Bill WIlson

Greetings from not-so-snowy PA! I live about an hour north of Pittsburgh. We don't get as much snow here as you do up in Erie. Welcome to the forum and to the hobby. Let us know your thought process as you scout out new saws.

Yea, but with the walnut, you are paying for appearance. BB ply can't compete with walnut on looks.

I cut 100 frework snowflake ornaments out of 1/4" polycarbonate this year. Technically not plexiglass, but it poses similar challenges. Sorry no pics. I used an Olson #5 skip tooth blade. I tried a couple different reverse tooth blades, but the kerf melted shut behind the cut, regardless of blade speed or feed rate. The skip tooth blade left a little rougher edge than I normally like, but otherwise it cut very well. The 1/4" material is thicker than I prefer for ornaments, but it was scrap material from work and I wanted to try scrolling it. The ornaments were a big hit.

My one and only experience with FD 2/0 blades was much like Dan's. Subsequently,I developed a bias toward Olson blades and avoided FD blades, in general, for a long time. This was only to my own detriment, because all other FD blades that I've used since have been excellent and I'm becoming a late convert. I have no idea why the FD 2/0 are so cantankerous, but I have no reason to believe I'll ever try them again. I get consistently predictable results with the Olson 2/0, so I'll be sticking with them.

Very interesting. I purchased an EX-21 earlier this year and all the talk about EX stopping production had me concerned. I feel a little better now that Seyco has made this move. it looks like there is enough commonality that wear parts for my EX will hopefully be available for some time. I hope Seyco has a lot of success with this saw. The market needs more options, not fewer.

One general rule of thumb of ergonomics is that when working at a bench/table/desk, the height of the work surface should be approximately at the bend in your elbows. This helps relieve strain on the hands, wrists and arms. However, I find that at that height, I tend to hunch over too much in order to get my aging eyes closer to the work. A lighted magnifier could help, but I tried one once and didn't care for it, so I use reading glasses when scrolling, but still find myself hunching over, which causes discomfort in my neck and shoulders. Bottom line is that it is something of a personal preference. I would suggest that you build your stand with some consideration for adjustability, as it may be something of a trial and error process to find that sweet spot that works best for you. This is the primary reason I use a stool that has adjustable height. Easier to adjust the height of the stool than the stand. Regardless of what height you choose, be prepared to take frequent breaks to relax your arms, shoulders, back, neck, etc. And have fun making sawdust!

Blade selection is such a matter of personal preference that it is sometimes difficult to give advice. Each of us develops our own individual criteria for what we like about blades and that criteria isn't always directly transferrable to someone else. In discussions with members of our scrollsaw club, I always find it interesting to hear differing views on blade selection. Several veteran scrollers can look at the same project and not agree on which blade they would use. We see that here as well. There isn't often a general consensus amongst the majority as to which blade will be best to use in a particular application. Opinions can vary widely. It's good to get a broad perspective, but I maintain that it will always be up to the individual to try as many different blades as practical to get a sense of what works best for them. Heck, I've been scrolling for 20 years and I'm still learning and trying different sizes and types. Part of that is because I tend to cut all sorts of patterns from all sorts of materials, so one blade won't work for everything I do, but I do have a tendency to stick with a blade that works and I have to kind of force myself to try new ones sometimes.

Learning a new skill is great. Having an epiphany while learning is even better, but the gesture you made in gifting that plaque to the wounded Deputy is priceless! Outstanding!

Like some others, I've had difficulty controlling FD 2/0 blades. I much prefer the Olsons. For the pattern you show, I would think a #1 FD-UR or even an OIson #3 MS blade would work pretty well. The Olson #3 MS blade was my go-to blade for just about anything that didn't require a very small blade, but lately I've been using the #1 FD-UR. It's a little smaller, but seems to cut just as well, even in 1/2" hardwood and may last a little longer. JMHO.

I think there is a tendency for some scrollers to overtighten their clamps. I know I did for a long time. I've found that by roughing up the ends of the blades with some sandpaper, they stay in the clamps, such that I don't have to crank the thumbscrews exceedingly tight for them to stay put. Occasionally the rotating end of the clamping thumbscrew should be dressed to ensure it's clean and flat as well. Now, for folks that have issues with arthritis, tendonitis,etc, in their hands, this post is of no help whatsoever.

I cut polycarbonate and acrylic with an Oldon skip tooth blade and it works pretty well. I'd probably be inclined to use a Forstner bit to get a cleaner, more accurate cut. Might take a little fiddling to get it lined up, but you should be able to get it centered accurately enough. The plastic on mine is pretty soft. I suspect they are made that way, so as to be forgiving should a bit come in contact with the insert. I don't think a Forstner bit would have any problem with it. If you had a drum sander, you could probably open the hole up with that as well, especially if you were just removing a little material. Several ways to skin this cat.

Looks like fun Dan. We just got a Woodcraft back here in Western PA. The one we had a few years ago closed. New store, new location. I've long had an interest in conducting a class. I wonder if our new Woodcraft would be interested in hosting one? They are a little far away from me, so it isn't terribly convenient, but might be worthwhile to check into it.

Best woodworking practice is to glue bare wood surfaces only. You may be able to bond surfaces that have some finish on them, but the strongest bond is always between two pieces of bare, freshly sanded/milled pieces of wood. Hawkeye's advice to mask off the area around the gluing surfaces is good. I do that on projects where it's difficult to access the joint and clean up any squeeze out after assembly. Best advice is to avoid the squeeze out in the first place by careful application of the glue. I also agree with Dan that mineral oil is not something I would recommend using as a finish for anything except wooden kitchen items that come in contact with food. There are a a lot of finishing options out there, suitable for general woodworking. Mineral oil isn't one of them, IMHO.

