SCROLLSAW703

What did you do to make your creation, Rocky? Ya got me thinkin' now, My friend?

Yes, KM is correct. Welcome to the forum! Were I in your position, my friend, I would take a look at polar blades. The polar blade can make those turns with ease, and you'll have a far better looking project than with spiral blades. Make no mistake, spiral blades have their place, but, I personally wouldn't recommend them for what you're doing. For your inside cuts, you could drop down to a #3 blade, and maneuver those curves & points in the star more efficiently, and have a sharper looking project. My next suggestion to you would be to try a 1 1/4'' thick maybe? It will still stand up on its own, and take some off your cut thickness, and speed up your cut time. Especially with your inside cuts. the secret I have found is matching the blade to the wood. If you are using poplar, there isn't a need for an overly aggressive blade because it's not a hard wood to cut.. Use a blade that will give you a nice, clean cut.You could even try an ultra reverse blade. Then figure out the speed that you can handle and cut efficiently at. The breed of the saw makes no matter. Experiment, research, practice, and most of all, enjoy what you're doing. Never say "can't" in your hobby. Keep learning & makin' sawdust! God Bless!

I will get over to the shop in the morning and get the number off of the pkg and the bit sizes in the pkg and post them KM. There are several sizes in the pkg. I don't use the bigger ones much, it's the small bits i use the most of. That's the reason I buy so many pkg's at a time. That way I have the bits on hand.

Hello Rocky! I get my drill bits from harbor freight. The pkg has several sizes in it, I get 3 or 4 pkgs at a time, as we don't get to the city much. I believe the last ones I bought were about $7 a pkg. I think the sizes start at 1/8" & go down to a #60 or thereabouts. It's been awhile since I've been to the the shop. I'll check into it tomorrow and email you the sizes and the pkg number, my friend. I have had excellent luck with these bits! They are sharp, and stay sharp a long time. And as you know, I don't use anything but hardwood. They cut straight, no wobbles, the smaller ones break easy of course, but there are several of that size in the pkg.

I have one on an old lathe I have that I bought from harbor freight for $12. Works well & no issues.

I disagree with the high speed. But I'd concur with the #5 skip tooth blade, or your preference. I would try a few sizes of different brands to see what works best for you. I don't use anything but hardwood. As a Hawk owner, I cut 2" thick hardwood pretty regular. Depending on the saw, I wouldn't run over 3/4 speed at best. All you'll get done is burn up blades. Unless of course, your preference is changin blades to scrollin.

Yes, by all means! Ask your questions here, if need be, add a picture or two in your post to help us help you. We may not be right in your shop with you, but we're the same as☺ There are many levels of experience here, with every breed & color of saw out there.

Hello Mr. Ray!:) That is good advice, my friend! I appreciate it. My bride finally talked me into havin' the folks that look after our yard go over to the shop & do the clean up work & spray for weeds. My shop is directly across the street from our house. About 20 years ago, I hauled in 5 loads of 3\4" rock from a quarry at Windsor, Colorado for my landlord to put in his yard. They came home from Arizona that spring, and decided they were takin' out all the grass on the property, & puttin' down 3/4" rock. He had a fella with a sod cutter come in, they got rid of all the grass, & I had two loads dumped along the curb waitin' on him to get after it. Before it was over, it took 7 loads to cover his complete yard. He done it with a wheelbarrow, a shovel, & rake. As soon as he had two loads about moved, I was on the way to get him another one. I was haulin' grain at that time, & was loadin' corn here at home goin' to Greeley, CO. then went on up to Windsor, CO. & load rock on my grain wagon & bring it home for him. Now we fight the damn stickers & weeds that come up in the rocks. Thanks for the advice, Mr. Ray. Believe me my friend, I found out the hard way I ain't got the snort I used to have, but my mind is still tellin' me I do. I just have to be careful. Thank you for your worry, Sir.

