Doug

Most of my major toys have the stands mounted on 3/4 ply with 4 inch swivel locking casters. Easy movement and a lot of flexibility for both working and moving things out of the way when not being used. I then throw a bag of sand or water softener salt on the ply to just add weight. I have no vibration issues.

I am only famiiar with the EX21 and the DW788 but I would remove the wood hold down above the table and the blade guard below the table. Tighten your thumb screw snug but they do not have to be cranked down on hard or over a period of time you will either strip the threads on the thumb screws or in the clamps. On the EX21 always make sure the bottom of the top arm is parrellel to the table. Another tip - when starting with a new set of a dozen blades I dip each end in denatured alcohol and wipe dry with a cloth and then when getting ready to use each blade I lightly rub the ends with 220 grit sandpaper. This process removes any oil residue from the packing/shipping process and will avoid or delay possible slippage in use and the need to clean the end of the set screw and thumb screw. And yet one more - can you tell where my issues were when I started scrolling? - use Blue Loctite on the set screw so it does not change position. Generally the set screw should either be flush with the inside face of the clamp or just slightly extending into the inside face of the clamp (1/4 turn). To determine flush since I cannot see into the clamp well, I have a thin please of metal I put inside the clamp faces and then tighten it to the set screw clamp face with the thumb screw. I can then tighten my set screw and know when it is flush, release the thumb screw, the piece of metal drops out, and I can give the set screw another 1/4 turn if I want. I use flush on the set screw although I believe the EX21 manual recommends slightly protruding past the inside clamp face. If you ever loosen or remove the set screw you need to reapply the Blue Loctite.

Larry As Roy says, specific gravity relates to what happens to a piece of wood when you place it in water. Janka hardness relates only to the hardness of the wood. Although there is likely to be some correlation between the two it is not a direct correlation. If you go to the following web site http://www.wood-database.com/wood-identification/ you will find a listing of a large number of woods. If you will click on the wood you will learn a lot about the wood and will also see the Janka hardness and the specific gravity of the wood. If you click on "Janka" and on "Specific Gravity" you will find a better description of what each is. I have the web site as a desktop icon and refer to it frequently. Hope this helps.

Luis Those are great. Is that a pattern you will share or sell? I would love to do a couple for friends who do cutting competition.

Okay - saw off part of your body. How many of you other than Doc and Danny would use OUCH as the four letter word of choice?

Hope it heals quickly so you can get back in the shop. I loved Paul's pattern so much that I did it and it is in my shop. I did not want to scroll all of the letters so I changed "Respect Your Tools" to "Think". Take care.

Thanks - all I can say is the closeup really blew my perspective on size and thickness.

Dick Great job. Hans inspires me too, but not enough to go there. Those knots on the top would have really concerned me. I really could not get a perspective on the size, whether you were able to deal with it on your scroll table or whether you had to set up an outfeed table for support. How thick? It looks like it could be 3/4 to 1 inch. What blade did you use? I am always curious what folks use when doing fret work with thicker woods.

John Everyone needs to do what works for them. I exclusively use spirals and cut only 5/8 inch to 1 1/4 inch but mostly 5/8 inch hardwoods. I will do all of my cutting with FD 2/0 or # 1 spirals because I think I can control the cutting better than with a # 3. If I want a wider vein than I get with a # 1 I will cut with the # 1 and then go back with a # 3 and follow the vein I have already cut.

If you got the light, consider upgrading it. I followed Gary Beasley's recommendation and think it is a great improvement http://www.scrollsawvillage.com/topic/7569-lamp-upgrade-on-my-dewalt-scrollsaw/?hl=%2Bdewalt+%2Blight You should also get "The Lifter" - see banner at the top. http://papasworkshop.net/tc/ I think both will add to your enjoyment.

Sure would be great to have hairy coo talents when sawing, the dust mask on, and your nose starts running. Guess we can just be glad you did not have a picture of him/her doing something with another portion of the anatomy. Oh well. Welcome aboard Ole. Roly and Rob have me Googling more different things to find out what folks across the pond are saying and it looks like you will get added to the mix and you just came on board. I did have some concern about exactly what Rob was referencing when he spoke of tea and FAROESE "BUNS" and did determine he was probably referencing a bakery item.

