Rockwell Scroll saw Pin blades

[Alexander Helbich]

Hey Guys

 

I've got a "cheap" rockwell Scroll saw, which takes pinned blades as a default. ( Which I cannot find any good blades, with pins!)

 

It came with an adapter that allows you to switch to pinless blades, but its a massive hassle and not the easiest thing to work with/change blades.

 

Any Advice, or anyone else have a problem like this when they were starting off?

[MrsN]

My best advice is to practice. I had a cheap saw at school that had an annoying blade change, after the kids started wanting to use it I got pretty good at changing the blade.

Also, practice cutting. There are lots of outlines you can do with no or few cuts. If you think you will continue to enjoy the hobby, start saving for an upgrade or used machine that has a better blade change system.

[LarryEA]

Alex, I wish you the best. It is tough to like anything that has a hassle involved.

Do your best to work it out and plan for a better saw. 

[Alexander Helbich]

Yeah, I've been fooling around with it quite a bit - Just a hassle changing the blades out, or even getting the blades into the adapters.

 

The adapters kind of hang on the pinned area on the scroll saw.

 

Just curious is anyone else had the problem at first aswell.

 

 

Hard to save up, when I have my first born coming in the next month and a few days!

 

haha. Life gets in the way of having fun

Edited March 23, 2016 by AlexH

[Lucky2]

I agree with Katie (MrsN), everything takes getting used to, and practice is how to get used to using the saw.

Len

[amazingkevin]

I had a scroll saw that you needed an allen wrench to change the blade.Good part was i only had to loosen just the top half to thread thru some wood .So it wasn't half bad .I had a ball for a year doing this daily ,all day long.

[WayneMahler]

Alex

First congrats on getting into scrolling. Sorry to hear your in a pickle though. Congrats on the upcoming birth, such a blessing. The best I can offer is to practice with you have for now. The learning curve will really aid in your next saved up for purchase. You'll learn the basics and then some going this route and it won't be too expensive. Basically paper and ink and some form of adhesive to attach the pattern. Lots of great threads here on starting out, check them out. Best of everything on you new adventures. First the baby second scrolling

[MrsN]

If the adapters are the type that hang from the pin holders, you may be able to get some extras and mount a few blades at once. It may reduce some of the frustration.

Also look at the Hegnar clamps. there is a chance you could make something work with the tuff screw or quick clamp.

http://www.advmachinery.com/c-6-scroll-saw-accessories.aspx

[TerryD]

My first saw was similar to what you have.  It was very frustrating to say the least.  After a while you get used to it but you have to stay with it.  I had more trouble with only 2 speeds than I did with anything else.  In the meantime there are some really nice patterns out there that you can do with the pinned blade.  You don't need to get into highly detailed fretwork to have fun with scrolling.  The size of the pilot hole you make in the waste area for your blade to go through can determine how detailed your fretwork can be. The more detailed fretwork can come later when you upgrade. And when you do upgrade plan ahead.  Go for the higher quality saw because you will eventually want one anyway.  Save a little longer to make your purchase.  My DeWalt should have been my second saw not my third.  Congradulations on your soon to be new addition.

[Scrappile]

My first saw was a Craftsman that you had to insert a "U" shaped thingy in the holder, and the arm to hold the blade clamp in place while you put the blade in.  Had to use an allen wrench to loosen and tighten the clamp.  It was a nightmare.  I finally got tired of getting down on my knees to put the blade into the bottom clamp.  So, I built a table top to mount the saw on that was hinged.   I would lift the table top up so the saw was on it's side while I changed the blades.  Some engineer really put his heart and sole into designing the saw clamps!!  I worked with it for years when I only used the saw occasionally, but when I really started getting interested in fret work, I had to do an upgrade.

 

That little Craftsman saw still sits in my daughter's garage on it's little hinged table.  Hasn't been used in years.

[Alexander Helbich]

My first saw was a Craftsman that you had to insert a "U" shaped thingy in the holder, and the arm to hold the blade clamp in place while you put the blade in.  Had to use an allen wrench to loosen and tighten the clamp.  It was a nightmare.  I finally got tired of getting down on my knees to put the blade into the bottom clamp.  So, I built a table top to mount the saw on that was hinged.   I would lift the table top up so the saw was on it's side while I changed the blades.  Some engineer really put his heart and sole into designing the saw clamps!!  I worked with it for years when I only used the saw occasionally, but when I really started getting interested in fret work, I had to do an upgrade.

 

That little Craftsman saw still sits in my daughter's garage on it's little hinged table.  Hasn't been used in years.

 

 

Yeah, Mine is like this aswell, U shaped with a allen key chuck, I guess you could call it, to close around the pinless blades.

Everytime I want to change the blade, or move the blade into another position to do an internal cut, I have to take the entire blade system off and remount the adapters.

 

Not fun. haha.

[allpurpose]

On 3/22/2016 at 8:32 PM, MrsN said:

My best advice is to practice. I had a cheap saw at school that had an annoying blade change, after the kids started wanting to use it I got pretty good at changing the blade.

Also, practice cutting. There are lots of outlines you can do with no or few cuts. If you think you will continue to enjoy the hobby, start saving for an upgrade or used machine that has a better blade change system.

Ha! I too have an old clunker. Mine is the 'wonderful' 2 speed Dremel. By practice do you mean to practice NOT throwing it across the shop? I have that down to an art form, but my patience do have limits..  I suppose I really ought to start stashing my pennies away for an eventual new (used) saw.. The problem is I've gotten so used to this old clunker being what it is my head might explode if I had an actual convenient saw. Even though my saw reaches new heights of pain-in-the-patooty I still managed to cut out this nifty S in maple for my sister Soozy.. (not the real spelling)