scrollsaws

On 9/30/2015 1:46 PM, woodchucker wrote:
>>
>>
>
> I have a dewalt.. love it.
> The excallibur is excellent, and tilts the frame rather than the table.
>
> Look for used.

Surprisingly, Craigslist - wherever you happen to be - generally seems
to have a number of the Hegner scroll saws within driving distance.

Some great deals to be had. I got their top of the line model -
Polymax, 20",somewhat vintage, but working like a charm - on Craigslist
at a price that made me think I should be wearing gloves and mask<g>

Contacted the manufacturer's rep out east, picked up some missing parts
and upgraded the tensioner. I don't think I have much over $500 total
invested in a $2900 plus shipping tool.

>
> Of course if you really get into it, the Hegner and RB are the way to
> go. but first dip your feet.
> Buy yourself a set of reading glassed 3.0 for working fine lines.
>

Good tip on the glasses. I find the magnifying glass light to be more
of a hindrance than a help.

On 10/3/2015 10:51 AM, Casper wrote:

> My FiL had an old industrial shop Delta that I wanted to get and
> restore. Only thing missing was the stand which I see pop up on
> Craigslist every so often. Unfortunately my FiL passed away and his
> then wife slammed the door on family. Sold everything off. It would
> have been a great project to restore. His Delta bandsaw was old and
> beat up but still working solid. Old Delta was good Delta.


Old Delta was quality and, as others have mentioned, their customer
service was truly that... SERVICE

My Delta/Milwaukee 14" bandsaw was acquired from a friend - it belonged
to his late father - for $125 ca 1980.

It suffered from minor neglect - table rusted and tires crumbling.
Other than that, it was in great shape. Called Delta down in Tennessee
and told them what I had and what I thought I needed. Lady there asked
me if I had a manual (nope!) and copied one from their archives and sent
it to me along with the tires I'd ordered and a note telling me that the
saw was manufactured in August 1945, 5 months before I was born.

Great saw that still hums along merrily and is as solid as a rock.

On 10/16/2015 5:20 PM, John Doe wrote:
> Electric Comet <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> not going with hf and here is a quote of a review from there
>>
>> "I don't know why I keep letting myself get tempted to buy worthless
>> tool shaped objects from HF"
>
> LOL
>
> Whenever passing that store, I avert my eyes. I do not like junk. Seems
> like I'm always getting rid of junk, even without intentionally buying
> junk. Nowadays is a good time to go with namebrand stuff and read
> reviews, even if sometimes reviews are worthless or misleading. Shopping
> is an art these days.
>
What you say makes sense, except for when the HF stuff is identical to
the name brand but sells for 30% of the price. As you say, shopping is
an art and you can find some gems amongst the garbage.

On 10/16/2015 11:42 AM, Electric Comet wrote:
> On Wed, 30 Sep 2015 11:38:38 -0700
> Electric Comet <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> i am considering getting a scrollsaw
>
> how are scrollsaws with cutting thick material say 1.5-4 inches thick
>
> maybe need a more agressive blade but how do scrollsaws in general
> perform with thicker stock
>
> i just realized i have not seen any videos cutting thick stock
>
>

not very good.
I can't see 4 inches in a scroll saw. Yes for a band saw.

The largest stack of things I have cut is probably 1.5 inches thick.
Basically you stack your wood, wrap it with packing tape (which
lubricates and holds the stack together).

But 4".. NOT A SCROLL SAW.


--
Jeff

krw <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

>
> I haven't seen any rebranded Festools there. ;-)
>
> I'm sure some of the stuff is the same but just because it came off
> the same manufacturing line. Many appliances are made by the same
> manufacturers too, but they're made to different specs. That said,
> I've found some decent stuff in HF but also some real trash. Enough
> trash that I no longer look seriously at the power tools. It's a
> great place to buy supplies like nitrile gloves, though.

I'm not spending more than $20 on a tool at HF without first hitting the
Internet for reviews. Sometimes they'll have some very similar tools and
only one will get the good reviews. If you've got a smart phone, it's all
too easy to type in the 5 digits and see what pops up.

Puckdropper
--
Make it to fit, don't make it fit.

On Wednesday, September 30, 2015 at 4:32:33 PM UTC-5, John McCoy wrote:
=20
> That said, in the little scrollsawing I've done, the biggest
> annoyance was sawdust collecting on the line I was trying to
> follow, so I'd say a good dust blower is the important feature
> to look for.

One of my friends does a lot on the scroll saw, and they have their own str=
ange little community here. He loves his really large DeWalt. He had a co=
uple of cheap ones, a Dremel and something else, and told me they were crap=
. Weight is needed for dampening of vibration, and then of course accuracy=
of the saw's movements.

I would agree 100% about the dust blowing as well as collecting. Not one o=
f the guys that I have met saw outside on the patio. They saw in the air c=
onditioned garage, or a converted room in the house. In their cases, dust =
collection is a must.

Robert

>I have an old Delta scroll saw that I bought out of the paper in about 1995
>for $35. The table was rusty so I had it milled smooth again. Lost a couple
>thou in thickness. The spring head was missing so I called Delta, then in
>Tennessee, for parts. I didn't know the model as the only decal was
>unreadable. The woman in customer service asked for the large casting number
>on the overarm. When I gave it her she said, "oh yeah. That's a 40-205. Is
>the decal outline about 2 1/2" square?" Yep I said. She said, "it was made
>in '75. Is it sitting on a big sawhorse? They were sold with plans for the
>sawhorse." Mine is on the sawhorse.
>I ordered the parts I needed, all in stock. Paid about $200. The old Sears
>motor worked. It just needed a new cord and power switch. Cleaned it.
>Repainted Delta gray. It looks new except for the old timey looking
>sawhorse.
>Everything works great.
>Couple years ago I called to see if I could get the mechanical speed
>control - a spring loaded sheave that opens and closes to change the ratio
>with the driver. They didn't know what the hell I was talking about even
>though I had the part number. Customer service has changed.
>Steve

My FiL had an old industrial shop Delta that I wanted to get and
restore. Only thing missing was the stand which I see pop up on
Craigslist every so often. Unfortunately my FiL passed away and his
then wife slammed the door on family. Sold everything off. It would
have been a great project to restore. His Delta bandsaw was old and
beat up but still working solid. Old Delta was good Delta.

On 10/16/2015 10:42 AM, Electric Comet wrote:
> On Wed, 30 Sep 2015 11:38:38 -0700
> Electric Comet <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> i am considering getting a scrollsaw
>
> how are scrollsaws with cutting thick material say 1.5-4 inches thick

I don't think the stroke on a scroll saw will let the teeth clear with
stock 1/2" or thicker.




>
> maybe need a more agressive blade but how do scrollsaws in general
> perform with thicker stock
>
> i just realized i have not seen any videos cutting thick stock
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

On 10/2/2015 11:08 AM, Electric Comet wrote:
> On Fri, 02 Oct 2015 10:32:31 -0400
> Casper <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Definitely up to you. After comparing and trying some different saws,
>> I skipped the HF, Dremel, Craftsman, etc., in favor of the DeWalt.
>
> one guy mentioned that the dewalt has a more aggressive cut and that
> makes it hard to use for delicate work

IIRC that was on the Tiawaneese later built models, not the older models.


