stoney

I totally agree Rolf. An entry level saw should not be expected to perform or last anywhere near as long as a mid or high end saw at a third,forth, or fifth of the price. They could go ahead and use cheaper components, but provide good access to the lower blade clamp, dampen vibration so it doesn't walk across the floor etc. Make the saw at least somewhat user friendly I think your point is well taken, ( at least by me), that it should be possible to produce a scroll saw for around $200-$250 that doesn't totally piss off and turn off a beginner. JMHO.

Yeah Rolf blade clamp discussions are sort of a sore spot for me as you are probably already aware. I also have ranted about some of the just plain dumb decisions made by CEO, CFO, and bean counters at some of the manufacturers. What the hell are they thinking when they market a scroll saw that the owner will undoubtedly get frustrated with and push in the corner and forget about? No one will ever convince me that by running off to China they can't build and market an entry level scroll saw the beginner can actually enjoy operating that is in the $200.00 range. They just might get a customer to come back if they also market mid or top range saws. I think its high time one of them realize not everyone that would like to try this craft has the will or resources to step out and pay $500.00 or more for a scroll saw until they become addicted.

That is great Dick, so glad to hear the event went so well. Organizations and events that are dedicated to children's health issues are the best there is in my opinion. There is nothing more heartbreaking to me than very sick kids. St. Jude Children's Hospital is at the very top of my charitable giving list. Thank you for the follow up.

Stoning the back of the blade is a very simple and quick process when done with the blade mounted in the saws blade clamps and proper tension applied. You just have to turn the saw on and hold the stone against your left and right back edges at about a 30 to 45 degree angle for a few seconds. I don't do this all that often but I do think it improves the turning in a tight corner situation. JMHO

Very interesting. I too have never see this method. Just goes to prove anyone who thinks they know it all don't. LOL Thanks for your post I might need something like this in the future.

The first thing that would have to be established is a definition of a master or other skill levels. This is an interesting topic but in my opinion in order to define a true master scroll saw artist would require a testing procedure that might prove to be quite difficult. When you consider all the different aspects it becomes quite clear to me it would be a very big challenge. I just consider myself a competent craftsman that can do a fairly decent job of reading instructions, following a pattern, cut on the lines, and once in a while get a little creative.

Well I setup the oscillating spindle sander. It appears to be of decent quality but time will tell. It runs and oscillates very smoothly. The dust removal port works very well. Having a small shop and lots of tools demands I have some of them mounted on turnovers so I had to mount the rubber drums on dowels and secure them with clevis clips so that made the setup a little more time consuming. Well I tried it out and it does the job and appears to have enough power. Right now I'm working on a couple of tow trucks but after they are finished I'll get back to the cars I mentioned earlier and will really give it a good test. I'll let you know how well it works.

I looked at the combo Ridgid model but I already have a the big Craftsman 6" belt/ 9" disc sander so I'm all set now.

I have been making some toy wood cars lately and decided I had a use for a spindle sander. I have been cutting the cars from 2" stock and recessing the wheels with a forstner bit. I cut the windows out with my scroll saw and then the outside with my band saw. The outside cut naturally is much faster on the band saw but requires a lot more sanding compared to a scroll saw cut. Well I did some research and discovered something quite remarkable but not totally surprising. I found 5 spindle sanders, there might be more, under different names of which appears to be of the same design at vastly different prices. Other than color and the name they looked identical. The specs on all of them was exactly the same. They ranged in price of $101.27 including shipping to $440.99 plus shipping. While I looked at models of different designs I decided at this stage, (72 years old), in my life I didn't need a top of the line spindle sander. I chose the Wen model 6510 for $101.27 with prime shipping on Amazon. I'll let you know what I think of it after I use it a while.

Looks good John placed on the slab is a good way to display it. Native American art is one of my favorites. Thanks for showing us.

They used to say sand to 150 grit for good first coat paint adhesion but that may not be true anymore as I'm sure paint adhesion qualities have probably improved over time. Like John said an oil will penetrate even sanding at a higher grit but as you go up in grit so goes the time involved for good penetration. As a general rule with most woods that I stain I sand to 150 grit then apply stain and when dry lightly sand with 180 before applying a film finish. I generally lightly sand with 180 or 220 and apply a second coat. Lastly I lightly hand sand with a piece of paper grocery bag which is supposed to be about 800 grit which gives a very smooth feel. Works for me.

