Advice/opinions needed

[Scott]

So, I got to spend some quality time with the (Craftsman 16" variable speed) scroll saw yesterday, doing practice cuts on scrap and experimenting with blades. So far so good. I see improvement.

Vibration is a problem. I can't run the machine at full speed, but I am not sure that is necessary anyway. I was always taught, with any machine, never to run at full speed if the speed was adjustable. So I am debating whether or not to make a new stand, one that is more robust and allows for the placement of weight in the base. This is where I would like to hear opinion / advice. Not sure this will solve the vibration problem with this saw...

(It is bolted down, the stand has very little movement / twist. I tightened all of the screws, nuts, and bolts that I could find. I even modified they plastic guard over the arm to keep it from knocking against the arm. (dumb design - thanks Dremel...))

It may be (probably likely) that I have a crappy saw and the saw will always vibrate at the top end no matter what I do. More experimentation is needed. So far it is usable, just not that fast. I can get up to about 80-90 percent before the vibration becomes a problem. Maybe that is fast enough. Should I go through the trouble of making a new stand - heavier timber, place for sand bags, stool height - or just live with what I have until I upgrade (about 80% probability) to a better saw?

I am planning to practice one hour every night this week while I line up real projects to do.
Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

[Toneman]

Uncle Scott, it could be combination of saw and stand or just the saw. Is your flooring a slab or pier and beam? My woodshop is actually a wood building with a plywood floor resting on cinder blocks. I have an excalibur scroll saw mounted on an excalibur stand. I first had pretty bad vibration at about 80% speed, so I put two 80# cement bags on the lower braces of my stand and now have very little vibration, but do have some. When i purchased the saw it was of course sitting on a slab in the showroom of the dealer and there was no vibration at all when running full speed. If you are on a slab, I suspect it is more the saw. I do not want to be negative about your saw, but, in the future, if you decide to do more scrolling for some additional income, I suggest to upgrade to a better saw. You should be able to balance a coin on your saw table ( I have read this somewhere). I cannot at full speed due to my flooring but have learned to deal with it.

[Scott]

My shop is in the basement, so it's resting on concrete. I might try resting two bags of salt on the stand tonight, and putting it up on some of the floor pads I have laying around. I'll try the nickel test after that, and post the results.

[scrappile]

I use to think I had to run my saws a full speed all the time.  Then one day it came to me, I don't run any other equipment with variable speed at full speed all the time just like I don't run them at the slowest speed all the time.  So I slowed  down and found I enjoyed sawing much more.  That is why they are variable speed.  I There are times for full speed but now I normally run somewhere in the middle.  My saws will probably last longer also.

[jerry1939]

I have a home made wood stand.  Placed 2" foam between the top of the stand and the saw.  I think every little bit that you try helps.

jerry

[jimr1cos]

My first scroller was the same unit; it was bolted to a wooden bench. I do not recall any vibration problems so long as I kept the speed under 75%
I got a great Black Friday price, and it was a good unit to learn on.
Jim

[spirithorse]

I like Jerry's suggestion that you try putting something like foam, cardboard, carpeting or
a door mat under the saw. It's an easy experiment to see if it works and not too expensive.
I have a Craftsman 18" and just have it sitting on a piece of folded cardboard and it is NOT
bolted down.
It won't pass the nickel test as you called it at full speed but, I have never found it
necessary to run at full speed anyway.
Good luck and God Bless! Spirithorse

[Scott]

Thanks for all of the advice. Last night I put the saw stand on a couple of floor pads and that helped a lot! When I have time, I will try to put a pad between the saw and the top of the stand. Unfortunately that involves a fair amount of disassembly, so it will have to wait until I have a lull in the action. Each night I am trying to cut one piece for practice. Fun!