Author Topic: What a Welcome (Read 2703 times)

iggygiles · « **on:** May 23, 2011, 07:03:10 pm »

Hi All.
Thanks for the fantastic welcome, I have a woodrat, one of those dovetailing machines that work on wires, I joined the forum and had no replies so gave up. What a change to have the welcome you guys gave me. I will be of little use to you for a while as the scroll saw is a new toy for me so need practice, I am working on that using Steves Jig Saw patterns as blanks. I seem to be ok on the left hand turns but lousy on the right, I think I need to relax more + I am getting a bit short sighted as I am 67 now and am never sure which way the tiny blade is facing when I come out of a sharp turn. I may get rid of that stupid perspex guard and fit a magnifying glass in its place, and get another light on the other side as the existing one casts a shadow running away from the blade and is a pain in the preverbial. What do you think???

SheGold · « **Reply #1 on:** May 23, 2011, 07:17:02 pm »

Just relax when your sawing don't try and force the wood go slow and have patience.. Once you do a few you'll get the hang of it.. Hope this helps... Sheila in Tx

bettyswood · « **Reply #2 on:** May 23, 2011, 07:31:06 pm »

Welcome, welcome!! The learning curve is even fun on a scroll saw. I try to leave the scrap wood to the right of my blade and that helps me know where I am going and where I came from. Enjoy all the great tips on this forum, everyone is truly the best and I have learned so much from them.

Gabby · « **Reply #3 on:** May 23, 2011, 08:19:48 pm »

Look around and find a lighted magnifier usually 3 or 4 power some are flex mounted and some are made like a crane boom which is what I have. Picked mine up at a yard sale for a couple of bucks. Shines the light right where you are looking I think some now have LED lights which would be brighter than the flourescent mine has.
We're the same age and I know exactly what you are talking about, I even use reading glasses in addition.
Try a Google search and see what is available. Another item that might work better for you is a headband mounted magnifier and some of those have lights too, they are designed to flip up out of the way.
Brain fart I can't think of the proper names for either device.

Gabby

julief · « **Reply #4 on:** May 24, 2011, 09:23:41 am »

Relax and practice, practice, practice. The turns will come to you. As for magnification and lighting - I use both. The better you can see you pattern lines - the better off you are.

tux_linux · « **Reply #5 on:** May 24, 2011, 09:41:44 am »

which blades are you using? That makes a big difference. If you have not yet, ask FD Mike for some of the finest blades available. I have changed my blades and I feel much more comfortable with these.

Also has every scroller a preferred curve side - Well, at least I do. So I try to do the important curves with the better direction and learn on those "not so important" curves to improve my scrolling.

regards
Torsten

cliveg · « **Reply #6 on:** May 24, 2011, 03:55:42 pm »

just relax and enjoy it will come good

iggygiles · « **Reply #7 on:** May 24, 2011, 05:26:26 pm »

Thanks for all the info people, I am getting a little better every day, sometime soon I hope to produce something worth keeping. I got on to my bandsaw blade supplier and he fixed me up with a half decent selectoin to play with (including spiral) I forget what they are called but German so probably a decent make. I also made myself a high chair to sit on and bolted the saw firmly down to the bench to prevent high speed vibration and made a false bed to reduce the size of the blade hole. small peices seemed to dissapear into the well. I have also been talking to Gabby about lights and magnification. Today though

No Progress

as management insisted I start mending the rotten fence at the bottom of the garden. Like I said to Gabby, for the cost of that I could have bought a new Rockler.
Many thanks Iggy.

Gabby · « **Reply #8 on:** May 25, 2011, 01:08:24 am »

I had a neat reply all typed up and when I logged on I forgot to click the stay logged on button.
Darn program kicked me out and I lost all those words of wisdom. Drat and double drat!
Not going through all that again.
Your loss it was golden. LOL
Gabby

iggygiles · « **Reply #9 on:** May 25, 2011, 04:48:10 pm »

Hi Gabby.
You are a total star, my life will never be the same for the loss of all the info you were going to send me. I have been fencing at the bottom of the garden all day, digging up concrete lumps and creating firewood out of the 30 year old ranch stile fence. Funny though I kept trying to remember the words of the immortal Johnny Cash "It takes me all day to do what I used to do all day" LOL Iggy

CNLNC · « **Reply #10 on:** May 25, 2011, 06:49:00 pm »

Just a thought Iggy, I don't know what it looks like, but maybe you should save the fencing. If its what I think, it could make some nice rustic frames for future projects. Just an idea...or burn it.

Gabby · « **Reply #11 on:** May 26, 2011, 12:35:50 am »

Iggy that's on the order of a recent country hit tune that goes "I'm not as good as I once was, but I'm as good once,
as I once was!"

I presume you meant you are doing a ranch style fence, since a stile is what you use as a walk through or step over pass, designed to let people through while barring livestock.
Does this fence serve any purpose other than decoration?

CNLNC makes a good point weathered wood is all the rage for frames and such. It has CHARACTER what ever that is. LOL

A STAR huh, more like a burned out light bulb. I do try to help out, and keep folks entertained now and then.

Don't let the management make you over do it. You are retar um retired right?

Your Buddy,
Gabby

iggygiles · « **Reply #12 on:** May 26, 2011, 03:41:01 pm »

Hi Gabby & CNLNC.
Gabby, you were crack on the first time, ie retarded. As for the fence, it was 5no 6"x 1" boards with 2"x 1" in between each 6" board and on both sides of the 3" x 3" posts so quite a bit of timber most of it spongeform as it has been there nearly 30 years. I live in wales, within sight of the Ryder cup course of last year, The Celtic Manor. If you watch golf, you will know that we won, but it was extended by 1 day due to the weather. That kind of weather has been attacking my fence for all that time and it was only dunnage in the first place. Unfortunatly, it is more rusting than rustic. I have been out there today, sorting out some sound footage (waste not want not) to make bird boxes for the School kids to sell for their funds. By the way, i have been talking to Mike and he is happy to supply me with blades over here, I just have to work out what I want, I may start with his mixed bag as there are so many types to choose from. LOL Iggy
P S Gabby, you ARE A Star. Have you had a look at word art on the Tube yet?

Gabby · « **Reply #13 on:** May 27, 2011, 03:01:59 am »

I can't quite visualize what you are describing but it sounds like it's decorative or meant to keep out livestock.

?
If you have pressure treated posts available or, Redwood, or cedar, listed in diminishing resistance to rot and vermin. Any other wood will rot long before these three materials. In this part of the world cedar is the least expensive and I have used it for patio decking it will probably out last me by years! Heck the deck screws will probably rust out first! Our climate is probably pretty comparable at least for a good 6 months of the year Nov. through May lots of rain I get more than people 3 miles away in town due to my proximity to the mountain directly behind my home I'm right at the foot of it.
Redwood or cedar for the 1" by 6" boards would be a good choice as well. Aw heck PM me if you need to ask anything, I'll be happy to share my mistakes with you. But I'm boreing the sawyers here.
Gabby being gabby!

Quiet Marion! LOL

News: Had a couple issues with the forum today. 1/19/2017. I believe I have them corrected now. Let me know if you have any trouble. Thanks.