First Run On The New Hawk

[kmmcrafts]

Okay so yesterday I moved some things around in the shop and parked the new Hawk next to the others... now it’s the Hawks corner lol. 

I haven’t done any tuning. Of coarse saws come with a blade but they never say what size or style is in it, lol. Anyway release the upper arm and see that classic FD UR divot but also noticed the blade was bent so I remove the blade from the saw and also see the lower part is also bent in the hockey stick look. Couple turns on the set screws to get them in far enough fixed that. Should probably have been set up better than that but not the first new saw I’ve bought that needed this done either. In fact... every single new saw has needed this. Still feel they should have them set up better than that. JMO

I cut this out ( Steve Good pattered ) from 3/4”  saw run good cuts a little more aggressive than the other Hawks but I also haven’t done any tuning. The set screws I turned in on the clamps was off but I just wanted to cut on it and was limited on time. I broke about 3 blades trying to get through this project but near the end of cutting I finally started doing some adjustments. Since the original blade was bent I think they had the tension set too tight for the reason of why I was breaking the blades. 

Little more vibration than the other saws now that I’ve moved it but, as I said no tuning whatsoever short of those set screws. 

So far overall I’m happy with the saw, not too happy with the setup and wantnot that the company offers. It’s still limited use and everything but I feel the saw was well worth the purchase. But my experience with the company and the set up they do to these saws before shipping them out. I don’t think this saw is for a person that doesn’t expect to have to tune the saw. Something else troubling in my eyes is.. shortly after my first few cuts the tension lever started squeaking when applying tension. Not surprised that they never lubed the saw prior to shipping it either. I sprayed dry lube as suggested to all the areas suggested in the manual and the saw seemed to run smoother and the lever stopped squeaking too. 

I think once I get things tuned and everything set up I’ll really like the saw. Not to fond of the way Bushton runs the company is probably the biggest fault in the saw itself,

Something I noticed right away that is different from the older Hawks that I don’t like about the newer one. The blade is out beyond the saws body so the dust lands in your lap and on the floor. The older saws the blade is back behind the tilt mechanism and a pile builds up back there instead of your lap / floor. Lol

 

 

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

RBI land. Good luck with the saw. Continue to gives us updates as you get the thing dialed in.

[WayneMahler]

Good luck with your new toy. Keep us posted once you get  it dialed in please. It will be interesting to see how this saw fairs against the others. 

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Looks like he needs wheels on that chair. He can roll from one saw to the next and not have to change blades till they all get dull and then start over. Save alot of time. Keep them customers happy. 

[jbrowning]

Don't forget to adjust the little foot adjustments. I had to adjust them to get it level with my floor in the garage (floor isn't level).

[OCtoolguy]

I am a fairly large guy at 6' 1" and 220 lbs. I am also 75 years old. I have to plan ahead to get down under my saw to make those leg adjustments and then come up to see the level. It will be an all day job. Lol.

[jbrowning]

I cheated and had someone help me. I was on the floor while my sister was keeping an eye on the level.

 

Jim

[kmmcrafts]

I always seem to think I'm far enough out from under the saw to stand back up... lets just say the underside of that saw is just as hard as the top side.. much harder than my head..  Still hasn't knocked any sense into me.. but that's okay.. I wouldn't be the same if I had some sense.. 

[OCtoolguy]

1 hour ago, jbrowning said:

I cheated and had someone help me. I was on the floor while my sister was keeping an eye on the level.

 

Jim

I don't have a sister. Lucky you. Can I borrow yours?

 

[OCtoolguy]

1 hour ago, kmmcrafts said:

I always seem to think I'm far enough out from under the saw to stand back up... lets just say the underside of that saw is just as hard as the top side.. much harder than my head..  Still hasn't knocked any sense into me.. but that's okay.. I wouldn't be the same if I had some sense.. 

Speaking of "cents", am I the only person who stills bends down to pick up pennies?

 

[aj43]

octoolguy:    Speaking of "cents", am I the only person who stills bends down to pick up pennies?

