SCROLLSAW703

i bought a used 220VS two years ago, & upon receiving the saw, everything the former owner said he was sending with it were not there. I had to get in touch with Hawk to get the parts i needed. They were sent out immediately. And, in the two years i owned that saw, anything i needed, or problems i had, Miss Nicole was right there to help solve the issue. Recently, i started having problems with the 220, & Nicole scheduled a drive in appointment for us to bring the saw in for their techs to look over, and fix if possible. As it turned out, i wound up trading that 220 off for a BM - 26. My wife & i spent the day around their office & shop, & i can tell you from personal experience, you will not find a company in the business with more knowledgeable, helpful, polite folks. If they aren't able to answer your question, or help solve your issue in your phone call, they will research it & call you back asap. Trust me when I tell you, they will do all they can to help you. Nylis is one of the best engineers in the business. He knows how, what, & just exactly what parts saws need to make them run efficiently. I called & talked to him before i even bought my first saw. He is an extremely busy fella. My advice, before you attempt to say things about a company & their tech support, ask other folks that own those machines.

personally, being its a DeWalt, I wouldn't touch it, but, if it really does have just 10 minutes on it, either they don't like scrolling, or there's somethin' wrong with it. jmo.

there shouldn't be any reason why you can't turn sharp with a #3 or #5 in 3/4" lumber. Using a #1 blade in thicker material than a 1/4" is just a waste of time & blades. My advice would be to cut up to your corner, stop, back up, & make a wide turn into your waste until you get the turning figured out. When you cut out into your waste, you can cut similar to a circle, & cut back to your corner. Once your waste that you've just cut falls out, spin your project, & pick back up at the the corner you left off at, & keep cutting. Make sense? Or, as mentioned, you can cut up to the corner, keep cuttin', & slowly turn the project til your blade lines up in the next cut. The bigger the blade, the less sharp of a turn you'll make. As a rule. Experience proves that theory wrong. The bigger the blade, the more tension you'll want. If your blade turns when your project turns, you don't have enough tension on the blade. Therefore, breaking the blade. There are several ways to learn to cut a sharp corner. Most of it comes with practice. practice. practice. Stay with it, keep asking questions. You'll get it figured out. God Bless!

in some ways i agree with whats been said, in other ways, you have to learn to use the jointer properly. It needs to have the fence properly squared, & the surface level. I have a delta 6" bench top jointer, have had for years. I use it on every glue up. I have it bolted to a tool stand. I've found, with experience, if I'm doing a large glue up, wider pieces create more headaches in the the end. Yes, a well tuned ts will do basically the same job on your edges, but there is nothing better than a good, tight fit edge to edge when you do the glue up. You can run your edges over the jointer, & if its tuned right, know your edges are square. On the the other hand, if you're space limited, tune your ts within a gnats ass of perfect, & you'll get the same results. I wouldn't use a rip blade, though. I use a 60 tooth blade in my ts for everything but ripping. Depending on your fence, blade, & surface of the saw, you can get basically the same results as a jointer. But I still prefer the jointer over the saw. jmo.

stack cutting can be a feat in itself. And mdf is, imo, is easy to cut, but to stack cut it is another story. First, I wouldn't cut over 3 @ a time, just for the reason you gave. Second, MDF is pressed sawdust. If you try to cut to much of it at one time, your blade will bind, get hot, grab the work piece, & sometimes tear up the project, regardless of the thickness of mdf. ALWAYS start in the center & cut outward. I don't wrap anything I stack cut, & I do quite a bit of it. I use a hot glue gun & glue the corners together. Make sure you keep the glue away from your pieces of the project, because they can be a rascal to get apart w/out breaking them. Next, try using a skip tooth blade. It'll clean the sawdust out better, & have just as clean of a cut as any other. Also, slow your blade speed down. With mdf, the faster you cut, the hotter your blade will get, & then start binding, breaking blades, etc. Let the blade do the work. You can also use a candle piece, or a small bar of soap to lube the blade. That will help, too. Tension is important as well. Don't over tighten, but a little extra tension than normal is good when cutting mdf. It helps to keep the blade cooler, and keeps your cut line cleaner. I made a set of gears for my grandson out of mdf. A gear turning assembly. There were 23 gears by the time I was done. I used 1/2" mdf, & stacked four at a time. I used a #3 skip tooth blade, and it turned out great! Turning in mdf can be a hard lesson, too. You aren't able to spin the turn like you can in wood, you have to let the blade make the turn, & stay with it by feed rate. From my experience. It has a tendency to want to break or crumble if you turn to fast. To big of a blade will do the same thing. Keep practicing, & figure out what works best for you. You'll get it, & you'll make your bride mighty proud! hang in there, & enjoy the day. Brad.

