Question about top feeding an Excalibur

[Blaughn]

I moved from a bottom feeder (Hawk) to an Ex21.  Working with small pieces, top feeding is easy.  Working with a 12 x 18 piece I am having difficulties.  I am scrolling script letters that are relatively small with a FD UR #1 with a number 65 drill pilot holes.  I am lifting the wood to feed the blade through and then trying to hit the main hole in the table as I lower the arm and workpiece aiming to hit the main hole in the table.  With the size of the piece that has not been an easy target to hit.  For you top feeders, how do you approach this?

Thanks

Bruce 

[hawkeye10]

Bruce I have the EX16 and I bottom feed everything. With the EX I think you can feed like you want to. It's your choice. I have tried to top feed but it's not in my DNA. 

[trackman]

I top feed my EX21.  What I do to hit the table hole is after I cut a fret out I move to the one next to it.  This way the table hole is in the area.  Sometimes I have to move the piece from side to side or back an forth but after you get use to it it becomes second nature.  Also you can draw lines on the table in a X shape to show were the hole is.  Like on the new sayco saws.  It is still easier to hit the big table hole than to hit a tiny hole under the board IMO.

[WayneMahler]

Bruce

I am mainly a top feeder. After a while you get to sort of know where the hole is. I would imagine you could take a straight edge and draw cross hairs across the hole at right angles to help align the blade with the hole. Just a thought after looking at the new Seyco with the magnetic top cover marked out that way.  

[Scrappile]

I'm with Hawkeye10 (Don).  Must not be in my DNA to top feed.  I have tried and tried and to feed a 3/0 blade down through a hole drilled with a #70 bit, going against the direction of the teeth, just does not work for me.  Use to bother me, but then I thought do I really care.  Bottom feeding is what I am comfortable with.  Maybe is like the left or right handed thing, you are born a top or bottom feeder.  The yeng and the yang thing.

[jerry1939]

I top feed.  When installing a new blade, clamp the top.  Raise the upper arm.  If the bottom of the blade is slightly to the right or left of the hole, bend the blade near the top.  Note how far forward the bottom of the blade is from the near side of the hole.  That gives you a mental image of how far back to slide the wood while searching for the hole.

Also, sometimes the blade will go down part way and stop.  Hold the arm with 1 hand and grasp the bottom of the blade with the other hand and pull down.

It gets easier after a while.  Good luck Friend.

[RangerJay]

I top feed as well and, and like Jerry, do a bit of mental imaging.  After completing a cut and you are lifting the blade out of the hole then take notice where the blade positions itself immediately after it leaves the wood - then use that "spot" to help target where you need to position your next hole for cutting.  You will find yourself developing other benchmarks over time that will help you visualize and confirm the centre of the table - I also sight down the arm of the saw for side to side positioning.  For front to back positioning I draw an imaginary vertical line that descends from the upper clamp straight down.

 

Jay 

[Blaughn]

6 hours ago, WayneMahler said:

Bruce

I am mainly a top feeder. After a while you get to sort of know where the hole is. I would imagine you could take a straight edge and draw cross hairs across the hole at right angles to help align the blade with the hole. Just a thought after looking at the new Seyco with the magnetic top cover marked out that way.  

The lines on the table is a great idea.  I will try that.  Like I said, for small pieces I have no problem but with a large one the challenge increases.  Thanks!

[woodduck]

I mounted an adjustable laser on the top arm of my EX21 once it is adjusted for the wood thickness all you do is line it up with the drill hole in the pattern,works a treat for me.

[Scrappile]

Peter, that is one fine idea.  I'm thinking you should come up with a commercial  one and sell it as an accessory for scroll saws.  Can you tell us more?  Where did you get the laser light?  On the new Seyco saw it would be cool to have one that you could remove the angle gauge that comes with the saw and insert a laser light.  Them you could swap the angle gauge and the laser as needed.  Yo should at least send the idea to Seyco.

[Blaughn]

I agree with Paul.  This is a great solution.  Where did you get the laser?

 

[woodduck]

I had a burnt out Ryobi pedestal bench drill witch I removed the laser & battery box with switch from & mounted the laser on a piece of wood & stuck it to the top arm with some double sided tape & the same on the other side with the battery box.Hope this makes sense .cheers Peter

[Scrappile]

Peter, you are a genius!!!!  Darn Aussies, they know how to do things!!

Edited May 9, 2017 by Scrappile

[woodduck]

57 minutes ago, Scrappile said:

Peter, you are a genius!!!!  Darn Aussies, they know how to do things!!

Yep we are an inventive lot down here if we cant buy it we make it.

 

[Lucky2]

Bruce, I've found that there are occasions when you just can't top feed. On those occasions, you just have to feed from the bottom.

Len

[Blaughn]

11 hours ago, Lucky2 said:

Bruce, I've found that there are occasions when you just can't top feed. On those occasions, you just have to feed from the bottom.

Len

I think you may be right.  I will post this project when done.  It is very ambitious (for me at least) with 119 letters/punctuation cut in 3/8" cherry.  

[meflick]

22 hours ago, Scrappile said:

. . .   Where did you get the laser light? . . . 

 

22 hours ago, Blaughn said:

I agree with Paul.  This is a great solution.  Where did you get the laser?

 

I just wanted to say that I just did a quick search on Amazon and there are different laser lights and mounts, etc. that one can get and adapt and use for this purpose for those of you who are handy/knowledgeable enough to do so.  Prices vary depending upon how much you want a "completed" piece versus one you would create on your own.  They also sell some laser lights for embroidery and heat presses, etc. that could be adapted but they would be more expensive then creating your own.  I did see one linked that was for adding to a drill press.  Also, if you have trouble seeing "red" I saw other colors of laser lights that could be obtained.  I will leave this to you inventive types here in the Village (unless I have hubby look into it) but wanted to let you know that you could get the parts and pieces probable via Amazon.

[Scrappile]

You are correct, Melanie, there are a lot of options out there on the internet.  I also checked on the one on my drill press, which I never use, but it looks like it would very difficult to remove.   Not sure why this intrigues me, like I stated earlier in the thread, I am a bottom feeder (carp).  That is just what I am.

[meflick]

I understand Paul - sometimes we are just "intrigued" by something even if we don't "need" it.   I have a larger laser light for my heat press so I don't need one either.  But yet, I'm intrigued with how one could best add one to the scroll saw.   I haven't yet determined if I am a "Bottom feeder" or a "top feeder" anyway.   Since most of the cutting I have done has been for Intarsia there is no top or bottom feeding.  The few things I have done outside that scope that required holes drilled, I have tried both ways.  Haven't found one I prefer over the other EXCEPT I prefer to use the Excalbur over the Dewalt since the arm will stay up on it versus having to use something to prop the arm up on the Dewwalt.