>
>> They partially do. DeWalt is better imho. I have used both and know
>> scrollers who have had both and prefer the DeWalt.
>
> delta has really allowed their name to be tainted by not providing
> replacement parts for previous equipment

Delta is not really Delta as we all knew anymore. They are a lot like
Rockwell. Rockwell once built a really great product 25+ years ago.
Some one has bought the Rockwell name and sells their tools under the
Rockwell name. The latest Delta owners manufacture a few machines here,
including the latest Unisaw but a lot of their machines are being
manufactured for them.




>
> i read that everywhere
>
> i have a delta bandsaw i bought used but was hardly used and it has
> not needed any parts but it seems like there are a lot of these saws
> out there so maybe parts can be had but that is another topic

There are probably several OEM places to get parts.


>
>> I've had mine now for 6-7 years and no bearing or other issues. There
>> is a grease available for the DeWalt. I have not yet needed it.
>
> you may have the right year
> like everything else they shipped all the work to asia and quality went
> down
> i read this in many places

Asian quality is what the importer specifies. SawStop and the
Powermatic 2000 table saws are pretty much the standard these days and
are top quality. Both are Asian build, USA designed. The Delta Unisaw
was the standard for decades but QC and the bean counters let that slip
away.

>
>> Almost the same but the DeWalt, in many opinions, is better.
>
> there isn't a lot of info on the delta
> i think delta really will not recover from the bad reputation they have
> earned

That may be true but there will be a new crop of those that don't know
any better. Delta will probably follow in the footsteps as B&D &
Rockwell riding on the name.



>
>> As I said, I got mine second hand and it runs like a champ. No issues
>> yet whatsoever. I saved 50% buying used and don't regret it.
>
> i have no problem at all buying used
> my problem is that there are not many used for sale in the area

On 10/1/2015 6:58 PM, Electric Comet wrote:
> On Wed, 30 Sep 2015 23:21:47 +0000 (UTC)
> Larry Blanchard <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> The Woodcraft store I used to work at used nothing but the DeWalts
>> for classes. Took a lickin' and kept on tickin'.
>
> have heard good reviews on it
>
>> And yes, I could put a coin on edge and leave it there - vibration is
>> next to non-existent.
>
> yes the blade action is driven by an eccentric shaft like a crankshaft
> and introduces very little movement into the system
>
>> That was all over 5 years ago - the bean counters may have cheapened
>> it by now, but if not you can't beat it for the money. One review I
>> remember said it was "90% of a Hegner for 20% of the cost."
>
> and the delta seems to share heritage with it but is $100 less
> i still need to look around for some more delta info
>
>
>
I always read the most negative reviews first.
I like to see what the problems are. Sometimes it's user.
The delta has some issues. Mainly customer service, and the company not
standing behind the product when it stops running.

That repeats over and over.


--
Jeff

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected]
says...
>
> Electric Comet wrote:
> > On Thu, 1 Oct 2015 20:50:12 -0400
> > woodchucker <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >> The delta is not the same imho.
> > they look very similar but will have to look into it some more
> >
> > the on/off and the tension adjuster look the same
> >
> > and the base also looks the same
> >
> > i wonder do dewalt and delta share some past
> >
> >
>
> I would choose the Dewalt because I feel more confident that it would be
> better supported
> when I need replacement parts.

Googling "delta vs dewalt scroll saw" found this
<http://www.sheilalandrydesigns.com/articles/scroll-saw-selection>.

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected]
says...
>
> On 10/16/2015 5:20 PM, John Doe wrote:
> > Electric Comet <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >> not going with hf and here is a quote of a review from there
> >>
> >> "I don't know why I keep letting myself get tempted to buy worthless
> >> tool shaped objects from HF"
> >
> > LOL
> >
> > Whenever passing that store, I avert my eyes. I do not like junk. Seems
> > like I'm always getting rid of junk, even without intentionally buying
> > junk. Nowadays is a good time to go with namebrand stuff and read
> > reviews, even if sometimes reviews are worthless or misleading. Shopping
> > is an art these days.
> >
> What you say makes sense, except for when the HF stuff is identical to
> the name brand but sells for 30% of the price. As you say, shopping is
> an art and you can find some gems amongst the garbage.

Yep. When everything is made in China, "name brand" is meaningless
unless the "name brand" is known to have enough experience dealing with
the Chinese to be able to get a decent product out of them--that's one
thing that the Japenese seem to do well--get decent product out of the
Chinese. If the Chinese ever figure out that to be big players with
high-value goods they need to set their _own_ quality standards rather
than building the cheapest thing they can get away with, they're going
to be dangerous. But that's a Japanese idea and given the past history
between China and Japan the Chinese are going to resist it to the end
(of course they are no different from American industry in that regard).

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected]
says...
>
> On 10/17/2015 9:54 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> > On 10/16/2015 5:20 PM, John Doe wrote:
> >> Electric Comet <[email protected]> wrote:
> >>
> >>> not going with hf and here is a quote of a review from there
> >>>
> >>> "I don't know why I keep letting myself get tempted to buy worthless
> >>> tool shaped objects from HF"
> >>
> >> LOL
> >>
> >> Whenever passing that store, I avert my eyes. I do not like junk. Seems
> >> like I'm always getting rid of junk, even without intentionally buying
> >> junk. Nowadays is a good time to go with namebrand stuff and read
> >> reviews, even if sometimes reviews are worthless or misleading. Shopping
> >> is an art these days.
> >>
> > What you say makes sense, except for when the HF stuff is identical to
> > the name brand but sells for 30% of the price. As you say, shopping is
> > an art and you can find some gems amongst the garbage.
>
> Yes and no.
> Certainly in some cases they are the same.
> But in others, sometimes they look the same, but there is a high set of
> components, better bearings, better brushes, better metal in the gears.

Better bearings or brushes maybe, but unless the gears are stock items
ordered from a catalog or the volume was immensely hight, making the
identical conformation in several different alloys would cost more than
it saved.

What they do seem to have in some cases though is plastic vs metal
gears.

> For rebranded , they are probably the same, for some higher end stuff,
> they _MAY_ have better components, and better QC.

