What Tip ????

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

For all you scrollers of all skill levels here is a question that should bring back some memories and maybe help some of the new sawers. This can apply to when you just got started or maybe something recently came along and struck your fancy. The question is: WHAT TIP HAVE YOU LEARNED OR PICKED UP TO HELP YOU BECOME A BETTER SCROLLER ??? That is what tip have you read about or heard about that really clicked in and helped you become the master you are ??? It can be using the saw a certain way, using different materials, cutting your patterns differently and the list goes on. There are many books out there that give many tips and many sites that offer tips but some just stand out above the others so lets hear them. :)

I edited out the word TODAY so as to not mislead anyone. I am looking for your tip that you learned at some stage of your scrolling era that changed your life. I know there are probably many as we grew into this hobby but there has to be one or two that stand out above all the rest. Maybe and this would be great also, something you learned or invented on your own and are willing to share. I know there are alot of scrollers here so lets hear them.

[uhmnl]

Hi John,

I will keep checking and if I see any other good tips maybe I can get permisson to add that to my site.

Mike

[pops-shop]

Oh, John, John, John - where do I start ? ? ? ? ? :eek:

But then you did say TODAY.

When cutting 3/4" Cherry with relatively sharp corners, slow the saw down, use at least a #5 FD reverse blade, and make many small cuts into and out of the areas. Don't force the blade - let it do its job.

Saves frustration, burned wood, and broken frets.

[William Young]

Hi Fred;
Your suggestion is a good one. The only thing I would change would be to use a #5 Pegas reverse blade especially for cherry which is prone to burning because the spacing between the teeth is farther apart on Pegas reverse blades than with FD reverse blades therfore they clear sawdust better which results in a cooler running blade which results in less burning which results in longer blade life..
In spite of my blade of choice for that job I still use the clear packaging tape on top of the pattern when sawing cherry because I get even longer blade life by doing that.
W.Y.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

This message is to Bill and others before this gets started. I do not want to see critiquing of someone's findings. It has been said many many times what works for one does not have to work for others. I thought this would be fun to see what tips people have come to cherish as they enjoy this hobby. Please do not make this a trade name war. I want other scrollers to be able to read this along with the new scrollers we have joining everyday but are a little gunshy and pick through some of these tips that have been proven and maybe try for themselves. If someone comes up with a question about someones' tip you can do one of two things, place the question here or PM that person and ask privetly. But if you do that remember we have so many people looking in here and there maybe those way to shy to even ask the same question you want to know the answer to so they see it and say to themselves thanks for asking that question.

With that said lets see what goodies we can come up with. This should be interesting. :)

[William Young]

Hi John.
You did start the topic asking about tips and I followed up after a couple responses were posted. I presented my tips as they work for me after Fred posted the tips that work for him. Hopefully more will respond with tips that work best for them as well.
Are forums not intended for sharing tips especially when the original poster and topic asks for them. ? ?
Tips that suit one will not necessarily suit another but forums are intended to share our tips and experiences or there would be no need to have discussion boards at all.
I hope we get some more tips. Good ones have already been posted and it will be nice to see what other tips come from your request for them.
W.Y.

[GrayBeard Phil]

TODAY???

Sorry, not even a new one in the last week or so.

I have a few I have RE-Learned in the past few weeks, but mostly they involve using #62 drills with my floor standing drill press. But I have to re-learn those tips everytime I do a large number of blade starter holes in a project.

- Wire size drills below 1/16 inch just don't fit in a well used 1/2 inch chuck easily. They are a pain to get centered and tightened with minimum wobble.
- Cussing don't help
- A drill chuck with a "Morse" taper attachment to the spindle are just perverse. Period.
- Cussing don't help
- The $10.00 mini drill chuck from Rockler that fits into larger drill chucks is not worth the money. No matter how many times I try to make it work.
- Cussing don't help
- there are a few others, but mostly along the same line.

Phil

[Jediscroller]

The best tip I received early on was covering the work with painter's tape (blue or purple) before attaching the pattern. This has made my life much easier when removing the patterns. I also cover the pattern with clear packing tape. I've never had a problem with burning the wood (whether Cherry, purpleheart or something really hard) doing this REGARDLESS of blade brand.

Kevin

[William Young]

Same here Kevin.
I have used the purple (lowest tack) masking tape for everything I have cut on my scrollsaw ever since and including cutting my Dome clock. I put it on the wood before applying the pattern and for real hard woods I put the clear tape on top of the pattern as well.
Some say it is expensive to use the low tack masking tape on the wood before applying the pattern but the extreme ease of removing the pattern with zero residue makes it well worthwhile for me. While some are removing the pattern with mineral spirits or various other messy methods of removing it and then cleaning the residue from the wood I am half way through cutting the next piece .
W.Y.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Bill

As you read I did ask the question to get responses. That is the reason I go to forums is because we can have discussions about things that are brought up.

The only thing I would change would be to use a #5 Pegas reverse blade especially for cherry which is prone to burning because the spacing between the teeth is farther apart on Pegas reverse blades than with FD reverse blades therfore they clear sawdust better which results in a cooler running blade which results in less burning which results in longer blade life..

