olddust1 Posted January 27, 2016 Report Share Posted January 27, 2016 When I started scrolling, many years ago, some of the best advice I received were; 1. Buy the best saw you can afford. 2. Cut SLOW, let the saw do the work.3. Join an online scroll saw group. I believe they all still apply. What can you add? John Old Dust oldhudson, tomsteve and WayneMahler 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjR Posted January 27, 2016 Report Share Posted January 27, 2016 I will dis-agree on the expensive saw. First try an in-expensive one and see what features you really want and what you do not like! Then purchase the better saw based on what fits your likes and needs! I will add: Make a comfortable nest (station) for you! Lights, chair, music, seat pad, what ever makes it for you! Cut what pleases the person that you see in the mirror! Make it fun; not work! Fish, tomsteve, oldhudson and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lawson56 Posted January 27, 2016 Report Share Posted January 27, 2016 I agree with rjR. I will add just 1 more start with simple patterns and work your way up.I learned this the hard way. tomsteve and NC Scroller 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 Remember why you really do it, not just for money. keep the passion for the work and you'll always love it. tomsteve, NC Scroller and WayneMahler 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Pellow Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 I agree with the original statement that one should purchase the best saw that they can afford (by the way, I think that this is true for all tools) I would add: When possible, sit to scroll -and use a GOOD seat Make sure that the lighting is good Use a foot pedal tomsteve 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sycamore67 Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 Which scroll saw to buy first is really interesting. There are quite a few people who buy an expensive one and then they find out that they really do not like scroll sawing. That was great for me as I found an almost new Hegner for a really good price. Buying a cheap one could be very discouraging. So.....what do you buy first? Maybe buy a good used one, find someone who will let you try one, buy a medium priced one? I believe in buying the best tool you can afford but if you have never scrolled before it may be a bit different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Pellow Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 I like the 'find someone who will let you try one first approach. In my case of a scroll saw I had used cheap ones at schools and friends on occasion for many years. Then I took a scroll sawing course at Lee Valley tools and they were equipped with Dewalt saws (when they were still being made in Canada). Those saws were quite good and I was going to buy one. When I told this to the salesman at Welbeck Sawmill (near Durham Ontario) he suggested that I try an Excalibur EX30 and they had a demo model That saw was even better than the smaller Dewalt, so I bought one. By the way most of my big tool purchases were of tools I had already tried. For example my jointer/planer combo machine, both my band-saws, my table-saw, and my drill press. I used the same three sources, that is: friends, schools, stores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldhudson Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 I will dis-agree on the expensive saw. First try an in-expensive one and see what features you really want and what you do not like! Then purchase the better saw based on what fits your likes and needs! I will add: Make a comfortable nest (station) for you! Lights, chair, music, seat pad, what ever makes it for you! Just out of curiosity, how do you listen to music with a saw going and some dust collector running too? Don't you wear hearing protection? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomsteve Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 (edited) when learning(or even after years) and getting frustrated, walk away for a while. buy quality blades. and one thing i keep in mind is no matter what type of woodworking im doing or how long ive done it im just practicing. Edited January 28, 2016 by tomsteve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC Scroller Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 Just out of curiosity, how do you listen to music with a saw going and some dust collector running too? Don't you wear hearing protection? Google Worktunes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OLD WORMY Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 I have a MP3 player in my bib pocket with ear buds under my hearing protectors. Works great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ike Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 I don't have music in my shop. I was running a table saw with music and lost consternation and cut off my thumb, So no music. other advice is a foot pedal and an awl to enlarge the hole where you feed the blade thru. and for you older folks a magnifying light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoney Posted January 29, 2016 Report Share Posted January 29, 2016 (edited) I'll just add don't buy any saw that you can't try one out first. This applies to first,and even second or third time buyers. Just because one scroll saw cost more than another doesn't necessarily mean it's the right saw for you. I learned this lesson the hard way. Edited January 29, 2016 by stoney Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Scroller Posted January 29, 2016 Report Share Posted