I keep close to 30 different sizes & types of blades on hand. Some Olson, some flying dutchman. One offers sizes i need & use a lot of, the other one offers the ones, if that makes sense. When I'm cutting fretwork, & small detail work, my preference is flying dutchman blades because they last longer, & have a smoother cutting edge. On bigger projects, my preference is Olson blades because the larger number blades, #3, #5, #7 have a more aggressive cutting line, & are more accurate in thicker materials. Flying Dutchman has the better of the two spiral blades. They last longer, & are easier to control.

I usually start in the middle of the project & work out. If it has a lot of tiny detail, I'll move to that after I've got some of the center cut out. In most all of my projects, I use rough sawn lumber. So I can plane it to whatever thickness I want. I usually use 1/2" or there abouts. When cutting small detail, I use a #0 or #1 blade, & stay on the line as much as I can. Especially if it's close to other pieces in the project. I've found that cutting that way gives me a little more room to use a bigger blade on the parts around the detail. Pieces that are prone to break after they're cut, I save those for last. That way I don't have to glue things back in in place, & try to get it accurate. Following the lines becomes a preference after awhile, imo. Some places I do, other parts of the project, I may get off the line just a touch. And I usually scroll clockwise. I reckon bcause I'm right handed. Never thought about it. I cut my own feathers for our dream catchers. The material thickness is 3/16". I'll start at the top of feather, & cut clockwise. Less breakage, & it's easier to follow the curves on the edges. We have a FB page if you're interested in looking at our work. Its under Sawdust Haven. My apologies for the ramble. Enjoy the day.

Mr. Rolf, I bought my 220 two years ago, & it was a used machine. In pristine condition, very little, if any use on it. It was a 20 year old saw. I put it right to work out of the crate. Run like a new saw! After leveling it, & checking it over. The table weren't even scratched! In the last three months, it got where it wouldn't hold tension, & had a loud clattering noise. Between Hawk & myself, over the phone, tried to diagnose the issues. After $300 in parts, & no results, we finally took it to bushton to their plant. They worked on it most of the day we took it in, & found more things wrong with it the longer they worked on it. The main problem finally came down to the tension rod & assembly. And to fix everything else that was wore out, it was going to take more $$$ than the saw was worth. So, I just decided to let them put their money into it, & traded it off for a BM-26. We figured in the 2 years we've owned it, I'd put close to 2000 hours on it. I gave $300 for the saw, & had that in parts before i took it to bushton. By the time We'd of got the bill paid with their work, we'd of had $700 in it. I just figured it'd be best to let it go. They gave me $425 trade in. I'm extremely happy with my 26. Wouldn't trade it for anything else! The Hawk saws are top of the line machines! You can't beat them, even used! I don't know anything about the ex saws, but, I've got 5 in my shop, all in usable condition. And, I do use the others for certain things. But the Hawk is my work horse. I've got a CW-40 we bought brand new 20 years ago, & it still runs like new! I'd hate to think how many hours that ol' fella has on him! I've had to replace the power switch, the VS switch, & recently the bellows. Otherwise, it keeps on running, considering the saw is obsolete. I reckon it's all in how hard you use them, & how well they're taken care of. jmo.