With this quote you make it sound as if Fred's blade choice is wrong. The things you are stating are your findings not facts. You can state that your choice to do the same cutting require such and such blades. You may use tape to help also and things like this.

I am looking for tips and I was hoping that a guy such as yourself who has been scrolling for as long as you have can add tips that you have found over the years to be extra valuable to you.

Thank you for being understanding.

[uhmnl]

Here is a tip what helped me many times.
I got a good tip from Pat Spielman once. If the pattern lets loose from the wood while cutting, take a piece of Scotch tape and put it horizontal in front of the blade; it helps to keep the pattern down.
Mike

[William Young]

John.
I am so sorry that you took my reply the wrong way.. I had absoloutly no intentions of suggesting that what Fred uses is wrong as you are suggesting. I respect Fred and anybody's else's way of doing anything . He stated his opinion of what works best for him and I stated what works best for me.

With this quote you make it sound as if Fred's blade choice is wrong. The things you are stating are your findings not facts.

And yes , what I stated are both my findings and facts as far as my experience is concerned.

You asked for tips and some of us posted ours as they apply to us. . Plain and simple and with no predudice (at least not on my part) .

When you start a good topic like this asking for tips be prepared to get answers both in ways that you prefer most as well as ways that others prefer..
Cheers.
W.Y.

[William Young]

Mike.
Yes, I agree . That is a good tip. I have used it many times.
Matter of fact I think I got that one from you many years ago.
W.Y.

[TIMBERTODD]

One thing I have found that helps with the wire size drillbits , is to use an awl to mark where I want to drill. The small punch mark helps to keep the small bits from wandering.
TIMBERTODD

[Deanna]

JT

I hate to say this, but this time I disagree with you. I think William was just posting his opinion on blades. I think you might have some concerns that boiled over from a previous post.

But if I was a newcomer to this site, I would have read his post as just simply stating his preference on blades. The members at this site use FD blades almost exclusively and I don't think that William's post was out of line suggesting a different blade. I just don't see a problem with that.

But back to the original post...

I haven't learned anything new today, or in the last week.... at least not woodworking wise. But some of the things I have learned would be...

Cussing helps sometimes!

spray adhesive sure works slick (better than carbon paper which is what I started out with)

A drill press sure is a handy tool... as is an air compressor

how one side of the blade will finish of any bumps much better than the other.

How to square my table... and how very important that is when stack cutting!

Cussing sometimes helps

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Deanna

No problem, you have every right to disagree with me at any time. Your opinion is well respected and thanks for the tips.

[Smitty]

A couple of things for me were the packing tape on the wood then pattern over top and running my drill press at top speed to stop breaking numbered drill bits.Another thing I do cutting patterns with very small pieces such as Jeff Z patterns is glue the pattern to a piece of luaon {sp} then when done throw the luaon with pattern in the designer firewood box. Don`t have to worry about cleaning glue residue off the finnished cutting .

[Deanna]

smitty,

What is luaon? I know that you were concerned about the spelling, but I can't figure out what it is. Can you describe it for me?

Deanna

[uhmnl]

Hi Deanna,
Lauan plywood is used by contractors building homes. It goes on the floor before they put anything else on, like carpet. It is a very cheap plywood and not good the use for intricate fret work cuttings. The core is very soft and it splinters easy.
Mike

[Smitty]

Actually lauan plywood is used on doors.It is also known as door skin. I`m not aware of it being used on floors. It`s about 1/8" thick and no good for intricate scrolling other than a sacraficial piece .

[William Young]

That is what luan plywood is known as here in Canada as well . I ask for door skins when I am buying it. It is used primarily for interior doors l doors that are hollow in the middle .
For floor underlay for levelling uneven floors we have a product called proboard which is a manufactured panel and it is much harder that door skins and is also waterproof in case of spills.
I find luan plywood (door skins) usefull as a back panel for for portraits when I make some with shop made frames with no glass on the front. I spray paint it flat black before brad nailing it into a recess in the back of the frame..
For bought frames with glass in them , I just use black felt on top of the backer that comes with the frame..

Here is an example of one of my home made frames with luan pluwood used as a backer.
W.Y.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1620/1718813/3307291/40559160.jpg

[wisconsinwoodch]

Here in wisconsin ,it comes 1/4 " thick and it is used for under layment for carpet or for ceramic tile floors.It does not hav any voids in the center ply.It is a cheap plywood. :) :) :) :)
thewisconsinwoodchuck
_______________________-
www.wiscopnsinwoodchuck.com

[William Young]

That's interesting Chuck. I phoned my local building supply store and asked about 1/4" luan plywood and they have never heard about it. Sounds like 1/4" would make a better underlay than the 1/8" that is available here as door skins because the 1/8" is very soft and if anything like a piano or something heavy with castors on it would probably go right through to the sub floor if it was under a carpet.. Like Mike pointed out the core is very soft.
Thanks for pointing out that it is available also in 1/4" where you are..
Perhaps it was the 1/4" thickness that Mike was referring to and might have a better core than the 1/8" thickness does...
Wish we could get it here in 1/4" . There are many times I would like to get cheap plywood for certain things (not scrolling) because the fir plywood that is plentiful here is getting so expensive.
W.Y.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

It is amazing how a topic takes on a different turn as it grows. I do hope we get back to the tips.

