SCROLLSAW703

I hear ya on the burn Mark's! I ain't able to tell ya how many folks have repeatedly asked if my work is laser cut, or cut with a "computer machine." I've had several folks ask how I can cut get cherry & maple cut without burnin' it, especially in the turns. I simply say back to them a truck driver's response, "I've had lots of practice. " And leave it at that. Several of the pieces I do are perty intricate, & and have several tight corners to make. The Native American pieces with feathers, wolves, cattle, combines & tractors, etc. And I cut my own feathers for the dream catcher's we make. Everyone has their own take on how they get thru each project they take on. It's a matter of experience, learnin' the capabilities of your machine, blade speed, blade type, & wood type & thickness. No two projects are goin to cut the same, no matter how hard ya try to make it work, it won't fly. And for whatever reason, don't let anyone tell ya wood is wood! Because it's not! You can cut two separate pieces out of the same length of board for projects, and they will cut differently & react differently to the blades you're usin. Just my two pennies worth. Sawdust703 (Brad)

Welcome to the Village Mr. Bobby from Northwest Kansas! They's lots o' valuable information here from a lot of seasoned scrollers. As Mr. Spirithorse said, there ain't no mystery to learnin' a scroll saw, it just takes practice, time, and learnin' your machine. Best of luck, & get to slingin' sawdust;) Sawdust703(Brad)

Keep your chin up! You were given two feet for a reason. To take one step at a time;) Get this saw & your technique perfected, boss, and after about 6 dozen or so projects, we'll help ya start huntin' a new saw. Practice, practice, practice. Keep slingin' sawdust! Sawdust703(brad)

First things first. Welcome to the forum! I have read some on the Wen saws, and the reviews that I seen were all over the board. I was looking for a saw for my son, and was looking at them. After I read the reviews, I had a change of heart. My first suggestion would be to throw your plywood in the trash. Several reasons for this response. 1)Plywood is nothing more than several thin layers of wood material pressed together with adhesive and hydraulic pressure. The layers of adhesives will wreck blades faster'n you can change'em, neighbor. Which brings me to my next point. Plywood is also VERY famous for what is called "VOIDS." Here is the issue, or issues with those. Voids can magically appear ANY place in plywood, regardless of the thickness. If you happen to be fortunate enough to catch them inline with your cuttin', they'll usually not be much of a headache. If ya run across one cross cuttin', it very well could cause the issues you have mentioned. A void is a clear spot in the layers of plywood where there is nothing there. As far as practice, yes. It takes A LOT of practice to build your confidence with the saw in order to prepare for a project. Yes, you are goin' to make mistakes, and yes, you won't follow a straight line right out of the chute. The scroll saw is the safest tool in the shop, and one of the most difficult to master. You mentioned your difficulties turning, and your blade comin' to a complete stop, then "comin' back to life again." From what I am gatherin' here, imo, first, you're usin' the wrong blade to cut plywood and 1/2'' fir. What happens in this situation is the blade, guessin' it ain't runnin' near fast enough, WILL come to a complete stop, especially in plywood. The adhesives in the plywood will bring that blade to a STOP faster'n you can say "STOP!" Trust me. And when you move your project piece just right, your blade will proceed. My Advice would be to go to a smaller, finer tooth blade. Pitch your plywood in the trash, and start workin' with WOOD.;) You'll find things will go so much easier, it'll be like "cuttin' butter your own self." Learn to use your "faster & slower" otherwise known as the variable speed. From what I can find out from research, you've got 400 cps up to 1400 cps on your saw. Your blade should always cut fast enough to keep the "kerf" clean. Practice, practice, practice. We have all been where you are, neighbor.:) There are all levels of experience here at the village, & all of us are more than willin' to help ya when ya get yourself in a tight. Keep askin' questions, and keep comin' back! It's great to see a new face on the forum! You're always welcome!! Keep slingin' sawdust! Sawdust703(brad)

