New Experience

[Hawk]

After all these years of scrolling one thing I've never done is cut a project on just 1 layer of 1/8" stock. I've always stacked the 1/8th" material to get it to 1/2" or more. With my new saw I'd thought I'd give cutting just 1 layer of 1/8th" a go. You know, it's much more difficult than I would have thought. The biggest issue for me is control of the cut. I've been trying different speeds, different blades and bottom line it's tough to control the cut cutting only 1 layer of 1/8th".  I would have never figured that. 

I plan to keep experimenting with different blades and speeds, a great learning, and frustrating at times, lesson. But I'm confident that when all is said and done cutting 1 layer of 1/8" not the best idea, need to stack the thin stuff for more control. Anyhow, thats my 2 cents...

Chris 

[OCtoolguy]

34 minutes ago, Hawk said:

After all these years of scrolling one thing I've never done is cut a project on just 1 layer of 1/8" stock. I've always stacked the 1/8th" material to get it to 1/2" or more. With my new saw I'd thought I'd give cutting just 1 layer of 1/8th" a go. You know, it's much more difficult than I would have thought. The biggest issue for me is control of the cut. I've been trying different speeds, different blades and bottom line it's tough to control the cut cutting only 1 layer of 1/8th".  I would have never figured that. 

I plan to keep experimenting with different blades and speeds, a great learning, and frustrating at times, lesson. But I'm confident that when all is said and done cutting 1 layer of 1/8" not the best idea, need to stack the thin stuff for more control. Anyhow, thats my 2 cents...

Chris 

Have you tried adjusting the "agression" out of your new saw by loosening the motor and turning it to get the blade perpendicular to the table. It's a known fact that your saw is the same as the EX's and they have that adjustment. 

[Hawk]

18 minutes ago, OCtoolguy said:

Have you tried adjusting the "agression" out of your new saw by loosening the motor and turning it to get the blade perpendicular to the table. It's a known fact that your saw is the same as the EX's and they have that adjustment. 

Thats one of the things I'm experimenting with. Currently I have moved the screws one hole to the right and turned the motor a bit clockwise, I'm not sure which way would take the aggression out, but I'll keep trying. 

[OCtoolguy]

1 minute ago, Hawk said:

Thats one of the things I'm experimenting with. Currently I have moved the screws one hole to the right and turned the motor a bit clockwise, I'm not sure which way would take the aggression out, but I'll keep trying. 

It's an experimentation thing. I had to do it with the saw off. I placed a small block behind the saw blade and used a screwdriver to cycle the armature while watching to see what way the gap went. I actually removed the 3 screws until I found the best position.

 

[Hawk]

14 minutes ago, OCtoolguy said:

It's an experimentation thing. I had to do it with the saw off. I placed a small block behind the saw blade and used a screwdriver to cycle the armature while watching to see what way the gap went. I actually removed the 3 screws until I found the best position.

 

Theres a piece of the puzzle I was missing, I know you mentioned using a screw driver before, but I didn't understand how you were using it, turning the armature never occurred to me.  Something new to try tomorrow. Thanks!!!

[Foxfold]

I must be the 'odd one out',,  I've only ever used 1/8th singly for my patterns, as photo.  I very rarely have reason to stack cut.  I generally use Niqua #3 blades and have my saw below full on and never really had a problem.  In fact stack cutting scares me a bit as I'm not sure I'm good enough to try  although not sure why as I learned to scroll on ¼" wood.

Edited November 8, 2021 by Foxfold

[kmmcrafts]

1 hour ago, Foxfold said:

I must be the 'odd one out',,  I've only ever used 1/8th singly for my patterns, as photo.  I very rarely have reason to stack cut.  I generally use Niqua #3 blades and have my saw below full on and never really had a problem.  In fact stack cutting scares me a bit as I'm not sure I'm good enough to try  although now sure why as I learned to scroll on ¼" wood.

Wonderful work as always Brenda! 

I also learned scroll sawing on 1/8 and 1/4 material without stack cutting. If you're pretty proficient at it ( looks like you are when I see your projects ) you probably will have the opposite of what everyone else has.. Most think the thin stock cuts way too fast for them and they' cannot control the blade.. If you stack cut you might find ( like I did ) that each layer you add to the stack slows your cut down. When you cut thick stock it goes way to slow for you and many times you start "pushing " too hard and bowing the blade.. 

 

[kmmcrafts]

When you get used to cutting fast ( thin materials ) and then you start cutting thick hard woods etc.. it's like watching paint dry.  I think this is why some folks get the impression that I'm all about cutting fast because I'm doing this for a living to make money and time is money.. which is true time is money.. but liking to cut fast has nothing to do with trying to be in a hurry to make that extra $$.. I charge based on my time and don't worry about what others charge. I just like cutting fast as that is how I learned to cut.. 