Just for everyone's information Laun is in the mahagony family of woods and comes in all different thicknesses. As mentioned 1/4" thickness is used alot in the floor industry to cover old tiles or for leveling floors with alot of seams. Here is another use I bet you did not think of.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/JTTHECLOCKMAN/File0047.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/JTTHECLOCKMAN/File0048.jpg

That is right all my shop cabinets were built from laun. The 1/4" and 3/4" Years ago Home Depot used to carry a better brand then they now get and it had some nice grain and a whole lot cheaper than birch plywood.

Just a note on the backing material used for scrap and I can add this as a tip if you would like, I buy sheets of paneling (Wood type) and cut them up. It is alot cheaper especially if you can buy broken pieces or damaged pieces.

[William Young]

Nice cabinets John.
I was going to ask some questions about the cabinets but I don't want to go too far off topic so I will leave it for another topic another time on a general woodworking board.

Another tip for scrolling is to mill flat sawn oak down to quarter sawn oak if a person has a good table saw or bandsaw and jointer and planer.
It is quite time consuming and labor intensive but the end result when seeing those nice luminance rays in the panels that only appear when it is quarter sawn makes it all worthwhile.

W.Y.

[pops-shop]

In an attempt to get the thread back on track, I took the liberty of researching past posts and came up with a couple of good tips.

From Trent - Sept 2003 - Regarding rusted saw table....
I sanded it down smooth and spray coated it with silicone. Silicone spray goes on wet, dries in a few minutes and doesn't leave residue on the wood. Makes the table slick, too!
A couple of tips. Spray lightly and let it dry, then buff it. If you need to put more on do the same, building up the coating in buffed out layers. Most important is to keep the spray from getting on everything else. There is hardly anything except ice that is more slick under your feet.

From OldWes - December 2002 - Regarding stack cutting
I started out using staples, then brads, and then a power stapler. I switched to hot glue as an experiment and use it almost exclusively now. A big advantage is you don't ruin any of the scrap pieces. A simple knife cut easily separates the pieces after cutting and a lot of wood is then saved. I found that no matter how hard I tried, nail tips and staples always seemed to be exposed on the bottom of the stack, and table scratches resulted. Hot glue is pretty cheap also and there is little waste.:)

From Several - Jan 2006 - Controlling your saw
instead of copying the info, check out the thread:
http://www.woodworkingcrafts.com/info/forums/showthread.php?t=968

[uhmnl]

Here is a tip what really worked for me and my back. When I was doing a big project with a lot of inside cuts, like the tall Grand Father clock, I drilled 20 holes and after cutting them, I walked back to my little drill press. It was on the other end of the shop. It gave me a change of getting of the stool and it sure helped my back to walk a little. Also, I kept a record of how many times I drilled 20 holes. The big clock had a little over 4000 inside cuts.
Mike

[Fotios]

The one that stands out in my head is when making a tight corner cut to remember the put the pressure of the wood onto the side or back of the blade. That has helped me a ton in my quality of work, among other tips. :cool:

[ndtroll]

Here are a couple tips that work for me .... maybe they will help someone else also

For a touch up on my scroll saw table I use plain old wax paper.... rub it all over the table top and it seems to keep it slippery... inexpensive and effective

I use small 1/4 to 1 inch nails to hold my pieces together when stack cutting. I have a piece of 1/8" steel about 12X24 that I place on my workbench under the stack. When you nail through the stack, the nail will splay, or flatten and no longer catches on anything.... I have various lengths of nails for the thickness of the stack

I also use a 23 guage pin nailer when assembling projects... especially clocks and boxes... I need fewer clamps. the 23 guage nail can be hidden so it is not seen and reinforces the glue.

I will add more tips as I think of them

[pops-shop]

Dave

I'm still a believer in the hot glue gun for stack cutting - as someone else said, I scratched the table with nails - just cant seem to get that part right :o

[Jane's Jazz]

Here I am so new to this I'm not sure I can even qualify for giving a tip -- but this is something that has already happened to me and a great solution I read on Jeff Z.'s wedsite:

My pattern kept coming up as I was cutting small pieces out of the pattern (unstuck) so he suggested using 3M to glue the pattern down and then a mineral spirit solvent to remove the pattern when the project is completed. Now isn't that a beauty -- it worked like a charm!!!!

Jane

[uhmnl]

Jane, welcome to a great site.
Did you see the tip I posted about the pattern coming loose?
It is on page 1 date 2/23
Mike

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Jane

Glad to see you posting and these tips are for people such as yourself and also for the seasoned professionals. You never know something may come across and be very helpful in the future. I like to continue seeing some of the more pronounced tips that made a great difference in the way we scroll. Keep them coming.

[pops-shop]

hey, guys - how about a tip for straightening out the ends of spiral blades (this one is for us folks that still have plenty of those pesky blades with the twisted ends)

[uhmnl]

Fred,
Some take a hammer and flattened the ends somewhat. Don't over do it or the ends might break. Others take two pair of pliers the make them more straight. After all your spiral blades are gone, try the flat end spirals.
Mike

[Jane's Jazz]

Mike,

Thanks!!! I went back and looked up the tip on page 1 -- and it's already helped out!!

