Heli_av8tor

Inspiring! Something for everyone. Though I’ve vowed personally not to ruin another good hobby by turning it into a business. Tom

I’ve been watching your work using the cut-off for the base and am having trouble visualizing just what you’re doing. Could you post a picture taken from above? Thanks, Tom

I’m not seeing the picture???

Thank you. I'm sure to use this at my next opportunity. BTW, I appreciate you listing the font on the pattern. Wish all would do so. Tom

Maybe that’s how it got that way

I was thinking the grill was no big deal. Then after I read your cutting explanation I went back to the picture and realized that the verticals are not connected at the top. WOW!

I think you are doing something wrong. When I cut there are always two lines after the blade goes around. Tom

Nice pattern and cut.

Darn it Alex! You make it so difficult to decide which of your designs to cut. Not enough time for them all.

Looks interesting. What is the thinnest stock it will clamp without adding spacers between the stock and clamp rails? Tom

We tow a Honda CR-V behind the motorhome. Have better wanting to replace it with a Jeep Renagade. Maybe someday...

Adding this to my “Must Cut” folder.

The Craftsman has the blade tension knob at the back of the top housing. It has a tension release lever as part of the knob. (Think of the old thermos stopper.) Lifting the lever releases the tension. Even with the tension lever released the arm with the blade holder still has tension on it unless the knob is also loosened multiple turns. And if you do that then it’s a pain to reset. If you don’t loosen the knob then you have to pull the blade against the tension to insert into the lower holder. To compound the problem note that the blade holder pivots freely fore and aft. So now you’re trying to hold the blade down against the spring , hold the blade holder in proper orientation, and tighten the clamp screw. All this reaching through a too small opening. Then just as you almost get it the arm will go to the low point making it even more inaccessible. Even with the large throat plate sight is obscured by the hand trying to hold the blade. Hope you can make sense of my explanation. It’s very frustrating not to be able to clamp and go like on my DeWalt.

Thanks Scrappile, we all did what we were asked.

For one week of the last two summers a good friend has taken us Jeeping in the Colorado mountains. I wanted to do something special for him and had been looking for a Jeep pattern when I came across grampa’s @grampa depiction of a Jeep. It was exactly what I’d envisioned but didn’t know where to start. I got rid of the Christmas tree on top and did my own lettering. It’s cut from 1/4” BB. The finish is Watco Danish Oil followed by several spray coats of satin lacquer. I used camouflage fabric for the backer. The fabric was sprayed with the lacquer on the back side and allowed to dry. I then sprayed a heavy coat on the front of the fabric and on the back of the BB and mated them together. It dried so quickly that I didn’t get as good of a bond as I’d hoped, but should be ok. Fitting that I finished this on Vietnam Veterans Day. Gene was my Squad leader and I his Medic in Vietnam. I’ll deliver it to him next week on our way back to Illinois from Arizona. Thanks grampa for your design. Tom

Ray, exactly the procedure I use on my DeWalt.

Katie, I’ve had some success with this method. But then I’m pulling the top arm down against spring tension unless I unscrew the tension knob. Then I have to start over with tensioning instead of just flipping the lever. Tom

Yes, a Pegas would fix it! I’m having the most trouble with the bottom clamp. It flops around so much that it almost takes three hands to hang onto the blade, the clamp, and the clamp screw. Once the blade is in position the next challenge is to get it tightened enough that it doesn’t slip out when tensioned or when starting the saw. The area around the lower clamp is so tightly cowled that there’s not much room to get ones fingers in. It’s even worse if the arm is in the lower part of it travel. I don’t think the clamps are spread out.

Well looks like my 20 to 30 minutes blade life isn’t that out of line. But, I’ll have to get some of the FD Silver Reverse blades that JTTHECLOCKMAN gets hours of cutting with.

Just finished cutting my first Baltic Birch project and was amazed at how quickly FD Ultra Reverse blades wore out. Is this common / normal? Are there better blade choices for this wood? Thanks, Tom

I brought my Craftsman saw with me on our winter getaway, leaving my DeWalt at home. I like the way it cuts (very non-aggressive) but hate fighting blade changes. Anyone know of a modification I could make to make it easier? Or maybe a technique I could try? I’m leaving the blade attached at the bottom and feeding through the workpiece from bottom to top. (Guess that’s called “bottom feeder”?) Thanks in advance, Tom

Beautiful Basket. Walnut has been my favorite wood since 7th grade shop class. Yes, it has gotten expensive. Tom

Thanks Everyone. Yes, it's three species (maple, walnut, cherry) of wood edge-glued. I prepped a number of boards to scroll on the trip. Ray, this is our 2nd winter traveling. Last year we started in SW Arizona, followed the southern border to Key West Florida then up the Atlantic side to Jacksonville, FL. We were gone 4 months and were both ready to get home. Full-time is not likely in our future. Not ready to give up our stuff. Tom

We escaped the record cold temps in NW Illinois by taking the motorhome to the Arizona desert. The day before we left I cobbled together a folding table for my Craftsman saw and brought it along. The saw is being powered by an inverter wired to the coach batteries. And those batteries are charged by solar panels. I found my table too tall to sit at a chair, but too short to stand. The hatch on the Honda CR-V was just right. The first project is this basket (my first basket too), made from maple, walnut, and cherry. Will probably finish with Danish Oil. May try an Alex Fox pattern next. Tom

I’m trying to understand the motor making that noise. Anyone know what type of bearings are used in the motor and could they be replaced? Tom