Whether you truly want to admit it or not, JT, I believe we all read your posts & deal with your sarcasm, and use your wisdom & knowledge more so than you think. As far as "some of us settin' up experiments like a lab or something," my apologies JT for wantin' to make sure of what I was readin & understandin', & picturin' in my mind. I didn't want to answer the post half cocked & have to hear about that from now till doomsday from you, too. From a reality standpoint, the solution was in Mr. Ray's question, if you truly read it, of course. The more I read the responses that were already posted, the more I thought about the situation, & the more variables began entering into the possible solution, for me anyway. I sit here in my chair, Mr. JT, thought about it. Chatted with Mr. Ray a little bit, & asked if he would mind if I done some research before I answered. He gave me the green light. The more I dug into it, & read about the press, the more I learned about its capacity & capabilities. I also read some reviews from past purchases. Learned a few more things. But something still weren't makin' sense. So, under the careful eye of my shop foreman, JT, I printed out the first few posts, yourn included, we went to the shop, and as I explained, I proceeded to set my 10" Ryobi press up the way Mr. Ray described his issue, & the way I had it envisioned. Step by step, Mr. JT. Measuring everything I could get a measurement from along the trail. When I come to the bit measurement, that's when the light bulb come on & my shop foreman told me I was right in the first place. Mr. JT, I have to tell ya, I have the upmost respect for you, Sir, & READ & trust might near ever' single word you take time out of your precious, busy schedule to enlighten us with. And that's fer certain, Boss. I will not be mocked, gouged, poked fun at, or indifferent when I am in the right, Sir. I am a self taught woodworker, I was doin' alright before I got involved with this site, & I'll keep doin' alright, with or without this site. My lifes experiences have taught me many different ways & skills. My sincerest damn apologies NONE of which suit you, or anyone else here, JT. If you've got a problem with me, take it up with me. Otherwise, you can keep your "friendly" site, & all your expert opinions. You can tear someone else to pieces for makin' an effort, JT Sawdust703

It appears Mr. Kevin nailed it, JT. With or without my input. Just so we're on the same page, I read all of Ray's posts several times, Mr. JT. I set up my press exactly the same way Ray said his was. Every step he describes. I also took a measurement of the jaws protruding with the 1/16" bit installed. My measurements were well over 1/4" just to get down to hold that bit. If it makes ya feel any better JT, I also measured the length of the bit after I drilled a couple times in 1 1/2" material, & the bit had not slipped or moved in the jaws of my press. And yes, with about a 1/2" or less of the shank of the bit it the jaws & tightened, it is possible to drill thru 1 1/2" material with the travel of 2", no sacrificial board, and the bit set as Mr. Ray described. With or without bein' polite about it, JT, yer buckets' got a hole in it & losin' water fast. There are to many others in agreement about bit length or possible slippage, JT. Sawdust703(brad)

Ok, Mr. JT, for the sake of agreement, again....

Howdy, Mr. JT, I beg to differ Sir. I've spent the last 3 hours readin' and settin' this up on my drill press like Mr. Ray described he did. First off, near as I can tell in my readin' thru parts manuals, instruction manuals, and parts schematics, at best, he could have 2'' of travel. So, My shop foreman & I took a stroll over to the shop at 3:00 this morning, on account o' this is buggin' me. So, under the careful watch of my foreman, we discussed all the possibilities of the situation, and here is what we came up with. Now, seein's how I just got a little drill press my own self. A 10'' press. First thing we did was to measure the length of the stroke. I came up with 2 1/2'' full out. So I adjusted it back to a 2'' stroke. Laid a 1/2'' pc. of sacrificial wood on the drill table, located a 1/16'' bit, measured the length of the bit I have and come up with a 2'' bit. Now, here's where it get's interestin'. I'm tryin' to be polite about this so nobody gets offended. Throw the jakes & start droppin' gears, gentlemen! Turn yer thinker boxes on. Unless you've got extended length 1/16'' bits, what do get when ya put a 2'' bit along side 1 1/2'' material? Any takers????????????? If I'm not mistaken, you've got a 1/2'' a bit left to try & get the jaws to bite and hold square, correct? If the bit ain't in those jaws proper, it'll just slide up with downward pressure. With a 1/2'' of the end of the bit in the end of them jaws, he'd have to get them good'n tight, correct? This, in turn, imo, rules out travel distance. Simply because, regardless of the length of travel, the solution still circles back to the length of the bit. The bit is to short for an adequate grip of the jaws to hold it proper, therefore, it is 1)allowing the bit to slip, or 2)his bit is shorter than, well, I figger ya get the picture. That's the best I can offer. In all the readin' and huntin' I done, and then the set up on my own press. I reckon that's about all I have to say about that. Sawdust703(brad)

