Cutting a big circle

[Wichman]

I finished cutting the base for the fishing rod rack. 12" diameter x 1 1/2" thick Solid chunk of Elm. I have other methods to cut this, but I wanted to see how the Hegner handled it.

It was a bear to cut. I used the largest blade I have (came in the blade assortment with the saw) , a "GT 2.0" that Advanced doesn't carry anymore, but it's a big thick blade, and I wore out two of them to cut the circle. Had to crank the speed up to max as well, 2000, normally it stays at 1400.

The first picture is of two blades, the top is the GT 2.0 and the bottom is my go to Polar #1.

Second picture is the round, before any sanding or truing.

 

Edited August 2 by Wichman
spelling

[kmmcrafts]

My wall clocks are 8, 10, and 12" diameter. I stack cut the face from 1/8" BBply 4 at a time.. I then stack cut 4 1/4" at a time for the backer added to the stack so they're cut at the same time. While i don't sell too many wall clocks anymore I still do this about 4 times a year. Use to go through 2-3 FD-UR blades to do this but now that I switch to Pegas MGT blades I typically can cut this with 1 blade. Usually a #5 or #7.. I usually cut these thicker stacks on the Excalibur as it is a bit more aggressive cutting than the Hawk.

I've never worked with Elm so I don't know the density of it. But years ago I agreed to make some BigRig puzzles out of 7/8 Hickory and hard Maple.. I'll never agree to something like that again.. no matter how much money offered.  These are about 13" long I think.. but when making them from these materials I think they're 13 ft, .. I still think the customer was probably someone that scroll saws and knows their lumber.. probably a member here playing a mean joke and they did it so they could read about it on the forums here. 

[Hudson River Rick]

Hi Kevin, really like that pattern, can you share where you got it, you may have forgotten since it was a while ago.

Thanks for sharing.

Rick

 

[Wichman]

I cut 1 1/2 pine all the time with a Polar #1, I've even cut purple heart with that blade, but this Elm was a PIA.

I have a couple of pieces of hickory, and yes it's pretty tough to cut.

Elm is listed as tough, wear resistant, Janka 830, and tight interlocked grain. At 5/8" it is cuttable with the Polar #1, at 12/8 (1 1/2" eighths shown for scale). I didn't want to struggle with such a small blade, so I went with the GT. 

[Wichman]

I'd have gone with the BIG BLADE, but I don't think it would work.

( I cut a pruning blade down to 5" as a Joke, I can't imagine actually trying to cut with it )

[kmmcrafts]

3 minutes ago, Hudson River Rick said:

Hi Kevin, really like that pattern, can you share where you got it, you may have forgotten since it was a while ago.

Thanks for sharing.

Rick

 

https://woodcraftbyscott.com/collections/scroll-saw-patterns/products/puzzle-patterns-vehicles-sports-musical-instruments?variant=5409811431439

I think they're also available on woodenteddybear.com 

[kmmcrafts]

3 minutes ago, Wichman said:

I'd have gone with the BIG BLADE, but I don't think it would work.

( I cut a pruning blade down to 5" as a Joke, I can't imagine actually trying to cut with it )

Few years ago I was at an estate sale that had some Hegners.. I passed on them and later after the sale since i knew the people running the sale they forgot to give the boxes of parts and blades with the saws when they sold them.. someone got a deal anyway as three saws were $40 each.. Yeah I passed for some reason, anyway after the sale they found this box of saw blades and parts and just gave it to me.. I don't know the sizes they were but biggest I ever used was a #7 and these made those look small.. 

Only about 6 years later would that box come in handy when another estate sale had a much newer Hegner for $50. Got there and it was missing the clamps.. which I had in the box of stuff given to me. I talked to the guy and said I couldn't even test it and it's no good without those to me.. He ended up offering it to me free.. said it was either I take it or it was going to be thrown into the big dumpster he was filling up. Obviously I took it..  Anyway back to those blade.. no lie they looked almost as big as the one in the picture you posted.