On 10/2/2015 11:47 PM, krw wrote:
> On Fri, 2 Oct 2015 13:19:25 -0500, Leon <lcb11211@swbelldotnet> wrote:
>
>> On 10/2/2015 11:08 AM, Electric Comet wrote:
>>> On Fri, 02 Oct 2015 10:32:31 -0400
>>> Casper <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Definitely up to you. After comparing and trying some different saws,
>>>> I skipped the HF, Dremel, Craftsman, etc., in favor of the DeWalt.
>>>
>>> one guy mentioned that the dewalt has a more aggressive cut and that
>>> makes it hard to use for delicate work
>>
>> IIRC that was on the Tiawaneese later built models, not the older models.
>>
>>
>>>
>>>> They partially do. DeWalt is better imho. I have used both and know
>>>> scrollers who have had both and prefer the DeWalt.
>>>
>>> delta has really allowed their name to be tainted by not providing
>>> replacement parts for previous equipment
>>
>> Delta is not really Delta as we all knew anymore. They are a lot like
>> Rockwell. Rockwell once built a really great product 25+ years ago.
>> Some one has bought the Rockwell name and sells their tools under the
>> Rockwell name. The latest Delta owners manufacture a few machines here,
>> including the latest Unisaw but a lot of their machines are being
>> manufactured for them.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>>
>>> i read that everywhere
>>>
>>> i have a delta bandsaw i bought used but was hardly used and it has
>>> not needed any parts but it seems like there are a lot of these saws
>>> out there so maybe parts can be had but that is another topic
>>
>> There are probably several OEM places to get parts.
>
> I did find someone who sold arbor wrenches for my '09 Unisaw. Delta
> sure doesn't. I bought two. ;-)
>>
>>>
>>>> I've had mine now for 6-7 years and no bearing or other issues. There
>>>> is a grease available for the DeWalt. I have not yet needed it.
>>>
>>> you may have the right year
>>> like everything else they shipped all the work to asia and quality went
>>> down
>>> i read this in many places
>>
>> Asian quality is what the importer specifies. SawStop and the
>> Powermatic 2000 table saws are pretty much the standard these days and
>> are top quality. Both are Asian build, USA designed. The Delta Unisaw
>> was the standard for decades but QC and the bean counters let that slip
>> away.
>>
> I really like mine but it's the old style. I'd not pay what Delta
> wants for the new one.
>>>
>>>> Almost the same but the DeWalt, in many opinions, is better.
>>>
>>> there isn't a lot of info on the delta
>>> i think delta really will not recover from the bad reputation they have
>>> earned
>>
>> That may be true but there will be a new crop of those that don't know
>> any better. Delta will probably follow in the footsteps as B&D &
>> Rockwell riding on the name.
>>
> They're not alone. PC is going down the same tube.

GOING??? they were one of the first to go. B&D put them into the low end
category years ago. They used to be very good pro tools.
Now dewalt is considered the higher end and PC is home use.


>>
>>>
>>>> As I said, I got mine second hand and it runs like a champ. No issues
>>>> yet whatsoever. I saved 50% buying used and don't regret it.
>>>
>>> i have no problem at all buying used
>>> my problem is that there are not many used for sale in the area
>>
>


--
Jeff

On 9/30/2015 8:15 PM, Electric Comet wrote:
> On Wed, 30 Sep 2015 15:39:31 -0500
> Leon <lcb11211@swbelldotnet> wrote:
>
>> I no longer have a scroll saw but many years did have a Delta, POS.
>
> one site recommended them due to their lower price I think
>
>> I believe that scroll saws are a bit like band saws. Inexpensive
>> ones are going to always need some kind of tweaking. Life is too
>> short for aggravating equipment, IMHO.
>
> i try to never aggravate my equipment

You say that here but I wonder if that is the truth. ;~)

On 9/30/2015 2:38 PM, Electric Comet wrote:
> i am considering getting a scrollsaw
>
> what is the consensus here
> i know there is always a consensus in harmony here
>
> i found some info but a lot of it is a bit dated
>
> what i know so far is that there are a few different methods for moving
> the blade
>
> not going with hf and here is a quote of a review from there
>
> "I don't know why I keep letting myself get tempted to buy worthless
> tool shaped objects from HF"
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

I have a dewalt.. love it.
The excallibur is excellent, and tilts the frame rather than the table.

Look for used.

Of course if you really get into it, the Hegner and RB are the way to
go. but first dip your feet.
Buy yourself a set of reading glassed 3.0 for working fine lines.

--
Jeff

Leon <lcb11211@swbelldotnet> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> I believe that scroll saws are a bit like band saws. Inexpensive ones
> are going to always need some kind of tweaking. Life is too short for
> aggravating equipment, IMHO.

I think scrollsaws are like bandsaws in that the blade makes
much more difference than the saw.

That said, in the little scrollsawing I've done, the biggest
annoyance was sawdust collecting on the line I was trying to
follow, so I'd say a good dust blower is the important feature
to look for.

John

Leon <lcb11211@swbelldotnet> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> On 10/1/2015 11:49 AM, Electric Comet wrote:
>> On Thu, 1 Oct 2015 08:29:07 -0500
>> Leon <lcb11211@swbelldotnet> wrote:
>>
>>> You say that here but I wonder if that is the truth. ;~)
>>
>> now the wood is another story
>>
>> i got some oak logs cut fresh
<...>
>> they split all the way to the center and along the length of the piece

> You need to seal the ends of the logs and let dry. Just like you see on
> the ends of hardwood lumber that.

Might not have helped. Oak likes to split. I used to love
it when splitting firewood with my brother-in-law if we
got some oak to split, because you barely had to tap it
with the maul and it'd break cleanly all the way thru.
He got some cottonwood once (it was free) and that stuff
has such interlocked grain it wouldn't split at all. I
think he eventually chain-sawed it into wedges.

John

Electric Comet <[email protected]> wrote in news:muma2l$7gb$1
@dont-email.me:

> delta has really allowed their name to be tainted by not providing
> replacement parts for previous equipment

Which is sad. Years ago I had to take my tablesaw apart to
move it, and when I put it back together I found one of the
odd shape spacer/bolt things that hold the fence rails had
wandered off. I sent Delta a letter asking for the part
number so I could order a replacement, and they sent me the
part, gratis, just to keep me a happy customer.

John

John Doe <[email protected]> wrote in news:mvrptu$ov0$2@dont-
email.me:

> From everything I read... My problem with a scroll saw is they cannot
> cut straight. Don't know why, considering a jigsaw can cut reasonably
> straight. I guess none of the blades are deep/wide enough? But that
> doesn't make sense.

Well, since a scroll saw is designed to cut curves, perhaps
it's not surprising they don't cut straight.

My guess would be that the very thin blades cannot be tensioned
enough to avoid flex. Even a thin bandsaw blade is much larger
than a scroll saw blade, and a bandsaw frame is vastly stiffer
than a scroll saw frame.

John

On 10/17/2015 9:54 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> On 10/16/2015 5:20 PM, John Doe wrote:
>> Electric Comet <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>> not going with hf and here is a quote of a review from there
>>>
>>> "I don't know why I keep letting myself get tempted to buy worthless
>>> tool shaped objects from HF"
>>
>> LOL
>>
>> Whenever passing that store, I avert my eyes. I do not like junk. Seems
>> like I'm always getting rid of junk, even without intentionally buying
>> junk. Nowadays is a good time to go with namebrand stuff and read
>> reviews, even if sometimes reviews are worthless or misleading. Shopping
>> is an art these days.
>>
> What you say makes sense, except for when the HF stuff is identical to
> the name brand but sells for 30% of the price. As you say, shopping is
> an art and you can find some gems amongst the garbage.

Yes and no.
Certainly in some cases they are the same.
But in others, sometimes they look the same, but there is a high set of
components, better bearings, better brushes, better metal in the gears.

For rebranded , they are probably the same, for some higher end stuff,
they _MAY_ have better components, and better QC.



--
Jeff

Electric Comet wrote:
> On Thu, 1 Oct 2015 08:29:07 -0500
> Leon <lcb11211@swbelldotnet> wrote:
>
>> You say that here but I wonder if that is the truth. ;~)
>
> now the wood is another story
>
> i got some oak logs cut fresh and decided to rough turn them while wet
> very rough and nothing concave or convex just a cylinder
>
> then i stored them indoors on some bricks so it was cool and dry
>
> they split all the way to the center and along the length of the piece
> not just a hairline either
> 8 inch diameter and the split at the edge was about 3/8 inch
>
> i will let them sit longer and eventually salvage much smaller pieces
> from them after i cut them in half along the split
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
If you leave the heart (pith) in the log, it WILL split. If you
really want the wood for later use, make two lengthwise cuts, on each
side of the pith, then seal the ends. You will have two half logs,
with luck, which is better than none.