Hello Mike! I completely understand what you're saying. I've been out of my shop since December. I had two heart attacks & a lung embolism, and man, it has just flat taken the fire out of me. I've finally been released by both my Sawbones. They said I passed the their physical requirements, and my meds are all on track. But we had a nasty hail storm here 3 weeks ago, broke alot of windows around town, destroyed acres of wheat in the county. Around my shop, it looked like a bunch of monkeys stripped the trees and let the leaves and branches hit the ground! I was cleaning up some of that mess, it was nearly 100* that day. And I over did it. We spent 3 hours in the ER that evening with severe chest pain, the works. I took a chewin' out from My Sawbones. She told me I couldn't do that anymore. So, now I'm trying to keep my bride off her legs until she has knee surgery in a couple weeks. It seems like life just throws one horseshoe after another at us. Keep your chin up, Mike. Your skills will come back to you before ya know it, my friend. God Bless.

Hello Nathan! Welcome to the forum. It's good to see another sawyer amongst us. I'd agree with what has already been said, except the fact that imo, I'd shy away from plywood, unless it's baltic birch ply. Main reason being all the glue is real hard on blades of any size or type. My next suggestion with spiral blades is use your variable speed on the saw. Some think that a spiral needs to cut as fast as the saw will run. Not true. In theory, speed creates heat. Heat takes the temper out of your blade, therefore shortening the life of the blade, and not allowing the blade to do its job. I run spirals in several different projects. I don't use anything but hardwood in my projects. The sizes I use range in sizes from #0/2 up to a #5. I don't use them often, but when I do, I run my saw around 1/2 or just a little over on the variable speed, and I set the tension fairly tight. I get better life out the blade, and it doesn't wander as bad. I also keep a large assortment of flat blades on inventory. From #0/2 on up. And different types. I agree with what Jay said about gettin' yourself a piece of wood and several sizes of flat blades and start cuttin' until you find the ones you prefer. The #5 blade is a monster blade. I'd get online & get a sample pack or two and try the different blades in those. For your inside cuts, you're going to want a #2 or #3 blade, depending on the thickness of your material. Personally, were it me, if you're going to use baltic birch, I'd shy away from the skip tooth blades because they will be more apt to give you tear out issues on the back of your project. I would go with a #2 or there abouts polar blade, and watch your speed, and listen to the blade. It'll tell ya when it needs tension or replaced. Maybe you can get JT to chime in and see what his thoughts are. My apologies for the length. Best of luck to ya, & Happy Trails.

All these years of them damn things takin up space in my tool box, & I could never figger out how to use'em. Dad always said "to soon old, to late smart." I appreciate the education Mr. 3D. Keep your fingers from gettin' sticky, brother!;)

that is odd. they are pretty good about answerin emails & lookin after business.

I used to keep used blades separate from my new ones until I invested in my first Hawk. I kept enough blades in clamps, there weren't any need to keep used blades anymore. I do the same with my BM 26. Once I've worn out the blade in the clamp, it gets pitched in the trash & a new blade replaces it in the clamp ready for when it's needed. One of the many benefits of Hawk ownership.;)

howdy Mr. Lew! best of luck to you my friend. I hope you are able to find the mansion that suits ya:) thoughts & prayers to you. God Bless.

maybe some confusion on your order date, miss marge? I live in NW Kansas & get my order from them in 2 days. Realizin' of course you bein' in Australia, shipping may take a bit longer. An email to them with your order date may be a consideration, ma'am.

No belt driven hawks. I just traded my 220 VS off on a BM 26. Today is the first day spent on it, & I like it!! Best saw I've ever cut on. Easy to operate, super quiet, tension is easy to adjust, & keep adjusted. Large work table, top & bottom feeder. Virtually NO vibration! The list goes on! Made in the United States. Its the Cadillac of scroll saws, IMO. Priced right, too!

It's good to see you're spendin' time with your kin in your shop:) It's time you'll all have memories of:):)

wow! that sounds like a machine to be looked at, Mr. Les! Havin' steel blade holders would be a more workable set up than aluminum, imo. Aluminum strips out after time, & in some cases, ain't the best blade holders. I've got 7 holders for my BM - 26. I've found with real small blades, like a #0 down to a #0/2 blade, & spirals, I have to change out the thumb screw & hex screw. I doubt it'd be much different with steel, the main difference bein' ya wouldn't have the worry of thread strippin'. The belt changin' sounds easy enough. I'm guessin' cast iron saw deck? or cast aluminum? I'd like to try one out just to see what they're like!

