rafairchild2

I just went ahead and bought that router for $20.38 and an aluminum table insert for 11.98. At those prices, I am willing to take a shot. I have purchased some other things from TEMU before. My cyclone duster separator was $18.00 I used a 5-gallon bucket I got for free from Jay Leno's garage, and it works great. I shot a YT video on the results after 6 weeks of use. Very little, if anything made it to my vacuum filter. Everything was in the bucket. I have gotten clamps, spray can triggers, rubber mallet, and more. Yeah, I hate buying from overseas, but yeah... at these prices you would be stupid not to for light duty work. Now this cyclone looks promising for under $30 https://www.temu.com/high-efficiency-cyclone-vacuums-cleaner-filter-powder-dust-collector-filter-separator-industrial-with-flange-base-g-601099523105129.html

I don't think it would be too hard at all. It's about 12x12x12" so pretty compact and easy to store when not in use. I use my smartphone to do the burn rather than a computer. Remember though this one is for 'engraving' not cutting through wood. I have gone pretty small about 25-30mm for my circle so the VA Beach is really small. I generally do about 55mm in size. It's slow, but usually, I am doing other things so it does not matter.

No worries. I have to switch my mind on the weekends/ online vs. my work hours. I am in a military environment with officers from 31 nations. Although we have fun it's a serious environment being conscious of other cultures. Hard to turn off at times. So don't mind me.

What I mean is, I have turned it as far as I can in the current holes. I would have to remove the bolts, turn it further until the 'new' holes appear, put the bolts back in and now I have another 2 or so inches to rotate.

How many folks with an Excal have adjusted the motor rotation but had to remove the bolts so you could then rotate further? I am rotated as far as I can go with the OEM setup, but think my blade is still too aggressive. If I remove the bolts and then move to the next rotation point would I be able to cut down on some of the blade movement? I have the arm to table pretty much level front to back and have rotated the motor to the 'stop'. However, when I place a board behind my blade, it still bounces quite a bit. I think more than an 1/8".

My trick for always having the same tension on my Excal 21" w. Pegas Chuck First I flip the lever back so I can see the screw in the chuck. Then I thread through the hole. I place the blade in the top chuck, so the top of the blade is at the top of the chuck screw. (image 1) Once tightened I flip the lever back down to the normal untensioned position. I then make sure the bottom blade is set into the bottom chuck and then tighten the bottom knob. Next, I loosen the top chuck and pull up on the blade gently removing slack, and then retighten top. (image 2) Flip the lever to tension on. I have the same tension for every type of blade, and have never broken a blade.

Boobs?

I do have his "coins", but prefer to have something burned directly into my piece, rather than using a Forstner bit to drill/insert the coin. As you can see from the images, my small laser is a breeze to set up. I just plug it in and turn it on. Get a Bluetooth connection to my phone, pick my logo in the app, and size it if need be (I made it smaller for this burn). I then run the positioning beam that shows me where I will be burning and adjust accordingly, then activate the burn. I can go on doing other things as my logo gets burned. Unless I want to get fancy with large scripture verses and a larger logo, there is no need to fire up my big laser. BluetoothPS: I prefer using my phone and bluetooth, rather than connecting the USB to a computer.

I too am of the Periodic Preventative Maintenance and release the tension when done cohort. But I do not sweat it if I forget once in a while. I am a hobbyist and only make a project or two every week or so, or they are small and quick like the pull toy below. If I was running a production shop I would have planned PM days. This was ingrained in me as a child and all the years I worked in my father's medical x-ray business. So yeah.. it's stuck in me. Still, my belief is that you take care of your tools. Maybe that's because I am an old fart and a cheap SOB, and hate all the planned obsolescence industries today, where things are being made cheaper and less durable than they were in the 70s and 80s for example. Because of this, a little extra TLC is probably a good idea regardless. Even how I handle my scroll saw with Pegas chuck, although built well, I don't over-torque, nor flip it back and forth hard.

You've seen this multi-species puzzle before (12 different kinds of wood, Linseed oil finish). I just cut a frame/storage tray for it. I "pickled" the wood so the colors of the puzzle pop a bit. The frame is Aspen, and the back BB. I decided rather than a square inside cut, I made some indexing cuts so starting the puzzle has some hints. This will go to a young man who lived with us for a few years due to a bad home life. He now lives in Florida with his wife. He is now going to be a father!!! His wife is due in Feb. She's lost a number of babies due to miscarriage, one being stillborn, so now she is in the viability-positive stage... things are going well. This is all ready for the baby shower, I'll have this and a few rolling toys. I lasered my logo on the back with my little box laser, against the pickled BB backer it stands out nice.

I am just shaking my head that H.L. sells Nativities for $20.

