Iguanadon

And a couple of additional notes... The saw cuts very precisely and it turns on a dime making sharp turns a breeze. And I imagine it would do very well for those that do a lot of intricate, detailed cutting, fretwork, etc, especially in thinner material. Reminder, I cut 3/4" poplar, so keep that in mind as you read my comments and review.

Alright, so, not to bring up the entire Iggy saga involving the new Hawk saw that I ordered last summer, I'm ready to put the saw to a true, dedicated test and I plan on giving it a full 7 day workout. After initial problems with the saw during the summer and early fall, it is now functioning 100% perfect. Thanks to Hawk as well as to members here on the forum that helped enlighten me on some adjustments that took care of the issues I was having. Folks have asked why I didn't send the saw back like I said I was going to and there are actually 2 reasons. One is that I didn't have the box/crate any longer and that would have been a pain in the ass to take care of, but secondly, once I got the saw to where it was running right, I did not feel right sending it back to the manufacturer simply because I didn't like it too much after performing minimal testing. I didn't want the emotions of having dealt with an initially "faulty" saw blindly influence me without actually giving the saw a solid try. That's on me. Either I get used to it and decide to keep it, or I'll sell it to some lucky person that will get a great deal. Day 1 Test - I've cut 5 puzzles today and I'm pleased to announce that I did not have a single issue even after not using the saw at all the past 3 months. It cut smooth, it cut straight, I didn't snap any blades, the puzzle pieces slid in and out from both sides beautifully. I'm using Pegas Modified Geometry blades as they are stronger and they cut a bit more aggressively than other blades. I'm using a #5 blade as they are a bit thinner than most other blades and are close to my usual Olson Mach Speed #3 blades I typically use with my DeWalt. One thing I knew when I bought the saw and learned early on is that the Hawk does cut "slower", it's not nearly as aggressive as the DeWalt and is one major thing I had to mentally prepare for. I've actually slowed down recently on my DeWalt so as not to put so much pressure on the machine as I wear them out on average every 9 months. I wanted to see if I could alter my cutting style a little and get a little more life out of the DeWalt's. So, the transition to the Hawk today wasn't that bad. I did worry that slower cutting would be an issue in that I cut a lot of puzzles... having sold over 1,000 in 2017 and have a goal of selling 1,600 in 2018, every minute counts. Literally. So, I timed myself today while cutting a Sea Turtle puzzle and it took me 19 minutes as compared to 17 minutes with the DeWalt. I'm OK with that. If the difference had been 5 or 6 or more minutes then I'd have serious concerns, but a minute or two extra isn't going to bother me. My daily goal during normal weeks is 5 puzzles a day, so an extra 10 minutes a day is no big deal. Even during 'crunch times' when I'm stockpiling for a major event and cutting 10 a day, an extra 20 minutes a day won't kill me. So, bottom line is that after Day 1 of testing, I'm happy. I want to give this a full 7 days of testing before making a final decision. With the holiday weekend coming up, my 7 day test period may actually span 9 or 10 calendar days, but I'll keep everyone posted. Iggy

For those discussing video playback speed, keep in mind that you can click on the gear in the lower right corner and speed it up to 2x (double speed). And if you don't like videos that have been sped up, you can also slow it down with that gear setting as well.

Just ordered one. Thanks for the tip.

A star is born!

I had screwed up by not keeping the box/crate it came in and I didn't get around to looking into finding a service or a way to get it packaged and sent back. I still plan on giving the saw a thorough test now that selling season is over and I'm not pressed to produce 35-50 puzzles a week, although that's about how many I want to make each week over the next 3 months. I'll see how it goes.

I'd like that Scott. I'd very much like to check out the EX and Hegner. We'll try to set something up during January if we can work it out.

That's the thing with the Hawk, it seems to snap blades and I absolutely HATE when that happens, it just ruins the enjoyment I get from cutting. And same for me with the DeWalt, I get about 9 months out of each one.

The Hawk is sitting patiently in my garage waiting for me to give it a serious test. Not sure when I'll do it though, but maybe soon. I'm just happy with my DeWalt's and not excited about working with the Hawk, but I really need to so I can decide whether to keep it or sell it. I haven't had an opportunity to try out an EX, that wasn't me.

