lew Posted June 9, 2018 Report Share Posted June 9, 2018 Arrived today at 1:00 PM.....fired it up by 2!!! Already I can tell the difference from the Wen I was using. No bad thoughts for the Wen it got me hooked on scroll sawing!!! Still figuring out my lighting and magnfying glass.... Quick question: Are the folks with a Delta using the locking pin to hold up the arm, or using a block of wood? I find the pin doesn't hold the arm up high enough, so I starting using a block of wood to hold it up as high as possible. Thanks Lew meflick and OCtoolguy 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerry1939 Posted June 10, 2018 Report Share Posted June 10, 2018 My saw is like yours. Have never pinned or blocked the upper arm. Am a top feeder. I lift the arm with my right hand, thread the blade into the hole with the left & lower the arm. To me, locking or blocking the arm up is an unnecessary time waster. Maybe OK for bottom feeders, but I would never go back. When I used to bottom feed, if there were a lot of tiny cutouts, I would sometimes thread the blade into a hole I had already cut. Would suggest you attempt to learn top feeding. It becomes automatic to you. After you have given it an honest effort to learn, if you don't like it, you can certainly go back to bottom feeding. jerry dgman, OCtoolguy and GrampaJim 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgman Posted June 10, 2018 Report Share Posted June 10, 2018 40 minutes ago, jerry1939 said: My saw is like yours. Have never pinned or blocked the upper arm. Am a top feeder. I lift the arm with my right hand, thread the blade into the hole with the left & lower the arm. To me, locking or blocking the arm up is an unnecessary time waster. Maybe OK for bottom feeders, but I would never go back. When I used to bottom feed, if there were a lot of tiny cutouts, I would sometimes thread the blade into a hole I had already cut. Would suggest you attempt to learn top feeding. It becomes automatic to you. After you have given it an honest effort to learn, if you don't like it, you can certainly go back to bottom feeding. jerry I’m with Jerry on this! I used to have a Jim Dandy arm lifter on my saw, ( DeWALT) but quickly discovered it was in my way. Took it off and dumped it! OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lew Posted June 10, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2018 Very interesting.....I will try top feeding and see how it goes. Thanks to all!! OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrappile Posted June 10, 2018 Report Share Posted June 10, 2018 Congratulations on you new saw. It is always great to get a new tool. lew and OCtoolguy 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lawson56 Posted June 10, 2018 Report Share Posted June 10, 2018 A BIG Congrats on your new saw. I know the feeling well. lew and OCtoolguy 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScollSaw Slasher Posted June 10, 2018 Report Share Posted June 10, 2018 Lew, I use the block of wood because of your reasons stated. I do occasionally top feed, but have difficulty in reattaching the blade underneath without looking which kind of defeats the purpose. Without looking, I sometimes whack the back of my hand and due to old age, bruise very easily. But congrats on the saw. OCtoolguy and lew 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCtoolguy Posted June 10, 2018 Report Share Posted June 10, 2018 I have the Jim Dandy arm lifter and I like it. It seems to keep the arm lifted to the maximum amount that it can go and I have never found it to be in my way. I'm left handed but I don't know what difference that would make. Maybe. Anyway, I tried top feeding and also found it awkward to reconnect the bottom of the blade. I guess with enough practice it might work out but right now, I'm a bottom feeder. I do hate that term though. I don't want to be associated with lawyers OR catfish. Oh well..................... lew 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgman Posted June 10, 2018 Report Share Posted June 10, 2018 (edited) 49 minutes ago, octoolguy said: I have the Jim Dandy arm lifter and I like it. It seems to keep the arm lifted to the maximum amount that it can go and I have never found it to be in my way. I'm left handed but I don't know what difference that would make. Maybe. Anyway, I tried top feeding and also found it awkward to reconnect the bottom of the blade. I guess with enough practice it might work out but right now, I'm a bottom feeder. I do hate that term though. I don't want to be associated with lawyers OR catfish. Oh well..................... It’s true it takes time to figure out how to connect the blade to the bottom clamp without looking, but once you learn, you will find how easy it is to top feed. No more lifting the board to feed the blade. It is more difficult to top feed when using spiral blades because the down facing teeth and tiny holes. But I don’t use spirals that often. Folks who only use spirals will most likely have to bottom feed. But I tend to cut more fret work than portraits. On average, it takes me 10-15 seconds to move the blade from one hole to the next without looking to connect the the blade to the bottom clamp, all by feel. Like I said earlier, I used to have a Jim Dandy, but I found it easier to lift the arm and let gravity lower the arm, without having to pull it down. Edited June 10, 2018 by dgman lew and OCtoolguy 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCtoolguy Posted June 10, 2018 Report Share Posted June 10, 2018 30 minutes ago, dgman said: It’s true it takes time to figure out how to connect the blade to the bottom clamp without looking, but once you learn, you will find how easy it is to top feed. No more lifting the board to feed the blade. It is more difficult to top feed when using spiral blades because the down facing teeth and tiny holes. But I don’t use spirals that often. Folks who only use spirals will most likely have to bottom feed. But I tend to cut more fret work than portraits. On average, it takes me 10-15 seconds to move the blade from one hole to the next without looking to connect the the blade to the bottom clamp, all by feel. Like I said earlier, I used to have a Jim Dandy, but I found it easier to lift the arm and let gravity lower the arm, without having to pull it down. I'll give it another try Dan. It sure seems like it would be quicker and easier once a habit is formed. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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