--
GW Ross

Anything I do is purely coincidental.

On 10/1/2015 11:49 AM, Electric Comet wrote:
> On Thu, 1 Oct 2015 08:29:07 -0500
> Leon <lcb11211@swbelldotnet> wrote:
>
>> You say that here but I wonder if that is the truth. ;~)
>
> now the wood is another story
>
> i got some oak logs cut fresh and decided to rough turn them while wet
> very rough and nothing concave or convex just a cylinder
>
> then i stored them indoors on some bricks so it was cool and dry
>
> they split all the way to the center and along the length of the piece
> not just a hairline either
> 8 inch diameter and the split at the edge was about 3/8 inch
>
> i will let them sit longer and eventually salvage much smaller pieces
> from them after i cut them in half along the split
>


You need to seal the ends of the logs and let dry. Just like you see on
the ends of hardwood lumber that.

On Sat, 17 Oct 2015 10:06:41 -0400, "J. Clarke"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>In article <[email protected]>, [email protected]
>says...
>>
>> On 10/16/2015 5:20 PM, John Doe wrote:
>> > Electric Comet <[email protected]> wrote:
>> >
>> >> not going with hf and here is a quote of a review from there
>> >>
>> >> "I don't know why I keep letting myself get tempted to buy worthless
>> >> tool shaped objects from HF"
>> >
>> > LOL
>> >
>> > Whenever passing that store, I avert my eyes. I do not like junk. Seems
>> > like I'm always getting rid of junk, even without intentionally buying
>> > junk. Nowadays is a good time to go with namebrand stuff and read
>> > reviews, even if sometimes reviews are worthless or misleading. Shopping
>> > is an art these days.
>> >
>> What you say makes sense, except for when the HF stuff is identical to
>> the name brand but sells for 30% of the price. As you say, shopping is
>> an art and you can find some gems amongst the garbage.
>
>Yep. When everything is made in China, "name brand" is meaningless
>unless the "name brand" is known to have enough experience dealing with
>the Chinese to be able to get a decent product out of them--that's one
>thing that the Japenese seem to do well--get decent product out of the
>Chinese. If the Chinese ever figure out that to be big players with
>high-value goods they need to set their _own_ quality standards rather
>than building the cheapest thing they can get away with, they're going
>to be dangerous. But that's a Japanese idea and given the past history
>between China and Japan the Chinese are going to resist it to the end
>(of course they are no different from American industry in that regard).

The Japanese learned that lesson (it's not cultural). There is no
reason the Chinese can't, though there is no evidence of it yet.

The key to getting quality out of the Chinese is to sit there and
watch them do every operation. You can't test in quality but perhaps
you can test in honesty. This raises costs though, so it's less
likely to happen.

>how are scrollsaws with cutting thick material say 1.5-4 inches thick
>maybe need a more agressive blade but how do scrollsaws in general
>perform with thicker stock
>i just realized i have not seen any videos cutting thick stock
>Electric Comet

Normally I do not cut very thick pieces but I have cut 2.5 inch thick
on my DeWalt without a problem using a larger blade and going a bit
slower. I have seen 3 inches thick cut on a DeWalt. Not sure about
other scrollsaw brands. If I need thicker than 3 inches, I just move
over to my 3-wheel tabletop bandsaw with a 1/4 inch blade.

Here are a some vids on various thick cutting...

https://youtu.be/D47Mortk5X4

https://youtu.be/YXW55S4X9zo

https://youtu.be/_PGXbgQTNv8

On 10/1/2015 6:46 PM, Electric Comet wrote:
> On Thu, 01 Oct 2015 14:24:49 -0400
> Casper <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> I have a DeWalt and love it. It cuts thru everything I have thrown at
>> it and keeps going great.
>
> the cheaper the better and i doubt i will want to upgrade later as this is
> really just for doing decorative features that are part of a larger whole
> piece
>
> so mid-range but not garbage is what i am trying for
>
> i think the delta 40-694 and dewalt 788 share some heritage
>
> i watched a video on the 788 and the design of the saw action makes a
> lot of sense
>
> the guy talked about the needle bearings drying out
> he used valvoline synthetic grease with a specially rigged grease gun
> it has 32 needle bearings
>
> i saw another video of a guy assembling the 40-694 and they must be
> literally from the same mold and the delta $100 cheaper
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
The delta is not the same imho.


--
Jeff

On Sat, 3 Oct 2015 11:23:54 -0400, woodchucker <[email protected]>
wrote:

>On 10/2/2015 11:47 PM, krw wrote:
>> On Fri, 2 Oct 2015 13:19:25 -0500, Leon <lcb11211@swbelldotnet> wrote:
>>
>>> On 10/2/2015 11:08 AM, Electric Comet wrote:
>>>> On Fri, 02 Oct 2015 10:32:31 -0400
>>>> Casper <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Definitely up to you. After comparing and trying some different saws,
>>>>> I skipped the HF, Dremel, Craftsman, etc., in favor of the DeWalt.
>>>>
>>>> one guy mentioned that the dewalt has a more aggressive cut and that
>>>> makes it hard to use for delicate work
>>>
>>> IIRC that was on the Tiawaneese later built models, not the older models.
>>>
>>>
>>>>
>>>>> They partially do. DeWalt is better imho. I have used both and know
>>>>> scrollers who have had both and prefer the DeWalt.
>>>>
>>>> delta has really allowed their name to be tainted by not providing
>>>> replacement parts for previous equipment
>>>
>>> Delta is not really Delta as we all knew anymore. They are a lot like
>>> Rockwell. Rockwell once built a really great product 25+ years ago.
>>> Some one has bought the Rockwell name and sells their tools under the
>>> Rockwell name. The latest Delta owners manufacture a few machines here,
>>> including the latest Unisaw but a lot of their machines are being
>>> manufactured for them.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>
>>>> i read that everywhere
>>>>
>>>> i have a delta bandsaw i bought used but was hardly used and it has
>>>> not needed any parts but it seems like there are a lot of these saws
>>>> out there so maybe parts can be had but that is another topic
>>>
>>> There are probably several OEM places to get parts.
>>
>> I did find someone who sold arbor wrenches for my '09 Unisaw. Delta
>> sure doesn't. I bought two. ;-)
>>>
>>>>
>>>>> I've had mine now for 6-7 years and no bearing or other issues. There
>>>>> is a grease available for the DeWalt. I have not yet needed it.
>>>>
>>>> you may have the right year
>>>> like everything else they shipped all the work to asia and quality went
>>>> down
>>>> i read this in many places
>>>
>>> Asian quality is what the importer specifies. SawStop and the
>>> Powermatic 2000 table saws are pretty much the standard these days and
>>> are top quality. Both are Asian build, USA designed. The Delta Unisaw
>>> was the standard for decades but QC and the bean counters let that slip
>>> away.
>>>
>> I really like mine but it's the old style. I'd not pay what Delta
>> wants for the new one.
>>>>
>>>>> Almost the same but the DeWalt, in many opinions, is better.
>>>>
>>>> there isn't a lot of info on the delta
>>>> i think delta really will not recover from the bad reputation they have
>>>> earned
>>>
>>> That may be true but there will be a new crop of those that don't know
>>> any better. Delta will probably follow in the footsteps as B&D &
>>> Rockwell riding on the name.
>>>
>> They're not alone. PC is going down the same tube.
>
>GOING??? they were one of the first to go. B&D put them into the low end
>category years ago. They used to be very good pro tools.
>Now dewalt is considered the higher end and PC is home use.

