Bill WIlson

It appears that the Excaliburs have been discontinued, at least for the time being. I think someone above mentioned the new offerings from Jet and Seyco as potential alternatives, with similar design features. Hawk and Hegner are top of the line, commercial grade saws, with higher price tags. The DeWalt is pretty good bang for the buck and is very user friendly, so it should be a good choice for you, but I know some folks, who really use theirs hard, haven't been happy with it's durability. I liked mine a lot. Had it for over 10 years and never had any significant problems with it. Only reason I replaced it was I had the opportunity to upgrade and wanted to take advantage, before it passed. I'm a little uneasy now, given that Excalibur has gone dark, but I'm happy with the saw.

I bought an EX-21 last year about this time to replace my DeWalt. They seem to be very hard to find right now. Do you have a source? If you can find one, I think you will like it.

First thing is to decide if you want to sit or stand. Both have their advocates. I started out standing, but now prefer sitting. I have a swivel stool, that is on wheels and adjustable height. It's perfect for me, because I can shift my position, without really moving all that much. My footswitch sits on a platform where I place my right foot, but I can still move around a bit and easily reach the switch. It sort of becomes natural, once you get used to it. For me, if you don't have the ability to immediately turn the saw on & off, then there isn't as much benefit to having the switch. If one uses the tap on/tap off type and moves around while sawing, then you really don't have as much control, because your foot has to find that switch before you can turn it off. I prefer the immediate response from the deadman type, but that's just me.

There are 2 types of footswitches. One is a deadman type, the other is tap on/tap off. Based on responses in past threads on the topic, I think most folks prefer the deadman type. You press down to turn on the saw and it stays on, until you lift your foot.

As you probably already figured out, there are several options, both in size and type of spiral blades. For a first time try, I would suggest the flat end spirals. They are easier to get situated securely in the clamps. They don't come in the very small sizes like 2/0 & 3/0, but will work fine for practice and general cutting. Once you get the feel for how spirals cut and are ready for patterns with finer detail, you can switch to something smaller. Other spiral blades are twisted all the way to the ends and require that you untwist or otherwise flatten the ends in order to get them to seat in the clamps properly. This isn't a big obstacle, but with the flat end spirals, you have one less issue to cause you problems as you are learning. I still remember my first experience with spirals. They weren't flat ended and I had a devil of a time keeping them in the clamps. They either broke or kept popping out. I almost gave up on them completely. I didn't have any problem cutting with them, once I got a blade to stay in the clamp for more then 10 seconds. After that, I avoided spirals, until I discovered that FD offered them with flat ends. I got some of them and it was a much better experience. Since then, I've used the 2/0 and 3/0 New Spirals for really fine detailed work. The ends untwist fairly easily on them, but be careful, especially with the 3/0. They are very small and fragile, so it doesn't take much to break them.

Actually a footswitch is just for on/off control. It's still a great addition to the scrollsaw and I highly recommend getting one, but it doesn't act as a variable speed control.

Welcome Charlie, I came into woodworking as a hobby that grew out of a background in construction that started when I was a boy, helping my Dad. I worked as a carpenter, building houses for a couple years, after high school, but when the interest rates hit 20%, the housing market dried up and the outfit I worked for went under. Since then, I've built my own house and gradually accumulated a shop full of tools and learned to make a little finer sawdust. I discovered scrolling about 20 years ago and am on my 3rd saw. The great thing about scrolling is that there are so many different and distinct disciplines that there is something to interest just about everyone. You can specialize in one area or dabble in several and likely never get bored. Pattern designers (the lifeblood of scrolling) and the more creative and innovative scrollers are constantly coming up with new ways to use a scrollsaw. Forums like this offer a great means for sharing experiences, seeking advice and seeing what the newest thing is that people are trying.

I would be surprised if you were able to find any router bits for the Dremel, that have a larger profile. Generally speaking, the Dremel is underpowered for routing operations, so I suspect the bits are small, by design. Also the cullet limits you to the size shaft that can be used, which will also limit the size of the bit. A large profile on a small shank would be asking for trouble. For the type of work you describe, a palm router or laminate trimmer would be a better size. They accept standard 1/4" shank bits, which make available to you a much wider selection of profiles.