Me too. To each their own. I never wanted to have to hold my foot on a dead man's switch or hunt with my foot for an on/off foot switch when the regular on/off switch was right in front of me. I never have a problem reaching for the on/off switch with one hand while holding a piece of work with the other hand. I know most who have them swear by them. I did try it and I have a very nice nearly new on/off foot switch on a shelf that will never do more than collect dust and be moved when it is in the way of something I need.

Ron Just checked and for whatever it is worth a DW788 purchased in February 2011, a green EX 21 purchased in May of 2012 and a black replacement EX 21 received in November 2013 all have interchangeable thumb screws and set screws. Not sure whether thin or coarse threads but they look like coarse to me. I would add to your suggestion about purchasing extra thumbscrews and set screws to also purchase extra blade clamps, especially on the EX line. The clamp is a type of aluminum and if you strip threads it is as likely to be in the clamp as in the set screw or thumb screw. Experience, not a guess.

Ron I am not in a place to check but I have a DW788 and a newer EX21. Not sure on the newer EX21 but I think the EX21 I replaced may have used the same set screw as the DW788. If so, DW788 replacement set screws could work and many good hardware stores will have a wide selection of set screws.

A little more on the topic. Keep in mind you use the Blue Loctite only on the set screw, not the thumb screw, and if the threads in the clamp or on either the set screw or thumb screw are stripped you need to replace them as Blue Loctite will not solve that problem. After coating with Blue Loctite you want to make sure you properly adjust your set screw immediately so it is either flush with the inside of the clamp face or just a 1/4 turn out past flush with the clamp face - I do flush with the clamp face although I think the EX21 manual recommends just past flush with the clamp face. Since my vision does not let me see well into the clamp face I use a thin sheet of metal to insert between the clamp faces and then tighten the thumb screw to hold it in place. I can then tighten the set screw and know when it is flush with the clamp face and if I want more loosen the thumb screw so the metal comes out and give the set screw another partial turn. As Carl notes, if you ever adjust the set screw after following this procedure you will need to recoat with the Blue Loctite. As Carl did, I also had bent blades and stripped threads until I learned how to actually set the set screw and that I did not have to crank down on the thumb screw as hard as I could to hold the blade and since learning these basics I have not had to adjust my set screw and have not stripped threads in the clamp or on the set screw or thumb screw.

Blue Loctite. You can get it at almost any hardware store. http://www.loctiteproducts.com/p/t_lkr_blue/overview/Loctite-Threadlocker-Blue-242.htm

I have no idea what is going on but if you really want the DW788 you can go to this website it says out of stock and will ship on 04/15/14 and it appears you can still order at the price of $497.99 with free shipping but without stand or light. I did not dig into Amazon but they show a price of $626.76 and do not indicate it is out of stock even though some vendors do indicate out or stock. http://www.factoryauthorizedoutlet.com/dewalt-heavy-duty-20-variable-speed-scroll-saw?gclid=CJ2T0O3hv70CFRQV7AodvA8AlQ

Kevin I expect we are all grateful that you have two backup machines.

Great job. I would like to do it. Where did you get the pattern?

Carl This old farm boy loves it!

I cut thicker hardwoods and exotics and I carry the scale with me whenever going to the hardwood store so when I see something new I have an idea whether to buy a beautiful piece of wood or whether it is going to cut so slow and use so many blades that I just admire it in the hardwood store. You might also be interested in this site which will tell you more about your wood http://www.wood-database.com/wood-identification/

You are all absolutely amazing!!!!

Conditions of the witness protection program prohibit doing Facebook so I will just use this space to say to Travis and Clayton that I really, really LIKE your Facebook pages. Way to go guys. When do you have time to scroll? Afterthought - problem solved, I will have my wife go on Facebook and do a "like"; she is not in the program so she is on Facebook.

Edmund to get to Rick's http://www.scrollsaws.com/ I think the best explanation of what you are seeing is on the menu on the left side titled "Why square the blade." You are likely to have some out of line from perfect vertical on front to back but it should be miniscule. Does it change at all when it is at the top of the stroke from what it is at the bottom of the stroke? I think - I am not an engineer and have not gone out and checked my DW - but where you probably should have nearly vertical on front to back would be in the middle of the stroke.

Or the one that goes "Dad died in his sleep. Unlike his passengers who were all screaming when they died."