RabidAlien

Billy Mitchell would've been proud. Nicely cut!

LOVE IT!!!! I'm thinkin this would make a good trivet, if cut large enough, or coffee coasters (if cut small enough).

Pinned blades are only limited by the size of the pilot hole and the skill of the operator. They can still cut some pretty fine details, as long as you can get a hole in there for the blade.

I used a scrap of 2x4.

Woohoo! Found the article....I'd initially run across it on Pinterest, and remembered I'd Pinned it. Here ya go: https://www.woodmagazine.com/woodworking-tips/techniques/skills/scroll-saw-tips?catref=wd146&page=2

Drill a small hole in a piece of scrap metal (1/16", I think, is what I used. Maybe 3/32"), put one side of the pin in the hole, tap with hammer until flush. Then poke through with icepick or punch or use needlenose to pull on through. Attaching the metal to a scrap of wood with a larger diameter hole through it helps. Basically, the pins are just pressed into holes in the blades, held there by pressure. They're not soldered or welded in place.

I LOVE this!!!!! Have you posted the pattern anywhere?

AWESOME!!!! Although, I echo the request for a pic with the sun behind it.

Big state, small world!! I've got some friends who live in that area....Whitehouse, Troupe, that general area.

Heh. I have many pieces like that, Barb. My wife finally gave me permission to hang or display them in "my" computer room. My desk at work is also starting to stack up.

Austin area, myself.

Welcome aboard!

Welcome aboard! Wherezabout in Texas do you call home?

Looks fine to me. But one thing I've come to understand in Life (and marriage!), no two people have exactly the same tastes. So while your hubby's thoughts play a part in where its displayed....what do YOU think of the outcome of the project?

Sorry 'bout the mixup in the post title, y'all, the Porter-Cable saw was a link on the page for the CM saw, but apparently had caught my eye since I know the brand. It was still a bit out of my price range. I went ahead and ordered the Wen from Amazon, all of the older, cheaper models I found online were not really upgrades from the Dremel, the Wen at least uses 5" blades (pinless or pinned). It should be here tomorrow, really looking forward to getting back out and testing it! Thanks for all the feedback everyone!

My WinTheLottery wishlist is topped by various works of art that go *bang* when a lever is pulled. My next one will be a single-stack 1911 .45, either a Colt or MagnumResearch (ie, Desert Eagle)...those just fit my hand the best. Mine are chambered with hollows....cuz if its not chambered, its just an awkward chunk of metal.

9mm here. We've had folks over to our house to buy stuff, and always let them fire it up and run it prior to paying.

There's a guy selling a newer Dremel scroll saw, utilizing the 5" blades, for $90. Still in the box, said he only used it twice....I get leery when the ad stipulates meeting in a parking lot and only taking cash.

First thing I checked. Most of the saws for sale in the Austin area are either incredibly old and still priced at or more than the Wen from Amazon, or DeWalt's that are well used and not much less than a new DeWalt. I try to check CL about once a week but it seems like the scrollers here aren't giving up their saws.

Sounds like the Wen on Amazon is my best bet.

You're right on the brand. I saw the "compared to" link over on the right and my braincell got confoos'd. It happens a lot. I've noticed that most of the 5" blade machines will take either pin-ended or pinless blades, which I'm excited about, but I still want something that's reliable and will last. I'm getting into some really detailed cutting, trimming very thin lines, and don't want to be replacing a saw every year.

My old Dremel scroll saw finally cut its last hole last night (motor mount casing broke where the mount attaches to the saw body). Amazon.com has a Wen for $105, but Harbor Freight has a PorterCable saw for $95 plus 20% coupons. I've heard stories about HF quality (buy it cheap, buy it often), and have read good things about the Wen here on the forums. HF reviews for their saw are generally good, but quite a few bad reviews as well, so I was wondering if anyone here had any personal experience with a PorterCable saw? I've got one of their drill presses, which seems to work okay for poking holes in things, but I tend to prefer to buy now and use until it falls apart (like the Dremel!). I know there are better saws, but until I can afford a DeWalt or Excalibur, I need one that will work with a minimum of hassle. https://www.harborfreight.com/16-in-variable-speed-scroll-saw-62519.html I am looking forward to a greatly expanded variety of blades available in the 5" range, though....there's just not much out there in the 3" size that my Dremel limited me to.

Awesome!!! Wolves (and dragons.....although it could be argued that wolves are awesome enough to be considered small, furry, non-winged-non-fire-breathing dragons) rock!

Awesome!!

Nice!!