SCROLLSAW703

I'm surprised at your comment, JT. The CW - 40 is a 16'' scroll saw once made by Hitachi. It takes pin or pinless blades, and was sold with its own stand. The cast iron saw deck wasn't overly large on them, but as far as an entry level saw, they were nearly indestructible. There was an "electrical board" at the very back of the saw that ran the complete saw. I see now on a couple websites, it is available for replacement. But some had that board "fry" and kill the complete saw. There were no replacements at the time. Shortly thereafter, the saw became obsolete. Personally, I have been fortunate enough not to endure any of those issues to date. I have replaced other necessities on the saw, and it is still runnin' strong. My apologies, JT, in all your infinite wisdom, but no Sir, I do not take it out and shoot it. It is set up in the shop as a teacher saw, and I use it for other cuttin' I don't much care to run across the deck of my Hawk, Sir. Thank you for your help on the clarification of that machine, kind sir. Sawdust703(brad)

I sure can. The CW - 40 is a 16'' scroll saw made by Hitachi. The saw is now obsolete. This particular saw has a "mother board" for the lack of words at the moment. This is at the very back of the saw and controls the entire saw. Many folks had issues with them from the start. I have never had an issue one with mine in that sense. As I mentioned, other things were needin' replacement on account of hours of use. This saw uses pin type or plain blades. Easy set up out of the box. Has its own stand with it. Easy to maintain. Does a very good job of cutting in most any type of scroll project ya throw at it, and I threw some fair sized ones at mine, trust me!! The BM - 26 is a HAWK 26'' scroll saw made by Bushton Mfg. out of Bushton, Kansas. It is the biggest saw they produce. A top of the line saw. I would recommend the Hawk line of saws ro anyone looking at saws. This saw uses plain blades with removable blade holders top and bottom. This particular saw was designed with top and bottom feeders alike in mind. It also has aggression adjustment, right and left table tilt. The tension release is at the nose of the top arm for easy reach. Hopefully I answered your questions. Scrollsaw703(brad)

My first saw 25+ years ago were a single speed pin type Craftsman saw, as well. No pictures, but I've still got the ol' girl in the basement. It was might near wore out when we invested in it, and it took me nearly a year and a half to finish it off. I was still on the road then. I've got it under a bench downstairs, out of the way. i ain't able to find parts for it. Memories, I reckon. After I wore that one out, I updated to the CW - 40. Excellent saw! I bought my neighbors' Craftsman saw at his estate sale. It's on a stand in the corner, collectin' dust. Then I bought my first Hawk. A used 220 VS. Run it HARD for about a year and wore it out, and traded it in on my BM - 26 2 years ago. One of the best investments I ever made in the shop. Sawdust703(brad)

My BM - 26 is set up about as well as a saw could be, I reckon. I spend most all my time talkin' to it, unless I get a project I don't want to run over the deck of the Hawk, then I visit with my CW - 40. I don't have any experience with them other breeds. I'd like to see the CW - 40 brought back to life. That was a great saw! The saw deck could stand to be enlarged some. Mine is still in service. Parts availability seems to be alright. I have had to change out the bellows, power switch, VS switch, and the flexi - loc air line on mine, and I ain't able to tell ya how many hundreds of hours I've put on that ol' gal. Sawdust703(brad)

Howdy neighbor, and welcome to the forum!:) Good to see a new face on the block!:):) I reckon my first question I'd have to throw out to ya is what breed a saw are ya usin'? Your stand can be constructed to fit you personally, and as already mentioned, the degree of tilt is whatever suits your fancy the best. My first suggestion would be to create your saw stand more in the shape of a "saw station" to suit your needs, Sir. Set it up so you are facin' your saw head on, and have places for blade storage within easy reach for you. As JT mentioned, to sit sideways to your saw will be extremely difficult and uncomfortable for you, my friend. For what it's worth, I personally would avoid the 3 legged stand, mostly because of personal preference, years of experience, and stability. Best of luck to you, Sir, and enjoy your new hobby! Don't be afraid to ask questions if ya get yourself in a tight. There are many levels of experience here at the Village, and we are always proud to help ya any way can.:):) Sawdust703(brad)