yes Sir, Mr. Rob, it is VERY addictive! You don't realize how addicted to it you really are until you are unable to scroll.:( I've been at it 23 years, & between health problems, mechanical issues w/my saws, moving to a new shop, things like that, the addiction really kicks in. It beats drugs, alcohol, & few other things a feller could get addicted to, I reckon. There's nothin' I hate worse than a broke down machine! Especially in the middle of a project. I can usually do most of my own repairs, but on occasion, there'll be a breakdown that'll stump me. Then frustration & aggravation sets in. My bride even tells me when I'm gettin on the cranky side, I need to quit thinkin' so much & get my butt back in the shop & feed my addiction. She used to tell me the same thing when I was truckin'. I grew up in the trucking business, & drove for 35 years. I spent the better part of our marriage on the road. She has put up with a lot over the years. She is a true Truckdrivers Queen! I've found, over the years, & owning five scroll saws, it pays to keep a few parts on hand. Out here in the middle of nowhere NW Kansas, it's by far cheaper, & less headaches, to keep the important parts around. I'm yet to burn up a motor, but things like power switches, vs switches, blade holders, tension rod pieces & the like around for those "just in case" moments. Glad to hear you're gettin' your saw back soon!! keep makin' sawdust!! Enjoy the day!

i use a barbers chair, Rolf. I used to use just a bar stool, but there was no back support. I found this barber chair, & I can adjust the height with it. I 2009, I came in off the truck with viral meningitis. I spent 8 months in the hospital, & at that time, lost complete use of both legs, & partial use of my left hand. I had to learn to walk all over again. Months of therapy, numerous epidurals, & pain narcotics of every kind. Finally I was released back out into the real world, & allowed to do light duty. While still in therapy, I did not regain full strength of my legs, but gained most of the use of hand back. After I was released from therapy, I went back to trucking. I drove for nearly 2 years, & I lost my Father & my nephew 2 weeks apart. I had a nervous breakdown in the truck, wrecked the truck, & am now on seizure meds daily due to the circumstances of the accident. Needless to say, I'll never drive OTR again. Since that time, In January of 2015, I had major back surgery due to a bone spur between L3 & S1. This was caused by the OB dr on call when I went into the hospital w/meningitis. She decided she was going to use spinal taps on me for pain, instead of IV's. She stuck me three times, & missed all three times! The first bone spur was rubbing against the spinal cord, & just about cut it in to. I'm fused there now. As of three weeks ago when we seen my back surgeon, he says we've went as far as we can with stem cell injections, meds, etc. So surgery is the next option. He does have me on narcotics for pain control, & I use acupuncture every week for it, too. He told me this is all caused from sittin' in a truck for 35 years, meningitis, & all the pain meds I've been given. My apologies for the ramble Sir, but that's why I use a barbers chair. My back is shot! I can stand at the lathe for a half hour or so, then I have to sit down awhile. Otherwise I'll be pickin' myself up off the floor! I have my entire shop set up so that I don't have to stand for very long at a time. Again, my apologies for the ramble, but, that's why my Hawk is a little higher than most. Thank you for patience.

i've had my hawk on casters for over a year, Rolf, & not had an ounce of problems with it. I discussed the issue with the folks at Hawk, & they suggested the set up I have on mine. On top of that, my shop floor is a carpeted wood floor. I don't have anymore vibration than if the saw were on concrete. Allow me to explain my reasoning. I started out with the Hawk on its factory feet, on carpet, & a wood floor. I didn't have any more vibration with it than I do my other 4 saws. It cut like a dream. Having a bad back, & a small shop, the Hawk got to be to heavy to move w/out help. When I discussed it with Hawk, they said as long as two casters had brakes, I'll be ok. I just traded for the BM 26, & put it on casters. No problems at all. I test drove a 26 while we were in Bushton, at the plant. It was sitting on a concrete floor, on it's factory feet. There was no more vibration with their's, than mine. When they asked me to the Ks State Fair to demonstrate for them, they told me their saws were moved alot, & needed aligned & leveled before use. I didn't get to go because of health reasons, but I can tell you, the Hawk will sit & run like a dream if it's been leveled, aligned, & taken care of. And mine is. Not to say your isn't. Regardless of the floor. Just from experience.

i put four 2" castors on my 220VS Hawk. Two of them have brakes on them, & other two are spinners. the saw was level, & didn't move with the brakes on. I just traded it off for the BM 26 Hawk. I put the legs off the 220 on the 26, & don't have any problems with it. its level, runs smooth, moves easily.

looks good, bubba! Work I'd be proud of were I you! Turning has been a long time interest of mine, but 23 years scrolling, & learning other wood working has been a step at a time. I get wrapped up in some of my scroll saw projects, & the time that's involved with those, I don't get time to turn like I'd like to. I've just taken it up in the last couple years, & added it to our wood shop. I don't have many tools yet, but am learning. I do alot of research & reading. Keep up the good work, brother!