I was thinking about the PC690 and the "aircraft carrier" dovetail
jigs. You're right about the drills, saws, and stuff, though. Junk.

>i am considering getting a scrollsaw
>
>what is the consensus here
>i know there is always a consensus in harmony here
>
>i found some info but a lot of it is a bit dated
>
>what i know so far is that there are a few different methods for moving
>the blade ... not going with hf and here is a quote of a review from there
>
>"I don't know why I keep letting myself get tempted to buy worthless
>tool shaped objects from HF"
> Electric Comet

I have a DeWalt and love it. It cuts thru everything I have thrown at
it and keeps going great.

That said, I hope one day to upgrade to the Excaliber which are about
double the price, but very well worth it imho, if you scroll a lot.

If you can find a good used Excaliber, Henger or RBI Hawk for a
reasonable price, you would probably be very pleased. I don't know
anyone with an Excalibur who isn't happy.

I got my DeWalt off a guy only selling it because he won an Excaliber
and his wife wouldn't let him keep both in the house. He had health
issues, on oxygen, and had to stay indoors.

As a side note, I have a small bandsaw (3-wheel gift from FiL) that I
use to bulk cut wood for scrollsaw, carving or pyrography. It works
well but no way it can do what the DeWalt can do in detail.

Hope that helps!

Professional scroll saws cut just fine. They raise the blade vertically
and pull it down vertically. Most are 'donkey' slant saw blade actions.

The jigsaw blades are just not long enough and tough enough for 4".

Martin

On 10/16/2015 6:14 PM, John McCoy wrote:
> John Doe <[email protected]> wrote in news:mvrptu$ov0$2@dont-
> email.me:
>
>> From everything I read... My problem with a scroll saw is they cannot
>> cut straight. Don't know why, considering a jigsaw can cut reasonably
>> straight. I guess none of the blades are deep/wide enough? But that
>> doesn't make sense.
>
> Well, since a scroll saw is designed to cut curves, perhaps
> it's not surprising they don't cut straight.
>
> My guess would be that the very thin blades cannot be tensioned
> enough to avoid flex. Even a thin bandsaw blade is much larger
> than a scroll saw blade, and a bandsaw frame is vastly stiffer
> than a scroll saw frame.
>
> John
>

On Sat, 17 Oct 2015 09:54:08 -0400, Ed Pawlowski <[email protected]> wrote:

>On 10/16/2015 5:20 PM, John Doe wrote:
>> Electric Comet <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>> not going with hf and here is a quote of a review from there
>>>
>>> "I don't know why I keep letting myself get tempted to buy worthless
>>> tool shaped objects from HF"
>>
>> LOL
>>
>> Whenever passing that store, I avert my eyes. I do not like junk. Seems
>> like I'm always getting rid of junk, even without intentionally buying
>> junk. Nowadays is a good time to go with namebrand stuff and read
>> reviews, even if sometimes reviews are worthless or misleading. Shopping
>> is an art these days.
>>
>What you say makes sense, except for when the HF stuff is identical to
>the name brand but sells for 30% of the price. As you say, shopping is
>an art and you can find some gems amongst the garbage.

I haven't seen any rebranded Festools there. ;-)

I'm sure some of the stuff is the same but just because it came off
the same manufacturing line. Many appliances are made by the same
manufacturers too, but they're made to different specs. That said,
I've found some decent stuff in HF but also some real trash. Enough
trash that I no longer look seriously at the power tools. It's a
great place to buy supplies like nitrile gloves, though.

On 9/30/2015 1:46 PM, woodchucker wrote:
> On 9/30/2015 2:38 PM, Electric Comet wrote:
>> i am considering getting a scrollsaw
>>
>> what is the consensus here
>> i know there is always a consensus in harmony here
>>
>> i found some info but a lot of it is a bit dated
>>
>> what i know so far is that there are a few different methods for moving
>> the blade
>>
>> not going with hf and here is a quote of a review from there
>>
>> "I don't know why I keep letting myself get tempted to buy worthless
>> tool shaped objects from HF"
>>

>
> I have a dewalt.. love it.
> The excallibur is excellent, and tilts the frame rather than the table.
>
> Look for used.
>
> Of course if you really get into it, the Hegner and RB are the way to
> go. but first dip your feet.
> Buy yourself a set of reading glassed 3.0 for working fine lines.
>


I no longer have a scroll saw but many years did have a Delta, POS.

I believe that scroll saws are a bit like band saws. Inexpensive ones
are going to always need some kind of tweaking. Life is too short for
aggravating equipment, IMHO.

Anyway those that woodchucker mentioned have always had good reviews.

On Wed, 30 Sep 2015 15:19:12 -0700, [email protected] wrote:

> One of my friends does a lot on the scroll saw, and they have their own
> strange little community here. He loves his really large DeWalt.

The Woodcraft store I used to work at used nothing but the DeWalts for
classes. Took a lickin' and kept on tickin'.

And yes, I could put a coin on edge and leave it there - vibration is
next to non-existent.

That was all over 5 years ago - the bean counters may have cheapened it
by now, but if not you can't beat it for the money. One review I
remember said it was "90% of a Hegner for 20% of the cost."

On Wed, 30 Sep 2015 14:46:11 -0400
woodchucker <[email protected]> wrote:

> I have a dewalt.. love it.
> The excallibur is excellent, and tilts the frame rather than the
> table.

i will keep my eye out for a dewalt

> Look for used.

always do but will probably have to get new unless i am lucky

> Of course if you really get into it, the Hegner and RB are the way to
> go. but first dip your feet.

those are like the festool of scroll saws

i saw a video of an eclipse and it was taken at a trade show
the unit had a window in the side to see the inner workings but i also
saw a circuit board

still puzzled over why it had a circuit board

> Buy yourself a set of reading glassed 3.0 for working fine lines.

right now good lighting is enough but will probably need something later

On Wed, 30 Sep 2015 15:39:31 -0500
Leon <lcb11211@swbelldotnet> wrote:

> I no longer have a scroll saw but many years did have a Delta, POS.

one site recommended them due to their lower price I think

> I believe that scroll saws are a bit like band saws. Inexpensive
> ones are going to always need some kind of tweaking. Life is too
> short for aggravating equipment, IMHO.

i try to never aggravate my equipment
and life is too short in any case

On Thu, 1 Oct 2015 08:29:07 -0500
Leon <lcb11211@swbelldotnet> wrote:

> You say that here but I wonder if that is the truth. ;~)

now the wood is another story

i got some oak logs cut fresh and decided to rough turn them while wet
very rough and nothing concave or convex just a cylinder

then i stored them indoors on some bricks so it was cool and dry

they split all the way to the center and along the length of the piece
not just a hairline either
8 inch diameter and the split at the edge was about 3/8 inch

i will let them sit longer and eventually salvage much smaller pieces
from them after i cut them in half along the split

Electric Comet wrote:
> On Thu, 1 Oct 2015 08:29:07 -0500
> Leon <lcb11211@swbelldotnet> wrote:
>
>> You say that here but I wonder if that is the truth. ;~)
> now the wood is another story
>
> i got some oak logs cut fresh and decided to rough turn them while wet
> very rough and nothing concave or convex just a cylinder

Maybe painting them would have helped? I know people frequently put
something on the ends.
I suppose that's where the highest "concentration" (per square inch) of
evaporation occurs.

