Thanks for the input on my earlier post. I'm going to look at this one tomorrow:
It's a Craftsman, vintage 1940s. Owner says it weighs about 100 pounds and is almost vibration free.
I'll run some 6/4 walnut through it and see how it behaves. Anything else I should be looking for?
Larry
I have one of those as well, it was given to me by an uncle many years ago. I have not used it in 25 years or so. I could never get it to run with small blades, the top is spring loaded at the front making the range of adjustment very small, it ran fine with
1/8" blades. It was not suitable for fine blades. It only used pinned blades.Larry, if you have aspirations of doing fretwork or using the saw much at all, spring for a better quality, modern saw.
basilisk
Agreed
Check this one out, Larry.
VS Delta with foot control for $200 or go whole hog with the Hegner 22V for $800!
That's a good price on the Hegner with the variable speed. From the picture I see that it had the quick release/tensioner. Makes it a snap to change out the blades.
I guess I should have noted that my main interest is in cutting concentric beveled circles for glueing up bowls for turning. Stock will range to 6/4. This will just be an occasional endeavor, so I want to limit the investment.
I had one, used sections of broken bandsaw blades as blades. It'll do what you're looking for it to do. It is a heavy sucker and bolted down it doesn't vibrate, the deep throat is nice too.
The red one naturally. Up/down motion for a good cut while many do diagonal drag that chatters and spinsters the wood.
Mart> >> Thanks for the input on my earlier post. I'm going to look at this >> one tomorrow:
Don't forget you wanted one that would tilt more than 45 degrees. Although I can't imagine accurately cutting anything on a a scroll saw at even 40 degrees.
morrow:
$80 is not a lot of investment. I say go for it. If it works reasonably well, it'll probably satisfy most of your needs, so you won't be loosing mu ch. For your specific needs, any lack of performance will teach you what t o look for with any subsequent upgrade, if/when need be.
On your thicker stocks, especially the 6/4, cut really slow or you'll be br eaking blades, repeatedly.
Sonny
6/4 is still a lot for a scroll saw, I'll stack several layers of ply sometimes and it will cut ok. 6/4's of solid wood is a different beast, it will cut but progress is painfully slow, especially when cutting with the grain. I lack the patience to work this way, it's subjective and rate of progress may be acceptable for some.
basilisk
Since the Hengers go for about $1400 now, that's not a bad deal if it is in real good shape. Never used one but know people who have them and swear by them. Bear in mind, they do lots of art scroll work.
Be sure you can get parts for that thing, including blades.
My father-in-law picted up one similar to that Craftsman. A Delta that I was planning to pry away from him and restore. That is until I found it impossible to get any parts. And those things are seriously heavy.
I have a Delta 40-540 that I use for both fret work and cut 8/4 maple for rings for bowls. I works OK. It is 15 years old. It is going to be replaced with an Excalibur 16 when they are back in stock. The Excalibur is a tilting blade rather than a tilting table.
A hint: if you are going to make compound cuts (beveled rings) use spiral blades. Normal blades want to twist and bow because the top and bottom of the blade are at different geometries. Pictures of some of my concentric rings are at:
Excellent! With those exceptional examples of your work, I'd say that your opinion on scroll saws is to be taken very seriously.
Ray ....
That is beautiful work -- and exactly the purpose to which I will put the scroll saw. Thanks for sharing the pix and the tips!
Larry
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