Messages

1

General Scroll Saw Talk / Re: DeWalt 788 question

« on: May 20, 2019, 07:26:42 pm »

I did maintenance on mine too this winter.  After it was disassembled I too found the connecting rod bearing was about a pile of dust.  Got it all fixed up and it runs like a champ.  Sure glad I did it.  I was shy about taking it apart, but in the end it was pretty simple.   It was a tad aggressive on the cutting and also did the Brokaw suggestion (I'm running Pegas clamps).  Took a few more strokes that Tom said but that resolved the aggressive cutting.  Being spring not a lot of jobs or shows so the saw is sitting in the shop ready to go to work.

2

General Scroll Saw Talk / Re: listening to music

« on: May 20, 2019, 07:19:05 pm »

Yep. Gotta have my music.

3

General Scroll Saw Talk / Re: DeWalt 788 question

« on: March 12, 2019, 02:27:57 pm »

Just did maintenance on my 788 Type 2.  I've had it about three years, this last year I used it hard and it got noisier and noisier.  So watched all the videos, ordered the bearings and sleeves (per videos) and tore into it.  When I got into the machine I found the connecting rod bearing was about all rust.  So ordered that part too.  Put it all back together and it sounds better than when I first bought it.

A number of sleeves were 'dented' fairly bad and others slightly, but replaced them anyway.  One thing I realized after ordering all the parts as outlined in the videos it I wound up with extra sleeves.  After scratching my head I realized the Pegas blade clamps I use have longer sleeves than the ones that come with the DeWalt clamps so have four extra ones.

Also I had a real aggressive cut on the blade.  Tom Brokaw's maintenance 'update video' suggested taking a hacksaw and 'deepening' the blade clamp's groove.  That worked perfect and now the blade is perpendicular front to back to the table through the entire blade stroke.

4

General Scroll Saw Talk / Matt Hass Dewalt Maintenance Video

« on: January 13, 2019, 05:45:50 pm »

Howdy All,

I just watched the video that Matt Hass made and Steve G link to about bearing lube on the 788.  Very interesting, but I have a question. 

I've run my type 2 for several years now and am getting more knocking than when first purchased it.  I plan on taking it apart to clean and lube in the next month or so.  My question is since I'm going to lube the bearings would it be appropriate at this juncture to go ahead and replace the bearings while the saw is apart?

OK, one more question.  I've not watched all of the of Bob Brokaw's videos (plan on doing though) but should the sleeves be replaced as well?

Thanks guys

Larry

5

Computer questions / Re: Corel printing

« on: December 22, 2018, 09:36:20 am »

Have you tested this idea? 

Something else I thought of...  I do not have Corel Draw, but in some CAD software I've used layers can be hidden from view, but still print.  Maybe there is a hidden layer that is being printed??

Larry

6

Computer questions / Re: Corel printing

« on: December 20, 2018, 10:22:11 am »

To test if it's the printer print to a PDF file instead and see if it is the same.  Windows 10 has a built in driver called Microsoft Print to PDF.  This should bypass whatever print driver you are normally printing to.


Larry

7

Ask Steve a question. / Re: How do you create your PDF pattern files?

« on: September 08, 2018, 08:54:10 am »

InkScape has a bit of a learning curve to it, but there are great videos on YouTube that helped me a lot.  One fellow in particular is 'Logos by Nick'  He has some really good ones.  I needed to watch them a couple times and then play with my installation while watching.  There is also a good support community at InkScape that I've asked question to and gotten helpful answers.

Also, I was thinking about your question on 'doing PDF's like Steve'.  Were you looking to put instructions or other information in the same PDF of the templates you create?  With Acrobat that is a built-in feature, but there is a tool called PDFill that can do this, and more.  It's free and does not appear to have spy or adware in it.

Keep pluggin away, you'll get the hang of InkScape.  It's got a lot of useful capabilities.

Larry

8

Ask Steve a question. / Re: How do you create your PDF pattern files?

« on: September 06, 2018, 10:16:25 pm »

Vasilis,

After thinking about this some more this afternoon I had another thought.  Are you running Win10 by any chance?  I believe  there is a built in print driver to print to PDF (at least it is on my machine)- see attachment "Win10 Print to PDF.jpg".

For how I save an Inkscape file to PDF format see the 'InkScape to PDF.jpg' attachment.

I hear Steve doesn't frequent this forum much.  I thought I saw something from Steve one time where he said he uses Corel Draw.  So what is your question about how Steve saves PDF files?  What are you trying to get from the file when saved?  Maybe someone else on the forum can help.

FYI I tried an experiment today in InkScape,  I purchased a Sheila Landry template.  They work fine, but I like my cut lines red and the areas being cut out a very light red.  In addition I'd like to scale the drawing up slightly so it's larger.  So I imported her PDF file into InkScape and did an Object to Path.  All the PDF data was converted to one object.  I did a Path Break Apart then deleted the inner line objects (you will run across this eventually) and merged the two halves of her template into one drawing.  Set the stroke and fill then scaled up to the size I needed.  From there I Save As a PDF.  I opened the PDF in Adobe Viewer and printed to my color laser using the Poster setting and cut lines.  This worked really slick.  Shelia - if you're reading this I hope this is OK???