Thank you, Mr. Ray, I appreciate it, my friend. This site is home to me, Ray. Everyone has been so supportive & helpful thru my health & personal issues, allowed me to post while I'm inactive in the shop, & I've made several new friends, too. Our learning never quits in this hobby, & even with the years of experience I have, there is still a lot I don't know, but want to learn. Open mindedness is a crucial tool of learning anything.:) I can tell you from personal experience, Mr. Ray, in dealing with many closed minded folks over the years. Many of them right here in my home town. It never ends well:( Keep askin' questions, keep learnin', most of all, keep makin' sawdust, Sir! God Bless!

Rocky, what did ya think of the PS wood saw? by the looks of it in the picture with your shiny grin;) they're built perty solid. What's the workin' parts like? blade clamps? your opinion of it, Sir. If ya don't mind.:)

opinions, ideas, & thoughts from one another is a big part of what makes up this forum. And we all have our own way of doing things. In every discussion, sooner or later, somebody's feathers are goin' to get ruffled a little, whether it be JT's, mine, Kevins, who ever. I admit I'm not always right, nor are my thoughts & ideas. But we've all got experience in the same thing, scrollin'. Now, whether it be lubin' different saws, makin' adjustments on the saws, learnin' different blades & their uses, no matter what the situation, at the end of the day, we're all still scrollers! Regardless of what anyone wants to think, I don't have any ill feelings towards Kevin, JT, or anyone else. I have great respect for them both, as I do everyone else here, & continue to learn from them. Everyone here has treated me with great respect & thoughtfulness.

mine is a jet, & open ended. to be honest, for no bigger than my shop is, it's the perfect size. I can run my feathers thru it, after they've been cut, with no breakage, & they are 3/32" thick. I think the drum sander is like any other tool. Ya need to research it, read about the different sizes available, & what will work best for you. I settled on the one I did because of space limitations, & capabilities of the sander. They all have their own capabilities & what they'll handle.

how big is your piece you're wanting to plane, Kevin? I bought a 10" drum sander from a local fella, & get the different grits on amazon perty cheap. Alot of times, it's easier for me to run the piece thru the drum sander than the planer. It takes a little more time, & but doesn't create the dust or the mess the planer does. And in the end, I've got a finish sanded piece to the thickness I want. A 10" sander don't sound like much, Kevin, but dependin' on how fast ya set it, & how much you're takin' off, it's a fair piece of lumber. The sander I bought had hardly been used, & has the manual & tools to do everything are with it.

well Sir, we've (Hawk) had that discussion more than once. Several of the things in the BM manual are the very same things that are in the 220VS manual. And yes, even though they are two different saws, the lube points point to the same places, and there were several JUNK bearings in place in that saw. I like to be informed as well. As long as I've been out of the shop this time Kevin, I've spent plenty of time reading. One thing that never changes is the Hawk saw & it's operational menu. The older Hawks, being belt driven, used pulleys to change speeds. Over time, electronics evolved & we now have the electronic variable speed. Bearings were open in places & needed lube. Further study & modernization of their saws, brought upon sealed bearings in places that bearings were prone to failure. Yes, they were sh*t bearings, but it was a start. As bearings failed, customers returned & wanted parts for failed equipment, better sealed bearings came to light. Better machining processes, change of design, etc. Like any other equipment, there is no perfect way. You keep listenin', ya keep tryin' to create the cadillac of saws for the satisfaction of the customer. The customer either loves the saw, or they don't.

me either, because they are sealed. I don't know if I could sleep with myself knowing I was right between our two saws, Mr. Kevin. I don't just leave them covered until they''re needed. My saws get regular maintenance & cleaning. As for your smart a** remarks, eh, I'm used to them. You are one who likes to be right. So be it. My equipment is what it is. I don't have to try to impress anybody with it, or my knowledge of it. My apologies for not doin' things your way.