rob342 Posted May 6, 2017 Report Share Posted May 6, 2017 (edited) Hi. New guy here from Illinois. i'm trying to learn about saws, blades, etc.. my mom opened a sign shop in 1976. a few years ago i decided i should be making lettering and logos in house, as it's a pain to order, it takes too long, and it's giving away money we could should be making instead of a big factory somewhere. it's pretty neat to walk around town seeing stuff i made by hand. i really like the saw i have because i like old american tools, it belonged to my friends cranky ol father... when he passed away his mother sold me the saw. unfortunately the saw i have has developed rod knock that i don't think i can fix. I use it to cut lettering and logos for my sign business. i cut a plethotra of materials that will likely seem strange and interesting to most of you. some i cover with paint, some look good bare, some i cover with 23kt gold, copper leaf, etc. -robert these are cut from pink panther insulation, have gold painted edges, and the faces gilded with real 23kt gold leaf.. cut on a late 1940's Craftsman 12" Edited May 6, 2017 by rob342 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggie Posted May 7, 2017 Report Share Posted May 7, 2017 Hi Here' s a welcome from Germany, enjoy your stay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heppnerguy Posted May 7, 2017 Report Share Posted May 7, 2017 Nice to have you on board. This site is filled with people from all over the planet. Everyone is very friendly and love to help one another. It is necessary to log on often so you can become familiar with the regulars. Feel free to explore all the nooks and crannies here and help yourself to what ever pattern that seem interesting to you. You have a different twist on scrolling than I have seen here before.. Always nice to see what others do, as it often inspires others to give it a try. So a big WELCOME from central/Eastern Oregon. Hope to see you on here often. I love what you do Dick heppnerguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombatie Posted May 7, 2017 Report Share Posted May 7, 2017 Welcome to the Village Robert. I'm Marg from Australia. Glad you found us. Your work looks really interesting. You have obviously had plenty of practice with lettering. So pull up a chair and make yourself at home. Marg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Scroller Posted May 7, 2017 Report Share Posted May 7, 2017 Very neat work on those letters looks great. Roly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveww1 Posted May 7, 2017 Report Share Posted May 7, 2017 welcome aboard, very nice work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrolling Steve Posted May 7, 2017 Report Share Posted May 7, 2017 Nice work, Robert !....Welcome to the Village ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meflick Posted May 7, 2017 Report Share Posted May 7, 2017 Welcome to the Village Robert. Work looks nice. Based on what you said, what saw are you presently using? Are you looking for information/help on a new saw? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GPscroller Posted May 7, 2017 Report Share Posted May 7, 2017 Welcome from Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada. Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob342 Posted May 7, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2017 (edited) thank you EVERYBODY for the warm welcome. 4 hours ago, meflick said: Welcome to the Village Robert. Work looks nice. Based on what you said, what saw are you presently using? Are you looking for information/help on a new saw? i am currently using a 1947 craftsman scroll saw. i thought with proper maintenance, this would last a lifetime. i'm learning i was wrong though. i tried. i even found the manual for it online so i could see which oil to use: http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/222/869.pdf the developing issue is just wear from age and use. -the bottom blade holder goes up and down appx 1/8", and the top blade holder wiggles from the 12 o'clock position to the 11 o'clock position. the play in the bottom is caused by a steel peg pressed into aluminum. it fits loose. the loose pin is causing other internal parts to be misaligned and causing other things to wear. -the wear at the top of the saw is caused by the spring in the cup, specifically the twisting motion created as a side effect of the spring compressing each stroke. if they had a bearing in there like a FWD car strut does, i bet the wear up there would have never occurred. I'd like to fix and hang onto this saw as a backup, and yes i am seeking advice and opinions on which saw manufacturers and model to look for. i know i do not want a dewalt. i'm sure it's a great saw, but it's yellow, and plastic, and i don't want to sit in front of it. i'd prefer american, german, swiss, etc.. something i can be proud to cut with. Edited May 7, 2017 by rob342 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotshot Posted May 7, 2017 Report Share Posted May 7, 2017 (edited) If your looking for solid and American, try the Hawk which is a modern (can top feed), well built, and well regarded. They still support their older saws, so there is a good chance anything you buy now will be supported going forward, if they stay in business. If you want something that has maintained the basic design for 30+ years, and you will probably be able to get parts of the rest your life, Hegner is your ticket, though they are cost prohibitive if you buy new. Craigslist has them pretty regularly for about 1/4 the price of new. For me, I have two Hegners, an Excalibur, and a Dewalt Type 1, and prefer the Ex/Dewalt style because of their top feeding and easy blade changes, though they are now made in Tawain. There are so many 788s out there, it is unlikely that parts would become unavailable for a very very long time. I could have very easily gone with Hawk, (the new models also top feed), and may buy one of those one day to complete my collection. ------Randy Edited May 7, 2017 by hotshot rob342 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meflick Posted May 7, 2017 Report Share Posted May 7, 2017 (edited) Wow, now that's an old saw! About 70 years old if my math is right. There are going to be as many opinions on the best saw as there are