I agree that a good quality sharp fine toothed blade and a properly adjusted or tuned miter gauge is key to cutting good miters. Making sure the matching pieces are cut equal length is also very important. A couple more things I have learned is holding the piece against the fence firmly and trying not to cut to fast. Freud and Forester both make some excellent blades and there are probably other good quality blades available.

Very nice job on the cutting. I don't know what to suggest about the finish though. The problem with you picking out the finish is it may be what you like but maybe not the recipient. I think I might ask them what they would like. I prefer using solid wood for napkin holders and red oak in my favorite. One of the issues I see using plywood is no matter how you finish the edges you can always tell it is plywood but that's just me. LOL

I agree with most of the advice given but I would like to add my 2 cents worth. If you prefer the look of solid wood for any particular fretwook pattern with very fragile areas I would suggest using a hardwood such as oak, walnut, hickory, etc. With thinner hardwood I would also use a sacrificial piece of plywood or Masonite to back it up while cutting. I like others have suggested would start cutting the most fragile areas first. If I am going to screw up I like to do it first so I can decide if I can live with it or scrap the piece before I have invested a lot time. LOL

Dick I can't think of anything more worthwhile than trying to bring a little joy to a very sick child. Thank you and God bless you. My thoughts and prayers go out to Asher and his family.

Thank you Ike, Bill, Don, Jim, and Kevin for your comments. Like I said I use several different sanding methods. I have a combination belt /disc sander, sanding mops, sanding drums, detail sander, and random orbital sanders. Several brands of low profile sanders were made and sold in recent memory. They appeared to be a lighter and a more ergonomically design. What I would really like to know is why they were discontinued.

I make small toys for underprivileged kids and use several different types of sanding methods including a 5" random orbital sander. I sometimes use it with a downdraft table holding the toy with one hand while holding the sander with the other. I have both a Dewalt and Porter Cable which are both in good working order but cause fatigue after a short time using with one hand. I was considering one of the low profile models but find the Dewalt and Porter Cable 390k have been discontinued. I assume that is because of issues encountered with the design. Anyone know what those issues were? Also any recommendations?

I am also a believer. There is a definite notable difference especially cutting thick wood. They are my go to blade until a better product comes along.

Especially for us more mature individuals taking frequent breaks is just necessary. lol If it's not my hands cramping, a stiff neck, or a crook in my back I just need a bathroom break. Ha! But hey, what the heck I'm just doing this for fun anyway right? I really enjoy cutting on my scroll saw but only as a hobby if I had to do it as a full time job I would quit and find another way to make a living. Seriously though all drugs have side affects some worse than others and can contribute to issues like Charley mentioned but so can father time.

I can't tell you much about current Wen products but years ago I bought a Wen handheld sander and it didn't last very long. I think their products were quite cheaply made.

Yeah Len I thought the same thing but decided to try them and I'm glad I did. Don't get me wrong I'm not knocking FD blades but I have to admit for thick hardwoods Pegas modified geometry blades do work better. There is cutting and then there is cutting more efficiently and these blades do just that. IMHO

Are you talking about the ends of the logs splitting sully? Painting the ends of logs helps prevent them from drying to quickly.

It's interesting to hear from members from different parts of the country and world. Weather seems to be a good topic of conversation especially when we have extremes. It has been cold ( single digits) for us here in West Michigan for the past several days although it was 18 yesterday and will be in the 20's today. Tomorrow it's supposed to get up to the 40's with rain. I just don't like getting rain here at this time of the year. Rain on top of snow and ice can create some bad conditions to deal with.

Well stu it depends what you are cutting in that white oak. As you are probably already aware white oak is quite a bit denser or harder of a material than some of the other hardwoods. Are you going to use spiral blades for veining or for the main blade?

To anyone looking at Delta brand products I will start by telling you I have a Delta joiner, table saw, compound miter saw. and drill press. I also owned a Delta P-20 scroll saw. I will also tell you that I will never buy another Delta tool. Through corporate acquisitions the Delta brand has been greatly diminished. Through the recommendations of bean counters they have lowered the value of the Delta brand to an all time low. If you want a scroll saw from a brand that you can depend on being able to get support and replacement parts for I would suggest looking elsewhere. JMHO