Messages

361

General Scroll Saw Talk / Flattening wood

« on: December 16, 2012, 11:00:46 am »

I have a 1/4" thick piece of bamboo about 10 by 12" that was glued up from strips about 1 to 1.5" inches wide.  It has developed a bow (about 1/8") parallel to the glue lines that I would like to remove.

Any suggestions on how to flatten it, or to at least minimize the bowing?

Thanks,
Jim

362

General Scroll Saw Talk / Re: Adjustble Rear Table Bracket DW788

« on: December 16, 2012, 10:57:02 am »

Moonie, I made one for my Delta 40-690 (788 clone) like this - easy to do.  It permits adjusting the tilt of the table.

I found it helped but didn't completely remove the forwards and backwards motion of hte blade - your mileage may vary.   

Hope this helps.
Jim

363

Computer questions / Re: Keychain maker - trojan???

« on: December 14, 2012, 08:53:16 pm »

I had forgotten about this problem.  Just now I submitted the two files to Emsisoft for analysis.  The say they will report the results of their testing.  I'll report back here when I hear.

Jim

364

Computer questions / Re: transfer pattern to flash drive

« on: December 14, 2012, 08:41:30 pm »

Dean, a flash drive is just like any other drive, you can open it in Windows explorer (assuming you are using a computer with the Windows operating system) and copy file from your hard drive to the flash drive.  If you are using an Apple product, perhaps someone else on the forum can help you. 

The files containing Steve's patterns usually have 3 or more pages and usually you only want to print the pages with the pattern.  If you take the whole file to Kinko's, you may get all the pages printed, unless you can get them to print only the pages you need.

I hope this helps you get to where you want to go with the files.
Jim

365

Computer questions / Re: No Unread Posts

« on: December 10, 2012, 08:55:53 am »

Mike, for your info, I see the "Show unread posts" in the corner so it is still available.  What you might have done to your profile is another question.  A quick look at my profile didn't turn up an option to turn off "Show unread posts" but perhaps Russ, the forum moderator, will have a thought on this.

Jim

366

Computer questions / Re: Key chain maker SVG file to gimp

« on: December 09, 2012, 10:32:12 pm »

Jim, I'd also be interested in the best way to make the transfer.  Now I save the file in one program as PNG or JPEG then bring it into the second program.

Looking forward to better answers.
Jim

367

General Scroll Saw Talk / Re: Is This a First???

« on: December 09, 2012, 12:47:53 pm »

Bobby, another thought.  Is the Easy Lift spring set for too much tension?  I have it set to the minimum, just enough to hold the arm up.  It's set so I have to lift the arm, the Easy Lift just keeps it in place.

If you go for the wood block, you could put a hinge on the block and attach the other end of the hinge to the upper arm of the 788 using glue, magnets, or tie wrap.  If you use glue, don't glue it to the removable (left) side of the arm.       A magnet attached to the block of wood will hold it up against the arm while you are cutting.

Good luck,
Jim

368

General Scroll Saw Talk / Re: Is This a First???

« on: December 09, 2012, 10:47:31 am »

Bubbaloo, I have the Delta 40-690 clone of the 788 with the Easy-lift.  So far I haven't noticed your problem.  I top feed so when I put the blade in the bottom clamp, I push down on the top blade holder until it goes down as far as it will go.  Then I reach under the table and push up on the bottom clamp while tightening the clamp screw.

I do tighten to 4.5 or higher but so far so good.  I'll try to remember your post if I start having tension problems.

Jim

369

General Scroll Saw Talk / Re: Johnson's paste wax

« on: December 09, 2012, 10:39:45 am »

Newfie, I have a suspicion Johnson's wax is not available in Canada.  I have tried a number of places in the Montreal area with no luck.  I seem to remember hearing that it only available in the US.

I'm using the Minwax.

Jim

370

The Coffee Shop / Re: Chat Room

« on: December 08, 2012, 11:48:39 am »

GB, scroll down Steve's blog to the very bottom, under the Scrollsaw Workshop Store (right now it shows a stocking with "I Love to Scroll" on it).  There is a link to "Live Stream" under the ad.  I expect that is the entry to the chat, but I haven't had a chance to try it.

Hope it works,
Jim

371

General Scroll Saw Talk / Re: Dewalt 788 arrived, missing material hold down... opinions please

« on: December 07, 2012, 03:00:30 pm »

I have the Dewalt 40-790 which is the same as the DW788 except for the paint and decals.  I use the hold down, not to keep the wood on the table, but to support a hose to suck up dust.  If I didn't use it to support the hose, I would remove it.

The other piece is a guard designed to keep you from getting your fingers smacked if you reach under the table while the saw is running.  You can keep it or remove it - it's your choice.  For what it's worth, I removed it.

Enjoy your new saw.
Jim

372

General Scroll Saw Talk / Re: Dewalt 788 question

« on: December 03, 2012, 10:19:24 pm »

Arkiewood, the Delta 40-690 is a clone of the DW788.  I have one and it works very well.  Tension sets easily.  Delta has updated the 40-690 to a 40-695 which has a built-in mechanism to keep the upper arm elevated for blade changes, etc.  It does have a 5 year warranty.

Jim

373

Tutorials, Techniques and Tips / Patterns from inkscape

« on: December 02, 2012, 06:38:13 pm »

In the Pattern Request section I mentioned something I had learned about Inkscape.  Probably most of you know it but I didn't so there might a few others who don't.

When I tried to make a pattern from text, I could never get nice sharp lines to follow.  I would change the colour of the text to a light grey, then try to trace the bitmap - it never gave a sharp line to follow.  Very frustrating.

Finally I tried tracing the bitmap first, then changing the inside colour to a light grey.  It worked like a charm.

Hope this is useful.
Jim

374

Ask Steve a question. / Re: Hand Held Fret saw for scrolling

« on: December 01, 2012, 10:57:08 pm »

Crupiea, the ones I am familiar with have a "nut" in the handle.  Turning the handle tensions or releases the blade.  Some have a short rod sticking up at each end of the blade.  They allow you to rotate the blade relative to the frame to ease cutting near the limit of the frame.

Good luck with the hand work, I could never get it to work well, I either broke the blade or couldn't follow the line, or both.     
Jim

375

The Coffee Shop / Re: See your home in a Snow cone

« on: December 01, 2012, 10:51:41 pm »

Showed the street in front of my house but not the house - odd.
Jim