I'm kinda in about the same boat, Woodmaster. I've 3 palm sanders and a ROS I use for the biggest share of my scroll saw project sandin'. I've got two Dremels I rarely use for tight spot sandin', if I need to. I make my glue ups just wide enough to fit my 12 1/2" Griz planer. If I am doin' a larger project that requires more than one or two glue ups, I make them so that when the final glue up is done, I will have the total project size. In the meantime, after each glue up sets clamped over night and I have all the pieces, I run them all thru the planer down to the same thickness, then run the pieces thru the drum sander to smooth out any snipe, and splintered spots. Then those pieces go to the project table for finish sanding, cleaning, tape and pattern placement. It sounds complicated, I reckon, and lots of planin' & sandin', but when yer shop ain't but 400 sq. ft.and full of "toys", ya take things in steps, and work everything ya can for certain projects all at once when possible to prevent setbacks. My lathes do not get used for anything but lathe work. Otherwise, they set covered up in the shop. Sawdust703(brad)

Howdy Mr. Ray, My first thought was bit length. Then the more I kicked it around, seein's how it's a smaller drill press, there could be a couple things. By chance, does the press have depth adjustments? If so, are they adjusted out so that the length of your quill has full reach? The next thought I had was maybe you were gettin' your bit so far out towards the end of the jaws, they weren't gettin' the best of grip on yer bit, therefore lettin' yer bit push back up into the quill while yer doin' the drillin'. I kinda have that issue with the real tiny bits I have to use for intricate work like feathers, eyes, Native American designs, etc. Depending on the stock, if it's very tough drillin' and I've a lot to drill with small bits, I will set the bit up into the jaws far enough to get a good bite on the bit, drill what length I can, then go back and let out the rest of the bit to the end of the jaws, or close to it, and finish drillin' my entry holes that way. Yea, it takes a little more time that way, but most times it keeps from bustin' a bit or two, but still drillin' completely through the stock. Mr. Ray, Hope this helps ya out a little, my friend. Keep in touch, Boss. Ring my phone if I can be of assistance with anything. Mind your manners!;) Sawdust703(brad)

Howdy Miss Melanie! Very Well done, Ma'am! You do fine work! Sawdust703(brad)