[Hawk]

9 hours ago, kmmcrafts said:

Wonderful work as always Brenda! 

I also learned scroll sawing on 1/8 and 1/4 material without stack cutting. If you're pretty proficient at it ( looks like you are when I see your projects ) you probably will have the opposite of what everyone else has.. Most think the thin stock cuts way too fast for them and they' cannot control the blade.. If you stack cut you might find ( like I did ) that each layer you add to the stack slows your cut down. When you cut thick stock it goes way to slow for you and many times you start "pushing " too hard and bowing the blade.. 

 

Very true. When I first started many, many years ago, before internet, the only stock I had available to me was 3/4", in fact my first ever project was made with 3/4" teak, I was living in Florida and it was available at the local home improvement place. After that most everything was 3/4" for years until I started going thinner.

[lawson56]

I started out many years ago with 3/4. then I tried 1/8. Didn't like it to much. so I tried 1/4. Loved it, been cutting with it for about 4 yrs now.

[OCtoolguy]

Every project is different for me. What I'm doing now is 1/2 and 3/4" oak but the one before it was 1/4" BB. My next one is stacked 4 high 1/4" hickory. Boy is that stuff hard. But it's working out great so far. 

 

[Hawk]

1 hour ago, OCtoolguy said:

Every project is different for me. What I'm doing now is 1/2 and 3/4" oak but the one before it was 1/4" BB. My next one is stacked 4 high 1/4" hickory. Boy is that stuff hard. But it's working out great so far. 

 

You got your work cut out for you with that Hickory..good luck!

[OCtoolguy]

2 hours ago, Hawk said:

You got your work cut out for you with that Hickory..good luck!

It's almost done. Only 30 more cuts.

[kmmcrafts]

I've cut a lot of ornaments from Hickory and I always thought it cut fairly well.. When everyone talked about how hard it is to cut and I bought some to try several years ago.. I had to ask around to be sure it was actually hickory.. I thought it cut no different than any other hardwood.. Want a challenge try it with some of those exotic woods.. I've cut some projects from purple heart and also zebra wood.. I thought at the time those had to be the worst to cut until I bought some Bubinga, LOL.. This all said.. all of these the first time round cutting it I thought it was tough.. then when using up some scraps didn't seem so bad so I think sometimes maybe it makes a difference on the moisture content of the wood.. it seemed to cut better after it sat in the shop for a year, LOL Gotta plan way ahead if I'm cutting that stuff,

[OCtoolguy]

6 hours ago, kmmcrafts said:

I've cut a lot of ornaments from Hickory and I always thought it cut fairly well.. When everyone talked about how hard it is to cut and I bought some to try several years ago.. I had to ask around to be sure it was actually hickory.. I thought it cut no different than any other hardwood.. Want a challenge try it with some of those exotic woods.. I've cut some projects from purple heart and also zebra wood.. I thought at the time those had to be the worst to cut until I bought some Bubinga, LOL.. This all said.. all of these the first time round cutting it I thought it was tough.. then when using up some scraps didn't seem so bad so I think sometimes maybe it makes a difference on the moisture content of the wood.. it seemed to cut better after it sat in the shop for a year, LOL Gotta plan way ahead if I'm cutting that stuff,

Was it an inch thick? I'm stack cutting 4 layers.

[kmmcrafts]

2 hours ago, OCtoolguy said:

Was it an inch thick? I'm stack cutting 4 layers.

No, I stacked 3 layers of 1/4" 

[BadBob]

I cut everything from 1/8-inch to 1-1/2-inch. I stack cut only if there is some advantage, but usually I only need one part.

Lately I have been cutting thin parts from the thick wood and the resawing to the thickness I need. That's sort of like stack cutting.

I find that when I change from one thickness to another there is s short period of adjustment.

[old sarge]

Here is a little something I did when I first got the Excalibur.  1/8 in Luan.

Well, I tried to post a photo but I got a server error.  Any help in posting a photo would be appreciated.

Edited November 11, 2021 by old sarge

[OCtoolguy]

2 hours ago, old sarge said:

Here is a little something I did when I first got the Excalibur.  1/8 in Luan.

Well, I tried to post a photo but I got a server error.  Any help in posting a photo would be appreciated.

Maybe the picture file was too big. Try resizing it. My phone was taking all my pics in high res so I had problems too. Now I run them through Irfanview and change them. No more problems.

 

[old sarge]

A little something I made out of 1/8 in Luan.  Wife liked it so I kept it rather than giving it away. Finally figured out how to drag a photo:

Edited November 12, 2021 by old sarge