Welcome aboard from VA Beach VA. I am almost 62, and a civilian at NATO (hopefully Sweden will become a member soon) Now you got yourself a great dumpster find. Even better you repaired it! Feel free to ask away with your questions, and of course, show what you have created. This is a very good, encouraging group of folks with their love of woodworking in common (and other things too!) Check out my links below, I have tips and such both in Video and blog format.

The relative strength of cast metals compared to solid metals depends on the specific materials, their compositions, and the intended applications. It's crucial to consider factors beyond casting alone, such as the alloy, and heat treatment. Now you mentioned solid billets for racecars, etc... Solid metals, especially those that have undergone processes like forging or rolling, can have a more uniform and refined microstructure, potentially resulting in improved mechanical properties. This is most likely why you see cars and such use them.

Actually, they do this as a means to protect the arm, chuck, etc during the actual shipping process. Being under tension reduces/eliminates movement during transit, thus reducing the potential of damage. However, they could just as easily use more packing material to secure the arm and chuck. I think tensioning is easier and more secure. Now, springs do not wear from being just under tension**, they wear from constant use... as the spring undergoes repeated cycles of loading and unloading... boing, boing... or overextension or compression... the example of an automobile was used above, it is the hitting of bumps, weight added and reduced, etc. that cause wear. Now shock absorbers reduce this wear, otherwise, your car would bounce a lot more and springs would wear/break more. (**)I will add that keeping a spring under constant tension will induce creep which is the slow, continuous deformation of a material under a constant load. When a spring is kept under constant tension, especially if the load is near the spring's maximum capacity, the material may experience creep, causing the spring to gradually change shape over time. To have an arm warp due to being under constant tension tells me they have cheaped out, or there is a design flaw, as the amount of pressure from a tensioned blade is not that extreme.

I experimented with 1/4 & 1/2" thick ornaments, messing with various paints. Me NO likey. Well, maybe the clock I like a little. But nothing I would ever do again this way.

I also Laser my logo on the bottom and add felt pads.

Nice job. Sometimes the simplest of projects are the most satisfying as you can see results quickly, and hone your scrolling skills further.

Thanks! One thing I did differently from the pattern, was to not use the 'tabs' on the bottom of the upright layers, that would slide into the base. I used 1 x 0.5" x 5" spacers between the layers, which in turn are affixed to the base permanently. Not so great for storage, I know, but I wanted a solid structure.

This one has taken me a while. Just a few more details and it is done. In this photo, I still have not secured the uprights to the base, so keep that in mind when looking closely. Still deciding on how I want to finish it too. A few broken parts due to some delicate design areas. For one of the buildings, I did not add details cuts as it would have been another weak area. Now that I am getting a handle on these types of projects, I am going to mark up the pattern with my changes to strengthen some of the areas and prevent breakage. I am also thinking I am going to go to a thicker wood vs the 1/4", as I would also like to start adding some of my carving details.

So true. I know it is difficult for people space and $$$ wise to have a backup. This applies to anything, but if you are a business, always remember... "Two is One... One is None..."

There was something JTTHECLOCKMAN wrote in that 2017 post that rings so true today. In particular when you add in the small CnC's and Lasers that have flooded the home workshops. (and yes, even they have their place). But more so... the cheap, mass-produced goods from overseas have changed the paradigm of what people are willing to pay. Even in the farmers market you have scrollers trying to compete with that work, so you see a lowering of their quality as well. With my own scrollsaw work, my mindset is changing every time I sit down at my workbench/saw. I am trying to raise the level of the quality of every one of my pieces. I suppose that is why I am a slow cutter. From the right selection of quality hardwoods, the patterns I use, and of course the accuracy of my cuts and finish. I am striving to create heirloom-quality pieces that will live on long after I am gone. I seem to gravitate towards some of the older German designs. Final thought: I will say I am sorry I missed those days of scroll-saw picnics and those "community" projects like the clock, it sounds like it was a tight community. My career was taking me around the globe, my hobby was on the back burner. I wonder if anything like that could be pulled off today.

Like everyone else I have orbital, mop and drum sanders. I too found my standard Disc belt sander was way too aggressive, so I got this little guy. 5 inch disc and the 1x20 belt. Works great. Since this photo I have since moved to to the end of the other bench to allow for my dust collection system.

You do realize instead of just watching your projects dry, you could scroll, WHILE they dry... Just say'n I tried watching my projects dry.. I fell asleep.

There is a tool you can order. Or dry a blow dryer to heat it up. Lubricate where you are going to connect. I just used spit! https://amzn.to/46lLrvP Too bad you are not close by you could use mine. I have 1/4 and 3/4 tools.

Dummy me: That would be James E. Welch. He used to sell them. Unsure if he still is.