Mr. Wilson, No offense my friend, but if ya don't mind me askin', what makes ya think you're a "wimp?" Where you Gentlemen are all from, you've got a different type of winter weather than we do here in the midwest. I've been in your part of the country in the winter time, and it weren't much fun, as I recall. Snow packed & icy roads, closed roads, snow storms, wind and cold. And we were tryin' to load cattle in all that to go south. I've been thru Wisconsin plenty since, but that trip I remember well. Dad, myself, four of our other trucks, and 3 other trucks Dad had hired to load cattle to go South. Part of them were goin' to Mississippi, and part them went to Louisiana. Then we loaded Bayou calves and went back to a feedlot at home. Man that was a long trip!!! I ain't gonna blow smoke up your backside, when we get a Canadian Cold front sayin' howdy, trust me, there is NOTHIN' out here on the plains to slow that 50 mph wind down! Then we get a snow storm comin' in from the west out of the Rockies to leave us a big Howdy-do! When them two meet in the middle, guess where the party is, brother? Ding! Ding! Ding! You guessed it! Right over NW Kansas! And it stays cold and windy, icy, snow blowin' up yer back side. AHHH! The temp might be 10 above, but the wind chill with it will be -30 sometimes or better. We just had our first actual "snow" of the year. 3 1/2" total, 65 mph sustained winds, -42* wind chill. Before the big snow, we had about a 1/10th of an inch of ice hangin' off of everything, on the roads, power lines. Folks lose their minds if they ain't able to get out of their house just to see if they can tear up there vehicles, get to the coffee shop to gripe because they don't have electricity, or whatever. I just slide across the street to my rented meager little shop, the boys and I walk in the door, and it's 70* constant there. Providin' we manage to keep electricity, ya understand. Say "howdy" to all my tools, and we decide what we're gonna play on today!:) When I had my little corner of the world in our basement, things weren't that warm. at best, it'd be 60* in the shop, and it was tough to get motivated when it was that chilly. I dealt with lots of bad weather in my trucking career. I hated throwin' iron, but there were lots of times I had no choice. Other times, I used Bull Hauler Chains. Douse the drives with bleach, & spin'em til they grab! It just depended on the situation. There were other times I threw iron on the trailer, left steerin' axle, and the drives just to keep the truck on the road because the road was that icy. Ya never know. But now that I've retired out & hung up my keys, and since my heart attacks last winter, my Sawbones has me on this damn blood thinner. If it gets below 40*, to go outside, hell I look like the Michelin Man!!! This gettin' old ain't fer sissie's, and the feller what said it was needs to be punched square in the nose! Mr. Wilson, there's no need for ya to feel like a wimp, Sir. Most days in the winter time, I stay in the house, and my dogs teach me to read better, and we nap a lot. Dream about big shiny Peterbilts, Sir!;) Sawdust703(brad)

I agree, Mr. Scrappile, 100%, Sir! For all practical purposes, none of my scroll saws but the Craftsman have dust collection ports. A few of my other newer saws and tools have dust ports, and I use my shop vac on them if I use them for an extended amount of time, but otherwise, I personally think it's a waste of time. Especially on a scroll saw, imo. Seriously. I agree, our lungs are a precious item, but no more dust than really comes off the scroll saw, wouldn't it be just as easy to wear a dust mask if you're that concerned about dust control? There are limitations to our expectations of the manufacturer. And this is something to keep in mind when you think about changes to your equipment. For every design change, the dollar figure changes. Usually higher. Maybe some of ya with a little more jingle in your pockets can stand the price increase, but on the flip side of the coin, there are those of us that can't. True, this is "just a hobby," but for some, a very serious hobby. That's all I have to say about that, I reckon. sawdust703(brad)

Scrappile, the CW - 40 sold new with it's own stand out of the box, or mine did, anyway, and the few I have seen for sale have their own stand. The parts availability for them is good. I have even seen on a couple parts sites where the motherboard is available, too. That is part of the reason the saw went obsolete, according to what I have read, is the issues with the motherboard burning up for one, parts availability at the time, and, imo, the saw table is entirely too small to handle a project of a large size. One thing that stood out to me when I was first looking at it was the cast iron table. I would much rather have a cast iron table than cast aluminum. Along side of that, the bottom blade holder is a bear to get at fer changin' blades, and several folks complained about that. It uses pin type or plain blades. Enjoy your day, Sir! Sawdust703(brad)

Ok. No Problem, Randy. I'm good, brother. We're on the same page. I don't have all the history you do about the CW - 40, but I enjoy usin' the ol' gal! She's a little temperamental at times, but we get it figured out!;) Sawdust703(brad)

Good Job, Sir! you accomplished more than I did today. Sawdust703(brad)

