Jim McDonald

I am also a baby soda bottle user. Large enough to get my fingers in and will store far more blades per tube than I can afford to fill!

Got the majority of my Christmas presents cut when I finished these birdhouses. A few cut from maple--which just about killed my saw--but the most are poplar. I found some 1 3/8" poplar square dowels at the lumber yard that had some coloration in them, meaning most people would have passed them by. This is not as many as some have cut and it more than I originally aimed for, but I was having a pretty good time doing them. Thanks to Diana for a great set of patterns. Now onto some stack cut fretwork ornaments.

I can understand why those sell well. They look great.

I am a tape user and very happy. I have traced patterns, glued directly and keep going back to tape.

For what little painting I do, the Wal Mart stuff seems to work well. Of course, the quality of the brush is paramount.

If you use a foot switch, tie the pump into the output of the foot switch. Then it runs when the saw is on.

Sawzall down the edges of the runners. Fast and reasonably clean.

Used them on an OLD single speed Delta and tried them later on the DeWalt, but the problems are illustrated above. I just buy emery boards at Walmart, trim them and you have both a coarse and fine surface.

I think I would give that a good soak in lemon oil or Danish oil and make it really hard for someone to paint over it. Be a shame to lose the look of the wood.

It's not that early for Christmas. Because my work area is outside (on the patio), I have already got more than 1/3 of my ornaments cut and in the box. (All individual compound cuts) Now to get in gear for the and find a pattern for the stack cutting for about 30 pieces!

I use blue tape, spray glue on top of that and packing tape. Makes getting the pattern off a breeze. On very small fret pieces, I can use a dental pick if It is too small. Now, on compound stuff, I don't do any surface prep and just use tape to hold the first cut in place for the second cut.

Like many others here, I am a member of both forums (much newer here) and feel they can and WILL co-exist. I was fortunate to make the show three years ago and had plans to return every year and every year something popped up. While it is not a short drive from central Indiana to eastern PA, I did it and would do it again. I understand the folks at Fox Chapel making a tough decision based on business. The folks from the publishing company (and it was most--if not all--the employees) did a fantastic job being hosts and making everyone feel welcome. I know they publicized it every way they could short of stuffing invites in every new saw or blade order, but they just had to make a tough decision. I have been involved in smaller productions and understand the logistics of it. For the size show they put on, the cost and toll must have been great. Knowing that, I can understand there will NOT be any local shows/schools around the country, because of cost. What cost an attendee $60 to attend in their back yard, would cost multiple times that if they were to try to travel and pay lodging/food/labor costs, etc.

If you are breaking blades, there are two main causes: 1. Insufficient blade tension. The blade should ping if you pluck it like a guitar string. You will learn the tone you like best. I run a little tighter than most, so my blades have a higher tone. 2. Pushing too hard or pushing sideways. Let the blade do the work. There is a dance between speed and feed. Like anything else, it takes a bit of practice. Everyone here learned by breaking a few

And if you use a jar, you have to wipe the threads on the car and lid perfectly dry or you get to use a can opener to get into the jar the next time. (But, I've never glued a jar shut with finish )

Finally got enough bird houses cut to start thinking about finishing. Decided on clear Danish oil. Worried that I would have to "babysit" them and keep turning if I tried to soak them in a pan to keep all sides wet and submerged. Instead, I packed them in a pint canning jar and poured it completely full and then screwed on the lid. When soak time was done, I blew off the excess with the compressor and hung them to dry for a few hours. Worked like a charm. Good even finish and no drips or bubbles. These are destined to be Christmas presents, so I am going a few extra steps with them like painting the birds. Pictures when I get them done. Have about ten more glued up to drill and cut. (Work is much easier in poplar--started with maple and just about made firewood out of the whole lot.)

Kevin_ Just went through this 18 months ago with a friend. Get to a doctor you trust and take all your meds with you. She was being mildly overdosed on BP meds and got dehydrated and then took a $1,000 per mile ambulance ride. After that, three days of IV in the hospital. This was all while she was working on dropping her blood sugar and weight. Short story is--listen to the doc and believe and follow what they say. You may end up on a CPAP machine and then need to pick up your exercise a bit at a time.

I got in on this thread really late--but: I spent 20 years at the Shack and would not have recommend that pot for motor use for a couple of reasons: #1 It is a linear pot and is not as accurate as an audio pot of the same rating (in ohms) #2 It probably would not handle the current and would eventually arc internally and either carbon up or weld itself at one speed. #3 There is no heat sink if it could handle the current. I understand the pot works with the circuit board to control speed, but somewhere in that line, there has to be some kind of resistance to slow the motor. Resistance equals heat.

Johnson's Paste Wax® is great for doing a saw table. There is no silicone or anything to transfer to the work to prevent finishes from adhering and it goes on easy. Since I cut outside, I drape my table with a black trash bag to heat up the table slightly (opens the pores) and then slap on a medium heavy coat of wax--wait about 20 minutes and then buff it off with some old t-shirt material. Sun really warms the table rapidly.

To quote from my brilliant wife's dissertation (Loosely quoted): "Nothing generates more heat and smoke and less light than a political or religious discussion".

Harbor Freight is now selling CRC spray. Going to try it this evening, but I have had good luck with other CRC chemicals in other interests.

Been scrolling about 10 years. Bought a single speed Delta in a pawn shop to cut Pinewood Derby car for my son. Had NO idea what I was doing. Broke blades, swore at the machine--probably would have burned it if was not solid steel. Found the SSWW board and Steve Good site, learned the basics from there and just practiced. Rebuilt the Delta until major parts got to be a huge problem, bought a Hitachi and abused it for a few years and my wife asked me why I didn't buy a better saw since I enjoyed the hobby so much. So, i got a DeWalt and haven't looked back. Do a ton of fretwork and word art (nothing like the quantities of Kevin) and just started trying compound cutting again. Tried when I was a wee little scroller, but was in over my head at the time.

Nothing like a new blade to make a man feel fresh.

Once again--the pattern finds the wood.

I take the thumb screws out and put a piece of 120 sandpaper on a piece of marble tile (very flat) and then scuff the ends of the blade holders across the sandpaper for a few seconds. Breaks the shine and the grip comes back.

All blades have a burr that makes them pull to one side and most of us don't even notice it anymore (just like you said--you can make it work). As for that super secret handmade blade that never gets dull and cuts straight, I think it left on the Last Train to Clarksville.