Anyone need this hint?

[jerry1939]

I am a bottom feeder.  Started a project today with lots of tiny cutouts.  For no particular reason, when cutting a pattern, I start on 1 side and work my way across.  Because the drill holes were very small  & close together, it was inconvenient to find &  thread the blade to the next hole.

 

It FINALLY dawned on me to not work straight across, but to drill a few holes at a time, on random places on the pattern. This way, the next hole is off by itself.

 

I normally only drill 8 - 10 holes at a time anyway.  This forces me to keep getting off of my lazy b_____ and walking over to the drill press.

 

jerry

[Scrappile]

That's pretty much how I do it.  I'll able to sit at the scrollsaw a max of 30 minutes at a time.  Usually I get up about every 20 minutes and drill some more, go see what is happening on the forum or maybe just walk outside for a while.  If I go more than 30 minutes someone is going to have to help me get up.  My back will not take it.  I'm taking a little break right now.

[LarryEA]

I never thought about 'random' drilling, I usually drill a series of 20 or so.

I plan where I drill. It must be the 'small ' cuts or the ' hard ' cuts first.

Could never continually cut for hours, ... I can do  5 or 10 cuts and then

do something with a different project...

[Lucky2]

I just started doing the drill a few holes and then cut them out, and do it all over again. I can sit at my saw for hours and not tire from doing so, so, I like to drill a lot of holes and sand the back of the piece of wood to get it ready to cut. I always start with the most difficult and delicate cuts, then move on from there cutting from the middle to the outer edges.

Len

[DWSUDEKUM]

That works however there is the consideration that there will be parts of a complicated cut that will need special attention and may have to be cut sooner so that structurally the cut is safer ( less chance of snapping anything off )  My self on the big complicated pieces I top feed, on most everything else bottom feed.  

 

DW

[amazingkevin]

Truthfully i don't think i ever top fed.Well maybe once and it was awkward to hold down the top arm of the dw788 as i have the attachment that holds it up for you with a spring.

[Scrolling Steve]

I drill all my entry holes before i start..mark all hole with the tip of a #2 pencil after sanding....Then cut inside out, with the smallest cuts first....Like DW said, I try to figure where the flimsy parts that will need support are and work those first.........Everyone has their on methods ....Thats just my 2 cents   ! 

[ike]

I only drill 10/15 holes at a time and where it's feasible I also run the drill thru the hole from the opposite side.I also use a awl on the down side where it is feasible

with my try focals it helps..

[WayneMahler]

I drill all the holes before I start. There are times you have to clear out some of saw dust from them though. I also mounted a double bulb T5 light above my saw. It's bright enough to shine through the little holes and help you find them.

[bubbaloo158]

Like Zen, I only drill 10 to 15 holes at a time into the planned pieces that I want to cut at that time. And so most of the time it really doesn't matter if I thread the "wrong" hole because that piece was meant to come out at this cutting session anyway. Doing so also assures that I won't be sitting at the saw until every last hole is cut, no matter how long it would take to do this.

 

If a hole fills up with dust, an awl clears it out quickly.

 

If a certain hole amongst others MUST be cut first, I might just touch it with the tip of a Sharpie.

 

I thread my blade through the back of the the project, and not being sure of the terminology, I'm guessing that I am a bottom feeder.

 

Works for me.

 

Bobby