Howdy, The first Urn I had ever made in my 25 years of woodworking was for our Middle Daughter 3 years ago. We lost her to self induced overdose. Designin' & creatin' her Urn was a very tough job, but I will say, havin' the time to myself creatin' it and puttin' it together did help me to deal with her loss, and helped me grieve in a way I never had before. It is a bad enough experience to lose a child, it's even worse when it comes time to bury them. I guess that's part of the reason the decision was made to cremate our daughter. Were I in your boots poupster, truthfully, I would be honored if my folks ask such a task of me. Take the commission and do the best of your ability, my friend. It will be worth your efforts. I hope to get in the shop awhile this weekend and at least get something started on it. We have had an extremely busy week. I will try and post pictures as we progress. Please don't laugh at our progress. With Mary Ann bein' down with recent full knee replacement, and other community things I am involved in, sometimes projects don't progress as fast as I'd like them to. I appreciate the support and consideration. I will post pictures as soon as I can. Thank you for all your input. Sawdust703(brad)

NC Scroller, I appreciate your input, Sir. Mr. Wayne, yours too, Sir. I've been thinkin' about all your advice, and we finally were able to get a few more details this afternoon. It sounds like the remains were divided between the brother and sister, and it is her Father, not her Grandfather. My apologies for the mistake. And she has been keeping the remains in a shoe box on account of she is not able to afford an Urn. This young lady mentioned to my Granddaughter today that she "kinda liked the looks of tiger wood." I'm not goin' into what I had to say, but, the dimensions I'm kickin' around are about 6" wide x 6" deep x 6" tall, and sit it on an 8" base, with a lid. Holy Christmas! If she ain't able to afford an Urn, any ideas how she's goin' to pay for this big idea of tiger wood? I can get it at a small lumber yard about a days' worth of drivin' round trip, and I haven't priced the wood yet! Now what's your thoughts? Sawdust703(brad)

Thank you Sir. I will look into her patterns. I greatly appreciate your input. Sawdust703(brad)

Howdy Mr. Rob, Thank you for the kind words, Sir. I don't know as I'd go so far as to call it a style, my friend. My ol' back & legs are shot from sittin' in the pilot seat of a semi all my life. I don't have much liftin' power anymore, so I had to figure out some way to move my saws around without liftin' them. Sooo, I installed 2'' casters on them, and that solved my issue. Sawdust703(brad)

Howdy JT, That's a good thought, thank you kindly, Sir. I hadn't given overlays any consideration, but, to be honest, that may be the way to go. I appreciate your input, Sir. Sawdust703(brad)

I was just lookin' it over myself, JT, and had the very same thought, Sir.

Howdy. Well, I am stuck. My Grand daughter and I were just commissioned to make an Urn for these folks for their Grandfather. Near as we can find out at the moment, they have no Urn of any kind for safe keepin' of the remains. So, as of right now, the only request they have is they'd like a Walleye cut into the Urn. Their choice of wood was "doesn't matter.":( So, right now, my thoughts are to put together a glue up the height of the Urn with say walnut & maple, cut the Walleye like an inlay in the glue up, and then cut the glue up into four equal pieces, make a base and a lid, and put the four pieces back together so the walleye wraps around the Urn. Or, the other idea I am kickin' around is tryin' to locate a pattern or two of Walleye, cut them about 5'' long inlaid into the 4 sides of the Urn, and possibly the lid. From the sounds of it, this gentleman was quite the walleye fisherman, and loved every second he got on the water fishin'! I'm not new to creatin' Urns, but makin' patterns to fit the project are sometimes more complicated than the project itself. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thank you for your time. Sawdust703(brad)

