Tallbald

Chuck is a wonderful long-time friend. Hefting the hard maple, I believe that will be my preferred wood for toys. Don

A dear friend of mine builds lots of boxes and furniture. For years he's gifted me his offcuts and scraps. Mixed cherry, hard maple, mahogany, black walnut, a bit of oak and a few bits of poplar. All air and kiln dried. With a 15 month old grandson I see airplanes, animal pull toys and puzzles in his future emanating forth from Penny's and my shop. Chuck (the gift giver) refuses any payment. Both my Beloved Ms. Penny and I will use this sorted stack for many things together. Wanted to share my joy. My best to all here! Don

Thanks for the thoughts friends. I have Amazon Prime and found that particular diamond stone set for a couple dollars less and free shipping to me so that's likely the route I'll be going. Perfect winter project to sharpen my Forstner bits, right along with sharpening all my twist bits with my old Drill Doctor gizmo. Already organized my bits again and wrote down what replacement sizes I need. Sure will be happy when warm weather gets here. Sub-zero temps one week ago, bursting water mains and pipes, frost bitten livestock from 30-below-zero wind chill temperatures but mid 60's today, pushing 70 tomorrow. Welcome to Kentucky here in the mid-south USA. Thunder storming right now. Hoping no tornados this season like the tragedy across town 12 1/2 months ago. Also keeping busy planning projects on Beloved Wife's and my new little Wen scroll saw, while I heal from the rotator cuff surgery. And hoping for a price drop sale on the Jet 18 inch scroll saw this season. Haven't been this excited about my wood crafting plans since my lathe turned sculptural period from 1995 to 2005. Sure appreciate everyone here being so encouraging and kindly helpful. Truly. All my very best to each and every one of you folks. Don

Last brad point set I bought was I think in the early 1990's, from Woodworker Supply of New Mexico. Hole saw set was .....Harbor Freight maybe 10 years ago and was too shallow and sort of dull from the get-go. With my plans for toy wheels and animated toys, jigsaw puzzles and such I just thought it was time. I've been looking over a few videos on sharpening Forstner bits. Seems rather straightforward but requires a few small diamond whetstone cards. Still looking for those (and would really appreciate suggestions here!). Funny how a small purchase for a frugal fella can make me feel awfully "spendy". SOmetimes though I realize I have to just bite the bullet... Don

All your creations are so beautiful and.....creative! I sure do admire your talents and skills. So many inspiring artists here and you certainly among them! Don down in the Southern USA

Absolutely handsome!! I sure admire your skills and work. Don

That's what I too am thinking. I'll look at it as some extra time but saved cash that can be spent elsewhere on supplies that I cannot make! Thanks everyone for your thoughts. Don

Thanks to all for the replies, and the food for my thought! Having several wonderful books on toymaking now to enjoy studying, I believe that I will use the time I have as a retired old bald fat man to make my own wheels for now. I watched a few videos about sharpening my Forstner bits, hole saws and such. I believe I can come up with a semi-production mode in our little shop to make a dozen and a half or so finished wheels for the toys I have in mind. I like the skilled fella on A Cut Above and his method for making Formula One race car wheels from walnut. Formula One race car tires on a chomping alligator anyone? Thanks again everyone. Don

I'm equipped to make wheels if needed, with lathe, drill press etc. Some things are just tedious and repetitive. Amazon wooden toy wheel prices are to me, rather high for what I'd be buying. I'd considered an afternoon of turning, drilling, facing and such doing a run of maybe 20 wheels of the same size. Setting up my equipment for the dreaded repetitive operations. But as a production shipyard toolmaker and factory toolmaker I got pretty tired of batch production. What are many here doing please? I'd like to know where I am on the crafting spectrum. Thanks as always. Don

I'll offer here photos of the stand I designed and built from scrap construction lumber. The top tilts and locks in place with steel pins. heavy duty door hinges for the tilting mechanism. Narrower at the front to let the scroller's legs more easily go around the front when working up close. All corners have locking swivel casters. Glue and screws construction. Cord wrap attached to a bracing tray below. very very stable and sturdy. Should I be fortunate enough to one day have the Jet 18 inch scroll saw I hope to have, I'll build another very similar stand to this. The design works well for me and the solid top and frame gives me many options for mounting lights, accessories, tool storage and such. Being that I have spinal troubles, fake knee, damaged shoulder yada yada yada I chose to design my stand for setting position scrolling. **As a side note friends, I must share that I so enjoy thinking through, designing, building and finishing tools, accessories, equipment and such. I really enjoyed making this stand and thinking about time I'd be spending setting there using our beautiful little saw. I guess it's just another creative wish thing. I had to use available material pulled from local construction dumpsters, old salvaged wood from a bed frame of my parents (1967), and 70% off plywood scraps from the Home Depot damaged-so- buy-it before-we-cut-it-up-and-toss-it-cart. Anyone else here enjoy making support stuff as well as the projects? Don

Hi KYwoodmaster. I'm over here in Bowling Green. You and I are a smart way apart unfortunately, but I sure appreciate your kind thoughts. My Mama's people are from Eastern Kentucky " I sure love your end of the state and had I had the choice, would have at least retired over that way. But life ended up over here. Thank you for the welcome! Don

I began using HF 6x48 inch sanding belts maybe 3 years ago. I was rather impressed. I still buy Klingspor's Bargain Box paper offcuts and remnants every 2-3 years for smaller pieces, but I'll keep using the HF 6x48 belts unless I perceive that quality drops. Very satisfied. Don

I'd be thrilled to receive a gift like this. I imagine that a variable speed motor could be retrofitted to it, and maybe even updated blade chucks. What a wonderful opportunity you have there! Don