>
> then i stored them indoors on some bricks so it was cool and dry
>
> they split all the way to the center and along the length of the piece
> not just a hairline either
> 8 inch diameter and the split at the edge was about 3/8 inch
>
> i will let them sit longer and eventually salvage much smaller pieces
> from them after i cut them in half along the split
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

On Thu, 01 Oct 2015 14:24:49 -0400
Casper <[email protected]> wrote:

> I have a DeWalt and love it. It cuts thru everything I have thrown at
> it and keeps going great.

the cheaper the better and i doubt i will want to upgrade later as this is
really just for doing decorative features that are part of a larger whole
piece

so mid-range but not garbage is what i am trying for

i think the delta 40-694 and dewalt 788 share some heritage

i watched a video on the 788 and the design of the saw action makes a
lot of sense

the guy talked about the needle bearings drying out
he used valvoline synthetic grease with a specially rigged grease gun
it has 32 needle bearings

i saw another video of a guy assembling the 40-694 and they must be
literally from the same mold and the delta $100 cheaper

On Wed, 30 Sep 2015 15:19:12 -0700 (PDT)
"[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote:

> One of my friends does a lot on the scroll saw, and they have their
> own strange little community here. He loves his really large

it is funny you say that because before i posted this message i looked
around at websites and noticed that there is some kind of scroll saw
sub-culture

different than wood turners
a lot wider audience of participants
but it is good because it is wood

there is some really beautiful and amazing work done on scroll saws
i had no idea

On Wed, 30 Sep 2015 23:21:47 +0000 (UTC)
Larry Blanchard <[email protected]> wrote:

> The Woodcraft store I used to work at used nothing but the DeWalts
> for classes. Took a lickin' and kept on tickin'.

have heard good reviews on it

> And yes, I could put a coin on edge and leave it there - vibration is
> next to non-existent.

yes the blade action is driven by an eccentric shaft like a crankshaft
and introduces very little movement into the system

> That was all over 5 years ago - the bean counters may have cheapened
> it by now, but if not you can't beat it for the money. One review I
> remember said it was "90% of a Hegner for 20% of the cost."

and the delta seems to share heritage with it but is $100 less
i still need to look around for some more delta info

Electric Comet wrote:

>
> it is funny you say that because before i posted this message i looked
> around at websites and noticed that there is some kind of scroll saw
> sub-culture
>
> different than wood turners
> a lot wider audience of participants
> but it is good because it is wood
>
> there is some really beautiful and amazing work done on scroll saws
> i had no idea

Did a fast google search on images of scrollsaw work - Holy Cow! That's
some amazing work these guys do!

--

-Mike-
[email protected]

On Thu, 1 Oct 2015 20:50:12 -0400
woodchucker <[email protected]> wrote:

> The delta is not the same imho.

they look very similar but will have to look into it some more

the on/off and the tension adjuster look the same

and the base also looks the same

i wonder do dewalt and delta share some past

Electric Comet wrote:
> On Thu, 1 Oct 2015 20:50:12 -0400
> woodchucker <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> The delta is not the same imho.
> they look very similar but will have to look into it some more
>
> the on/off and the tension adjuster look the same
>
> and the base also looks the same
>
> i wonder do dewalt and delta share some past
>
>

I would choose the Dewalt because I feel more confident that it would be
better supported
when I need replacement parts.




>
>
>

On Fri, 02 Oct 2015 10:32:31 -0400
Casper <[email protected]> wrote:

> Definitely up to you. After comparing and trying some different saws,
> I skipped the HF, Dremel, Craftsman, etc., in favor of the DeWalt.

one guy mentioned that the dewalt has a more aggressive cut and that
makes it hard to use for delicate work

> They partially do. DeWalt is better imho. I have used both and know
> scrollers who have had both and prefer the DeWalt.

delta has really allowed their name to be tainted by not providing
replacement parts for previous equipment

i read that everywhere

i have a delta bandsaw i bought used but was hardly used and it has
not needed any parts but it seems like there are a lot of these saws
out there so maybe parts can be had but that is another topic

> I've had mine now for 6-7 years and no bearing or other issues. There
> is a grease available for the DeWalt. I have not yet needed it.

you may have the right year
like everything else they shipped all the work to asia and quality went
down
i read this in many places

> Almost the same but the DeWalt, in many opinions, is better.

there isn't a lot of info on the delta
i think delta really will not recover from the bad reputation they have
earned

> As I said, I got mine second hand and it runs like a champ. No issues
> yet whatsoever. I saved 50% buying used and don't regret it.

i have no problem at all buying used
my problem is that there are not many used for sale in the area

J. Clarke wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>, [email protected]
> says...
>> Electric Comet wrote:
>>> On Thu, 1 Oct 2015 20:50:12 -0400
>>> woodchucker <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>
>>>> The delta is not the same imho.
>>> they look very similar but will have to look into it some more
>>>
>>> the on/off and the tension adjuster look the same
>>>
>>> and the base also looks the same
>>>
>>> i wonder do dewalt and delta share some past
>>>
>>>
>> I would choose the Dewalt because I feel more confident that it would be
>> better supported
>> when I need replacement parts.
> Googling "delta vs dewalt scroll saw" found this
> <http://www.sheilalandrydesigns.com/articles/scroll-saw-selection>.

That was interesting. Does Delta consider your local Dewalt service
center their customers point of contact, like mine? Maybe give them a
call and find out how it works in your locale? Ask them whether they
stock any Delta parts. Actually, the service center might possibly be a
place to check for a deal on a refurbished machine... Good luck! -Bill

"John McCoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Electric Comet <[email protected]> wrote in news:muma2l$7gb$1
> @dont-email.me:
>
>> delta has really allowed their name to be tainted by not providing
>> replacement parts for previous equipment
>
> Which is sad. Years ago I had to take my tablesaw apart to
> move it, and when I put it back together I found one of the
> odd shape spacer/bolt things that hold the fence rails had
> wandered off. I sent Delta a letter asking for the part
> number so I could order a replacement, and they sent me the
> part, gratis, just to keep me a happy customer.
>
> John

I have an old Delta scroll saw that I bought out of the paper in about 1995
for $35. The table was rusty so I had it milled smooth again. Lost a couple
thou in thickness. The spring head was missing so I called Delta, then in
Tennessee, for parts. I didn't know the model as the only decal was
unreadable. The woman in customer service asked for the large casting number
on the overarm. When I gave it her she said, "oh yeah. That's a 40-205. Is
the decal outline about 2 1/2" square?" Yep I said. She said, "it was made
in '75. Is it sitting on a big sawhorse? They were sold with plans for the
sawhorse." Mine is on the sawhorse.
I ordered the parts I needed, all in stock. Paid about $200. The old Sears
motor worked. It just needed a new cord and power switch. Cleaned it.
Repainted Delta gray. It looks new except for the old timey looking
sawhorse.
Everything works great.
Couple years ago I called to see if I could get the mechanical speed
control - a spring loaded sheave that opens and closes to change the ratio
with the driver. They didn't know what the hell I was talking about even
though I had the part number. Customer service has changed.