How Much difference in length are you talkin', Mr.Kevin? With some research, or possibly contacting pegasus themselves to discuss the issue, it wouldn't take much to find out what the deal is. I don't use pegasus blades, to old school I reckon. I still like flyin' dutchman and olson blades better'n any of them. In the meantime, were it me, unless it brings the indentation to close to the blade clamp, what would be wrong with taking your full length off the end with the indentation? Bringing the length down to might near eliminating your trouble, Sir. Just my couple pennies worth. Sawdust703(brad)

I sit in a barber chair when I'm workin' at the saw. Yes, it is a little heavy to move, so I made a 3'' high platform the size of the base for it to sit on to ensure I can get enough height if I need it.(the price of bein' built low to the ground.;) All 5 of my scroll saws have 2'' casters on them so I can easily move them myself, and get them to my chair. I can adjust the height of my chair to each saw by raising or lowering the seat with the foot pump on the chair. My BM - 26 is higher than any of the other 4 in the shop, and most of my work is done at the Hawk. I usually sit so the saw deck is about elbow high. I wear bifocals, so I want to be able see what I'm cuttin'. I have my shop lights arranged so that I have good lighting over the saw. I don't have any issues with relaxin' at the saw. I reckon experience has taught me patience, comfortability with my saws, and to enjoy what I am cuttin'. I don't answer to anybody, so what's the hurry? Sawdust703(brad)

Howdy, I've got CT in both wrists myself. Have had for a number of years. I went to our family Sawbones about it on account of the pain was going up the inside of my right forearm, thumb, and all four fingers, and deep in my left wrist startin' up my left forearm, thumb, and 3 fingers. My Sawbones has given me several Cortisone injections in both wrists for CT. The injections help for awhile, dependin' on how much drivin' or sawin' or mechanicin' I done between injections. Our family Sawbones found me a Sawbones that specializes in CT & CT surgery. She ran her tests, and asked what I done for a livin' at the time. When I told her I drove OTR, and had been drivin' all my life, and was also a hobby woodworker/scroll sawyer, she told me It was pointless to do surgery while I was still drivin' because the steering wheel and shifter would just create the same situation all over again. So, since I've retired, our Sawbones is after me to get the surgery done every time I have to go see her for another cortisone injection. Maybe one of these days, but in the near future. Sawdust703(brad)

That's perty cool!:)) I just happen to have a Great Grandson who's name is Braxton Jacob.:) This gives me a couple ideas fer him. I hope ya don't mind me usin' your project for future thoughts. Awesome cut work!!!:)) Keep Slingin' the sawdust!:) Sawdust703(Brad)

I guess my project for 2019 is to get myself back in the shop. I have been out of the shop for some time now, and my granddaughter seems to think it's past time to get back to what I am kinda sorta ok at. I have a project in the works, and was just commissioned to create an Urn for a good friend of ours. My health is starting to level out, as well as it is going to, I reckon. I still have several limitations, but have tall expectations. I have to say, whether it is taken to heart or left at a stand still, is ok too, but, SSV has kept me going this past year. I appreciate the allowance of being able to be involved with the posts and subjects posted, although inactive in the shop. And, a couple of us have locked horns, and my sincere apologies, but I am who I am. As I have posted earlier, one of our granddaughter's and her two children have recently moved in with my bride and I. She is very excited about learning the scroll saw and woodworking! Her name is Desirea. She has been after me to get the dust cleaned out of the shop, and ALL the tools shined up she says;), and get things going again!:) While I am postin', my bride had full knee replacement surgery yesterday. The surgery went well, and she is doing fine.:) I brought her home from the hospital today! She is happily camped in her Laz-y-boy recliner watchin' her favorite show "Survivor" this evening.;) Sawdust703(Brad)