So like I asked, what your trying to accomplish.

Larry
 

9

Ask Steve a question. / Re: How do you create your PDF pattern files?

« on: September 06, 2018, 01:43:03 pm »

EPS is an Adobe file format used in Illustrator.  So are you using Adobe?  I'm not familiar with Adobe products as they are sorta spendy, but I'd think from within your application you should be able to do a Save As and select the PDF format or a File Export and again select the file format....

I use InkScape which has the ability to save as PDF format.

Larry

10

Tutorials, Techniques and Tips / Blade not square after blade clamp change

« on: August 29, 2018, 11:45:25 am »

Good Morning all, got a question for everyone. 

I have a Dewalt 788 Type 2 saw.  Today I tried cutting a “Merry Christmas” into a 1 ¼” Spalted Maple using a FD #7. 

This is my first attempt at cutting thick stock.  I ran into an issue with the cuts in the wood not being perpendicular, in that when the saw kerfs meet on the top they DO NOT on the bottom of the piece. I have two pictures with this post showing the saw blade being ‘out of perpendicular-ness’ when the saw is at the top of the stroke, and just about perpendicular at the bottom end of the stroke.

I have the bottom clamp assembly as far forward as can I can go without elongating the holes in the shields.  This was a tip I found on Rick Hutchinson’s’ tune up page.

I just recently installed new Pegas blade clamps (love them) plus I took the machine apart to grease the connecting arm bearing.

Way back when I read on how to tune up the saw I remember then the blade was close to perpendicular per Rick’s method.  So modifying with the Pegas must have altered something.  Glad I found this now as I want to do compound cutting for chess pieces.

Guess I’m looking for suggestions on what to do.  I’m going to see if I can move the top arm assemply towards the rear of the saw, but other thoughts welcome….

11

General Scroll Saw Talk / Re: Pegas blade holder on Dewalt results??

« on: July 28, 2018, 09:55:04 am »

Thanks for the information.  I caved the other day and ordered the Pegas clamps specifically for the Dewadt. 

In looking at my Dewalt clamp I can't say the 'gap' where the blade seats is spreading apart, but the threaded hole in the head itself is wearing to the point the threaded clamp is loose in the clamp head.  It's getting harder to not have the blade slip.  So looking forward to this update.

Larry

12

General Scroll Saw Talk / Pegas blade holder on Dewalt results??

« on: July 25, 2018, 05:39:49 pm »

Has anyone tried the Pegas blade holder designed for the Dewalt?  My Dewalt clamp is starting to show some bending due to torquing the clamp over the years.  Thought maybe it might be worth trying the Pegas. 

Also does anyone know if the Pegas tension screw has a 'bearing' on the tip that meets the blade, like on the Dewalt

Finally any advantage to using the Excalibur clamp with the additional tension lever?

Thanks

Larry

13

General Scroll Saw Talk / Re: Pattern removal cost

« on: July 25, 2018, 08:47:56 am »

Peel and stick is my preferred method.  Used to use mineral spirits when the pattern was attached directly to the wood, but getting the residue off the detail fretwork without snagging the fine detail as a pain.  The contact paper was a perfect solution.  recommend you try it.

Larry

14

Tutorials, Techniques and Tips / Top Feed Blade Ideas

« on: April 30, 2018, 09:14:27 am »

Good day fellow scrollers.

Have a question that I've seen on these forums, but the theads are rather old.  My question is top feeding a blade on a Dewalt 788.  I've been scrolling for 6 years and have always bottom fed the blade.  I can do a blade change in 12 seconds.

However I've been toying with portraits and the larger sizes are crimping that routine. I need to learn to top feed the blade.  I've looked a videos and read remarks, but honestly I tried a few times this past week and I bet I fumbled for a couple minutes to get the blade into the bottom clap (without looking) and then on my Dewalt I find to get good tension I need to push the top arm down slightly when clamping the blade.  This move really requires three hands.

So is there any update on top feeding techniques for a Dewalt 788?  Pointers, modification to clamps, suggestions?

Thanks all.  I'm going to post this across several forums to get good coverage so I appologize in advance.

Larry

15

Ask Steve a question. / Setting up a scroll saw workshop

« on: February 14, 2018, 04:06:03 pm »

Steve. 

Amazing after a number of years I've come to the same conclusion on the basic tools as you out lined in today's blog.   I would offer one additional suggestion.  I've been woodworking for many years and everyone of those years my wife has complained about the dust that works its way out of the shop into the rest of the house.  Even with a closed door in my basement shop after running a sander or table saw it was pretty foggy in my shop and the dust magically got out to the rest of the house.

This past year I retired and we built a new home.  My wife said if I'm going to continue woodworking then do something about the dust. 

So doing some research I ended up getting a Dust Deputy and attached it to my plane-jane shop vac.  Holy cow did that a difference!  I've been working in my new shop for four months now and barley a film of dust is on my desk or shelves in the shop.  I bought enough extra hose and all sorts of adapters to connect the vacuum hose to anything in the shop with a dust port.  I suppose the dust collection system cost a couple hundred bucks and the best thing my wife has not once mentioned dust.

Larry