Steve

On 10/2/2015 2:19 PM, Leon wrote:

> Delta is not really Delta as we all knew anymore. They are a lot like
> Rockwell. Rockwell once built a really great product 25+ years ago.
> Some one has bought the Rockwell name and sells their tools under the
> Rockwell name. The latest Delta owners manufacture a few machines here,
> including the latest Unisaw but a lot of their machines are being
> manufactured for them.

I have an old Rockwell Delta Scroll Saw and it is a tank.

http://jbstein.com/Flick/JigSaw.jpg

If you can find one like this, buy it. Been working perfect since
around 1954. It has a 2 foot radius, can cut 2x stuff like butter, has
a blower that amazingly still works after all these years (knock on
wood), The blower is a must to keep the cutting area clean.

I personally don't use it all that often, but when you need one, it's
great to have. There is no vibration either, of course I have it
bolted to a cabinet, and itself is heavy cast iron.
--
Jack
Add Life to your Days not Days to your Life.
http://jbstein.com

On Thu, 01 Oct 2015 15:25:41 -0400
"G. Ross" <[email protected]> wrote:

> If you leave the heart (pith) in the log, it WILL split. If you
> really want the wood for later use, make two lengthwise cuts, on each
> side of the pith, then seal the ends. You will have two half logs,
> with luck, which is better than none.

these were halved already when I got them
this oak just wanted to split

what i have learned is that this oak cannot be turned green without
splitting

On Sat, 03 Oct 2015 12:04:39 -0400
Casper <[email protected]> wrote:

> I've never heard anyone say that and I have used several different
> DeWalts. Check out Steve Good's site. He does scrollsaw reviews

i read that on a couple of different sites but for some it is a good feature
but others it is not

> including the DeWalt, which he has and uses...
> http://scrollsawworkshop.blogspot.com

i think i found that one already

> Who knows. Guess it depends on who is at the helm and how hard they
> try to change brand perception. Seems like all companies go thru that
> sort of thing on some level.

apparently that have gone through it several times

> You have to know what you want, have an eye for checking out quality,
> and do some bargaining, but you can get some great stuff used. I
> recently picked up a used RazorTip pyrography tool that's like brand

i read those are one of the best

On Wed, 30 Sep 2015 11:38:38 -0700
Electric Comet <[email protected]> wrote:

> i am considering getting a scrollsaw

how are scrollsaws with cutting thick material say 1.5-4 inches thick

maybe need a more agressive blade but how do scrollsaws in general
perform with thicker stock

i just realized i have not seen any videos cutting thick stock

Electric Comet <[email protected]> wrote:

> not going with hf and here is a quote of a review from there
>
> "I don't know why I keep letting myself get tempted to buy worthless
> tool shaped objects from HF"

LOL

Whenever passing that store, I avert my eyes. I do not like junk. Seems
like I'm always getting rid of junk, even without intentionally buying
junk. Nowadays is a good time to go with namebrand stuff and read
reviews, even if sometimes reviews are worthless or misleading. Shopping
is an art these days.

Electric Comet <[email protected]> wrote:

> Electric Comet <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> i am considering getting a scrollsaw
>
> how are scrollsaws with cutting thick material say 1.5-4 inches thick
>
> maybe need a more agressive blade but how do scrollsaws in general
> perform with thicker stock
>
> i just realized i have not seen any videos cutting thick stock

From everything I read... My problem with a scroll saw is they cannot
cut straight. Don't know why, considering a jigsaw can cut reasonably
straight. I guess none of the blades are deep/wide enough? But that
doesn't make sense.

John McCoy <[email protected]> wrote:

> John Doe <[email protected]> wrote:

>> From everything I read... My problem with a scroll saw is they cannot
>> cut straight. Don't know why, considering a jigsaw can cut reasonably
>> straight. I guess none of the blades are deep/wide enough? But that
>> doesn't make sense.
>
> Well, since a scroll saw is designed to cut curves, perhaps it's not
> surprising they don't cut straight.

Jigsaws are designed to cut curves, too.

It just doesn't make sense, but that's what they say. Apparently they
are assuming the straight cut is going to be made more quickly with less
care. Otherwise you couldn't make accurate curved cuts either.

On 9/30/2015 4:30 PM, John McCoy wrote:
> Leon <lcb11211@swbelldotnet> wrote in
> news:[email protected]:
>
>> I believe that scroll saws are a bit like band saws. Inexpensive ones
>> are going to always need some kind of tweaking. Life is too short for
>> aggravating equipment, IMHO.
>
> I think scrollsaws are like bandsaws in that the blade makes
> much more difference than the saw.

That is the opposite of my experience. I had an 18" Rikon BS for a
brief period of time and it did well with no name brand blades,
sometimes, and never with a quality blade like Timberwolf. In fact
Timber wolf sent me replacement blades to remedy the tracking problem
with no luck. I had a couple of off brand blades made for the saw and
one did fine as well as the no name brand blade that came with the saw.

I returned the saw two weeks later because of that problem and other
issues and ordered a Laguna LT16HD band saw.
That was the end of my blade problems, period. I have a very low
tolerance level for having to tweak every setting when changing blades
and between saw operations days apart.

The Delta scroll saw that I had would almost vibrate off of the table
and could not hold on to the blade.

Now I will agree that a quality blade is most likely to perform well and
last longer but as far as tracking and cutting well the free throw in
blades that Laguna gave me with the saw were as easy to set up to track
perfectly on the saw as the Timberwolf blades and the Laguna Resaw King
blade.
Timberwolf was gracious enough to give me full credit on the 5 blades
that I previously purchased, for the 150" blades that fit the Laguna.

I understand that many people have better results with different brand
blades but my results with the Laguna are that the quality or brand of
blade does not matter.

Just so happens I have pictures. ;~)

These two show a fresh cut with a Laguna throw in blade. It appears it
was a 1/2" blade. I did this before the replacement Timberwolf blades
arrived.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/lcb11211/21660022618/in/dateposted-public/

Pretty thin

https://www.flickr.com/photos/lcb11211/21847874655/in/dateposted-public/

This is a tiger maple veneer I cut with the Resaw King 1.25" blade. I
had a 4"x4"x36" piece that I wanted to use and not all of it.
The veneer is glued to the 1/2" thick regular maple drawer fronts.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/lcb11211/21225271974/in/dateposted-public/

I had 26 drawer fronts to cover.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/lcb11211/21661195849/in/dateposted-public/








>
> That said, in the little scrollsawing I've done, the biggest
> annoyance was sawdust collecting on the line I was trying to
> follow, so I'd say a good dust blower is the important feature
> to look for.
>
> John
>

>one guy mentioned that the dewalt has a more aggressive cut and that
>makes it hard to use for delicate work

I've never heard anyone say that and I have used several different
DeWalts. Check out Steve Good's site. He does scrollsaw reviews
including the DeWalt, which he has and uses...
http://scrollsawworkshop.blogspot.com

>delta has really allowed their name to be tainted by not providing
>replacement parts for previous equipment

No surprise. My FiL I think had an insider to Delta parts. He was
maintenence manager at a teaching hospital and seemed to always be
able to get anything.