___________________________________

Nope. I refuse to spend any I get in change and I pick up any I find.  When I go biking or walking, I always tantalize the kids who see me picking up coins almost in front of them. "What chew doin' that fer, mistah? Why they ain't worth nuthin' !" A penny saved is a penny I didn't have to work for (and I'm retired, so that's a hard thing.) On average I probably roll and bank about 7 rolls a month. Good for the kitty to pay for project incidentals.

[OCtoolguy]

1 hour ago, aj43 said:

octoolguy:    Speaking of "cents", am I the only person who stills bends down to pick up pennies?

___________________________________

Nope. I refuse to spend any I get in change and I pick up any I find.  When I go biking or walking, I always tantalize the kids who see me picking up coins almost in front of them. "What chew doin' that fer, mistah? Why they ain't worth nuthin' !" A penny saved is a penny I didn't have to work for (and I'm retired, so that's a hard thing.) On average I probably roll and bank about 7 rolls a month. Good for the kitty to pay for project incidentals.

That's part of the problem with the young folks today. They have never really had to work for anything and place no value on anything either. All you have to do is try to sell antiques or good quality anything and you'll end up donating it to charity. The young folks of today only like stuff that is either black, white or chrome and shaped like a square or a round ball. I think that is why Ikea has done so well. They don't have to worry about style, just simplicity. I read that the reason is they have to remain "mobile" so they can follow the jobs around the country. Not setting down "roots" anywhere for any length of time.

Ooops! Sorry for getting off topic. Won't happen again. Until next time. LoL.

 

[kmmcrafts]

Yeah I pick them up all the time.. I also pick up soda pop cans.. Here in MI we get $ 0.10 for them.. funny thing is everyone that buys a soda / beer pays that deposit.. then throw the cans / bottles out the window when driving etc... Those are a gold mine around here.. years ago they implemented the deposit on them and it helped a great deal cleaning up the sides of the roads from the cans etc.. but now people just toss them out.. well not like as bad as it used to be.. but I walk a 3 mile block about every day in the warmer months.. and almost every day I can come come with $1 - 3.. As a kid.. that was gas money for my car.. I remember riding my bike and picking up the cans... I'd leave them in piles along the way and then come home pick up my car and go pick up the piles ... Someone got smart watching me do that.. and picked up all my piles one day.. I dang near ran out of gas.. was counting on those cans to be there when i went back and someone stole them.. They probably thought they hit the jackpot.. and they did.. usually would get $5 piles.. I even hid them off the road and usually behind a tree.. maybe even 10 -15ft off the road.. so pretty sure I was being spied on and then robbed LOL ... I've never piled them up like that ever again..  I usually would get $20-30 worth of them in piles scattered about a 5-8 mile radius.. and back then that was a tank of gas, out to eat, and a trip to the movies with a girl...   

[aj43]

kmmcrafts  ---  I must be a lot older than you.  We turned in pop bottles for 2 cents. Three bottles got you a pack of Topps baseball cards with 5 or 6 cards and a big piece of gum inside and you got a penny back in change. You could get another card and a small piece of gum for the penny. We found the bottles underneath hedges on the way to school and turned them in at the deli on the corner opposite school. We were set for flipping cards at recess.

Edited March 30, 2019 by aj43

[OCtoolguy]

On 3/29/2019 at 5:07 PM, aj43 said:

kmmcrafts  ---  I must be a lot older than you.  We turned in pop bottles for 2 cents. Three bottles got you a pack of Topps baseball cards with 5 or 6 cards and a big piece of gum inside and you got a penny back in change. You could get another card and a small piece of gum for the penny. We found the bottles underneath hedges on the way to school and turned them in at the deli on the corner opposite school. We were set for flipping cards at recess.

@aj43 , you and I must be about the same age. On Saturday afternoons, we'd go to the Temple Theater for a movie and some cartoons. It cost $.12 to get in. One day, my buddy and I were walking like we always did and came upon what they call a "pocket dump". Someone getting out of their car didn't know they had a hole in their pocket. Anyway, we picked up all the change and I'll never forget, there was $1.27 in change. We had a ball at the movies. Everybody ate their fill. Good times for sure. The kids nowadays don't have a clue what the good times were like.

