Bill WIlson

You've gotten plenty of good advice on blade choice. Next is set-up and technique. Compound cutting thick stock presents a different set of challenges. It is absolutely imperative that your blade be perfectly perpendicular to your table, side to side and that it cuts perpendicular. Any variance will be transferred and magnified in 2" stock. Also, take special care when applying the pattern to the stock. It must be placed precisely, in order to get the best results. Also, we all have a tendency to apply side pressure when cutting, to help us stay on the line. This is even more tempting when cutting thick stock. For most fretwork, in 3/4" thick stock, or thinner, this doesn't really hurt that much. But in thick stock, problems with bowed cuts, over or under cutting, misalignment, etc will be amplified. The piece will be harder to remove from the stock. The corners won't line up and the piece will look lop-sided. Good luck. Compound cutting can be really fun.

But also perhaps an indication of how resilient we really can be. Nicely done and a timely reminder.

Awesome! How old is he? My oldest grandson is 9. He likes to tinker in my shop and I've had him try the scroll saw a couple times. His patience and attention span are limited, like most 9 year old boys, but next time he visits, I'm going to give him some seat time at the saw.

Both options have their pro's and con's. I've done both. My last 2 saws used factory stands. I like the simplicity, sturdiness & stability of factory stands. They are also relatively compact and lightweight. I take my saw on the road a couple times a year and the factory stand breaks down easily for transport. If that isn't a factor for you, then by all means make your own. The advantages of a DIY stand is that you can customize it to suit your work space and your needs. Plenty of good reasons to make your own.

Well see now this is your only real mistake. You aren't supposed to admit that.

I think FD-UR blades have a little crimp in the top end, so they are marked from the factory. I've often considered the nail polish idea, but my luck, I would get too much on and it would cause the blades to slip out of the clamps. Then I'd end up taking twice as long to remove it all. What I generally do is just hold them up to a bright light. Even though my eyes aren't as sharp as they used to be, I can usually still tell where the reverse teeth are, even on really small blades.

Krylon offers a re-positionable spray adhesive. I've seen it at Michaels.

I use spray adhesive and apply the pattern directly to the wood. I've used blue tape and clear tape. While there may be a marginal benefit of lubrication and cooling the blade, I don't find it being worth the effort, in most cases, so I've pretty much abandoned the use of tape. If the spray adhesive is applied properly, it will peel off without using MS. I do use MS after removal, to make sure I get any residue that remains, then a light hand sanding with 220 grit paper.

In that case... Let's Go Pens!

Welcome Lou. What part of PA are you from? I live about 1 hour north of Pittsburgh.

When I had my DeWalt, I contracted the dreaded flaky switch syndrome. I opened the cover, blew out the switch and installed a footswitch. I never covered it with anything, but never had any more problems with it either. It probably ran like that for 6-7 years before I sold it.

Well, at least the wind keeps the bugs away from the wet paint.

When I first started scrolling, I built a stand for my saw. Not knowing any different, I made it a height suitable for standing and used it for several years. Eventually I migrated to sitting and now have a comfortable, adjustable height, swivel, drafting chair. Whether or not you sit or stand, the key is proper ergonomics. Your body should be positioned such that you don't slouch and that your arms & hands are at a comfortable angle. If the table is too high, your elbows & wrists will be bent at a sharp angle and you will likely find that your hands may get numb after a while. If the table is too low, you will tend to lean over, hunching your shoulders, in order to see what you are doing. This causes stress on your neck, shoulders and back. These same conditions apply to standing or sitting. As for the tilted table, I scrolled for several years with the table flat and for the past several years, I've had it tilted. I prefer the table being tilted slightly. I think it helps achieve a comfortable position, but it's very much a personal preference. As I said, my chair has adjustable height. Sometimes I will adjust the chair slightly, just to change the height a little, which can change up my work position and help relieve stress & strain. If I'm cutting something small & detailed, I might want to be a little closer to the table. If the piece is large and I need more room to swing it, I may sit a little higher. Plus, the chair is also on wheels, so I can swing from the saw in and out or also to the workbench bench and back very easily and comfortably. I would suggest that you not do anything permanent yet, until you determine what is most comfortable. Also, consider your work flow. Does your set-up allow you easy access to other areas for sanding & drilling & other prep work? Some folks will sit and saw for hours at a time. Personally, I like to get up every hour or so, if for no other reason than to stretch a little. I'll use this time to do other tasks to break things up a bit. You will find a process that works best for you. Sorry for the long winded reply. Hope this helps.