You hit the nail on the head, Tomanydogs! We are very close! Miss Des is very creative, can draw, and has a serious interest in my woodworking. Her and her little ones have been thru so much in the last year and a half, as far as living conditions, survival, etc. it has been been tough on the kids and her. But she has always called me for answers and advice. She is very excited about getting things going in the wood shop. We just got an order for an Urn to create. Her creative mind is running wild with ideas! Trust Me! We will post pictures of it. Thank you for your concerns and compliments, Ma'am. Sawdust703(brad)

Howdy, I have always used FD and Olson blades myself. The benefits of the Hawk is, as you mentioned, Mr. Rolf, I have the ability to load several blades and not lose much cut time changin' out blades. I did try a couple dozen #3 Pegasus blades some time back. I wasn't impressed with the end results, so I just stuck with FD and Olson. On occasion, I'll get a batch that will snap blades pretty fast, but seems like the ones I get that bust fast are #1 or smaller, and they'll ALWAYS bust when I'm in deep concentration with small detail! Kinda makes the ol' Hawk snort a little, & the heart skip a beat or two! Sawdust703(brad)

Howdy, I don't teach as often as I'd like to, Mr. Ray. I enjoy woodworking at it's best, Sir, but I have several limitations that have caused me to lose the interest I once had. I try to do what I can to keep moving towards the goal of getting back in the shop full time. We have a beautiful granddaughter & great grandkids that have recently moved in with us, and she has a serious interest in woodworking. She keeps telling me "Grandpa, we need to get your wood shop cranked up again!" So, I guess I'm going to have to get things in order and get her in the shop and start teachin' her the deal.;) What most folks don't know about this granddaughter is that she is my baby girl. She started ridin' in the truck with me when she was 11 months old, and rode with me til she was 5, and was ready for school. She was not in the least bit happy about givin' up truckin' for school! Miss Des has always come to me with her life issues, problems, marriage problems, whatever. She would call here at the house and Mary Ann would answer the phone, Miss Des would tell her she wanted to talk to Grandpa. Mary Ann would tell her I was on the road. She'd hang up on Mary Ann, and turn around and call me in the truck. She was just a little gal then, but she'd tell me her Ma was treatin' her bad, and she wanted Blanche and I to come get her right then and there! She named my Peterbilt Blanche, and then turned around and told her Grandma I had a girlfriend! To explain to a 5 year old that I'm 800 miles away from her and it's an impossibility to pull out from under whatever load I was loadin' at the time, and get right there to look after her "emergency", and take her with me. She seemed to think that ol' truck was hers!Her patience level was not very high! When she spoke, she thought I was supposed to do the dance! When we were servicin' trucks, doin' tire work, replacin' brakes and wheel bearings, U joints, runnin' overheads, whatever it was, if it had anything to do with those trucks, she HAD to be the boss! We had a lot of awesome times in the trucking business!;) One of my boss' called her "Miss Daisy," and the other brother called her "Shorty" because she could walk right under the truck frames and not hit anything! It's goin' to be great to get some of our projects posted on here to see what you fine folks think of my teachin' and our work. Sawdust703(brad)

Howdy, In watchin' your video, it appears you're usin' a fair sized blade for your cut. First off, with that sort of detail, or size that of project, your cutting wood looks to be about 1/4''. So, I would use a #1 or at best, a #3 blade. And for that type of cutting, I prefer a skip tooth blade, or a polar blade, which is even better in thin material. When I make sharp turns like you're doin', I cut all the way out to the end of the corner and place my index finger behind the blade, spin it in the waste part of the project. That way when you start in cuttin' again, your blade marks and turn marks are all in the waste part of your project. As aforementioned, use up some scrap wood practicin' your turnin'. What I do for my students when I teach, I draw straight lines on a piece of 1/4" material, and have them cut the lines, and when they get to end of their line, spin it around and cut back along the very same cut line. This not only sharpens their ability to follow a line, but, teaches them to make sharp turns in limited space before they start a project. It has really helped a lot with my younger students. Keep crankin' out the sawdust! Practice, practice, practice!:):) Sawdust703(brad)

