SCROLLSAW703

I've never belonged to anything wood workin'....except my shop Out here in NW Kansas, our little town has a few wood butchers, a carpenter or two, a couple of us with lathes that use them, an expensive lumber store, & a critic about your work on every corner. There are about 3 of us in the county that I'm aware of that even admit to owning a scroll saw. I always thought it might be kinda fun to get together with other sawyers just to learn from, & meet new folks with our interests. Nobody says ya gotta qualify for the majors. wouldn't it be ok just to learn from each other?

I agree w/jt, doug. No matter what we offered up as experienced Hawk owners for help, you were argumentative & your comments about the saw got worse. You'll find there are all levels of scrollers here. Some with the "look what followed me home from the big box store, now what do I do" syndrome, some who can't read the owner's manual before flippin' the power switch, others of us that been at this 25 years or more & can make a saw do most anything we need it to do, regardless of the color. You'll also find that when you come here with an issue, we're more than willing to help you in one way or another. Whether you choose to take that advice is up to you. I, like JT, have several saws, & have worn out a few. And am on my second Hawk. And am well acquainted with them, & the team @ Bushton where they are built. You can learn alot from a scroll saw if you allow it to teach you. First being patience. Easy does it & try not fly off the handle when things don't go just right. Learn to listen, then put the noise to use.

glad to hear ya figgered out some of the issue. The blade needs to hit bottom of the barrel holder, & the top one needs to be at the back of the blade holder, & pushed in til you feel it hit the stop in the holder. Then you'll have it! hang in there, you'll get it!

Sounds to me like jt gave you the answer to your problems on a silver platter. It's your choice. It don't matter if the horse is green, red, blue, or orange. They are all designed to do the same thing, just with a few quirks. How willing are you to learn them? We've all had the same issues, in some way or another, when we've upgraded saws. That red saw you've got will do everything your dewalt will do, & more. It's just a matter of learning how to make it do it. My 220 had the same blade holder set up you've got, & it took some getting used to, but I overcome it, & in two years, wore out that used saw. Then bought the bm - 26. But, like jt said. If the saw isn't for you, instead of complaining, sell it & buy another dewalt. Then you move on. End of story. And, we've all cut 1/8" material up to 2 1/2" or bigger. So you're not alone there. Try some patience, most never do until they've run out of other ideas.

I bought a used 220VS two years ago & loved it! There was nothing I couldn't cut with that saw. From fretwork to 2 1/2" thick rough cut lumber. The blade holders do take some gettin' used to, & patience to learn the saw. Every saw has it's own build, & ya just have to take a deep breath & treat it with a little respect. It's not brain surgery, boss. It may not cut as aggressive as your shiny yeller machine, but, will do everything, & then some that yellow one can. You just have to get it figured out. go to Hawk's web page & download a manual for it by your serial number, if you didn't get one. When I traded in my 220, I bought the BM - 26 from Hawk. Best saw on the market! I also have 2 other saws in the shop that get used for other projects. But the 26 is my work horse. Don't give up on it so easy. Keep workin' with it. You'll get it figured out, & enjoy it!

well mr. danny, I'm mighty proud to hear that news from you. hopefully I'll get the picture postin' figured out, but until then, I reckon I'll continue to use my fb page, Sir. Thank you kindly, again for the information. Enjoy the evening.

thank you Dick.

i gave up on postin' pictures here. Everytime I've tried it tells me they're to big, or I done somethin' wrong. they'll be posted on my fb page in a couple days. you can have a look see there. At Sawdust Haven on fb.

another thing could be how you're storing it. If you're buying it by the full sheet, try to keep it between a couple sheets of other plywood. The weight from one pushing it against the flat of the other will keep it from warping. Smaller pieces, too.

FINALLY!! After workin' on a project what seems like forever, I finished it last night! The customers were totally satisfied, they paid their bill, & left the shop happy! The customer brought me a 24" x 24" x 8" pine box w/a glass front about 2 1/2 months ago, along w/a Christmas wreath that they wanted to fit in these boxes. The one they brought was to small, & they couldn't get the glass out of it. So, I had to destroy the smaller box for some dado measurements, & I went to work sizin' the new ones around this wreath. I planed the pine to clean it up a little, sanded & stained it w/a cherry stain. Yes, I used a prestain on the pine, otherwise it would look like, well, ya know. So, after the dadoes were all cut, & the 1/4" plywood cut for the bottoms of the two boxes, it had to be stained. Then everything had to be shot w/2 coats of exterior urethane. Then it came to put together time. That went fairly smooth, in between family obligations, like the rest of the project. Then came time to put the glass in the fronts of these boxes. I spent more time cleanin' blood off of things than I did installin' the glass! These boxes are boxes to set at the headstones, & designed to protect the memorials. They are finally done! I get the week end off!!!

nope kevin, you're not the only one. Alot of times I've got more than one or two projects goin' at once. To stay focused on one & keep the details goin' in your head are a full time job. I just had to completely tear a project apart & start over because I had pieces in the wrong places. Frustration big time!!! And the my client was coming to pick the project up that afternoon!:( No, brother! you're not alone!