IMO, stack cutting is for making several pieces of the same thing several times in one cutting. Personally, I don't use anything but hardwood unless the client requests otherwise. As I mentioned in my other post, I use all rough sawn lumber in my projects. Big or small. I'll do a glue up of the type of lumber I need, & run it through the planer til I get the thickness I want. I cut my own feathers for our dream catchers that we make. The wood is planed to 3/16" thick, & I use either a #0 skip tooth, or a #1 polar blade, depending on the feather. If the project calls for it, I plane hardwood down to an 1/8", tape it with blue painters tape, & cut my pattern. I use a #1 polar blade & don't have any problems. I use a lot of glue ups of different hardwoods together. This is where a jointed edge on both edges comes to light, glue, & plenty of clamps. Sometimes I'll partially plane the pieces I'm gluing together in order to save some time with finish planing. If my piece is going to be to big to go thru the planer when i'm done, I'll glue it in thirds, run those thru the planer, & the last one I'll do with a hand planer. Then start sanding. The first decision to be made before stack cutting is the project you're doin', then decide on the look of the end project, then, you decide on the lumber. If you want a plain look to your project, & are planning to stain it, use bb or something like it. If you want the wood "look," & have plans of using shellac & lacquer, & polish it w/johnsons paste wax, use WOOD. It's up to you.

Excellent job, sparkey!!! Personally, I dont use spirals for much but widening, cuttin' around tight places where I'm not able to get a flat blade into, leaf veins, etc. They definitely take hours of practice to use them efficiently. keep up the good work!!

nice cut job! must be a 220VS. I just traded mine off. I bought it 2 years ago on ebay. It had very little use on it. We figured when we traded it off that I'd put approximately 2000 hours on it since I've owned it. Roughly. It started having some serious issues from wear & use, & when we took it to Hawks Shop, they just kept finding more things wore out & needing replacement. I'd already put $300 in parts into it, & was still having major problems, so, we opted to trade it off on a BM 26. The biggest scroll saw Hawk builds. And hopefully the last scroll saw I'll buy. I hated to part with my 220VS. It was the best saw I'd ever owned. I'd never owned a saw that cut so accurate, & so quiet as that one. Then I test drove the bm 26 while we were waiting on ours. MAN! What a saw!!! This one is the Cadillac of saws, brother! There are some things different on the 26. The blade holders are different. There is a bottom blade adjustment to make it cut sharper, more aggressive turns. Table is bigger. The tension system is all the same. But it cuts so smooth, & so quiet, ya can hear the blade cutting the wood! An awesome machine. Kinda pricey for a beginner, but I figured after 23 years of scrollin', I'd finally earned the saw I've always wanted! And they're made here in Kansas, & built in the USA.

IMO, to stack cut over 4 pcs at a time is a waste of time. Depending on the thickness of each piece to start with, & the type of blade you're using. Some say they prefer the UR blades for stack cutting. Personally, I prefer a #4 or #5 skip tooth. I don't seem to get as smooth of a cut w/UR blade as I can a skip tooth. There'll be a few fuzzies on the bottom piece when I'm done, but my cuts are smooth & straight. Some of your tear out, or chipping issue could also be blade speed & material. I've found when stack cutting, if you slow the blade speed down a little bit, & use a good, sharp blade, a lot of those problems go away. Don't try to get more cut out of a blade than it'll cut when stack cutting. When it just starts to get tough goin', pitch it & put in a new blade. Different woods will chip out more than others. Especially thin material. Oak, walnut, & other hardwoods will chip out with to high of blade of speed. Also remember, smaller blades needs less tension, & larger blades need more tension. good luck.

