Bill WIlson

The double parallel link design does incorporate a lot of pivot points that are subject to wear. Despite this, it appears to be the most dominant and popular design in scroll saws today. The question is, does this design offer other enough benefits to make it more attractive to users, such that they are willing to accept the ramifications of that wear? It would seem the answer is yes.

But most oil based products contain driers themselves, don't they? Pure tung oil being a notable exception.

I think the people who would most benefit from the info in that video are not necessarily those who make products to sell. As Kevin suggested, the cost benefit may not be there for the pro woodworker. OTOH, hobbiests who very likely have a shelf or cabinet full of various finishing products that they've accumulated over the years, may well save a little $$ by mixing their own, with stuff they already have vs buying another expensive can of finish and adding it to their collection. I don't think there is anything special about commercially available blends. Mixing your own doesn't require a degree in chemistry. It's been done by hobbiests for years. I think the biggest value of the video is to enlighten those who think they are getting something specific or special in their name brand blended finish to the fact that there is a lot of hype and mis-information out there, carefully wordsmithed as product names and descriptions. Woodworkers are always chasing the holy grail of that perfect finish and if a product isn't all it implies it is, then we should be aware of it. If one knows all of that and still chooses to buy the commercial blend, that's their right. If they perceive a benefit and are happy with the product, then no harm no foul.

I saw that video the other day. I remember reading similar comments on woodworking forums years ago. If I recall correctly either Bob Flexner or Jeff Jewitt (or both) describe it in their respective books on finishing, which may be where the critique originated.

Diluted white vinegar will dissolve shellac. I use it for cleaning up brushes, containers & such when applying shellac. I've never used it to strip a finish, so I don't know how well it will work. Put some shellac on a scrap piece of wood and give it a try before using it on a project.

Congratulations to all of you "old codgers" out there with decades of marital bliss in your life. This was our 45th Christmas together. I've never thought of a commemorative ornament. That's a neat idea. I'll keep that in mind.

I'm curious. Most plastic sheet material comes with a paper covering to protect it from scratches. I've always presumed that the adhesive in that paper acts in much the same way as masking or packing tape. Thoughts?

A very merry and blessed Christmas to all of our scrolling brethren & sistren.

My wife says the same thing. Well, almost the same. She leaves out the sole (soul?) part.

Not sure it's entirely age related. I've been forgetting to take pictures of my stuff for 30 years.

I made a bunch of those several years ago. It's tougher than it looks. Good job!

Let's just call it facial hair. I saw something similar at a craft fair a couple months ago. Even though I usually don't do a lot of Santa themed projects, I thought that one was unique and it struck my fancy, for some reason. I should've taken a picture. A couple weeks later, a bunch of long, rough sawn pine 1x6's appeared in the scrap pile at work. This project came to mind as the perfect use for them, so I salvaged them and brought them home. I couldn't remember exactly how the craft fair Santa's looked, so I searched Google images, presuming I would stumble onto a number of similar projects I could borrow from. Not so much. So, the design for these guys is mostly made up by me. I drew it out on a piece of paper, then made templates for all of the pieces out of 1/4" ply to make sure I liked the final proportions. This is what I came up with.

I've amassed a veritable army of pallet wood Santas. World domination is within my grasp.

Acrylic will melt back into the kerf, as you saw, so you want to keep your speed down to minimize heat. I cut a bunch of Christmas ornaments from 1/4" acrylic a few years ago. I can't recall for certain, but I think I used a skip tooth blade.

I've never dipped anything in diluted shellac. I apply it with a spray gun and it's thin enough that I can use it straight out of the can. For dipping, I think I've seen a 50/50 ratio mentioned, but I'm not certain.

Not Denny, but I'll add my $.02. Shellac is most commonly diluted with de-natured alcohol. This can be purchased at any paint store. Also known as camp stove fuel. Some might say that you can use isopropyl alcohol, but I've read recommendations not to, so I always use de-natured alcohol.

Yes. I made sure to slather them well.

Nothing obvious. I presume it's a bad bearing at one of the pivot points, but no idea which one.

Good news! The EX-21 is back to being operational and purring like a kitten again. I received the drive link assembly last night and spent a couple hours this afternoon installing it. Even though I'm not the greatest at taking things apart and getting them back together, this went pretty smoothly. I'm back in business and have been sawing for the past half hour so. I'm relieved, to say the least. I even called Ray to let him know & thank him again for his help. Well, back to the saw. Let's call this case closed.

Not sure if you've seen this, but there may some info in this thread that is helpful. https://www.scrollsawvillage.com/forums/topic/51378-ex-21-help-needed-urgent/

I stumbled upon this YT review of some Temu tools. It includes the router mentioned in the OP. I know nothing about Temu and never watched this particular reviewer before, but I think I'd pass. Anything that spins a sharp bit at speeds approaching 30,000 RPM, I do not want to take any chances with. Of course, your mileage may vary. Just be careful.

The thing is, so many of these saws use the parallel link design now. I suspect most of the parts are common between brands, so unless one goes with a Hawk or Hegner, you probably aren't getting away without this sort of problem, at some point. I had my Dewalt for a lot of years and never replaced anything other than the blade clamps. As far as I know, it's still running strong now at over 20 years old. I'm a hobbiest, so my saws don't get used hard. I have no idea how many hours I put on a saw in a year, on average. No where near as many as those who use theirs for commercial ventures.

The cheap bearing issue is pretty common. I work for a manufacturer and I hear guys complain all the time about the cheap bearings we put in things and we're not alone. Same thing goes for most things you buy with bearings. Problem is, good ones are stupid expensive and sometimes hard to get.

Everyone is either getting tired of this saga by now or waiting with bated breath for the latest update. For the latter group, here's the latest; This morning I sent Ray videos of the 2 spots on the saw, as per his instructions. He called my house this morning, but I didn't get his message until this evening. I spoke with him and his recommendation is to replace the drive link assembly. He does not believe that either of the front rocker arms is the problem. He believes this is the fastest and cheapest way to come to a resolution. I guess that is true, provided the drive links are actually the problem. I ordered the part and depending on when my replacement saw arrives, it may be after Christmas before I get to tearing into this. I still believe the EX is a great saw, but am a little surprised and disappointed that it's giving me this trouble. I had my old Dewalt longer than I've owned this saw and it never gave me any problems, other than having to replace the blade clamps once or twice. Anyway, this may be the last update for awhile. As soon as my back-up arrives, I need to turn & burn on Christmas projects to get caught up, so repair of the EX will take a back seat. Thanks again for the interest.

I made my first purchase from Ocooch a couple weeks ago. I got several 20"x30" sheets of 1/8" & 1/4" BB ply. I sure hope it's good stuff, because I can't get it at my local supplier anymore. I've never bought from Ocooch before, but I've always heard good things about them. I don't have any immediate projects planned for it. I just always like to keep some stock around for spur of the moment needs (which is how most of my projects start). Crossing my fingers.