Bryan, First, welcome to the hobby. Beware though, as it can be addicting. Also, it's great that you are getting your daughter involved. A scrollsaw is just about the perfect power tool for kids to use, as it's about as safe a tool as there is in the shop. I think the Dewalt would make a fine saw for you and your daughter. I had one for many years before I sold it and upgraded to an Excalibur, earlier this year. I think it's about the most user friendly saw out there. Start out with good blades, properly sized and configured for the project at hand. The right blade makes a lot of difference in the results you get. Also, with that many trees to cut out, consider stack cutting. You didn't mention the thickness of the stock you are cutting, but if it's thin enough, you can save a lot of time cutting multiples from stacked blanks. You can post here with any specific questions you may have. Lots of good advice is always available here. Good luck and have fun making sawdust!

Everyone learns differently. Some learn best by doing, some by watching, some by reading. With the internet, you really have the best of all worlds. I like books, but I'm kinda old school. I'm self taught, but will say that I wish I had some of the resources back then that are available today. I don't think that you can go wrong getting Nelson's Scroll Saw Workbook. At the very least, it's a handy reference to have, to answer a lot of those beginner questions. If you don't follow all of the exercises, no big deal. There are still several nice patterns in the book. Good luck and have fun making sawdust!

Easier not to get the adhesive on your fingers in the first place. I lay the pattern out on newspaper and if I need to hold it in place, I find a long thin stick or piece of dowel. Keeps my fingers out of the line of fire. Otherwise, I use a little MS. It doesn't take much as it comes off pretty quickly and easily, so I don't think much gets absorbed through the skin. At least I hope not.

Don, a little tip that can make feeding the blade through the holes easier, is to take an awl and push it into the hole first. This opens it up just enough to help guide the end of the blade into the hole. Also, while it may be more efficient to drill all the entry holes with the same bit, not every hole has to be the same size. If you have trouble threading the blade, drill a larger hole, where the pattern permits. Some places you will be forced to drill the entry hole as close to the size of the blade as possible, but other places, where more waste area is available, nothing prevents you from using a larger bit. Holes of varying sizes can help you identify where you will be cutting, relevant to the pattern on top.

Starting with a #7 but getting best results from a #3 seems odd. I would think that it would be the other way around. Typically one would expect the larger, more aggressive #7 to cut thick, dense wood more easily than a #3. I've never cut any alder, but it has a Janka scale rating of 590, which is just a little harder than poplar and much softer than cherry. I wonder if somehow you have some bad blades?

Great information Charley! Thanks for posting this. For those of you with Excaliburs, have you ever greased the bearings? I presume they are similar to the DeWalt, but haven't investigated it. I had my DeWalt for over 10 years and never had a problem, but I don't put the hours on my saw that many of you folks do. I figure it will be at least that long before my EX would develop any issues, but one never knows.

Shellac is my go-to finish for most scroll saw projects. I spray it 95% of the time, either out of a spray can or using a spray gun. What I like about it is that it dries very fast, is low odor, easy clean up and provides a nice finish.

I use my Dremel for very small, numbered bits only. My drill press gets anything larger. I usually set the speed on some middle setting, but I don't know what RPM it is. I sometimes get smoke, but a dull bit that small, still easily makes a hole and it mostly ends up being part of the scrap getting cut out anyway, so I don't worry about it. I use my numbered bits until they break. If there is enough of the bit left after it breaks, I'll use the broken piece. They still drill holes.

I'm an unabashed bottom feeder. My first saw was bottom feed only. I upgraded to a DeWalt after about 5 years or so. By that time, bottom feeding was pretty much embedded in my DNA. Actually, with saws like the Dewalt and the EX that I have now, lifting the upper arm makes bottom feeding easier for me. I tried top feeding a couple times and didn't take to it. I suppose with a little more effort and practice I would get used to it and end up wondering what took me so long to switch, but bottom feeding really isn't a burden to me.

I've gotten away from using tape as much as I used to I hate picking the tiny bits of painters tape left behind on detailed fretwork and I don't like packing tape on top, because of glare and the fact that it prevents mineral spirits from soaking in when trying to remove the pattern. Applying painters tape, pattern, then packing tape seems like too much effort for little benefit, for me, anyway. I typically use hot glue to keep my stacks together, instead of tape, so often I don't use any tape at all. If I'm cutting fine detail in thicker, harder stock that is prone to burning, like cherry, I may use tape to help keep the blade cool.

I've been experimenting a little with fabric dyes lately. They work pretty well. As others have stated, it's messy, but if you plan for that, it can be readily managed.

Earlier this year I upgraded from a Dewalt to the EX-21. I agree with your overall assessment of the EX. I like mine very much and am happy with it, despite having many good years of service from my Dewalt. I do think the dust collection feature on the EX needs re-thinking and the stand does have a much larger footprint than what is really necessary, but those are small quibbles. As for the Hawk, I've not used one enough to really comment on it. They do seem to be almost universally well regarded though and their build quality/durability is excellent. It comes down to the features of the saw that fit best with the user. I considered the Hawk before I purchased the EX, but I didn't care for the blade clamping system. After using the Dewalt for so many years, I thought it might be more cumbersome for me to get used to. In fact, I went with the EX primarily because, in addition to being a better made saw, it had several features that were similar to the Dewalt and I knew the learning curve would be very short. After scrolling for about 20+ years, that was kinda important to this old dog.