Every new tool, new blade, new anything to you has a learning curve. You have to work thru that and learn the machine itself. Every sound, every tick, every movement of it. Then, while you're cuttin', learn the sound of every single blade you use. What it sounds like in different woods, under aggression, with light pressure into the blade, whatever. That's what it's about. It all takes time and practice. You'll figure it out, and we'll be here to walk ya thru yer tights. The first two most important things to learn though, no matter what else happens, 1) Learn that machine and everything about it, inside & out. 2) Keep in mind, EVERY single blade chart you look at is only a recommendation for blade size and use. You, and only you have to figure out what blades will work the best for your type of cutting, and go from there. Avoid plywood at all cost if possible. 1)The adhesives between the layers will dull any type of blade faster than you care to change'em. 2) Plywood is known for "voids" and does have a tendency to tear out and leave a catch, especially if you are using a very aggressive blade. Therefore, creating your "jump." Whether you're cuttin' soft or hardwood, look after your blade kerf. Sometimes, with given types of blades, if your blade speed may be to slow, the blade kerf is not bein' cleaned out by the blade proper. Therefore, sawdust builds up in the kerf and binds up your blade. Sounds might near impossible, huh? It happens. There are several things to look at here, and as Sycamore mentioned, we're kinda short on some information, so we aren't fully able to do our job. He also mentioned getting to know a blade size chart. Good advice. Another friendly piece of advice, practice, practice, practice.;) Keep makin' sawdust! Sawdust703(brad)

I didn't even make it to the shop today. With 50 mph winds, and snow blowin' and carryin' on, there's better days to cross the street to go to the shop. Sawdust703(brad)

Well Mr. Kevin, I had the same thoughts today that you did yesterday, Sir. We got a "Kansas Blizzard" goin' on here in the NW corner of Kansas today. It Started late last night & finally the wind set in. Early this morning, before sun up, there weren't much snow but we had some ice with 50 mph gusts, and 14*. About two hours ago, my three short legged dogs decided they needed to have a look see outdoors. so, I took'em to the back door, two of'em looked outside, looked up at me with that "hell with that" look. My other'n, he decided he had to go bad enough, snow or not, he was plowin' snow. He jumped off the back step into stinger deep snow, turned around and the look he gave me we ain't goin' into on here, but he plowed snow out to their pen, 'bout 30', paid the water bill, and plowed snow back to the house. Ya know, he ain't had much to do with me since. He usually lays in my lap.;) Sawdust703(brad)

Kevin, You ain't tryin' to move in an' take my job, now are ya, Sir?;) I kinda thought I was the "pot stirrer" and the feller that ain't nobody much cared for? Ya did a fine job, Mr. Ray! Have ya got it cut yet, Boss? How's them baskets a workin' out for ya, my friend? Ya gettin' along alright with finishin'em? Give me a shout if ya need anything, Sir. Sawdust703(brad)

I agree with Rocky, Sir! Looks like a great pattern! I sure ain't no fisherman, by a long shot, but if I could find a few cool patterns, I'd like to try'em. I have made a couple different ones on the lathe before. Nothin' outstandin'. My ol' cousin couldn't wait to get'em in the water he said, but I have never fooled with lures much. Sawdust703(brad)

I was in the same boots you were, Mr. Kevin. I was still scrollin' on that single speed Craftsman sitttin' on a bench I built in our pantry in the basement. The bench would have been perfect size if you were a midget, but at the time, I was still truckin' & just 48 hours at home, and dispatch rang my phone. Then I was out another 6 wks - 2 months. That single speed Craftsman ran so smooth once I got the ol' gal figured out, I couldn't believe it! And the projects My Bride and Ma come up with for me to create on that saw was crazy, but I did it! I guess it comes down to the difference between buyin' a Peterbilt and a Freightliner, ya understand. What do ya want? Class and an easy ride? Or an ugly damn ride that'll shake yer teeth out, and leak air from every direction in the cab! My personal choice is the Peterbilt, folks! I have run to many miles in them, lived in them to many years, and know how they think. You all might think this ol' jaybird done fell out of my tree by now, but personally, in over 25 years of scrollin', there is more to it than just the breed of the SAW itself. Gettin' to know and understand the machine itself, how it works, what it is capable of doin' or not doin' for ME, not to brag about it to you folks. And to be honest, I ain't got enough friends that'll listen here at home, so no point in wastin' time on that. My point is, I reckon, I weren't tryin' to set fire to anybody's outhouse for cryin' out loud. I was just thinkin' out loud, so to speak. Mr. JT, I caught the drift of your joke, my friend, and I understand it. You bein' the Historian type feller here though, honestly, I did expect a more creative comment from ya, Sir. Hot Shot, brother, my apologies for not takin' the heat the way you thought I should have. That is part of the reason I don't post much anymore. Sawdust703(brad)

