Bill WIlson

Anymore, I use shellac almost exclusively for scrolled projects. You can buy it in flake form to mix your own, or it's readily available already pre-mixed and in spray cans. I like it because it dries so quickly and is easy to clean up. No problems with overspray and the slight odor isn't unpleasant (to me anyway) and dissipates quickly. For a piece like that, I would dip it in BLO to get into all those tight, deep frets, as well as accentuate the grain. That way, if you can't get the top coat in there, it doesn't look unfinished. Spray shellac goes on very thin and is ideal for fretwork, because it dries so fast, you can hit the piece from multiple angles to get as much coverage as possible on the edges, without getting too much build up, risking puddles and runs. Nice cutting. I'm sure she'll appreciate it very much.

My first saw was a Craftsman and yes, as Travis said, those clamp blocks are designed to wiggle like that. If I recall correctly, mine had reversible clamp blocks so that the saw would accept both plain and pin end blades. If yours is the same, make sure the blocks are set correctly for the type of blade you are using. I believe the pin ends rested in notches in the clamp blocks and were held in place with blade tension. Plain end blades were clamped inbetween the flat faces of the clamp blocks. It took 2 tools to tighten the clamp screws, a hex key and a round key. The round key slipped into the open hole/slot that is just above the screw in your 2nd picture. It locked the blade clamp in place so you could put sufficient torque on the clamp screw, without the clamp block wiggling around. Hope this helps.

Speaking from a Christian perspective, I think the main reason for the abundance of Christian themed patterns is that Christians are specifically called to witness and spread the Gospel. It's a major tenant of our faith. Not everyone appreciates some of the more aggressive methods used, but by creating and cutting Christian themed patterns, believers are simply living out their faith and expressing & sharing it, as we are instructed to do in the Bible. I can't speak to the lack of alternative patterns. I suspect that the absence of a real market may be a big factor. If there was profit to be made in such a market, I believe that it would be exploited. Perhaps it's a hidden market, just waiting for an enterprising pattern designer to wade in. While I wouldn't support it, I wouldn't feel that my faith is threatened by it either.

Compensating for blade drift is necessary even if the lines aren't long and straight. You don't notice it as much on curved lines, but it still needs done. I sit off to one side of the saw, so that I appear to be pushing the wood straight into the blade, relative to my body. The toughest thing is switching from blades that have a lot of drift to ones that don't on the same project. That's why my scrolling chair is on wheels.

I recently purchased an EX-21 to replace my DeWalt. I have been pleased with it so far. I will say that the dust collection provisions on the EX aren't all that impressive. In fact, I'd say that was the one thing I disliked about the saw. It's a relatively minor issue though and would not have dissuaded me from the EX, but it isn't really a game changer either. I don't know anything about Hawks, other than what I've read and been told by other users. They seem to be very highly regarded and their customer service apparently has been pretty good, once they got their feet under them after the acquisition. My suggestion would be to call Bushton and ask them about the vibration issue. Perhaps it could be resolved with a simple repair, like a bearing replacement or something.

Figure it this way, on larger projects, you will be changing blades several times anyway, so just plan your cuts and it really isn't any extra burden.

One of the members of my scrollsaw club lives in a trailer. He uses a spare room to do his scrolling and he scrolls a lot. I think he has a plastic curtain of some kind that he uses at the doorway to help prevent dust from migrating into the rest of the home. I don't know if or how he seals it, but one thought that comes to mind is to use magnetic weather stripping to hold the plastic curtain in place around the door. If your room has a window in it, consider putting in a fan, with a furnace filter attached, to exhaust outside. This won't eliminate dust, but will help keep airborne particles contained. Also, think about your heating system. If you have a forced air system, it will pick up some of that dust. That could be a bad thing. Most furnace filters aren't fine enough to capture the really small dust particles, so you may need to upgrade to a HEPA type filter and change it more often. There are ways to minimize the accumulation of dust in side your shop area. Scroll saws aren't always the most dust collector friendly power tools out there, but I know some of the folks on this forum have done some creative things to enhance dust collection at the scroll saw. Fortunately a scroll saw doesn't throw a lot of the really fine dust in the air like a lot of other power tools do. Most of the dust is confined to the table and underneath. If using a power sander, I highly recommend one that can be attached to a shop vac. Sanders are notorious for generating very fine dust that is not only messy, but not good for your lungs either.

