine, as the line tends to be harder to see.

I think the Flying Dutchman #2/0 reverse tooth blade has historically been difficult to control. I have no idea why, but I've heard complaints about the FD 2/0 for many years on all of the scrolling forums as well as from members of my scroll saw club. I've experienced it myself, probably 15 or more years ago. FD makes very good blades, except, it seems for the 2/0. When I need a 2/0, I go with Olson.

I wonder how hard it would be to drill holes to allow the book to be put into a 3 ring binder, after the spine of the book was removed? I know it could be done, a few pages at a time, with a 3 ring hole punch, but it seems like it could be easy enough to do on a drill press, even sandwiched between 2 pieces of plywood.

Read this out of context. Took me a minute to realize you didn't mean your own legs.

John Nelson's Scroll Saw Workbook is an excellent resource beginners.

I only know the Hawk by reputation, having never actually used one. I have an EX-21, a few years newer than the one you posted. Of the two, I would lean toward the EX, based on my acknowledged bias as well as the price and condition you describe. Also, in my opinion, the Excalibur design (from which the Dewalt, Seyco, King, Excelsior and Pegas were all derived) is very user friendly and the learning curve should be short.

I answered solid wood, because, all things being equal, I prefer scrolling solid wood. However, I probably cut just as much BB ply as solid wood, because for many projects, it just works better.

Correct. Over-tightening the clamp screws can also lead to spreading the clamp body apart, especially on Dewalt blade clamps. I think these kinds of supplemental knobs are great for those with reduced grip strength and/or other physical issues that make it difficult to properly tighten the clamp screws, but if they are being used simply to solve the problem of blades slipping out of the clamps, then they can be problematic.

I have a couple of those mounted to the ceiling joists above my saw. One is aimed from the left and one from the right, eliminating shadows. It works really well for me. They are up and out of the way and don't vibrate with the saw.

Any way to suspend the lights from the ceiling, instead of the saw arm?

The innerweb seems kind of vague on this subject. Most sites just parrot the same press release info you get on Harbor Freight's website. Near as I can tell, HF contracts with several manufacturers, probably in China. Those same production lines likely make tools for other brands. They may well be independent subcontractors and not necessarily owned or operated by one of the major tool brands.

There really is nothing sacred about the ratio. a 50/50 mix will help the BLO soak into the wood a bit, but so will 40/60 or 60/40. I typically use BLO full strength. I've gotten the results I wanted without thinning and without extra applications. Anyone should feel free to customize the blend however suits their needs.