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I didn't have a good day at the saw today. I tried cutting something way beyond my capabilities. I tried 4 times to no avail. So tonight I cut something small and simple just because I needed to cheer myself up.

Finally finished up a couple pics both by neptun. The frames I made are from redwood with maple splines. 3 coats of tung oil/satin poly/mineral spirits equally mixed on the frame. 2 coats of thinned shellac on the pic. Still a rookie at both but getting better. Don't look to close!

Not an easy cutting. Lots of very thin lines> have to revisit my original pattern for larger bridges and rework the grill and front of hood and eliminate some of the reflection on the lamps and hub caps. Grill on hors are way too thin also. Glad I went big. Board is 11.5 x 18. Putting cut pieces back in and blue taping everything down kept everything together. Things got pretty floppy with all the thin lines. Cleaning everything up with an orbital sander on the back removed all the fuzz. I still need to put a finish on. Too much rain locally for shellac and lacquer right now since I have to do it in the garage.

I was searching some old drives looking for a particular pattern that I was sure I had, maybe I dreamed it, or I just haven't dug deep enough. However I came across some photos of a jewellery box I made for my wife. She need another as this one is over flowing now. enjoy. I used Pine, Jarrah and Merranti, and the bands are Tasmanian oak.

Well the Craft Show was this last weekend. Saturday is Always the biggest crowd. Sunday its only just after Church is over. Not as many.... So total after Paying back the Booth Fee I made a Grant total of $483.00. YeePeeYea.... :+} Was a little lower than the Normal from years gone by, but I am Always Thankful and we Always enjoy our time dealing with the Customers. ............... I forgot to snap pictures BEFORE THINGS GOT UNDER WAY and only remembered in the Afternoon. Its against Policy to take any Pictures during the show times. So I noticed a gal snapping pics of our table and asked Politely if she would snap some pis and Email them to me. She Happily said she would. Here are some of Her pics. Not excited about the Clarity, but will have to do. By the time I asked her I had pretty well sold Lots.... Thanks for being here....Danny :+}

The pattern is from Sue May, I do the cutting and my wife does the painting. So far our friends really like them.

I see a wide variety of blade sizes and uses just in the few post so far.. I personally cut my portraits out from 3mm BB plywood.. and always stack cut at least 3 at a time... My go to blade is actually a #1 new spiral and sometimes a 0/2 blade.. BUT that said.. again depends upon the saw I'm cutting on too... every saw cuts differently.. and everyone has a different cutting style.. Many people like the Pegas spirals.. I bought some and didn't really care for them all that much on my Hawk saw.. but they are great on my Excalibur.. Love Olsen #1 or maybe it was a #2? cutting on my Hawk.. But they are harden steel blades and tend to be quite brittle.. and I break a lot of them LOL.. compared to the FD blades.. If they have a sample pack of sizes.. I might suggest going that route first to get a feel or what blade YOU like.. as I said... look at all the different go to blade used that has been posted so far... Also remember... the more teeth and smaller blades will give a smoother cut edge too.. why I don't care for anything larger than a #1 for most cuts I do.. and the larger number doesn't always mean a faster cut either.. as they are a wider blade so they have to cut through more material.. I personally found that a #1 generally cuts faster than a #3... See if you can locate a sample pack.. On a side note: Someone mentioned you don't have to spin the wood around.. While that is true.. but... the scroll saw is designed with the intent to cut from the front.. and so they make the blade stroke go in a forward motion on the cut stroke ( down stroke ) so... the spirals cut pretty good on the front and even from the sides .. but trying to cut on the back side of the blade is really slow going... I typically still spin the wood to some extent to keep the cutting going at a more constant rate.. Another thing to mention... Since they cut any direction... you'll find that if there is some soft / hard spots in the wood.. those blades like to take the path of least resistance.. so if you are cutting next to a soft spot.. the blade is going to want to travel right in to that spot.. They are a little tricky to use... especially on solid wood.. plywood not so bad because of the glued layers etc they are typically pretty consistent with soft / hard spots.. so the BB ply is a good wood to learn them on..