Looks great! Might I say, if you don't mind, don't underestimate yourself. To down yourself & your work is pavin' a road for failure. Your pencil turning looks awesome! I'm somewhat of a turner myself. I don't turn pencils, but, I turn chair pieces, things like that. Getting back to your project, my advice would be try getting some thinner material to start with. Even with a single speed saw, you can do any project you want to do. Thinner material requires smaller blades, & be easier to control. Keep practicing, & great work!

I think some of us with years of experience forget we had to learn the things we're giving you newbies advice about. As crazy as this may sound, 50% of the folks that buy scroll saws from the box store, HF, whoever, end up sending them back bcause they lose interest. The number one reason is they don't know how. The #2 reason is they aren't able to get anybody to "show them what to do next." The number three reason is they "can't" find blades or wood. You may wonder where I got those stats from, but it's no secret. Nearly every saw review has a list of written comments. In those comments, you'll find why more & more folks take the saw back where it came from. One of the secrets to the scroll saw, or any tool, for that matter, is to read the operators manual FIRST! Then ask questions. Research your equipment a little bit. Learn what its designed to do, & the things that can be done with it. Once you start using your saw, listen to it. Constantly! It won't take you long to learn its noises when its running properly. You'll pick up on problems sooner. Spend a little time researching blades & blade types after you decide the type of projects you're interested in. You'll understand more about which type best suits the project you're doing. Blade type & material type & thickness dominates blade speed. Like anything else, start slow, & figure out what works for you. Just bcause I run my saw at 750 - 800 rpm with a #3 blade, doesn't mean that blade & speed will work for you at that speed. I use rough cut lumber in all my projects, & plane it to whatever thickness the project requires. Personally, I started out on 1/4" pine under layment, simply bcause I had access to plenty of it, & my saw, at that time, used pin end blades. The entry hole has to be bigger, so the projects I used were simpler, & had room for a larger entry hole. And I didn't yet have a planer, either. You'll find that even in pine, the blade will have a tendancy to follow the grain. This is, from my experience, more adiment in soft woods than hardwoods. Especially at higher cutting speeds. You should start out slow, learn the basics, then practice, practice, & keep practicing with different blades, speeds, woods, etc. Another important factor in the equation, is to keep your table waxed. Wood will move much easier on the table, & its easier on blades & your patience. Use johnsons paste wax, or worst case scenario, wax paper from your brides' kitchen. I keep about 25 different sizes & types of blades on hand. From #02 up #7. Spiral blades, too. You'll find every project may use more than one type & size of blade. Keep learning, keep sawin', & don't be afraid to ask questions. You're on the way to getting a good start. God bless, & good luck!

i'm a self taught turner, as I am a self taught wood worker. I just took up the lathe a couple years ago. I own two. A HF 12" x 33 5/8" w/ a reversible head. And a 67" lathe I bought a few years ago that is put together completely with square headed bolts. Its a hand built machine by a farmer, but, I've made some modifications to it, along w/a 3 hp motor, & works great! The swing on it isn't all that big. About 8" at the very most. I've just kept workin at it, making different projects, chair legs & rungs, spindle work. My idea with the lathe is to incorporate it into some of my of scroll work. Create different projects. And maybe some platters & dinner plates. This woodworkin started when I my health was in the toilet, & I'm havin health issues agiain. My back has decided to act up, & my surgeon says surgery. He just ain't set a date yet. So, I'll keep srollin' & learnin' the lathe til he puts me in the hospital for surgery.:( The one sure thing I've found with woodworking, is the brotherhood & friendship that goes with it. If you get yourself in a tight, someone always has the experience & patience to help you out of that tight. I've learned more from reading, & spending time on these different forums that I frequent, than I could anyplace else. I sincerely appreciate the help, gentlemen,