Howdy, I wouldn't start runnin' through gears and gettin' yer brakes scorched about blades this early in your scrollin' career, neighbor. You can spend the time you're frettin' over which blade is which with experience. I say that because it's a twisted confusion every newbie goes through as they are learning cutting processes, wood species and thicknesses that suit their fancy, blade tension and speed, feed rate, etc. As you begin to figure out the type of projects that suit your likin' and abilities, whether it be puzzles, fretwork, portraits, whatever it is, along side of the wood thickness and type, your choice of blade breed will begin to come into place. You will find every single project you cut will require more than one size and one type of blade. And, every blade makes its own tune when cutting in different species of wood and specific thickness'. With all that said, nearly every scroll sawyer acquires his/her own inventory of blades mostly out of preference and necessity. Some use just a few types of blades. Personally, I have 22 different sizes, blade types, and spirals in my inventory. The sky's the limit when it comes to blades. If you haven't already, I would highly recommend that you order a dozen of each type of blade you're askin' questions about and test drive them for yourself in your saw, cutting at your preferred feed rate, blade speed, etc. From the experience with each blade, you can then draw your own conclusion to what those blades are, and what they'll do for you. Another way of looking at this is, you can ask every scroller on this site that very same question in a poll of sorts, and you're goin' to get that many different answers on that many choices of blades. It is a near impossibility, imo, to tell someone else what every blade can and will do, and what blade is best for them to start with. That has to be a decision you make with your project selection. Sawdust703(brad)

Howdy, My tallest respect goes out to you, Ma'am! Us ol' truckers are nearly gone! I drove OTR 30 years, my Father had over 50 years in the pilot seat! I seen a note on fb this morning that said "ol' truckers don't turn grey, they turn chrome!";) How 'bout it, Ma'am? I'll admit, I had my share of shiny metal on my trucks, and lights, too, but, damn if they weren't the toughest part of the ride to keep clean!;) Enjoy your day, darlin'!;) Sawdust703(brad)

Howdy JT, Well Sir, my first question would be then, just how large of pieces do you need for your projects? Do ya have the equipment to manage sizeable pieces of sheet lumber? There are a number of options to look at. You could go to hobby lobby and purchase the smaller pieces of baltic birch. It's better quality, and a little easier on blades. You could visit a couple cabinet shops in the area and see if they have any better quality plywood they'd part with, or even sell you a sheet of baltic birch plywood. Not having access to a planer has a tendency to put a feller in a tight at times. My thoughts were ya could plane your findings to thickness, then do a glue up and put your wood together until you've worked out your width and length. Then you could trim it to size on the table saw, and you'd be ready to go. BUUUUT, since you don't have access to a planer, the only other choice you would have would be is to purchase your lumber in sheets. That is the way I would go about it. Baltic birch comes in 5' x 5' sheets. Most other sheet products are 4' x 8'. If you aren't able to handle a full sheet, where ever you purchase your lumber should be able to cut the sheet down to size so you can manage it. Man! So much for that brainstorm, huh? Sawdust703(brad)

I don't reckon there are to many of us ol' scrollers on here that have had this very same disaster, Ma'am. There ain't no shame in mistakes, Ma'am, it's what ya learn from it. When I was just gettin' the sawdust bug, I was still trucking over the road. So I was readin' every book I could find on anything to do with scrollin', wood, wood species, finishing, etc. I ran across an ol' cabinet builder once that I was watchin' cuttin; some drawer fronts. When it came time to drill the holes for the screws for the handles, he overshot a couple & had to redrill the screw holes. While he was cheerfully fillin' the screw holes he had miscalculated, he said to me "the difference between a woodworker and a carpenter is how well they hide their mistakes, and how shiny they make them look in the end;) I've never forgotten those words, Ma'am. I am a self taught woodworker, and Lord knows I have made my share of mistakes, but there is always a way to fix that mistake, sometimes it just takes makin' the ol' thinker box work a little harder, Ma'am.;) Sawdust703(brad)