Gotta go cut some more :) :) I'm lovin' it!!!

Jane

[Fotios]

I can’t remember if I read this or seen it some where but before putting a pattern on a piece of wood cover it with that blue painters tape and them glue your pattern to the tape. It comes off real easy at the end and it won’t leave any residue behind. This will cut down on the sanding but it will cost you a little more. I would do it only on the projects that I don’t want to do any added sanding or thinner woods. :D

[pops-shop]

Finishing

A key to great looking and feeling projects is the final finish.

What is usually the first thing that prospective customers do after looking at your project??? Yep - pick it up and feel it - feel the wood - feel the smoothness.

Regardless of steps leading up to final finishing, the last thing you should do to your project is burnishing the wood - whether you use 0000 steel wool, a brown paper bag, an old t-shirt, _________ (fill in the blank), your project must be smooth to the touch.

(Learned this the hard way in my "early days".)

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

FRED

You are right on the button with that one sir. This is what I tell all people who ask questions about scrolling and finishing. You want that want to touch feel on the project because this sets you above the rest. This goes hand and hand with some of Jeff's Z posts about selling a product that you did everything possible to make it the best product you can put out. Nice tip Fred.

Please keep those tips coming and enjoy reading them all. This will be a great place to send newbies when they come asking questions.

[Smitty]

I have put a 5" block under the back end of my saw to tilt it forward . This makes it easier for me to see the work surface while sitting on my stool.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

I am happy to see so many people have contributed to this thread and hope it becomes a useful tool for others as they continue to improve on this great hobby.

I would like to share a couple that has improved my quality and has helped in better sales over the years. First starting out I read that spinning the wood in tight corners is the way most people do it but then I read a tip from John Nelson about approaching corners especially sharp corners from two different angles. Come into the corner from one side then back up and go into the waste area and cut a small piece out so that you now can cut into that corner from the other angle. It makes for nice crisp corners which judges look for in scrolling contests. The other thing is I sand my piece to 180 before I do the cutting and when completed I clean up the fuzzies with an exacto knife and sand to 220 grit. This grit grade gives the piece a nice hand rubbed feel to touch and always get complements on the finish of my projects. It is a step that can mean the difference between good quality and great quality and remember we strive for the best product we can put out there. The last thing is when I learned about the dipping method. Taking a large container and filling partially with either BLO or Danish oil or other finish of your choice and then dipping the piece into the solution and letting it soak up into the pores. Then taking out let it drip a bit then wipe off excess. May have to blow excess out of fret work with an air compressor. Learned also when using open grained woods such as oak you have to continue to wipe excess off because it oozes the oil out of the pores till it starts to dry. If you do not do this it becomes a gummy mess. Don't ask how I know that one. :) I then take a nonwoven pad (grey colored) and wipe the pieces down when dried after about 3 or 4 days. Then either do the dip method again or top coat with whatever and I like to use waterbased lacquers. I use a HVLP gun to do this and then let it set and put the for sale tag on it and it is good to go.

I hope these tips and the others being posted will help the newbie as well as the season scroller to continue to improve on the quality of product we put out. Thanks for sharing them.

[pops-shop]

Another fret tip I learned - verify that your blade is verticle with your table - left and right as well as front to back. When I first tested it, I was over 5 degrees off front to back. Ended up actually drilling a new anchor hole for the back of the table in order to get it square. Stack cutting much more accurate now. (Oh, yeh, my 788 wouldn't allow me to easily set front to back alignment).

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Good tip Fred and I too had to redrill new holes on my Dewalt 788 to get the top level. It made a world of difference when stack cutting. The back end of my table was 3/16" too low.

[C Jevnikar]

Howdy :D Being new at scrollsawing, I give you this advice from my woodworking grandfather- "Its always cheaper to go top of the line the first time if you can afford it". Also "never push yourself or the tool/machine beyond its limits and for what it is intended". Enjoy the sawdust, woodchux

[jer71kil]

Since I have been in this forum I have got some great tips, some of which have been mentioned already.
-The use of blue painters tape.
- The use of BLO/MS as a finish.
- The use of Loctite super glue (gel) to glue finished surfaces.

I have a tip that might help some others whose eyesight is not as keen as it use to be. I put a light source to the right of my scroll saw which causes the blade to cast a shadow. It enables me to better see where the blade and the shadow meet which is the location of the blade on my pattern.

It has been a great help to me with some of these intricate patterns.

Keep the blades a-hummin. :) :)

Jerry

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

There are many great tips here and please keep them coming. I think one of the first tips a new scroller should learn and it happens to us seasoned veterns also, learn to relax. Scrolling is a fun hobby. But there are times when you are either on a deadline or doing a complexed project. Mike M gave you a good tip about getting up and walking around or stop and do something else for a bit. My addition to that is when scrolling try to look just a tad bit ahead of the blade and anticipate the turns and the movement of your hands. Also stop accasionally and back up and let the wood relax and see if it moves left or right and if it does it means you were putting sideward pressure on the blade. Sometimes this happens and we are so engrossed in the cuts that we do not realize it.