I never heard of one. I don't know who the arbiter would be. Most of those kinds of titles were traditionally associated with the trades. Doesn't really apply to the modern scrolling culture.

Depending on the size of blade you are using, numbered drill bits in the 64-71 range would probably be better for you. Blade vendors will provide recommended drill sizes for each blade on their websites. They're pretty cheap, but also very fragile, so it pays to buy them in quantity. By the way, the 1/16" bit is fine for entry holes where there is more waste to cut away, but for veining, the smallest bit that will allow the blade to pass through is what you want.

Excellent! I love the detail.

Nice job. Might I also suggest that you look into getting some smaller drill bits, so that you can hide your entry holes for the veining a little more. They are usually available from the major blade suppliers.

Yea, you could have had a Dewalt up and running by now for about the same $, but sometimes it's more about the journey.

Well, just reading the descriptions on mikesworkshop.com indicates that New Spirals are easier to control and give a cleaner cut. Sounds good to me and knowing nothing else, I would probably start there and pass on the regular spiral blades. As for spiral reverse, they have some reverse teeth, which in theory should help minimize tear out on the back side of the wood. You left out flat end spirals. As the name implies, they have ends that are flat, making them easier to get clamped in the saw. Not all of the varieties come in the full range of sizes, so that may be a determining factor in deciding which one to use. I don't use a lot of spiral blades, so I can't necessarily make a recommendation on which is best. I like the flat end spirals, because twisted ends can be a pain to get clamped properly. However the last ones I ordered were new spirals, because I needed smaller sizes that weren't available in the flat end style. I'd be interested to hear someone's review of reverse spirals, because the "fuzzies" that are so characteristic of spiral blades are a vexation to scrollers.

Congrats on the new saw and welcome to the group First suggestion is to throw away the blades that came with your saw. Second suggestion is to spend some time at mikesworkshop.com. I can't post a link from this browser, but that site will give you enough information to get you started and you can also order blades from there, if desired. It may seem a little overwhelming, but never fear, you can always post your questions here and folks will be glad to give you all sorts of opinions. Bottom line is that you first need to understand the basics of blade sizes, types and tooth configuration. Then understand a little about what they are used for. Realize that you should try different blades to learn their capabilities, then understand that your choice of blade for your specific application will ultimately come down to a personal preference. Good luck and have fun making sawdust!

Most blade manufacturers will list the types of saws and the types of cuts that the particular blade in question is recommended for, right on the packaging. Typically a high tooth count blade provides the cleanest cross cut. Blades recommended for compound miter saws, radial arm saws also typically have a very low or even negative tooth rake angle. This isn't something that you will see specified on the product packaging, but it should be information that is available on the manufacturer's web site. I have a 10" RAS and I keep a Freud 80 tooth cross cut blade on it. My CMS is 12" and has a Freud 96 tooth blade. These saws are used only for cross-cutting and angle/bevel cutting, so I can keep dedicated blades for these tasks on them at all times.

I was referring to breakage of the wood, not blades.

Using the proper blade and technique, you shouldn't have a big problem cutting even very intricate designs in hardwoods down to 1/4" thick. If you are experiencing a lot of breakage, try to get to the root cause. It could be that your blade is too big and it could grab when trying to make sharp turns. Sometimes the blade grabbing can be violent enough to break short cross grain pieces. It could be that your cutting sequence removes too much of the surrounding material that supports the piece during a cut. I always look over a pattern and carefully plan the cutting sequence. You want to look for trouble spots before you start cutting and plan accordingly. Cut gently in these areas, slow down your feed rate and try no to make a lot of sudden course changes. Instead of trying to spin the blade to make really tight turns, back out of the corner and nibble away at the waste area to approach the point of the lines from both directions. Try to cut the most delicate areas first, so that the maximum material remains around it to support it while it's being cut, then work out from there. Some folks have mentioned zero clearance inserts. They can be helpful, if your saw has a large opening around the blade. If I recall correctly, you have an Excalibur. I don't think the hole in the table is all that big on an EX that a zero clearance insert is necessary, but no harm in trying one out.