+1 on some of Charleys info. Every scroller has their own speed & blade preferences. Even in 1/4" material, I don't see the need to run your saw at top end speed. IMO. I've been scrolling 23 years, & started out with a single speed Craftsman, & pin end blades. I own five scroll saws now, & my work horse is a 26" Hawk. I use rough sawn material in all my projects, & plane it to 1/2" for most all my projects. I use #02 - #5 blades. Several of my projects have a lot of detail, & require a smaller blade. Even in 1/2" material. I make dream catchers, & I cut my own feathers from 3/16" wood. I run my speed on the low end for those. When I'm cutting 1/2" material, & don't have much detail, I run my speed on 1/2 or there abouts. A #5 blade doesn't require full throttle to maintain its ability. You need to find a smooth spot for your speed in any size blade & material. As mentioned, the scroll saw isn't designed to work on speed as much as patience. It's designed to create, & enjoy your time with. My advice would be to decide what type of projects you want to do, & have an interest in. Research your saw, types of blades, wood species, etc. The more you know about your equipment, the easier it will be to make blade decisions & speed. JMO.

Last year, just before Christmas, I was working on a project making chair legs & rungs with my old hf lathe I bought used a few years ago, & the gear box flew apart. Being as old as it was, it was just as cheap to replace it with another hf 12" x 33 5/8" lathe. Variable speed, reversible head, & on its own stand. I finished the project with it, & have no complaints. I've done a few other projects with it, & its a smooth running lathe. Speeds are easy to change. No more than I use it, it's the perfect size for me. I consider myself a beginner at the lathe. I've been scrolling 23 years. My thinking is to incorporate the lathe into some of my scroll work. And other projects, too. I've got the red handled set of hf chisels. I bought those when we bought the lathe. I've read several books on sharpening. I'm learning free hand sharpening. I've got a 6" grinder w/ an 80 grit wheel on one side, & an 8" 220 white wheel on the other. There are a few tools I'd like to invest in. Those will depend on how the projects go as I get better. Find a turners club, & get involved with those fellas. They are loaded with experience in all types of turning, & can help you with sharpening, too. You're just wasting your time with a dull chisel. Enjoy your venture! God bless!

i own five scroll saws, & have them all set up to run for different uses in my shop. I also have a shop full of other woodworking equipment, like most others here. My shop is fairly small, & so things have to placed to move around them. i have castors on all my big tools, including the scroll saws. Dust is an issue, my ceilings are 7'. The shop is climate controlled. You'll find, IMO, as you get into scrolling, you're going to want more room around you, & air flow. I would caution you about the use of your plastic.

WOW!!!! $8.99/dozen at your local hardware store? I don't know where in Kansas you're at, boss, but sounds to me like you should do some online research, & find a different place to buy your blades. Even in an emergency, I wouldn't pay that! I live in NW Kansas, & buy all my blades from wooden teddy bear. Have for years. I get most of my patterns from them, too. I use FD & Olson blades both, & have my preferences of each. I keep around 30 different types & sizes of blades on hand. Every project requires more than one type & size of blade, usually. You'll find the deeper you get into scrolling, the more prefrances you'll acquire. Pegas blades has a few sizes & types that are ok, but not my favorites. Most of my projects are 3/8" to 1/2" material. My go to blade is the FD #3 polar blade, or the Olson #4 skip tooth. Fretwork & such I'll use the FD #1 blade. They cut a long time, & give no issues. I use rough sawn lumber in all my projects, too. Which has a tendancy to work blades harder. Even in cherry, which burns easily, I don't have that issue. It's your money, friend.

Bruce, try putting rubber mats under your saw. The fatigue mats that you can buy at hf work great! Zen asked most of the questions I would've. Check your back mounts to make sure they are both square with the table. Take a couple 3/4" wrenches & check your bearings on the top & bottom arms. They should be 1/4 turn past snug. Also check your mounting bolts underneath to make sure they are all tight. Is your saw level? Make sure it is. As mentioned, is it necessary to run at a high enough speed to make it vibrate? Or does it vibrate at all speeds? The Hawk should run with very little vibration. My shop floor is wood, & I wore out a 220VS Hawk, & recently purchased a BM-26". I can set a nickel on edge on the table, run the saw at any speed & the nickel will set there. I also have mine on casters. It would on the 220 as well.