18 degrees this morning but still 55 in my little shop. So did I go out there and scroll? Nope, I stayed in my warm basement and just fiddled around. Just got over a little flu like bug but am OK now. This 4" of snow we have will be gone in a couple of days. It's pretty while it lasts but won't last long.

Looks good! Keep pushing your limits. Just because you didn't get it this time doesn't mean you won't get it next week! Remember, it was a #KnownFact that a human being could not run a mile in under 4 minutes until Sir Roger Bannister blew that away. Hitler KNEW the Aryans were superior to all others until Jesse Owens quietly burst that little bubble in the '36 Olympics. Keep at it, and soon your "beyond my limits" will be your "warmup".

I finished this on the weekend. I have never done anything like this. It was easy and different. The hardest part of the project was the months..Will be giving it to the customer tomorrow. . Thanks for looking and stay safe and warm. It is snowing here Yuck.. This is a Sue Mey pattern. Mimi

One of my first original patterns. Taken from a picture of my niece playing soccer. 1/2" Mahogany, BB Backer, Pine Frame I know isn't very detailed but that's how my sis wanted it. It will be a birthday gift.

That can be a tough question to answer. Flying Dutchman brand alone has 4 different types of spiral blades; spiral, flat end, New spiral and spiral reverse. Each has a different range of sizes and TPI count. My suggestion would be to try the flat end spirals first. One of the things that can turn off first time spiral blade users is the difficulty in getting them secured in the clamps properly. Flat end spirals are easier to use, in that respect. If you intend to cut 1/4" Baltic birch ply, I would suggest getting the smallest size. This will give you better control, as it won't be as aggressive as a larger blade and you will be able to cut finer detail with it. However, to really determine which works best, you will need to try other types and sizes. If you want to try something other than the flat end spirals, you will need to untwist/flatten out the ends in order to get them seated firmly in the clamp. For detailed portrait type cutting, I prefer the Flying Dutchman 2/0 New Spiral. For really fine detail, I will use the 3/0, but it is very fragile and will break more easily than the others. I don't do a lot of cutting with spirals, but I do prefer Flying Dutchman over Olson.

I use flying dutchman flat end spirals, size 3 and 5. I use more #3. https://mikesworkshop.com/collections/blades/products/spiral-flat-end I have some students who just love spiral blades. They love that they don't have to turn the wood, just move it in the direction of the cut.

Size depends on the material you are cutting and the detail involved. Spirals have a larger kerf than flat blades and the edges are not as smooth--so keep that in mind.

Mine does something similar to this when it's cold out when i first start it in the morning.. but once it run for 10-15 seconds clears right up... I figured it's probably not to good for it to run that way so i got to where I'd heat it up with a heat lamp for a few minutes before turning it on... Another possibility is the bearings are dried out of grease and dragging the motor down..

Kevin I am not even going to weigh in here because this becomes a matter of choice. But Bill Wilson gave a lot of good pointers to consider when buying. I will add a cabinet saw and hybrid are easier to collect dust from because they are enclosed fully. They are easier to adjust the miter slots to the blade because the table top moves to do this as opposed to a contractor saw where you move the trunions. I will say stay away from any saw that has the open grilled type extension wings. Pain in the butt and could be dangerous. A hybrid is a combination of cabinet and contractor. Many people make their own outfeed tables to accommodate their work space. I have a Delta contractor saw and love it and it has been my work horse for over 35 years. Of the top 3 the sawstop is the new kid on the block. Powermatic and delta have changed hands over the years. If the tool is well maintained it should last a life time. Cabinet saws will have a larger motor on it because they are designed for heavier work loads but a contractor saw will do well also. Good luck.