I don't do a lot of portraits, but there are several guys in my scrollsaw club that are pretty prolific portrait scrollers. In general, BB ply is considered the standard for portraits. I like 1/8" thickness, but have used 1/4". I like to stack at least 2 layers together, so the 1/8" just seems to work better for me. Most of the guys in the club seem to prefer the thinner ply as well. I think BB ply is most popular, because it is lighter in color and has very little grain character to distract the viewer's eye from the actual picture. However, some patterns are really enhanced by a strong, distinct grain pattern, so other species of veneer may be appropriate, in specific applications. I think it's very important, when selecting plywood for portraits, to choose one with actual layers of ply in the middle, instead of a solid core. This gives the thin plywood the most strength and resists breakage better than solid core, IHMO. This is another reason why BB is so poplar. The size of the spirals will depend on the pattern. If there are a lot of very fine details and delicate areas, I will use a 2/0 or even a 3/0 spiral. For places where the detail isn't as fine or I need heavier veining, I'll use a #1 or #3 flat end spiral. I'll use a straight blade, like a #1 or #2 for making long straight cuts or in places where a really sharp inside corner is critical. I may use all of these blades on the same portrait, depending on the need.

First off, well done on the portrait, especially for a first attempt and first experience with spiral blades. I think you will find that using thinner BB plywood will make cutting portraits more enjoyable. Use the smallest spiral blades that are practical. It will give you the most control of the cut and help preserve those very delicate details that portraits are known for. You could use Aileene's Tacky Glue for the fix on that piece, mainly because the wood is thick enough to give you a little larger gluing surface. If you were trying to repair something in 1/8" or 1/4" thick stock, the CA glue would be a better choice.

So you're confessing to stealing that 45? That's a pretty sweet deal.

No guesses on the price, but I know a complete one, in excellent condition, is worth some serious coin. That one is a beauty. I'm a fledgling vintage tool accumulator myself. I belong to the Mid-West Tool Collector's Association and the Three Rivers Tool Collectors. I'm developing a new appreciation for the hand tools of the late 19th/early 20th century. Many were aesthetically beautiful, as well as being well made and practical. That's a rare combination today. Your 45 is indeed a classic. Nice find!

I've used eReplacementParts.com myself.

Welcome Hawkeye! You came to a good place to ask questions and learn about scrolling. I wish places like this had existed, or I knew about them, years ago when I started scrolling. Trial & error is a great teacher, but a lot of relatively simple tips & tricks would have been nice to know early on. Anyway , for beginners, I like to recommend John Nelson's book' "Scroll Saw Workbook". It's a great resource you can keep at your fingertips. You don't have to follow everything to the letter, but at the very least, it helps you understand the basic concepts. You can always come here and ask specific questions, but sometimes it's easier to have at least a basic frame of reference to start with. Nelson's book provides that and more. Good luck and have fun making sawdust.

I've used a variety of methods, most of which have already been mentioned. My preference usually runs toward using a mechanical fastener, of some type. If the piece is somewhat heavy, I've used screw eyes and picture hanging wire, like a painting. On the rare occasion that I'm not content with any of my usual methods for wall hanging, I'll make an easel and turn the plaque into a shelf sitter, instead of a wall hanger.