I bought an Excalibur a few years ago and the main reason was that it was very similar to the DeWalt it was replacing, that I had owned for over 10 years. I considered Hawk and Hegner and while I'm certain I could have gotten used to a different style of saw, the reputation of the EX gave me confidence that I was making a good choice. My point is, if you are currently happy with the Hawk, why not get another one? I've read many posts from users and can't recall too many that ever had anything negative to say about them. That seems like the lowest risk option. If the new saw will be for your daughter, the Dewalt/Delta saws are very user friendly and would be easy for her to learn, but then again, the Hawk would be easier for you to teach her. Good luck and have fun making sawdust!

Well, what do you expect? CA is the state that made plastic straws illegal.

Check on some scrap to make sure the shellac dries properly. Standard rule of thumb is that pre-mixed shellac has a shelf life of 3 years, provided the can has not been opened.

I've made and given away hundreds of ornaments over the years and I've used many different types of finishes, depending on the ornament and the wood. I've painted some. I've sprayed lacquer or poly. Don't care for either of those options. I've dipped in oils (BLO & Danish). I've left some natural. I've stained and dyed for color. The finish I use the most is shellac. I typically apply it with a spray gun.

Nicely done. I like the cardinal ornament. My wife's family is really big on cardinals. I generally don't do intarsia/segmentation, but I'd like to give that one a try. Could you tell me where you got the pattern? Thanks!

If you think breaking a scroll saw blade is scary, try standing still when a bandsaw blade breaks. Pallet wood can be made of most anything, largely dependent on where the pallet is made. It's typically low grade wood that isn't suitable to be sold for anything else, but for scrolling, you can find some decent material. A couple words of caution though. First, the wood may not be kiln dried, so it may not be very stable, especially after planning. Also, only select pallets that are clean. If they look like they've had stuff spilled on them, you have no idea what it may have been and it could be toxic. Different countries have different regulations about using native lumber for shipping crates and pallets. Some are very restrictive so as to prevent the introduction of invasive species of bugs and organisms that may be harmful. Others, not so much. So you really don't know what you are getting. Inspect the wood very carefully before sawing or planning. If it looks like something may be living or growing in the wood, do not bring it home. We get crates and pallets at work from all over. I've seen walnut, cherry, oak, pine and maple mostly, but many years ago I scavenged some wood from a crate that I believe is either Sapele or some type of Mahogany. It wasn't fine furniture wood, but it made some interesting projects. I think I still have some of it.

I usually have 3-4 sheets of it on hand at any given time. I store it leaning up against a wall, behind a bench. I'll sometimes cut the sheets in 1/2. They're easier to handle on my table saw at that size.

I think it's best to let the project dictate the wood. Some patterns specify a thickness, while others are more open to individual interpretation. If stack cutting is part of the equation, then the thinner the better. Hardwoods, softwoods, exotics and plywood all have a place and it's up to each scroller to decide what to use where. Each of us have our own preferences, but largely there is no right or wrong choice. The species will depend on what you have available, what is affordable and what you are comfortable cutting. I like domestic hardwoods for most fretwork and I use baltic birch ply for things like portrait type work, mostly because all of those are readily available to me. Exotics are typically more expensive and harder to come by. They also tend to be harder to cut, so I only use them when I want a certain effect that is created by their unique grain and/or color.

I live in a rural area and just dump it in the woods that border my yard.

I was going to ask how the cat got rusty....

I think I remember you from the SSW&C forum. Welcome back!