+1 what charley said! You'll find every blade has it's own "sweet spot" when you begin to tension it. And, Every project, regardless of the type of wood, is going to use more than one size or type of blade. And, there are types of wood that burn easier than others. Cherry, maple, padauk, etc. have a tendency to burn at high blade speeds & dull blades. Learn to adjust the blade speed to suit the project, not to suit you. You'll find your blades will last longer, & cut better. After you cut awhile, check the tension of the blade. You may need to take the slack out of it. Also, watch the the color of your blade that's doin' the cuttin'. You'll be able to tell with some experience when it's gettin' hot, when it's gettin' dull, etc. Let the blade do the work. If you have to start puttin' more pressure against the blade, it's shot! Change it out before ya break it.

a guitar pick? Whatever blows yer skirt up, I reckon. I guess I'm to much old school, & learned from experience of usin' different blades. Every type of blade has a different tension setting, & at times, a different sound. Sometimes I even use the flat of an eraser on a pencil, push lightly against the blade. If it don't move more than say, a 1/16" of an inch, or there abouts, it's tensioned sufficiently. Experience will teach you alot, but whatever works. It's a different take on things for sure.

yes, i am talking about entry level saws. And any of the Hawk saws are as well built as you can buy, imo. The biggest thing that takes the life of a saw, regardless of color, is care & maintenance. They are like anything else mechanical, my friend. You can read here all day long, if you care to, about the faults of DeWalts, Hawks, Excalibers, on & on. The closest I've been to a DeWalt is a friend of mine. In five years of scrolling, he has replaced his DeWalt 5 times. And the only time he spends scrollin' is when his cows are calving. About 3 months a year. That's my opinion of DeWalt. My 220 Hawk was 19 years old when I bought it, & was extremely clean. But after two years of hard use, it began showing it's age, & needing repairs. After putting more than I paid for it in repairs, between Hawk & I, we decided it was time for them to look it over. We took it to Bushton, & after their assessment, we decided it's career was over, & time to move on. They gave me a fair price on trade in on my BM-26. So, as you can see, my point was entry level saws, but, in the end, age matters, too. So my advice would be if you're lookin' at a used saw, get the serial number & model number, age & motor type, get online or on the phone to the manufacturer first. Ask questions before you spend your money. That's how I got acquainted with Hawk. You won't regret the time spent, if this is what you do for a living.

I'm a member of jt's "club". I too, have many more years experience scrolling than you, & can assure you that I use every inch of my 26" Hawk. I researched the saw, & studied its ups & downs before I traded in my 220. I became well acquainted with, & still am, the Hawk team before I spent the money difference in saws. And I wore them out w/questions because I'd already wore out one Hawk & knew it inside out. The sizeable projects I do on mine make the project so much easier to cut in comparison to an 18" or 20" saw, and I get the project done in half the time. And less handling of fragile pieces, too. imo. I scroll as a hobby, & a money maker, too. This was another reason I wanted a bigger saw. The smaller saws, after a year or so, become boat anchors in the beginning. Admit it. And yes, the price range does have a tendency to widen one's eyes. That's the number one reason we encourage newbies to start small & work up. Number two reason is, it would amaze you at how many folks can't read an owners manual, & have tall expectations of "this machine that followed them home from the store, now what syndrome." If you decide scrolling is beyond your capabilities, why spend $1500 for a saw you have absolutely no use for except to collect dust? Like jt said, the bigger saws are created for the serious scroller. No offense, but seein' how you've said you do this for a living, it would appear to me that a bigger saw would be in your best interest. A bigger saw is money in the bank.