I was contacted yesterday asking if it would be ok to mention me in an article... Turned out being a bit more than a mention... :-D https://portcitydaily.com/2017/12/12/unique-places-to-get-holiday-gifts-in-the-wilmington-area-biz/

I don't even have sand paper in my shop. :-) I am soooo lazy. LOL

As others have mentioned, with 3/4" thick wood, you need a thicker blade. I use #3 Olson Mach Speed, but many folks use a #5 blade. The thinner the blade, the more "flex" that occurs as you're making turns and that's what causes the issue you're having. Good luck, let us know how it goes. If you're still having issues, don't drive yourself crazy checking and double checking if your blade is perpendicular to the table, try tilting it slightly to one side, test again, and if that doesn't work, tilt it the other direction and then test again. Keep testing until you find the "sweet spot"

Ah, thanks for the reminder, I had meant to let everyone know that due to the rain in the morning, I needed the table I was going to use for the contest, so I didn't do it. I have everything set aside though to try it at one of my early events next year.

I heard the question so often from the very beginning that my main banner at the back of my tent has a picture of my saw and I take used blades with me to show everyone that asks.

All work up until now has been on Dewalt... I plan on giving the Hawk a full, complete run this winter. If I don't like it, someone will be able to buy it for a bargain price when I list it for sale on Craigslist.

"What kind of laser do you use?" "What kind of CNC machine do you use?" Constantly. LOL A short break, but I need to do some serious stockpiling. I'll work at a leisurely pace... 5 a day for the next 3 months. :-)

Final event of the year was today and the weather was absolutely horrible. Cold rain to start, then the rain ended as expected, but the cold lingered. It was miserable out there but still a decent crowd. In good weather I'd have sold 80-100 puzzles so I was happy selling 43 and it put me at 1,013 for the year. Now I have 3 1/2 months to stockpile for next year with a goal of selling 1700 based on the events I've selected to take part in during 2018. Pictures of today's setup.

Ha! I insist on getting 7 1/2 hours of sleep every night... Head up to bed at 10pm, watch a TV show off the DVR for 45 minutes, lights out, wake up at 6:15...my boring daily routine. :-)

I am the king of spreadsheets... or as my wife says... very neurotic. I track everything in my life. Excel is the greatest software ever written. LOL

Yep, the Dachshund people are downright CRAZY! LOL I never expected that breed to be #1 seller, let alone out sell every other breed by 4 times.

For those who are interested. With one event remaining, tomorrow, if it doesn't end up as a rain-out... here are my stats for 2017... 970 - Total puzzles sold at 27 events from April 1 thru November 30. 153 - Sold at best event (Cary Laze Daze) 11 - Sold at worst event (Dog show) 36 - Average sold per event 162 - Unique/Different breeds/animals sold Top 15 Sellers: 49 - Dachshunds 34 - Carolina Beach Sea Turtles 33 - Rescue dogs 28 - Pelicans 20 - Unicorns (only sold them the second half of the year) 16 - Swimming Mermaid 15 - Elephants 15 - Kure Beach Dolphins 13 - Sharks 12 - Pit Bulls 11 - Labradors 10 - Beagles 10 - Pugs 10 - Sitting Mermaids 10 - Huskys Total of top 15 = 286 which equates to 29% of total overall sales and since I live at the beach, the sea critters are obviously quite popular. Total "kids puzzles" = 250 which equates to 25% of total overall sales That means the remaining 46% were spread out among 151 other animals. I display approximate 130 different dog breeds and animals at each event. I really hope I can do my event tomorrow... I'd hate to miss out on a great show. Iggy

Thanks for sharing that experience Len. I'll definitely keep an eye on things and if it gets out of control I can easily shut it down.

You're more patient than I am. When mine updated Tuesday, after 2 hours of it just sitting there and spinning, I simply held the power switch until it turned off, then turned it back on and it continued updating and was done within 30 minutes.

If you're using large boards, the shelf liner is the way to go... I use 6' long boards. I simply roll it out, stick it to the wood, spray it with adhesive, lay the patterns on it and start cutting. If you're using small pieces of wood/board, I could understand maybe using blue painters tape although it still takes longer to apply one strip at a time. P.S. if you order it from Walmart, it's free shipping with a purchase of $35

3sq ft? Are you sure you read it right?