saws out there. There is a subsection here on the forum that has "reviews" of different saws. You could start there by reviewing that information. You can find it here: http://www.scrollsawvillage.com/forums/forum/49-scroll-saw-reviews/ - Another important factor is to determine what is your "budget" for a new saw? They range significantly in price so what you are willing to spend is an important decision. There have already been lots of discussions here on the forum in the past about people's favorite saws or hated saws - you could probably do a search and see what you can find in that regard as well. I don't know if anyone on here can give you information/help in fixing the saw that you have. I know I can't. I'm not that mechanically inclined and let hubby do the "fixing" when I have an issue that needs fixed. Plus, I'm a relative newbie to the saw myself (although right at a year now so maybe I can drop the "newbie" tag ) If you don't get much insight/input in this thread its self - (and you might not since it is in the "Introductions" area and many people might not catch you were looking for help/information - you might post a new thread in the General Scroll Sawing subform asking for help/insight in fixing your old saw and for further insight into a good new one to start with. Lots of people like their Dewalt's - despite their yellow color. Other's swear by Excalibur's, Hegner, Hawks and more. There are two new scroll saws that just came out. One is by Jet and the other is a Seyco saw. Seyco is a company in the USA who has sold and serviced Excalibur's for years. At present, new Excaliburs don't exist. You can look for used ones. There are others out that people say are "rebranded" Excaliburs. They have all been discussed recently here on the forum and with a little searching here and with google, you should find some reviews of both the new saws. The last edition of the Scrollsaw Woodworking and Crafts magazine had written reviews on both the new Jet and Seyco saw. (Summer, 2017 Issue 67) http://scrollsawer.com/2017/03/21/scroll-saw-woodworking-crafts-summer-2017-issue-67/ Good luck. Edited May 7, 2017 by meflick rob342 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob342 Posted May 7, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2017 (edited) i actually just fixed it.. for now. the repairs are getting more and more outside of my comfort zone. this is the pin that should be perfectly straight: this is another piece wearing due to the pin rattling around. i filed the burr off. i built the pin up a little with two little dots from the mig welder and then threw it in cold water. then i ground the weld down a few times the anglegrinder and pounded the pin in.. gently then i flipped it over to weld and grind the back of the pin so it won't move. i thought it would be uglier since the pin is steel and the other part is aluminum. :D. i made a before/after video. it's very exciting(haha). the blade doesn't wiggle up and down AT ALL anymore. the rodknock is gone and the saw is much quieter, but it's hard to in the movie Edited May 7, 2017 by rob342 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob342 Posted May 7, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2017 i think i'll keep my eye open for a hawk. two days ago i never heard of hawk. i was reading, and i do search. it's great to have a forum for stuff like this. when you look in store you see cheap saws, when i look online it's all brands i've never heard of so i just get scared it's all china stuff. thank you everybody. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meflick Posted May 8, 2017 Report Share Posted May 8, 2017 Glad you were able to fix your saw to get it working for you. I think @Rolf has a Hawk and is very biased towards them so he might be able to give you some good help/information on the Hawk saws. Like you, I had never heard of the other brands until I got on the forums for scroll saws. We already had a beautiful yellow dewalt and I have added a used Excalibur (it's purple my favorite color) so I haven't really explored any other saws yet. What I have now works for my needs. I do pay attention though when other saws are discussed as you never know. Good luck with the fix on the one you have and finding a new one. Be sure to let us know when you do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob342 Posted May 8, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2017 does anyone own one of the PS wood machine saws? i see the review here, but the info on the website seems to disagree with a couple points in the review. namely the blade change. it says "Everything about changing our blade is done above the table. Our newest Quick Change is fast and easy. After getting accustomed to your new saw, blade change can be done in approximately 15 seconds. " or better yet, has anyone used this saw and the hawk? i kind of like that this saw has the speed change done by moving the belt to a different pulley. i would think this means less electronic parts. could also be an option for me because it seems similar to the hawk, is also made in usa, and costs a few hundred dollars less. i wanted to post the question on the review thread but it seems there is no 'reply' option present. http://www.pswood.com/scroll-saws/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blaughn Posted May 8, 2017 Report Share Posted May 8, 2017 Welcome to the Villiage, Robert! Bruce - Minneapolis rob342 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rolf Posted May 9, 2017 Report Share Posted May 9, 2017 (edited) Nice save on that oldie, I am always impressed with people that just go for it, after all it doesn't work now sow you didn't have anything to loose. I have used the PS wood machines at a few shows. They are too aggressive for my taste, but some folks like that. Biased to the Hawks, ME, I just wouldn't buy anything else. But it has to be a newer one like my G4 (2005 and newer) I like having top feed capability when doing large fretwork projects. Edited May 9, 2017 by Rolf rob342 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denny Knappen Posted May 11, 2017 Report Share Posted May 11, 2017 Welcome to the forum from TN. rob342 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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