I'm considering getting some spiral blades, is there a size that is most useful ? I'm considering trying some portrait patterns. I know there's quite a few people on here that do them, so thought I'd ask before buying.

These items which involve a little bit of intarsia were designed by Steve Good. They can be ordered with personalized names at his web site for the great value of $2 per pattern. I made a dog ornament for one of my daughters and a cat ornament for the other. The dark wood is 7mm thick Walnut and the light wood is 5mm thick Avodire. After assembly, I sprayed them with two coats of rattle can clear gloss urethane.

My son has that saw but with the 36 and T glide fence. I would choose that fence as it is better. I have the same saw but the 3 hp version. I also got the industrial mobile base which is not cheap but the best mobile base made. I am too old to break down full sheets of plywood on the cabinet saw so use a Festool track saw to do that job.

Well, when you say stuff like this... "Space isn't a huge problem..." "Money isn't going to be a huge problem either.." ....we'll try to talk you into the biggest & best. Just trying to give you your money's worth. By the way, I suggest not telling the salesman that space & money aren't a problem. Seriously, I have a buddy that is getting into woodworking at the age of 61. He's been asking me a ton of questions, but he always wants to jump right into doing and buying stuff without taking time to research. Yesterday he was at Rockler looking at a $1,200 router table. I keep trying to talk him down, but he gets excited when he sees cool new gadgets.

Wow, so much to learn, !! and so little space in my brain...when you've lived longer than you are going to it can be quite daunting. LOL.

There is a better way to explain this I think.. but.. I think of the blades with a " / with a 0 behind it as a negative blade size number.. ie blades 0, 1,2,3,4,5,6 and so on are positive or + numbers... then the numbers like shown here 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0 etc etc... are what I call negative sized blades.. so anyway.. your thought is true for the positive sized blades.. but with the number 0 behind the number and / sign is opposite.. if there is a /0 behind the number then the higher the number the smaller the blade.. Kind of weird how they do that but.. anyway.. that is how I think of it in my tiny little brain..

That's why I was asking questions here... considering I don't claim to really know a lot about table saws.. so I could easily be talked into something I don't want or need.. LOL...

a saleman will say the pile of poop he's selling is the best you can get so he gets the commission. not sayin they arent a good saw. ive seen the cabinet saw with all the bells and whistles attached at the local rockler and was quite impressed.

I am preferable to using 2/0 Flying Dutchman New Spiral blades, when I opt for a spiral. I will cut stock up to 1/4" thick with them, but I wouldn't recommend that. For 1/8" they work great. Like Jim said though, material matters as well. I don't know how they perform if you are cutting ply. I usually cut my detailed fret work in maple, and these blades cut maple like a dream. Whatever you choose, be sure to try them on a few scrap cuts before you dive into a portrait. They take a little getting used to. And same goes for when you switch back to a straight blade. The first time a used a spiral I liked it, so I did a few more projects and got really comfortable with it. Then I went back to a straight blade for another project and about ruined it, but it doesn't take long to get a handle on it.

Thanks. I greased all the bearings a short time ago to quieten it down, which did help with the noise level. I've done a little more research and I'm betting the circuit board/potentiometer. Now to decide whether to spend $80ish on an educated guess.

Thanks. I've done a little more research and I'm betting the circuit board/potentiometer.

had a type 2 some time ago. it started doing the same,then started running at an extremely high spped- like it had a massive shot of nitrous. my landlord at the time owned an electric shop. asked him to take a look at it. turned out the windings shorted out. however, there could be a problem in the circuit board in yours.

I was pretty set on a SawStop before I even posted here.. but wanted to review what others had to say.. A sales person will tell you the saw they carry is the best you can get.. so I wanted to see what you all might say before I talk to the sales people... I've looked at reviews on a lot of different saws and brands.. The added $700-1000 for safety is most likely cheaper than a ER bill and I'd most likely be able to keep my fingers LOL ... Though that feature isn't what is making the decision.. Part of it is they seem to be the closest dealer to higher end saws. and the reviews have all been good that I've seen..