One other tip that I see was not mentioned and has helped us all at one time or other is that when scrolling a piece and you go off the line a bit do not make a brut adjustment but ease back to the line an many times you can leave it alone and no one would be the wiser of it. Once you take the paper pattern off who is going to know that little mistake is there. If it is an obvious problem learn to use the cutting edge of the blade to nibble away the mistake because you can use it like a plane. That is of course if you are using good sharp blades. Another way to sand this blemish out is to use emery boards ( used for finger nails ), also they sell sandpaper attachments that take the place of a scrollsaw blade and you can sand it that way. You can make your own buy using a posicle stick and using self adhesive sand paper or by gluing some sandpaper to it. Some people just take some sandpaper and fold it a few times and place it between the clamps and sand that way. So all is not lost if mistakes are made. There are ways out so do not throw away a piece you spent hours on without trying to make fixes. ;)

[pops-shop]

JT said - My addition to that is when scrolling try to look just a tad bit ahead of the blade and anticipate the turns and the movement of your hands.
Golly - why didn't I think of including this one. It's something I always do - blonde/senior moments I guess.

Regarding "fixing" blemishes by sliding into them - I only seem to get that right about 50% of the time. The rest of the time I just make it worse (more firewood, doncha see).

Keep those hints and tricks comin folks - great thread we have going here. :)

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

I see our tip hot line has slowed down so let me add another. Many scrollers have experinced this problem and you read it over and over on forums, and that is the slipping of blades in their saw's clamps. The reason for this can usually be traced to two factors, three if you want to call broken clamps as a solution. But all blades come through the manufactoring process with a bit of machine oil residue. After clamping and unclamping blades in the saw's clamps there is build up of this oil on the clamps and now it takes more finger pressure to clamp the blades but they still slip. This can happen with any type holder. To eliminate this problem and to correct it if you have it you need to clean the thumbscrew and setscrew of this oil and to do this take a piece of sandpaper and run it between the clamp. Also you need to wipe the oil off the blade before you put it in the clamp and this is done with acetone, mineral spirits or sandpaper. Just hit the ends and you are good to go.

Now the second thing that can cause slipping depends on the type clamps you have and the type thumbscrew. Some saws such as the Dewalt 788 and Hegner has a thumbscrew that has a flat cupped part that is attached to the screw. The screw turns in this cupped piece so this is not a problem. Just need to keep that small piece free. The problem comes with the thumbscrews that are just threaded screws with a handle. These will spin against the blade as it is tightened. What happens now after some time they become very shiny and they need to be roughened up with a file or sandpaper. Take the thumbscrew out to do this. You can also roughen up the setscrew that is opposite the thumbscrew making sure it is flat. The flatter the thumbscrew and setscrew the more surface to contact the blade. Hope these hints help if you are experiencing blade slippage.

[pops-shop]

JT Said - Also you need to wipe the oil off the blade before you put it in the clamp and this is done with acetone, mineral spirits or sandpaper.

Gotta take exception here, John. I would stay away from mineral spirits. To me, it leaves a residue on the blade and clamps. Personally, I use lacquer thinner and/or denatured alcohol for this procedure. It seems to work better for me. :rolleyes:

[uhmnl]

On an other forum was a question about teeeth should they go up or down?
Here is the latest post from the same person.
I have given up on running my fingers on the blade. I just look for the longest flat area with no teeth and that is the bottom of the blade. Learnt that somewhere but don't have a clue as to where. hmmmm maybe here.---Richard aka thumbs
I looked at some blades and he is right. The longest end is the bottom end.
Learn some every day.
Mike

[bmwbob]

Hi Deanna,
Lauan plywood is used by contractors building homes. It goes on the floor before they put anything else on, like carpet. It is a very cheap plywood and not good the use for intricate fret work cuttings. The core is very soft and it splinters easy.
Mike

So is what is sold in the box stores as "underlayment'

[bmwbob]

Saw a hint from someone today that suggested using Pop Rivets to hold the stack together.

[bmwbob]

For the purists out there or the gadget freaks like me, this is the perfect tool for making sure your blade is square to the table.



Wixey Angle Gage (http://www.wixey.com/anglegauge/index.html)

[William Young]

Hi Bob;
So is what is sold in the box stores as "underlayment'


Not sure what they use in your neck of the woods but the professional contractors around here use a product called Proboard. It is much denser and stronger than the cheap luan plywood. But then some do-it-yourselfers might take the cheaper route and use luan as a substitute if they can find it in quarter inch around here.
Probably just another case of paying a little more for a whole lot better product instead of of running into a false economy situation by trying to save a few bucks . I have done a lot of building over the years and learned a lot of things the hard way and now do do more research and gladly pay a little more for the right product for the job.
W.Y.

[pops-shop]

Hey, John

Have you noticed that this topic has received over 1000 views??????? :eek: :eek: :eek:

You sure know how to pic 'em.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Bmwbob

The wixie gadget has been discussed in the tool catagory and yes it is a very good tool for setting angles on larger tools. I guess it might be ok for scrollsaws too but i would not rely on it because especially when you get into thin blades like #2 or #1 or smaller there is not enough metal to hold that weight straight. You are also setting the tool against the teeth of the blade. So will it get you close, I guess so but so will a machinest square or even a draftsman angle which I would rely on more. But for larger tools such as tablesaws they are the best thing that has come along in a long time.

