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This tractor is one of my favorite toys to make in my production line. The "Barnyard Buddy Tractor". It is simple to cut out. Yes, a little tricky to Forstner the "Little People" hole, but between that, the different size/style wheels and the smoke stack. You get a cute toy. I have started to glue the little person in so it is not removable. First, for child safety (choke hazard), and also loss prevention. I go back and forth, but I am concerned about complying with the CPSC regs. This is cut from 3/4 walnut. Now, to speed the production process up, I use beeswax/coconut oil, aka cutting board wax to finish the body, (food/child safe) this way it is ready to assemble/glue in minutes. The dark walnut color just pops right out, against the blond color of the wheels, smoke stack, and little person.

My first year scroll sawing I made hundreds of projects, gave some away and my closets are jammed with items wrapped in plastic. I decided to switch gears and check out resin casting with silicone molds. I've finally gathered some of my supplies and taken over a corner of our home office to practice. Unlike scroll sawing where you can watch your progress on a piece being worked on that's not the case with resin casting . You do what you think is correct and have to wait until the next day to find out if you made a Jem or a turd. Haven't scrolled anything in almost three weeks and starting to go through withdrawals not to mention needing to be re-trained!

It does that good. I cut a 1.5-inch wood lot with mine and only resort to my band saw if I need to cut thicker wood.

But they were so popular back in those days. Now, you hardly ever hear one. I remember lots of kids cursed with accordion lessons. Thankfully my parents did not do that to me. Mine was, first a violin, no talent for it, second, a guitar,,,, no talent for it. Bottom line I was talent poor. I always wished I could play a harmonica. But even me and my dog agree I have no talent for it. I can play my street organ. All I have to do it turn the crank, it does the rest.

One thing about the RBI Hawks is they are very picky about having the stand legs planted firmly to the floor.. On occasion I've had to loosen up the bolts to the legs and run it through the speed range and sort of let it settle into the permanent spot in the shop and then tighten things back up.. That is one thing Hegner has going for the smoothness of the saw as they designed a three legged stand.. Also they welded the stand together with many braces.. Hawk stands are on the tall side and they bolt the stand way up at the top without really having any sort of bracing down lower to stiffen it up.. They really shake at certain speeds but smooth out either above or below that harmonic balance.. I've mentioned it many times but I don't think there is 1 perfect saw out there that handle every type of work you throw at it.. some are great at certain things while others are better at other things.. a bonus is having the shop space and the ability to keep a few different ones in the shop which is what I have done..

I bought the RBI on Craigslist and cleaned it up. It had been sitting unused for years with a paint can that interacted with the aluminum table leaving a ring and the air bellows were decayed. I cut well but the vibrations drove me nuts and the bottom blade feed felt foreign to me. The saw cut well and is high quality. It just wasn't a good fit for me. I was fortunate enough to locate an Excelsior 21 still in the crate and I snapped it up. I gave the RBI to my Daughter's family.

Coming from someone that has all three saws.. having three different style blade clamps on the Hawks I have.. the round barrel style and two different versions of the smaller square style clamps.. Also having a Hegner, and a Excalibur with Pegas chucks.. To me the Hegner blade chucks are really no different than that of the Hawks.. yes they are a different chucks but same principal.. break a blade and spend the next week looking for the blade chuck.. I don't know if the spring steel clip is somewhat worn out on the Hegner but it's three times worst for sending the blade holder into another dimension.. I rarely have a blade chuck come out of the Hawks when a blade breaks.. but that darn Hegner only stays in the saw maybe every 10th time I break a blade, LOL All three saws are great for certain types of projects.. I can see where people get the attitude that "my saw is better than yours" because having had many different saws over the years and doing many different types of projects I find myself liking the Hawk and Hegners for very detailed fretwork in thin stock.. but I find I like the EX-21 better for cutting thicker stock.. could I do all the various projects on one saw? Yes.. but having all three styles of saws I have favorite projects for the various saws that makes "business life" easier and more productive. IF I were just toying around to pass time I could care less what saw I had in my shop out of these three saws.. Probably the most user friendly saw in my opinion is the new Hawk BM-26.. large table top or bottom feed.. IF I were to do angle cuts.. I'd say the EX is probably better.. The Hegner without some modifications would be my last choice of a saw.. table too small to support the wood on larger projects.. upper arm doesn't move up high enough to easily switch holes and no way to top feed.. That said it's probably better built than any of the others and runs way smoother than any of the others.. A lot just boils down to personal preference and muscle memory from whatever style saw you started out with. All saws mentioned are great saws and in no way trying to say one is better than another.. just stating my opinion based on the types of projects I make and my experience with running many different saws..

Yes, those are beautiful.

Those are beautiful. A Jem.

I’ll take the Hegner clamps over the EX and Pegas clamps any day. I don’t think it takes any longer to change blades with the Hegner vs EX. But if it does take longer, I don’t particularly care. When I’m running my scrollsaw, I’m I my own little world and time is irrelevant.