One more thing. Get a belt driven, not a direct drive which are basically toys in the realm of table saws in my way of thinking. Blake

I would have to agree with the Clockman that the old Delta contractor saw has been a beast for me over the past 25 years cutting so many melamine sheets I don't even want to think about. As with many Delta parts though, just about impossible to find. So scratch a used Delta contractor. Yes, safety features are important. But the greatest safety feature (and this goes for all tools basically) is a razor sharp blade, especially on a table saw whether contractor, Hybrid, or cabinet. Good luck in your search.

Forgot to add that I put the Pegas chuck heads on my Seyco St 21 grizz Oregon

I like them on my DW788 well enough. Out of the box, the throat on insert the the blade is a bit tight and all the way to the right side of the clamps. Now that my season has practically ended, I will adjust them to have a slightly larger throat for the blade by backing the "fixed" clamp off by about a half revolution or so. At that time I will also put a drop of blue loctite on that side so that in addition to the jamb nut, I will have additional vibration protection.

You could take the broken part to a machine shop and ask them to make a new one. On a side note, if you got it used the original owner may not have maintained it properly. Yes, many parts are made cheaper and we get what we pay for, but with proper routine or preventative maintenance most machines will last a long time. Even the expensive machines need care.

Here is another for the wife's tattoo crowd. Can't give credit to whoever pattern came from pinteres

Same here Ray.. I rarely go on Facebook.. so not sure how i seen them.. just right timing I suppose.. My wife uses my FB more than I do.. she cracked me up as she didn't want her own account because she don't get on computers much.. but man she is addicted to that FB and my Pinterest accounts, LOL I rarely get on either one.. Mostly my online besides working on the selling sites and communicating with customers is here as well.. I get email notifications from my sites and go answer questions customers have then while I'm online I check in here, LOL sometimes answer something here... then I get back to work, LOL

I sort of thought the same thing about the smaller HP motor.. I figure though.. if it's not enough.. I can always put a small block V-8 in its place.. That's why i like the safety features of the Saw Stop saw

I'm very surprised that for that kind of money, it's only got a 1.75 hp motor. I paid less for my Unisaw and it came with a 3 hp. I know that the SS saws are more expensive but why would they shortchange you on power.

Yes, I'm a member of all those groups but I only go there to see whatever notification I receive about what someone has cut. I don't spend time on any of those groups like I do here. Thanks. I'll check them out a bit further.

I have a craftsman small saw my shop is small and I have to move it out from under a shelf . I have had it for 10 years with no problem. but now sears only handle parts for 5 years so I can't recomend them to anybod. IKE

Excuse my ignorance but I always thought that the 'higher' the number the bigger the blade. Is this not so in spirals ?

There are several people running them on the deWalt Ray.. I've seen quite a lot of post and videos on some of the Facebook groups where people have them on their saws.. Never seen any about how well they like them or anything of that nature.. but I've seen quite a few different people running them.. I also thought that it might make running the DeWalt easier because the Ex and the Hawks have the lever similar to one another rather than spinning the tension lever... Don't use my DeWalt enough to really justify buying the set though..

Yeah, I usually don't have to turn my heat on during the day until mid late November.. but I've been using it on and off since mid Oct.. Oh we've gotten about 1.5 inch of snow over night...

very nice job

Yeah , sure glad I upgraded.. What saw did you put them on? Id like to see some comments from those using them on the DeWalts..

Very well cut!

You can get kickback on any saw. Sawstop will not prevent it. Many things come into play when talking kickback. Fence, runout of arbor, blade, feed position and so on.

That's a dandy.....great tribute!

I've just seen your post John, You do such a good job on your Boxes and well finished too! Thank you for showing us, Bob

If I were a betting man, I'd bet Sycamore also. Nice looking project.