>you may have the right year like everything else they shipped all the
>work to asia and quality went down.

I used a new DeWalt several months ago at a local Woodcraft store.
Worked great and was even a tad quieter than mine. Watched the
on-going class use several of them and no one had any issues. Seemed
as solid as mine.

>there isn't a lot of info on the delta. i think delta really will not recover
>from the bad reputation they have earned

Who knows. Guess it depends on who is at the helm and how hard they
try to change brand perception. Seems like all companies go thru that
sort of thing on some level.

>i have no problem at all buying used
>my problem is that there are not many used for sale in the area

You have to know what you want, have an eye for checking out quality,
and do some bargaining, but you can get some great stuff used. I
recently picked up a used RazorTip pyrography tool that's like brand
new for about 40% of original retail. Works great. Took a few months
of searching and waiting but was worth it to me.

On 10/16/2015 8:42 AM, Electric Comet wrote:
> On Wed, 30 Sep 2015 11:38:38 -0700
> Electric Comet <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> i am considering getting a scrollsaw
>
> how are scrollsaws with cutting thick material say 1.5-4 inches thick
>
> maybe need a more agressive blade but how do scrollsaws in general
> perform with thicker stock
>
> i just realized i have not seen any videos cutting thick stock
>

They do not do very well. I have done 2 by stock (1.5 inches) and it was
very slow going. The blade travel is not long enough to allow the saw
dust to properly clear out of the gullets.

Dan

>i am considering getting a scrollsaw
>
>what is the consensus here
>i know there is always a consensus in harmony here
>
>i found some info but a lot of it is a bit dated
>
>what i know so far is that there are a few different methods for moving
>the blade
>
>not going with hf and here is a quote of a review from there
>
>"I don't know why I keep letting myself get tempted to buy worthless
>tool shaped objects from HF"
> Electric Comet


You also might want to check this out...
http://scrollsawreviews.com/

>the cheaper the better and i doubt i will want to upgrade later as this is
>really just for doing decorative features that are part of a larger whole
>piece

Definitely up to you. After comparing and trying some different saws,
I skipped the HF, Dremel, Craftsman, etc., in favor of the DeWalt.

>so mid-range but not garbage is what i am trying for
>
>i think the delta 40-694 and dewalt 788 share some heritage

They partially do. DeWalt is better imho. I have used both and know
scrollers who have had both and prefer the DeWalt.

>i watched a video on the 788 and the design of the saw action makes a
>lot of sense
>
>the guy talked about the needle bearings drying out
>he used valvoline synthetic grease with a specially rigged grease gun
>it has 32 needle bearings

I've had mine now for 6-7 years and no bearing or other issues. There
is a grease available for the DeWalt. I have not yet needed it.

>i saw another video of a guy assembling the 40-694 and they must be
>literally from the same mold and the delta $100 cheaper
>Electric Comet

Almost the same but the DeWalt, in many opinions, is better.

As I said, I got mine second hand and it runs like a champ. No issues
yet whatsoever. I saved 50% buying used and don't regret it.

Good luck!

On Fri, 2 Oct 2015 13:19:25 -0500, Leon <lcb11211@swbelldotnet> wrote:

>On 10/2/2015 11:08 AM, Electric Comet wrote:
>> On Fri, 02 Oct 2015 10:32:31 -0400
>> Casper <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>> Definitely up to you. After comparing and trying some different saws,
>>> I skipped the HF, Dremel, Craftsman, etc., in favor of the DeWalt.
>>
>> one guy mentioned that the dewalt has a more aggressive cut and that
>> makes it hard to use for delicate work
>
>IIRC that was on the Tiawaneese later built models, not the older models.
>
>
>>
>>> They partially do. DeWalt is better imho. I have used both and know
>>> scrollers who have had both and prefer the DeWalt.
>>
>> delta has really allowed their name to be tainted by not providing
>> replacement parts for previous equipment
>
>Delta is not really Delta as we all knew anymore. They are a lot like
>Rockwell. Rockwell once built a really great product 25+ years ago.
>Some one has bought the Rockwell name and sells their tools under the
>Rockwell name. The latest Delta owners manufacture a few machines here,
>including the latest Unisaw but a lot of their machines are being
>manufactured for them.
>
>
>
>
>>
>> i read that everywhere
>>
>> i have a delta bandsaw i bought used but was hardly used and it has
>> not needed any parts but it seems like there are a lot of these saws
>> out there so maybe parts can be had but that is another topic
>
>There are probably several OEM places to get parts.

I did find someone who sold arbor wrenches for my '09 Unisaw. Delta
sure doesn't. I bought two. ;-)
>
>>
>>> I've had mine now for 6-7 years and no bearing or other issues. There
>>> is a grease available for the DeWalt. I have not yet needed it.
>>
>> you may have the right year
>> like everything else they shipped all the work to asia and quality went
>> down
>> i read this in many places
>
>Asian quality is what the importer specifies. SawStop and the
>Powermatic 2000 table saws are pretty much the standard these days and
>are top quality. Both are Asian build, USA designed. The Delta Unisaw
>was the standard for decades but QC and the bean counters let that slip
>away.
>
I really like mine but it's the old style. I'd not pay what Delta
wants for the new one.
>>
>>> Almost the same but the DeWalt, in many opinions, is better.
>>
>> there isn't a lot of info on the delta
>> i think delta really will not recover from the bad reputation they have
>> earned
>
>That may be true but there will be a new crop of those that don't know
>any better. Delta will probably follow in the footsteps as B&D &
>Rockwell riding on the name.
>
They're not alone. PC is going down the same tube.
>
>>
>>> As I said, I got mine second hand and it runs like a champ. No issues
>>> yet whatsoever. I saved 50% buying used and don't regret it.
>>
>> i have no problem at all buying used
>> my problem is that there are not many used for sale in the area
>

>I have an old Rockwell Delta Scroll Saw and it is a tank.
>http://jbstein.com/Flick/JigSaw.jpg

That's like the industrial one my FiL had gotten from a closing shop.
Wish I had been able to get it. I've seen a couple of those around the
SS groups. Great for heavier or multiple cutting. Sadly I don't have
the room for it.

>If you can find one like this, buy it. Been working perfect since
>around 1954. It has a 2 foot radius, can cut 2x stuff like butter, has
>a blower that amazingly still works after all these years (knock on
>wood). The blower is a must to keep the cutting area clean.

>I personally don't use it all that often, but when you need one, it's
>great to have. There is no vibration either, of course I have it
>bolted to a cabinet, and itself is heavy cast iron.
>Jack

On 02/10/2015 9:47 PM, krw wrote:

>>
>> Asian quality is what the importer specifies. SawStop and the
>> Powermatic 2000 table saws are pretty much the standard these days and
>> are top quality. Both are Asian build, USA designed. The Delta Unisaw
>> was the standard for decades but QC and the bean counters let that slip
>> away.

General, a byword for quality, closed its foundry in Quebec and now
manufactures in the Orient.
Graham