Howdy Mr. Scott, and might I first welcome you to the forum, Sir. In this situation, there are many variables involved. You have been given more than plenty of dandy suggestions to begin with. Might I ask, what breed of saw are you usin', Sir? As mentioned, is there a possible aggression adjustment? If not, and you're not usin' an overly aggressive blade, try backin' off on your feed rate just a little. Maybe. Another suggestion may be to try a couple different types of blades that may suit your style of cuttin', Sir. Might I suggest the Polar blade. The polar blade is a blade made with teeth similar to a skip tooth blade, except the teeth are closer together the full length of the blade. And, depending on the thickness of the material your're attemptin' to cut, the polar blade is an exceptional blade for fine line cutting, fret work, as well as other types of cutting, too. Blade speed has a lot to do with wood jump. In some instances, blade speed is running so fast that it cannot do it's job, and grabs a catch in the kerf, and you have a jump, and sometimes a broken blade. Maybe adjust your blade speed accordingly? I have a number of years at the saw myself, as well as a number of other members here. I learn something from every single project I produce, large or small. I have learned over the years what thickness' work best for me, what blades work best for me, and I keep all those blades on inventory. Imo, it is might near an impossibility to steer folks towards a given type of blade. It is simply a matter of personal choice. There is another strong possibility that may be at question yet, too. You may be"pushing" the material into the blade instead of just allowin' the blade to do the work for you. That is an issue that can be checked when you're cuttin' by simply backin' off pressure on your material against the blade. If the blade straightens up or pushes back towards ya a little, that's tellin' ya you are pushin' instead of lettin' the blade do the work. Be worth a try. Also, make sure your blade tension is set proper, Sir. Sawdust703(brad)

My little ol' 400 sq. ft. shop has a central air type furnace in it. It's an older trailer house type shop that used to be a beauty shop. We rent it from my our neighbors. It works out well for me because it's just across the street from us, and believe it or not, even at 0 out here in open country with a stiff wind, I can still keep it around 70* constant in the shop for about $45/month. I've had too damn many back surgeries and other things that I ain't able to operate much under 70*. I know, gettin' old sucks, but it's where I'm comfortable. Sawdust703(brad)

Ya know Hot Shot, that's a question I've often asked myself about several posts. Mr. JT, nice try at your joke, Sir. But I certainly understand. It's no secret the reproduction rights for the CW - 40 have been bought ,sold and redesigned a few times, as well. To be right honest, I came across the saw itself in a Home Depot in Denver several years ago. I had never heard of the saw myself at that time. I was still pretty green at scrollin'. The saw happened to be on sale right then, and like I said, not knowin' a thing about the saw, I started askin' questions about it, and it was reasonably enough priced, so I decided to invest in one. I've learned alot about the saw over the length of time I've owned it. After internet came to be, and our kids taught me how to use the internet, I started doin' some research on the saw and reading what few reviews were being posted about it, and most of them weren't good, to say the very least. I enjoyed my time with it, and still do when I work with it. You are correct though, the bottom blade holder is a bear to get at, but I don't reckon I see a breed on here that somebody don't have a gripe about. So, therefore, I learned to adapt & overcome the limitations of the saw, learned to use it well, and after a gazillion hours on it, it was time to update to a bigger saw. My apologies gentlemen, that your posts weren't taken as meant. I reckon everyone looks at those things a little differently. Kevin, I refuse to say anything negative towards Craftsman, Sir. They may not outshine several breeds out there, but in my experience with the ones I own, they have done their job efficiently. I have heard several bad marks against them for bad switches, unable to tension blades, etc.. I'd like to find parts to rebuild the ol' single speed Craftsman I learned on, but I am beginning to think that is an impossibility. Sawdust703(brad)