Wayne hit it! I started out with a single speed 16" Craftsman that used pin blades. I finally wore out the ol' Craftsman, & bought a VS 16" CW - Hitachi brand new. It uses pin & plain end blades. I still use it for smaller projects, even though they are said to not be worth a spit, I love mine! Would buy another one if I got the chance. The only repairs I've made to it in 20 years is a new VS & power switch. I bought a 220VS 3 years ago. Used. Wore it out a year ago, & traded it in on a BM - 26 Hawk. Best scroll saw made! It has plenty of power to cut anything I want to. The tension release at the nose of the saw makes blade changing faster & easier. The blade adjustment on the bottom arm makes for more or less aggressive cutting is a god send! The variable speed is very accurate. I've also got another VS 16" Craftsman on a stand I keep around for emergencies, & a teacher saw. It's a good saw for that. None of my saws take up any more space than the other. They all have their spots in the shop, fitted around the other equipment. Wayne is right in his words of wisdom. The first & foremost thing one should decide when buyin' a saw is what your plans are for that saw. Then make your other decisions around that. Take a good look at the blade holders & the table. Will they hold a #2/0 blade w/no issues? Is the table sizeable enough for the projects you have in mind? Is it variable speed? Will it have the power available when you require it? All these things may seem simple & ridiculous, but, when you put your new saw to the ultimate test & just one of them is missing, you're goin' to learn a few new words. Trust me. Just from experience.;)

it may be wise to keep a piece of a candle handy, too. Wax your blades with the candle piece & it'll help keep it cool, & not as much burnin'. When ya start into turns or curves, shut down & wax your blade.

what bill said, rob. Skip tooth blades will probably do you more justice in what you do than others. Depending on your pattern & the type of material you're cutting, start with a #2 blade, or there abouts, & figure out from there what will or won't work. You may have to go Olson to get a blade you like. The main thing is, Rob, to learn. Scrolling isn't just about puttin' a blade in your saw, & flippin' the switch. It's about learning the level of your creativity & making your saw do the work. It's about learnin' the capabilities of your saw & growin' with it to make your artistic ability show. It's about learnin' who you are, & findin' out who is willing to help you along the way, & who isn't. Just keep doin' what you're doin', brother! Stay away from the blades at the big box stores!!! happy scrollin' & God bless!

yep, what pete said. The only thing I would add is watch your blade speed. Wood that thickness is going to take some to cut, so don't try to hammer thru it.

whatever works for you, Amazing Kevin.

we all started at the bottom, & some of us learned before the wealth of the internet, & the ability to meet new folks online with different ideas & saws. It's a great place to learn from each other. This is the best scroll site I've found. Don't be shy about askin' questions here, neighbor. For certain you'll get several answers that will help you in more ways than you can imagine! happy scrollin' & enjoy the day!

Rob, before you start "forkin' out the cash" for blades, might I suggest to decide what your interests are for the saw. What to do you want to make? Puzzles? fretwork? design work? name plates? Every project uses a different type of blade, & usually more than one size & type. Soft woods use different types of blades than hardwoods do. The smaller the blade, the more teeth per inch. The bigger the blade, the less teeth per inch. As a rule, it's tough to give blade advice until you actually decide on what type of projects you prefer to do, & type of wood of you intend to use. From there, advice is easier to give. Like most have said, if its in your best interest, try the multipacks. Otherwise, order a few different sizes & try them. Don't hesitate to ask questions. We've all been there. Happy scrollin'!

you didn't push any buttons, trackman. I just don't pay much attention to the "mess" from the scroll saw, as my bigger tools create more of a dust cloud than my scroll saw. I do my best to keep my scroll saw blown out & clean, same as as my planer & table saw, but I guess my point really was where do yo you draw the line at dust control? In a small shop, imo, dust control is tough. Everything you do creates dust. So, in turn, I take projects one action at a time. That was what I meant by opening my shop up. When I use the planer, I try to open every window & one door so the dust goes outside. I do have a small shop vac hooked to my sanders. But my scroll saw doesn't have anything.

I think my post said "not all the dust" but most of it. I have two fans set up, but thats the extent of my dust collection. Suddenly I get the feelin' Amazing Kevin & a few others are laughin' at me I've made my shop set up work for me. It may not work for you. I guess that's why we all have our own shops.

i've got a BM - 26 Hawk, & I don't have all that fancy stuff hooked to it. If ya point the blower tube towards the side, all the dust doesn't end up in your lap, or on your shirt. Sure, you're goin' to get some, but that's part of it. I don't spend to much time worryin' about the dust on or around me, as I do what's gettin' in the motor & switches. I keep them blown out after I quit every evening. I've been scrollin' a day or two, & ain't lost a motor yet. I had to finally replace the vs & power switch on my CW - 40. My shop is fairly small, & I don't have room for much of dust system. I do what I can, but it is what it is. I can open my shop up when the weather is decent, & I don't worry much about dust from my scroll saw. It's the other tools that create dust.