I am new to this craft but am excited for you. That's a very kind and generous offer of someone to you. Loving machinery as I do, as well as enjoying learning the evolution of scroll saw technology, I'll be very interested to follow here and learn along with you. I do like the off-saw motor arrangement. Don

I don't know if anyone is waiting for a deal on the Delta 40-694 20 inch VS scroll saw here, but I'll share that Amazon feed to my computer this morning shows that there's a Cyber Monday deal on it with Prime delivery for $454.10. The ad says it's a 14% drop. I don't know how long the sale goes or exactly how a Cyber Monday deal works but I do hope this might help someone. I'm still committed to finding the best deal I can afford on a new Jet 18 inch scroll saw. And still watching. Don

Wow you did beautifully! The serious thought and planning you invested in your shop design really shows through. Appears that you have "good flow" throughout. My wife's and my little shop is well suited to our needs and storage. Having a well-designed and executed shop floor layout helps me plan and perform things from smallest to largest. Congratulations. Don

Very helpful comments here and I thank you each and all. I've studied carefully and read other's comments and shared observations thoroughly. I've decided that the smaller 18 inch Jet is the best fit for me. The lower barrel clamps don't put me off, and like some others, the jet upper two function clamp is very attractive. 18 inch throat would be plenty large enough for the toys, intarsia and other fine work I expect to do. And the smaller overall size would be welcomed in my beloved wife's and my smallish shop. Up until maybe 3 weeks ago, the smaller Jet was $679 with free Prime delivery to me through Amazon. Plus I'd have received a 5% kickback for using their Visa card. I didn't expect it to jump to $710 as it did. I'd have worked something out to make the purchase had I known. That military discount is wonderful and so well deserved! I wish I'd had the opportunity to serve in the military, but alas I had parents to help support, a family farm to work on and at my age 20, a newly widowed mother to watch over. Then I launched into my own family of procreation and began a career as an RN. My wife at the time forbid my entry into the military as a nurse when the first Iraq war fired up. I'm very pleased that there's a military discount at Home Depot. Very pleased. I just don't have that option.. Thank you all to those that had the chance to serve our great nation. I wish I could count myself among you as did my father, a military disabled vet of the Korean Conflict. I miss Daddy so much each day... I've read about some vibration problems with the Jets as mentioned above. I wonder if it's a fixed issue? One good thing about Amazon is the liberal, if needed, return and exchange policy on many things. Not sure about those on a large ticket item like this saw but I'd investigate that before purchase. That along with the 5 year warranty pique my interest. Very soon I must undergo right shoulder surgery. Again. I'll be in a large bulky cast and sling a long time, and have to undergo three months of physical therapy rehab on the shoulder. Sheesh. All I wanted was a PVC pipe fitting and some wood screws from Home Depot that evening as I sat, brakes locked, waiting to turn left. I was rear-ended so hard by another pickup truck it buckled the frame of our full size pickup truck in two places... Rotator cuff repair done 15 months ago was torn apart in that wreck moment. I won't be using our little Wen scroll saw any time soon. I have a long road ahead of me learning to scroll anywhere near as beautifully as you folks here do. Not counting time lost to my injury. Thank you all again folks. Don

Thanks folks. I couldn't find a sale ad either just yet. Sure appreciate you all helping. Don

Those are absolutely adorable! Showed them to my beloved Miss Penny who agrees they are to be cherished! Don

I just love your creations. Don

Thank you each and all. I'll keep up my vigil. I saw Jet's sale on large purchases but not for small timers like me... Don

I've been watching everywhere online I can find but haven't been seeing Black Friday saw sales. Maybe given the times, there just aren't any to be located. I've been watching specifically for BF sales on the Jet saws. If someone here sees such a sale please PM me. Hope this is an OK post to make. If not, then moderators please delete for me. Don

My wife and I have been vendors at local and regional craft shows for maybe 8 years now. For health and pet care reasons though we have over time reduced from 6 yearly shows to 2. Since retiring, my crafty wife has always made custom costume jewelry, ornamented household goods and accessories and shirts. I have made and sold turned wood items and woodcraft household accessories, as well as custom heavy duty gun belts and gun holsters cut and crafted from half hides using my saddle sewing machine named, "Bertha Jo". Last weekend was the second and last of our yearly shows and I was pleased to see a pretty fair amount of offered hand crafted wood items. I got to talk to two serious scroll sawyers and learned that their offerings are almost always well-received and that good sales numbers are their norm rather than the exception. It pleases me to hear that customers seem to appreciate the quality of their work, and in most cases are willing to pay for the crafter's time and effort. I'd have taken photos of their tables but I always am concerned that the photographed vendor thinks I'm involved in "industrial espionage" and cataloging their product line to attempt infringement. So I just commit their beautiful works to memory. Anyway, despite the economy, established shows like the two we vend at seem to be attended by serious buyers who don't mind parting with their dollars in exchange for creative, well-made items. Just wanted to share here my experienced observations. Don

Grin. A mistype?!? Noooo. Not me. Grin. Don

Kevin you touch on some very important facets of the Jet over some other makes of saw. I'm a retired toolmaker used to repairing my own mechanical components of tooling. being able to buy individual bearings and other components is a big plus for me.. I am medically retired and there's no way I could set or stand for hours at a time in a business environment. The Jet/Pegas type machines, although more complex than the Hegner and Hawk would I agree last me until I check out. They would also have the benefit to me of the features scroll sawyers seem to most appreciate. A couple to 4 hours a couple times weekly would likely be all I could manage at a saw. But that's quite a few toys, puzzles, intarsia projects and doodads to keep my mind and body active and creating. Thanks as always. Don