Fred

I have noticed the amount of hits and I hope some of these have helped others. I would have liked to see a whole bunch more get posted but maybe over time. I have been asked to take the tips out of some of the posts that are just jibberish and have nothing to do with tips like the talking about underlayment and put in some kind of file form and posted here. I will look into this but I am not sure how to do things like that. I wish there were a web master I could talk to. I will try to do something. In the mean time please refrain from the off topic stuff and stick to tips in this post. There are other boards here for those things. Thank you. :)

[bmwbob]

Bmwbob

The wixie gadget has been discussed in the tool catagory and yes it is a very good tool for setting angles on larger tools. I guess it might be ok for scrollsaws too but i would not rely on it because especially when you get into thin blades like #2 or #1 or smaller there is not enough metal to hold that weight straight. You are also setting the tool against the teeth of the blade. So will it get you close, I guess so but so will a machinest square or even a draftsman angle which I would rely on more. But for larger tools such as tablesaws they are the best thing that has come along in a long time.



Come on. I said it was a gadget. I did, however, use it to check my scrollsaw table with a #9 blade in the holders. My table was set for what I thought was 90 degrees degrees with a protractor and a machinist square. The Wixie told me that the table/blade angle was 88 degrees. So what's a couple of degrees among friends.

It would make a lot of difference to the intarsia folks and to me if I was building a clock where I needed 90 degree ends for glue surfaces.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Bob

Hey if it works for you go for it. It has been mentioned that others do use it to check their tables on a scrollsaw. You could probably get even a better reading if you had a flat piece of steel and stuck it in the clamps so you do not have to worry about the teeth on the blades. The reason I bring up the teeth is that they my be of different length or something. The same reason you do not measure against the teeth on a tablesaw or mitersaw or bandsaw blade. I love the Wixie and will use it for all my large tools. It was a great gadget and for the price you can't beat it.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Over the years you learn to cut a certain way that suits you. But you also learn to cut in a direction that suits you also weather it is clockwise or counterclockwise. You learn to control the wood a certain way that becomes second nature and you do not even think about it when your cutting. You learn to either cut the line or leave the line on one side or other. You learn to have the waste to one side or the other. There are no right or wrong way here it is a matter of practice and repitition. I would like to point out a few ways I found over the years that works for me and maybe some newbies would like to try them.

To start with Let me say I am not big believer in spinning the wood on inside corners especially when it is a 90 degree or greater corner. I feel I can attack any corner by going at it from both directions and getting a nice crisp corner. For saving time it is not much more. Outside corners, yes I spin the wood.I also do not cut the line right down the middle but cut to the waste side depending how you look at it. I feel this gives me a bit of a fudge factor if for some reason I stray from the line. Being the teeth on a blade are offset to the right when looking at a blade in the clamp, I like to have the teeth facing the good part of the project and not the waste. You can not say you are cutting clockwise or counterclockwise because it changes within the part you are cutting out. I always like to pivot the wood on my finger tips and not the palm of my hand. The pivot finger changes as you spin and work a piece so you should get to learn the feel of wood pivoting on the bottom of all your fingers or at least the 3 middle ones but don't forget the thumb. I push with my right hand mostly and that is mainly because I am right handed. If you are left handed you may find it more confortable pivoting with your right hand and pushing with your left. Here again this is an individual thing. Learn to look slightly ahead of the blade so you can anticipate your next manauver with the wood. Do not have a death grip on the wood or you will hinder your ability to manauver the wood easily thus over compensating. Nice firm enough to keep wood on the table. This is why a nice slick table is good so it helps the wood spin easily but also not too slick just to give the wood a little resistance. Now when I cut inside circles I always cut counterclockwise (the material is spinning counterclockwise) Now the oposite side of the blade teeth are against the line. For me it is done this way to elliminate the teeth from digging into the line or the good part of the project as you are spinning. I know that s not the best discription but if you draw a circle and try cutting from both directions you will notice it. Also you will notice that the bottom is fatter than the top because you are putting so much sideward pressure to compensate for the aggresiveness of the blade. If you do it the way I suggest you will see a better result. Now cutting outside circles I do just the opposite. Cutting straight lines is actually simpliar than people make it out to be. First again look slightly ahead of the blade, relax, no death grip, even forward pressure, no sideward pressure, and let the blade do the cutting.

Now these are just some tips I have found to help but there is no better learning method than to practice and to get to learn the saw and the type blades you are using. Scrollsawing is alot like driving a car. You look ahead and let your eyes tell your hands which way to steer. To me there is no more relaxing feeling than sitting behind a scrollsaw and sawing out a project. Have some fun. :) :) :)

[TIMBERTODD]

I use a cookie sheet to stain items.I can lay several ornaments down at a time and brush the stain on. I have also poured the stain into the sheet and submerged the piece to be stained. Cleanup is easy, I just pour the stain back into the container.
TIMBERTODD

[pops-shop]

When I am cutting different hardwoods, I usually will clean all the dust up and will collect the dust from the new cut and put it in a jar for future use. I now have several jars with different wood dust. On a few occasions I have fixed gouges, nicks, breaks by mixing the appropriate dust with glue when repairing the damage. Can't tell where the repair was done.