There are multiple options, depending on what you want the piece to look like and what application methods are convenient for you. If you want a darker color, but don't want to use stain, you could try dyes. There is a little bit of a learning curve with dyes, but they can be controlled better than a pigment stain. You still probably would need a top coat of some sort. Another option is to use shellac. Clear shellac will impart a little amber tint to the baltic birch ply and serve as a topcoat. To get more, deeper color, you can get amber shellac in quart cans. Shellac is best sprayed on. If you aren't set up to spray, then you could try brushing or perhaps even dipping. Shellac dries very fast, so these methods pose some risk of the shellac tacking up before you have a chance to get it all even. You could dip the piece in boiled linseed oil. This would also give you a little amber tint and may be easier for you than shellac. In my opinion, BLO needs a topcoat. Some folks leave it as is, but for something like this, I would want a clear topcoat over the BLO. BLO needs several days to cure before putting a top coat on. Next option would be a Danish oil. These are essentially thinned oil, varnish blends that soak into the wood, give a little amber tint and also can serve as a final finish. You could just apply a clear top coat of your choice. It won't add much visual appeal to the BB ply, but it will provide some protection and give you a smooth surface.

Thin hardwood is available from several on-line sources, if you don't have a local lumber yard that will mill it for you. I've never dealt with them, but as one example, this one gets mentioned a lot; http://www.ocoochhardwoods.com/ If I'm using hardwood, I tend to go a little thicker than I might, if I were cutting the same pattern from baltic birch ply. There is some additional risk of breakage, especially in delicate, cross grain areas, but I've cut some fairly detailed patterns out of 1/4" red oak (which is more brittle than some other species), with no problems. I think that you would be safe with most hardwoods in thicknesses 1/4" and up. Baltic Birch plywood certainly has it's place in scrolling, but one down side is that it isn't the nicest looking wood. The grain tends to be very plain and often is splotchy when stained. If you want a material that shows the beauty of wood, then use a hardwood. If you want something dark, then select a species that is naturally dark. Let the beauty of the wood speak for itself as much as possible.

I rarely sand beyond 180 grit, sometimes 220. I used to go higher, but realized that when using any film finish, it was how the final finish was rubbed out that determined how smooth the piece felt to the touch. One could sand the raw wood up through 800 grit, but the surface would still feel rough after the first coat or two of finish. This was caused by the finish itself, not the wood, so my focus shifted to making sure the finish was rubbed out smooth before the final coat. I found that sanding beyond 180 grit didn't make much difference, as long as the wood was well sanded, meaning all the defects and sanding scratches from the coarser grits were removed. I'll add my endorsement for 2 more finishing books; http://www.rockler.com/understanding-wood-finishing-book By Bob Flexner http://www.tauntonstore.com/tauntons-complete-illustrated-guide-to-finishing-jeff-jewitt-070712.html By Jeff Jewitt Both of these authors and books are very highly regarded within the woodworking community. Both say that, generally speaking, sanding beyond 220 grit produces diminishing returns for the time & effort required.

I can see sealing it up as much as possible to reduce noise, but is there a point where you need to be concerned with airflow and heat build up?

I think one of the most critical elements of compound cutting is that the stock for the blanks has to be perfectly square and parallel. Anything less will cause the pieces to look lopsided when they come out. Also, correct pattern placement is important. The fold line of the pattern has to line up exactly with the corner of the blank. Any misalignment will transfer directly to the finished piece. As for the vice, I think what is being referred to is a simple homemade clamp, made specifically for compound cutting. It consists of 2 strips of wood, longer than the blank, with a bolt/screw and wingnut/knob on each end. You can use this to keep the pieces together as you are cutting. It also gives you a little more to hold onto while cutting and helps you control the cut. I think Steve Good shows how to make one on his website.

You really shouldn't have to crank the DeWalt tension lever all the way to 5 to get enough tension, especially on a new saw. The tension mechanism does wear and over time may need adjusted. The website that Scrappile refers to will show you how to make those adjustments. If this is a new saw, you could consider returning it.

Just a shot in the dark Sam, but try setting your blade a little further down in the clamps. I had a similar problem when I got my EX last year. Having already had a DeWalt, I was familiar with the set screw and thumbscrew issues, but after fiddling around with both, I still got a slight bend. The conclusion I came to was that I was setting the blade too high up in the top clamp. When I applied tension, the clamp block would compress down and bend the end of the blade. At least this was my theory. I've since made sure to keep the blade down a little lower in the clamp and I haven't had any more bending.