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Jim Finn

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Everything posted by Jim Finn

  1. Jim Finn
    I am in the process of setting up a web site in order to sell my stuff online. I have engaged a pro to do this and it will be awhile before it will be ready. In the mean time I am producing more inventory. My current local sales are about to close for the season and I am hoping this will bring in some sales though the winter.
  2. Jim Finn
    The experience I have had with scroll saws brought me to getting Hegners. My DeWalt died out of warranty and a friend of mine went through five motors on his Dewalt in five years before he gave up on them. He and I are both cutting thicker woods like you do with your puzzles. (Inlay and toy making) The induction motors on the Hegner can deal with extended use on these thicker woods. Universal (brushed) motors not so much, it seems.
  3. Jim Finn
    I have a Polymax-3 that I use every day for cutting 3/4" hard and soft woods. I bought in new in 2008. I run this saw on it's slowest speed. I later ran across a Hegner Multi-max -3 which is a single speed 25" saw. It was made in 1986 and I paid $600 for it. I have since purchased a 15" 1988 Jet scroll saw for $15 and use it a lot. The 25" saw is stored under my bench as a back up. The 15" jet is the smoothest running of the three. The polymax only runs smoothly if bolted to the stand and the stand bolted to the concrete floor. All these saws have induction motors so will last a long time. I do not do fretwork, but if I did, I would get a different saw with a quicker blade changing process.
  4. Jim Finn
    This is how I store my items that I sell. Mine are much larger than an ornament is but I do keep over 150 of these boxes in stock. I have a separate shed with shelves on three walls in witch to store them . I have labels on the boxes and stack them in alphabetical order. (mostly)
  5. Jim Finn
    I once did a two day event and found my second day's sales to be about 20% of the first days sales. I have avoided them since. My sales this year are down a bit.....so far.
  6. Jim Finn
    Made this using my scroll saw. Basswood with walnut inlay. five inches tall. This will be given away, not sold.
  7. Jim Finn
    Be aware that shop vacs cannot run for very long. (although they worked well) I killed three of them before giving up on them. The Festool one should be more durable though. I now just have an $8 hair dryer blowing the dust aside as I cut in my dusty workshop.
  8. Jim Finn
  9. Jim Finn
    Clever!
  10. Jim Finn
    I work mostly in cedar. I slop on a coat of shellac (lacquer also works) as a sealer. let it dry a few hours and sand it with 180 grit, tack cloth it and apply two or three coats of wipe on poly.
  11. Jim Finn
    They are asking $500 for an old Hawk here in Lubbock. Craigslist.
  12. Jim Finn
    I had a similar experience with DeWalt saw. I tossed it after it pooped out at 22 months. I bought a Hegner and love it. I now have two Hegners . A new (in 2008) Polymax-3 and a used (1986) 25" multimax-3. The Polymax has belt change speed control and the Multimax is single speed. For fretwork I would suggest a DeWalt with it's brushed motor but for thicker cutting the induction motors on my Hegners are the way to go.
  13. Jim Finn
    I will try to post it here. It opens in "Word" so it may not work. double bevel inlay instructions.docx
  14. Jim Finn
    Nice cutting! Looks like it would make a nice trivet, or is it to fragile? Yes where does one get 3/8" corian?
  15. Jim Finn
    I agree with this idea of using your fingers more and not the arms as much. My 74 year old right shoulder taught me to lower that elbow and rest the heel of my hands on the saw table. I can saw for hours with no pain. I saw while seated, and the saw table then at chest height. I have told folks, that I am trying to teach how to best use a scroll saw, that when trying to follow a line, steer the wood like you do when driving a car. Little left little right to stay on the line. This helps to avoid the temptation to push the blade sideways.
  16. Jim Finn
    I do LOTS of inlays. Over 2000 to date. Double stack the woods, drill the starter holes at an angle steeper than the angle the scroll saw table is tilted to. I use 3/8" woods and I tilt my scroll saw table about 2° and dill the starter hole at about 6° using a 1/16" bit in a rotary tool (like a Dremel) I make a filler by mixing white glue and sanding powder (sawdust is too coarse) to the consistency of mayonnaise. I apply this paste using a credit card as a squeegee and sand well after it dries (in about ten minutes)
  17. Jim Finn
    I know that Hegners cheapest, variable speed, saw is $1400 but it will out last any other saw. What is true of any saw is: The price of saws will increase over time. I have a Hegner Polymax that I bought in 2008 and it has increased in price almost $1000 since then. I am very glad I bought it when I did. Parts for my other Hegner, a 1986 saw are still available.
  18. Jim Finn
    I have done this same thing. I install the saw blade but before I tension it I grasp the blade near the upper and lower clamps with two pairs of pliers and twist the blade 90°
  19. Jim Finn
    My Hegner Polymax is the only one of my saws that can be slowed down. I use it just for doing my inlays, I have it set up to the angle required for that and it is user friendly. I just do not want to re- set the angle whenever I make toys, or anything requiring a 90° cut. I use my jet saw for that. I have a 25" Hegner under my bench as a back up saw. It is single speed and runs and cuts very well but the tension release on all my saws are at the rear and 25" is a long reach while seated. When I need the extra length I do take it out and use it though. It, and the Jet, are single speed saws. I spend much more time at a scroll saw making toys than I do in making inlays. Scroll saw time, when doing inlays, is less than ten minutes. Often just five. Toys, I mass produce, making fifty at a time, so I use that 15" Jet saw quite a bit. I would love to make more inlays but selling them is not as fast as making them is.
  20. Jim Finn
    I once lead a demonstration on making toys at a scroll saw picnic, in Denton Texas. I had a good time, good sales, and had good attendance to my class. This is where I first met a vendor that had done a very small inlay on a dominos box. This got me to thinking about it, and have done many, many, inlays since. Would like to do this again, demonstrating double bevel inlay.
  21. Jim Finn
    I have three saws. A 20" and a 25" and a 15". I use my 15" $15 Jet ,29 year old ,saw the most.
  22. Jim Finn
    Your first listed modification is one I also did. I do not do fretwork though.
  23. Jim Finn
    I have two Hegners. Both have the blade tensioner at the rear of the saw. Newer models have it at the front. I would not recommend a Hegner for doing fretwork. (I do not do fretwork) The main advantage of owning a Hegner is that they are durable and parts are still available for 30+ year old saws.
  24. Jim Finn
    ....."if you "hover" pointer over each of those - does it show anything".... No nothing...
  25. Jim Finn
    I use chrome for internet access. It used to be so simple. And I am just simple, I guess. I think programmers that make this stuff up need to have a 60+ year old on staff to let them know how, not intuitive, all this is. Those Icons mean nothing to me. I learned the alphabet for a reason. So I could read and write. Not ever- changing code symbols. I know it is just me, but I suggest there are many people like me that do not see the sense in changing things, just to change things. (End of rant.) Thank you for your efforts. I will eventually learn this......well maybe.
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