[Gunny]

When I am cutting different hardwoods, I usually will clean all the dust up and will collect the dust from the new cut and put it in a jar for future use. I now have several jars with different wood dust. On a few occasions I have fixed gouges, nicks, breaks by mixing the appropriate dust with glue when repairing the damage. Can't tell where the repair was done.

I do this myself, particularly with gaboon ebony, Irish Bog Oak, osage orange, purpleheart and redheart when I'm sanding pieces where the color is particularly rich. The fine dust can also be used for ornamentation.
For example, I might cut a groove (1/16" +/-)in a light colored piece (holly, maple etc)with the parting tool, then fill it in with a contrasting color dust glue mixture.
After cutting the groove, it's a good idea to use a tri-point tool to under cut the groove and create a sort of dove-tail effect.
When I'm sanding a piece of bog oak or ebony I use a small but powerful keyboard vacuum to collect the dust. There are also some dealers who carry powdered metal (aluminum, copper, brass etc) that can be used the same way. I've even used iron filings that I collect from around my grinder with a small magnet.
The best way I've found to fill the grooves is to brush medium CA into the groove, liberally sprinkle in the dust catching any excess in a small tray, spray on accellerator, then repeat until I've built up enough to completely fill the groove. Then turn and finish sand...

[uhmnl]

Here is a tip I got from Tom Sevey:

Our Utah Scroll Saw Club met tonight. The presenter didn't make it,
so we had each person share an idea about scrolling.
Don't know what it's called. Might be called "carpet protector".
You can probably get it at places that sell carpeting, or Lowes or
Home Depot in the flooring department. It's the stuff that you roll
out on a carpet to keep it clean during an open house. It's typically
white, kind of a shiny plastic finish on one side and sticky (to
stick to the carpet) on the other side. Comes in fairly long rolls-
probably 25 feet long by about 2 feet wide.

Simply cut a piece to fit your wood, lay it on a table shiny side
DOWN, and put the wood on it. Turn the wood over, smooth it out and
attach the pattern using spray adhesive (my favorite is 3M #77).
Works much like the blue masking tape, but easier to remove after
cutting, and less expensive. This scroller also claimed that it
provided the same lubrication to the blade that comes from packing
tape or masking tape.

Someone in our group wondered if you could cover the sticky side
with waxed paper and run it through a copier or printer. Then peal
off the waxed paper and stick it on the wood. Sounds like a good
idea. But, someone else wondered: would the printer/copier toner
STICK to the plastic surface? Good question.

Anyway, I'm going to buy some and try it as a replacement for
masking tape or packing tape. I'd be interested to hear from others
who might try it also.

Tom Sevy in Salt Lake City.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

I see our tip hotline has just about shut down but I also see more hits on it so I do hope it is helping others out there. We are still adding to the list so feel free to do so. One tip about copying patterns that I have noticed. It may not be as evident these days because copiers have gotten better, but when copying a pattern some copiers can distort the image somewhat. I like to make one copy and then hold it up to the front of the original and hold it in the light. I try to see if the pattern lines up to the original and if so go ahead and make as many as needed. This comes into play when making copies of a large original and you can't fit it all on the same page. Make sure to make witness marks so that the pages line up properly. Of corse you can get large copies at a place like Kinko's but they cost alot of money. Also when enlarging or making smaller an original it is good to write the setting on the copy or on the original stating what you made the item at. Anyway that is just another small tip that has helped me over the years.

[ndtroll]

One tip I can pass on is this:
I went to a local copy machine retailer and asked if the had any used copy machines that they wanted to get rid of....
I bought a Lanier copier that retailed new for close to $4000.00 for less than $100. A large corporation had updated all their machines and these were heading for the trash bin.... The one I use the most (as I bought 2) has less than 300,000 copies on it .... (they should be good for a few million copies.)
It will handle paper up to 11X17.
The first thing I do before I file my patterns is to make a copy... always save the original..... Then I decide what size I want to create and size the pattern up or down from the original.....
Without the copying machine I would be lost and it would take a lot more time to resize something

[pops-shop]

Dave, the 11x14 copier is grrrrrrrrreat. Wish I had one. Next time I go in Kinko's think I'll have a little talk with the manager.

I scan the brand new pattern into my computer and print from that just because of the stretching problem in copiers.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Just thought I would add another tip to our list which is quite impressive. When scrolling pieces that have alot of fret work, it takes some planning as to where to start and where to end. If you have small pieces that are hangers or pieces that are just about connected after they are cut, it is best to cut them last and also you can leave the cutout pieces in. You can even tape them in by putting a piece of clear scotch tape over them so that they stay in place untill cutting is done. Helps add support to the piece. I like to do things in sections when cutting. If it is possible I will cut out an entire section before moving on. So planning is important.

[pops-shop]

Just learned, the hard way, about removing SuperGlue from places where it shouldn't be.

NEOSPORIN

[RollaJohn]

Fred, that sounds a bit less extreme than using acetone on some body locations. If you are not in a hurry to separate two layers of skin just wait awhile, like overnight, and the natural oils of the skin will usually repel the glue bond without resorting to debonders or razor blades :eek:

I'll try to remember that hint. People hint that I have an occasional touch of alzheimer's but I keep forgetting. So it doesn't bother me. :D

[Gunny]

I keep a handful of dual grit emery boards in my shop. They're great for sanding small pieces and I find they work great for removing CA from my hands as well... My wife picks them up in the local "Harmon's Cosmetics" outlet.