 

Edited April 5, 2019 by octoolguy

[John B]

We used to get tuppence for the small cool drink bottles, a penny for milk bottles and threepence for the large 750ml  bottles. Kept a young fellow in lollies and had enough for a comic every week.

[aj43]

These stories remind me about the economy back then. My first savings account began when I started to deliver newspapers. Meager as my deposits were I was earning a whopping 3% interest on my passbook savings. Can't even come close to that now. Even 1 and 2 year CDs are paying less.

 

[Rolf]

Kevin, regarding the dust in your lap, I added the handle and wheels to my Hawk G4 after I bought it. The handle ends up being really useful. I put a plastic bag on it with  a few clothespins. Plus with the dust collection i gen very little dust anywhere.  All of my small cutoffs go in the bag. 

I am not sure any of the folks at Hawk are hard core scrollers. When I bought mine in 2005 they had one guy who really did a great final tune on the saw. But my saw came in with a slight crown in the table, drove me nuts squaring the blade, until I put a straight edge across it. They did send me a replacement that was good. 

[OCtoolguy]

On 3/30/2019 at 6:50 AM, Rolf said:

Kevin, regarding the dust in your lap, I added the handle and wheels to my Hawk G4 after I bought it. The handle ends up being really useful. I put a plastic bag on it with  a few clothespins. Plus with the dust collection i gen very little dust anywhere.  All of my small cutoffs go in the bag. 

I am not sure any of the folks at Hawk are hard core scrollers. When I bought mine in 2005 they had one guy who really did a great final tune on the saw. But my saw came in with a slight crown in the table, drove me nuts squaring the blade, until I put a straight edge across it. They did send me a replacement that was good. 

Rolf, I like the idea of the handle. Where did you find one? Did you custom fabricate it? Also, did you leave the wheels on the rear legs? If so, could you post a pic? I'd like to see how you mounted them.

 

[John B]

On 3/30/2019 at 9:48 PM, aj43 said:

These stories remind me about the economy back then. My first savings account began when I started to deliver newspapers. Meager as my deposits were I was earning a whopping 3% interest on my passbook savings. Can't even come close to that now. Even 1 and 2 year CDs are paying less.

 

We used to have banking day at primary school, I think it was Mondays. A bank johnny from the Commonwealth bank would attend the school and we'd all line up with our bank books with our fortunes to deposit. Ranging from sixpence to two shillings, depending on how much Mum and Dad had left over or in my case how many , if any, rabbits I caught and sold. Mum would always tie the coins in the corner of my hanky so I wouldn't lose them All them pennies added up, with a little help from a paper round when I was a bit older I bought my first car a 1963 Falcon Station wagon.

[Rockytime]

What a wonderful thing that was. Now days children do not know how to be frugal much less work for a dime. Very sad.

[kmmcrafts]

33 minutes ago, Rockytime said:

What a wonderful thing that was. Now days children do not know how to be frugal much less work for a dime. Very sad.

I'm not young... but not that old either (50).. I guess I don't know how to work for a dime either.. I end up working what I consider my hind end off... and still don't make a dime.. many times it cost me money to work... I'd like to be schooled on how to work for a dime... Any takers to tell me how?  

[OCtoolguy]

I could use that same advice. I have worked hard but for some reason, I  still have a large hind end. 

 

[Dave Monk]

15 hours ago, kmmcrafts said:

I'm not young... but not that old either (50).. I guess I don't know how to work for a dime either.. I end up working what I consider my hind end off... and still don't make a dime.. many times it cost me money to work... I'd like to be schooled on how to work for a dime... Any takers to tell me how?  

You need to find another line of work to make money.  Then again it depends what you consider making money.

[OCtoolguy]

I was told by a very astute person many years ago to NEVER TRY TO TURN A HOBBY INTO A BUSINESS! You'll ruin both.