I use painters tape, if I'm stack cutting or cutting hard, thick stock. Otherwise, if I'm cutting something out of 1/4" or less, I don't bother with it. Like many others, I use spray adhesive. I've used several brands and have no particular preference, so I go by price. I can get Loctite brand spray at Lowes for less than $5 a can and it works just like the expensive stuff. No matter what I use or how much I use, it comes off easily by spritzing on some mineral spirits. May take a little time to soak in, but the patterns will practically fall off by themselves. I actually prefer applying the pattern directly to the wood. It seems to come off easier than the painters tape for me. The tape leaves a lot of little bits behind, because it isn't all one piece, like a paper pattern. Often I can pull the entire pattern off in one piece. Never happens with the tape. And don't use mineral spirits to remove the tape. It makes a gummy mess.

Welcome to the forum and to the hobby. Always great to see new folks getting interested in scrolling. Unfortunately, the market for new saws in the $200 range can be a little iffy. Manufacturers and models seem to come and go, so it's hard to keep up with what is currently available. I believe Porter Cable has been mentioned as being decent. I have no personal experience with them though. The Delta Shopmaster was another one that used to be regarded as a decent beginner's saw, but I'm not sure if Delta is still manufacturing them anymore. Delta offers a more expensive model that is comparable with the Dewalt 788 and costs a little less, but is still well above your budget figure. There are a ton of models in the entry level market ($100-$150). Unfortunately, I believe most of them are of poor quality and are likely to frustrate you. It's a big jump from there to a new Delta 40-695 or Dewalt 788 that are approaching $500 or an EX-16 that is closer to $600. Perhaps your best bet is to check out used machines. Yes, they can have their problems and I understand why some folks don't like to buy used machinery. But it's also possible and maybe even likely, with some patience and a keen eye, you can get a really good machine within your budget. Look around and post back here with any questions you have on prospects. Folks here have experience with most of the good saws you are likely to find in the used market and someone can give you advice on what to look for and what to look out for. Good luck and have fun making sawdust!

I don't sell anything, but I initial my work and include the year it was made. I generally use a sharpie and with a fine point marker, I can sign even very small pieces, like Christmas ornaments. I don't recall when I started signing stuff, but people I give stuff to always seem to check that I did and if I happen to forget or if they don't find the signature right away, they always ask. Since I give most of my stuff away, much of it to family, I think it's important to sign and date it. I've made furniture for both of my daughters and all of my grandkids. I hope that this furniture will long outlast me. Years, maybe even generations from now, my family will be able to recall when something was made and who made it.

I'm with Dan on this one. $350 is way too much for that saw, unless it's new old stock and still in the original box. I recently sold my Dewalt type 2, of similar vintage, for $200 and firmly believe it was a fair price. I likely wouldn't offer more than that for this saw, type 1 or not. Make sure to put it through it's paces before buying.

Sorry to be a wet blanket, but I've always believed, perhaps incorrectly, that doing something like that was technically illegal. Something about intentionally defacing legal tender. A quick google seemed to support this belief, but I didn't look any further to confirm. Before you start selling those, you might want to check it out.

WOW! That sure beats the dishes, clothes and baby toys we typically see at yard sales around here. I can't imagine my wife even noticing anything like that at a yard sale, much less buying it. Outstanding!

It depends on the application. For some things I prefer certain Olson blades. For others, I like FD. I've also used a few PS Wood blades.

I've been toying with RIT clothing dye on a few projects now. I like it. It can be a little messy, but seems to clean up well. I've been using the pre-mix. I've gotten good color absorption with most things I've tried, some better than others, but that will hold true with stains as well. I like having the variety of colors available, without having to resort to paint. In most applications, I also like the grain showing through. Good stuff, readily available and relatively cheap.

When I had my Dewalt, I hauled it a few times. Not the easiest, but it wasn't a huge burden. I'm probably going to want to take my EX-21 someplace, at some point. I don't think the saw will be a problem, but the stand is bigger and more awkward to haul than the Dewalt's, so I'm not sure how I'll work around that.

Walnut would probably be my first choice, but I like walnut a lot, so it would be my first choice for a lot of things. Cherry would look good as well, but it would take some time for it to darken enough to provide the necessary contrast.

I have the storage tubes that are available from several scrolling supply vendors. I actually need to get another set, because my selection of blades is growing.