Incidentally, she also picks me up CA accellerator in aerosol cans. It's cheaper and more convenient than buying online and it works just as well.

[fwilson]

Don't know if anyone wrote about this and haven't seen any messages about this but this has helped me cut with a sharper blade. At the first sign of my blade getting dull, I secure a 1/4 piece of plywood on my table and thread the blade through the hole that I cut out and then do my work on the plywood. The 1/4 inch thickeness seems to help by making use of the part of the blade that never touched the project before. Don't know if anyone else has tried this but this has helped me.
(Found this one on another forum - thought I would at here) :D

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Thought I would share another tip that I happened to use quite often. It has to deal with gluing overlay pieces that are scrollsawn out. You have all those nooks and crannys that you can't smear glue on or it will show on the piece below. What I do and have been using this for a long time is to squeeze some glue out on a scrap piece of cardboard or paper and take a small piece of sponge ( Real sponge not synthetic ) and dab it in the glue. Now blot a little off on the cardboard, now you can lightly blot the back of you overlay piece. The trick is to lightly dab and not press so hard the glue runs down the sides and in all the openings. Do this over the entire overlay piece. Now when placing the overlay piece on, have it lined up so that all you do is set it down and do not smudge it around. Using this method allows you to glue the entire piece as opposed to just dabbing spots. Makes for better adhesion. Try it you will like it.

Any more tips out there??? :)


PS: to expand on the alignment of the overlay piece a bit. If it needs to be in a crucial area, I first do a dry practice run by placing it down where it looks good. Then I put small witness makrs on the edges of the piece and onto the main piece. So now after I get it glued all I have to do is line up the witness marks and drop the piece straight down. No moving around to align things. Thought I would throw that in.

[fwilson]

Real sponge, eh? Reminds me of an environmental question I have pondered over for a long time. If we removed all the sponges from the oceans, how much would the world's ocean level drop??? :o If Al Gore melts the world's ice, might this be a solution to keep from drowning low-level areas??? (Sorry folks, pain pills just hit.)

OK - getting back to the subject at hand.
Along those same lines, JT, I have used 3M 90 sprayed on the back. That and glue (in the larger areas) has worked for me on occasions.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Thought I would throw some hints about scrolling circles that I like to use. I have found when cutting circles you need to be even more relaxed than ever because this is one of those instances when you start cutting the circle you are really concentrating on following the line because any flub is magnified especially if it is a small circle. Just think of driving a car and let your hands steer the wheel.

I also found I like to cut my circles out counterclockwise. I do this because if it is a tight circle there is less of a chance of getting burning. Also the circles come out truer in that they are not tapered. It maybe a matter of choice but worthwhile trying it this way. If the starting and ending points do not quite match I just reverse my technique and clean that bumb up cutting clockwise using the teeth as a planing tool. Good luck. Cutting circles that are near perfect is not hard at all. Practice.

[fwilson]

What - no comments on my sponge theory???????????????????? :D :D :D

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Fred

All I can say is that I don't think your sponge theory can hold water :) Watched a special on global warming the other day and have to say it doesn't look good. I am glad I won't be here to see the results of that one. More cars, we need more polluting cars. The technology for cleaner cars is there but you know the story. Line those pockets. What was the profits these oil producers made last year???? Yea you go Al Gore!!!! His head gets any bigger it is going to explode and then we will have a catastophe!!! :D

[fwilson]

His head gets any bigger it is going to explode and then we will have a catastophe!!!

Yeh, kinda reminds me of the video that some folks blew up a dead whale :eek:

[RollaJohn]

Well JT at least you didn't say the sponge theory sucks... :eek:

[fwilson]

Got this from about.woodworking

When drilling large-diameter holes with a spade (or paddle bit), hole saw or other large diameter bit, one of the most common problems occurs when the bit "blows through" the back side of the stock, tearing the face of the stock, leaving a very ugly problem to deal with. However, there are two very simple methods for solving this troublesome issue.

First, try clamping a block of hardwood to the back side of the stock before drilling. When the bit approaches the end of the cut, it will be far less likely to blow through with another piece of wood to drill. However, if the stock placed on the back side is softer than the workpiece, or if it is not securely clamped to the workpiece, tear out can still occur.

Another, perhaps simpler method is to drill half-way through the stock, until the pilot hole just penetrates the back side of the workpiece, then flip the workpiece over and drill back toward the front side.

In this manner, any possible blowout would occur in the middle of the stock as opposed to either edge, leaving a much cleaner cut on each side.

Thanks Chris Baylor

[fwilson]

Just found this woodworking tip from American Woodworker and thought I would share it.

Use a framing square to find the center of a circle by placing the corner of the square on the circle, and marking where the legs meet the circumference. Draw a line from one mark to the other. Do this a second time. These lines intersect at the center.

http://www.pops-shop.com/07356-photo-2.jpg http://www.pops-shop.com/07356-photo-1.jpg

[William Young]

Great tip.
I will remember that on some of my larger turnings when I have lost the center mark for reverse chucking.
W.Y.