January 29, 2016 I've had the cheap saws been there they make you appreciate the good saws. So it's not all bad. Roly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrappile Posted January 29, 2016 Report Share Posted January 29, 2016 Aside from which saw to buy first, a discussion that can go on for ever, the advice I received when I first started scrolling that actually helped me the most was, relax and breathe normally. Once I did those two things I really started enjoying myself. tomsteve 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Finn Posted January 29, 2016 Report Share Posted January 29, 2016 One thing, that is not often mentioned at scroll saw forums, is that there are many different uses for a scroll saw other than doing fretwork. I have played with making toys, compound cutting, bowl making, basket making, intarsia, segmentation, lettering and inlay. If one is doing just fretwork, easy blade changes is important and durability in cutting thicker (3/4"") wood not so much. When doing any of the other listed project types easy blade changes is not as important but durability is. This is why some people have cheaper saws that last for years and years others (like me) ware them out is less than two years. (I do not do fretwork) tomsteve and Scrappile 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amazingkevin Posted January 30, 2016 Report Share Posted January 30, 2016 When I started scrolling, many years ago, some of the best advice I received were; 1. Buy the best saw you can afford. 2. Cut SLOW, let the saw do the work. 3. Join an online scroll saw group. I believe they all still apply. What can you add? John Old Dust, I had the time of my life for years with cheapy saw ,lighting and a foot pedal are a plus! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heppnerguy Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 I really can not think of much to add to the things mentioned. I first bought a cheap Ryobi saw and used it for about 2 years, i guess and I was able to do just abaout anything I wanted to on it and enjoyed the saw a lot. the worse thing about it was the parts wore out verily quickly and I replaced some of them several times. Good thing, they were cheap and easy to get. Bad thing, I finally got tired of buying parts and got a better saw. I really felt like I got my money's worth from the saw as i gained a lot of experience and learned to really enjoy scrolling and intarsia, so it was some of the best $100 I have ever spent. I drive a Nissan Sentra and it gets me from point to point. It is not a BMW or a fancy car but it gets me where i need to go. I am not unhappy with my car but if I had the BMW it would make my driving experience a little nicer. That is how I feel about a scroll saw. One does not need a $1800 saw to enjoy scrolling, and one does not need a BMW to get from Dallas to Fort Worth.. Dick heppnerguy Jim Finn 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WayneMahler Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 Okay didn't read "all" previous posts. I think the biggest thing is to keep if un and exciting. Going on this thought, I have ggrowwn a nice hobby the more then pays the bills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Finn Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 ........ I drive a Nissan Sentra and it gets me from point to point. It is not a BMW or a fancy car but it gets me where i need to go. I am not unhappy with my car but if I had the BMW it would make my driving experience a little nicer. That is how I feel about a scroll saw. One does not need a $1800 saw to enjoy scrolling, and one does not need a BMW to get from Dallas to Fort Worth".. Dick heppnerguy I surely agree with this. I have a $2500 Hegner that I have set up to do inlay work and a $15 (Used) Jet made in 1988 I use to do all my other scroll saw work. Both work great for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heppnerguy Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 Oh by the way. I have finished making one of your inlay boxes that i made for my wife for Valentines Day. I wrapped it for her and forgot to take a photo of it first. I had to use WRC because that was what i had on hand. I will post it after she opens it. Thanks to you, I found myself able to accomplish this pretty well. Dick Jim Finn 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Framer Posted February 2, 2016 Report Share Posted February 2, 2016 I think a cheap saw until you see if you like it. I got lucky I bought a Delta ss250 about 15 years ago from Lowe's. I'm still using it but if money was there I would buy an Excaliber now that I know how much I like it. And joining an online group is the smart thing to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky2 Posted February 3, 2016 Report Share Posted February 3, 2016 I disagree with buying a cheap saw. My first saw was a cheap saw, and it was so miserable to use that I almost gave up on scrolling. The saw was a gift, and I only kept it for two weeks. The only reason I stuck with it, is that I traded that first saw in for a Delta scroll saw. The little 16" Delta saw was a variable speed saw, with quick release levers for the blade changes. I excelled at cutting once I got the Delta, it was a nice little saw that did a lot of work. I still own it, it is my back-up saw. So, if I had stayed with the cheap after market saw, I have no doubt that I wouldn't be scrolling nowadays. The only thing that kept me scrolling, was a saw upgrade. Len Jim Finn 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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