Today in the shop (new project laser positioning)

[reible]

I have a scroll saw project going on and needed to drill the holes. I'm guess about 3 dozen or so holes and worth the time to put the laser on for location of the holes.

See this post for details about the laser system:

http://www.shopsmith.com/ss_forum/gener ... 17544.html

I haven't used it in a while so I wasn't even sure if the batteries were still good but they were. So I got the drilling done in no time at all. I wish the scroll work would go as fast.

I'm going to cut some vinyl, something new for me. Not sure what blade to use but I'm sure I'll learn before the project is over. I'm going to start with larger/less teeth and see how that works and go finer as needed. I have plenty of practice area before I start the real cuts.

20171018_181123_resized.jpg (132.1 KiB) Viewed 15495 times

I'd like to work on it tomorrow but I need to change the oil on the van and a few other winterizing projects first. If it is too windy to change the oil I might be able to work it in but more likely this weekend.

Ed

[Hobbyman2]

Looks like fun

[jsburger]

My wife loves the laser for her scroll saw drilling.

[dusty]

I have a scroll saw project going on and needed to drill the holes. I'm guess about 3 dozen or so holes and worth the time to put the laser on for location of the holes.

See this post for details about the laser system:

http://www.shopsmith.com/ss_forum/gener ... 17544.html

I haven't used it in a while so I wasn't even sure if the batteries were still good but they were. So I got the drilling done in no time at all. I wish the scroll work would go as fast.

I'm going to cut some vinyl, something new for me. Not sure what blade to use but I'm sure I'll learn before the project is over. I'm going to start with larger/less teeth and see how that works and go finer as needed. I have plenty of practice area before I start the real cuts.

20171018_181123_resized.jpg

I'd like to work on it tomorrow but I need to change the oil on the van and a few other winterizing projects first. If it is too windy to change the oil I might be able to work it in but more likely this weekend.

Ed

Very interesting Ed but I have a question. Why do you need the precision accuracy of a laser to drill holes such as these? Smaller holes in smaller cut out areas I would understand.

[reible]

Hi Dusty, the method is accurate and there are holes(inside cuts) that are pretty close to being the width of the drill bit. That is of course only part of the story. It is a lot faster to do the drilling as it as simple as getting the cross-hairs to where you want the hole and drilling it. Could I have done it without the laser? Sure. It is just easier and faster with the laser.

The main reason I got the laser was to see if it could be mounted on a shopsmith and for times when I have a lot of holes to drill that I want to do fast but that need be only eye accurate. So far I've been happy with it and it does what I got it for quite well.

I didn't have occasion to use it for several months so it sat in a drawer but when I did mount it again it was still in alignment and the battery was still strong enough to light it up even after use and storage for about a year and 9 or 10 months. In reviews some people seemed to have issues with the battery going dead when not it use, so far that has not been an issue for me.

Ed

[reible]

I did manage to get back to this project today as expected. So lets start with what you didn't see the other day:

20171018_180500_resizeda.jpg (157.24 KiB) Viewed 15306 times

Yes that is a LP, got two record set for $1 so the investment is small. This was only a test so I could see just how this is done. The pattern moved so the hole was not in a cut out.... my bad on that but when I noticed I figured it would do for this test.

I also left the label on, would not do that again. It was a pain to get off after the cutting. I might add a backer next time, the material is so soft it was difficult to work with, some might say too easy.....

I set the saw at 1800 rpm after starting at 2400 and working my way down. Next time I might go a little slower yet but there was no melting issues at this speed. The blade was I think either 11 or 12 tpi. The courser blades was "chipping" too much so fine details were going away.

I tried to make friends with the scroll saw lever for tightening the blade, we just don't and can't get along. I must have had the blade come out 30 times today. I don't know why but it just will not hold well for me. Went back to the allen hd screw I had been using last winter when I was having the same issue.

So after a learning curve and getting back in to the flow I got it done. Here it is just after I finished the cutting.

20171021_173554_resizeda.jpg (173.06 KiB) Viewed 15306 times

Then after getting the label off and filing some of the fuzzes this is what it looks like:

20171021_192755_resizedra.jpg (208.19 KiB) Viewed 15306 times

Ed

[jsburger]

I did manage to get back to this project today as expected. So lets start with what you didn't see the other day:

$matches[2]

Yes that is a LP, got two record set for $1 so the investment is small. This was only a test so I could see just how this is done. The pattern moved so the hole was not in a cut out.... my bad on that but when I noticed I figured it would do for this test.

I also left the label on, would not do that again. It was a pain to get off after the cutting. I might add a backer next time, the material is so soft it was difficult to work with, some might say too easy.....

I set the saw at 1800 rpm after starting at 2400 and working my way down. Next time I might go a little slower yet but there was no melting issues at this speed. The blade was I think either 11 or 12 tpi. The courser blades was "chipping" too much so fine details were going away.

I tried to make friends with the scroll saw lever for tightening the blade, we just don't and can't get along. I must have had the blade come out 30 times today. I don't know why but it just will not hold well for me. Went back to the allen hd screw I had been using last winter when I was having the same issue.

So after a learning curve and getting back in to the flow I got it done. Here it is just after I finished the cutting.

$matches[2]

Then after getting the label off and filing some of the fuzzes this is what it looks like:

20171021_192755_resizedra.jpg

Ed

Really cool.

I would think you have a problem with your blade holders. Is it the same one every time? My wife scroll saws for hours at a time and maybe has the blade pop out once or twice. Usually the lower one.

[reible]

I think there is a problem but I have no idea what it is. Perhaps I don't have a strong enough grip?

Ed

[benush26]

If you haven’t already, lightly roughen both sides of the ends of the blade with emery cloth. It gives a bit more tooth for the tip of the set screw to hold on and the flat mating surface of the holder, a bit more friction.
When I get a new package of blades, as I examine them for defects (happens even with expensive blades), I pinch each end berween some emery cloth to roughen them. I do this as a batch when I first get them so if (when!) a blade breaks I don’t have to waste time prepping the blade.
Hope this helps.

Be well,
Ben

[ChrisNeilan]

Some of the scroll sawers i follow on YouTube make an adaptor to go over the lever to tighten the lade. Just a simple piece of wood that fits over the lever to give more leverage. Kinda like putting a pipe over a rachet handle to make a breaker bar.