Gary Hupf

Sage advice. I bought a Masterforce from Menards. Actually, it has some nice features (soft start motor, built in task light, big table, etc.) and after a bit of modification, I got it to work "better". To me the biggest design problem on this unit is that the blade slots on the blade holders are not plumb. So, you have to tip the table about 4 degrees to get the blade square with the table. While that might not seem like much, you notice it when using it and it is distracting, at least to me. Also, using pinless blades was a pain. They use small set screws to hold the blade and the blade holder doesn't "register" the position of the blade so it is a lot of trial and error, especially on the bottom blade holder. I had to buy a T-handle 3mm allen wrench just to get enough length to access the bottom set screw. It would have all ended there, since it did the bits that I needed for my Christmas ornament projects. But, I seem to be getting hooked on the idea of scroll sawing and knew that this would just be long term exercise in frustration. So, I consider the purchase the first step of a journey. You're never too old to learn.

So, a chip carver here just fiddling with scrolling. Some of this may sound like a rant (it is!), but it is all part of my journey. I guess working with wood is in my blood. My grandfather was a master carpenter and my dad did that for a while. I came to working with wood through "poverty" (i.e. too cheap to pay someone else and too picky with other's work). I have done many DIY home remodeling projects, but as I have gotten older I find myself edging towards smaller and more refined projects. I took up chip carving about 8 years ago and have really enjoyed that craft. I have made hundreds of items and give them all away to friends, family, and organizations that either use them or sell them for funding. I create most of my patterns using PowerPoint because I have that skill and it allows me to reverse the pattern prior to printing on my laser printer so that I can heat transfer it to my prepped wood. This makes adding lettering (names, dates, inspirational verses) very easy. I do most of my wood prep from basswood sheets or live edge plaques. Over the past few years the projects have become quite a bit larger and the need for cutting out complex patterns has increased. Normally, I use my bandsaw and small bench belt sander to clean up the edges. But, I needed to find a way to make some very complex cuts without a massive amount of cleanup. I stumbled on scroll sawing as a possible solution. I had to fight my way through my first few projects because the scroll saw I bought was very difficult to use. I would name the brand but the moderator would probably cancel me. It was supposedly good for both pinned and pinless blades. Pinned blades were not fine enough for what I was attempting. But, the pinless precision ground blades were nearly impossible to install. The blade holder slots were not plumb! I actually had to cut a new slot in the lower blade holder and tap a new hole for set screw. 5mm set screw under the table! What an awful design! When I did get one to work it was amazing! Virtually no clean up and nineties that were flawless. The end product was really nice. I moved on to some ornate Christmas ornaments, but only did the outlines. It was just to tedious to do any inside cuts because the poorly designed blade holders were more trouble than they worth for pinless blades. I would finish the pieces using chip carving. They all came out great. And, that was my epiphany. Marrying these two crafts is a fun way to move forward as I seek out new and challenging patterns. I have purchased a much better saw with a very nice blade holder that will make the process so much easier. I may even do some scroll projects without the carving using some of the "3d" patterns I have come across. That would satisfy my desire for dimensionality in my projects. If any of you are chip carvers on a similar journey, I would be interested in hearing about your projects.