Saw preference topics

[jttheclockman]

Gill

Gill (who has taken up the art of scrollsawing and has joined this site to share ideas and has looked through the site and come back with some questions which have been known to receive frosty answers from... can you guess who? )

If this is directed at me, I would like to say Thanks! Please tell us all you know about the new saws hitting the market. Don't hold back. There I bet are many saws you have never heard of that have been around for awhile. Just about all tool companies make a version of a scrollsaw and some even more than one. I do not hear the scrollsaw made by Ridgid , or the one made by Tradesman mentioned much.

[Old Mooner]

Way to go, BobD! I agree. If you don't want to read about wood, then don't go to the section on materials, etc. Admittedly, I don't read some sections as much as others because I am not in search of a new saw and I am satisfied with my blades, but folks who are just starting out--remember when?--need the info about saws and blades. I get a little tired of discussions about clocks, but I don't do clocks, so I avoid those discussions. That doesn't mean they aren't valid subjects. I don't play golf either.
Moon

[Jediscroller]

To be quite honest...I'm not, I bought my EX-30 in February of this year, so I should be looking for another saw in about 20 or 30 years. The fact that someone is ripping off Hegner is rather sad though. I have a Jet Tablesaw and get their catalogues so I'm sure I'll see those. I don't have much time for shows unless I'm selling at them. I don't believe the diamond is available on this side of the pond so it doesn't really hold any interest for me either.

Kevin

Drat. So nobody's interested in the cheap Hegner clones that are coming out now the Hegner patents have expired. Nor are they interested in the Jet saw that I wasn't aware of until today. Nor the SIP saw that is stealing all the customers at the shows I've been attending. Nor the Diamond saw.

Well, I suppose it's all old hat to you guys.

Gill

[BobD]

That's the purpose of the TOOLS and BLADES section...if you don't want to read about tools and blades, don't click on that section!!! If you do want to read about these things, check it out!

Bob

[sheltiecarver]

Gosh Gill, I'm interested!!
Lets just put all that new and wonderful info in a place where those who are not interested need not look - like in the FAQ section. I'll guarantee that I'll be reading about em. (And I'd bet I won't be the only one!)
Sandy

[BobD]

I moved these threads out so people could vent about those people who like to talk about tools and machines...so we could keep the threads a little more on topic.

Bob

[Gill]

Drat. So nobody's interested in the cheap Hegner clones that are coming out now the Hegner patents have expired. Nor are they interested in the Jet saw that I wasn't aware of until today. Nor the SIP saw that is stealing all the customers at the shows I've been attending. Nor the Diamond saw.

Well, I suppose it's all old hat to you guys.

Gill

[oaklysawyer]

Well said Kevin and we forgot about those ever so continuous and monotonous what kind of spray or 2 sided tape or whatever to stick patterns on wood topics.
Another good one to put to rest in FAQ section ?
Fred

[Jediscroller]

ROFL! I just had a thought, ya know, the one thread I haven't seen is which blade works best in which saw! OK, I'm kidding so please don't jump on me. As far as technology changing all the time, unless I missed something, the only saws I've seen introduced have been the G4 from RBI and the tilting head from Excalibur, neither of which are exactly new technology. Craftsman has been selling (or trying to sell I should say) a tilting head scroll saw for a couple of years and the G4 is just an upgrade of the RBI Hawk. It's a scroll saw, the blade goes up and down (hopefully), it cuts wood, how much technology do ya really need? Alas, this seems to happen with all hobbies, one of my hobbies is astronomy, if you go to astro message boards you see tons of discussions on equipment but very little on observing.
Oh well, I'll go back to lurking now.

Kevin

[oaklysawyer]

Thank you John. I check here every now and again to find something interesting but when I see blades and blades and more blades mixed in with saws and saws and more saws I go to the other sites that are not full of those two topics. But I always come back a week or two later to see if things have improved. I wonder how many actually come back apart from some of the regulars of course that seem to find those two topics a priority.
I like your new poll on hours of sawing. A refreshing change for occasional scrollers like me.
Fred

[jttheclockman]

Oh my, well said. I agree 1000000000000000000000000%

[oaklysawyer]

So many blades and saw topics gets rather borriinngg.
More intelligent conversations would be nice for lurkers and learners. Maybe they would strart participating.
Fred

[jttheclockman]

This subject knows no bounds! It never ceases to draw comment from all quarters. It is very much like asking which car is best. There is no "best." Only different and we will all defend our choices to the death. Ta da! I, too, started with a Sears saw and moved up to an RBI Hawk 220. I have used the RBI saw for several years and have been truly satisfied, but some folks will argue 'til doomsday that the RBI has poor service (since mine hasn't needed service--isn't that the idea?) but I wouldn't know. My Dad once asked me why I bought foreign cars? Who will fix them when they break? Duh, the idea is that they don't break. As I have said before, all the top line saws are essentially good saws. Bottom feed, top feed, tension here, tension there, table tilt accuracy, table weight, vibration, etc, etc, etc. All these things are really personal choice. I used to bowl with a "house ball" and then I bought and had my own ball drilled for my hand. My score did'nt improve, but I had a better ball.
Moon

Bob if you would do that for me I would appreciate it. In the mean time I think this person summed it up all too well.

[BobD]

I just read back over this post, and I really don't think ANYONE stood up and touted their own favorite saw to the detriment of any other saw. Everyone was very respectful, and simply offered their opinions.

I think its a fair and valid discussion...but if you want, John, I'll e-mail you when a new thread like this is posted, so you can ignore it <grinning>

Bob

[jttheclockman]

Bob,
I know John has been around longer than I, and I can see that he's fed up to who knows where with all the "which saw should I buy?" questions, but, from my far less experienced position, I am amazed at the variety of directions from which the questions come - what is the best under $xxx, over $xxx, for various applications, in various countries, certain features. I, too, think of those questions as icebreakers, and sometimes welcome the chance to weigh in on the topic. There is even an (outside) chance that something or someone will cause me to change my opinions, or maybe suspend them for special circumstances.
By the way, John, what kind of car do you drive?
Sandy

Sandy

I drive a 2002 Chevy Silverado Pickup. Now I am not saying there are not changes but come on everyday that question gets asked how much changes can be made in a day?? There has to be other icebreaker comments like how's the weather or here some things I tried scrolling. If these facts were listed on a heading topic board or whatever you call it. It jumps right out at the newbie as soon as he or she logs on. Now if there are major changes as Gil says then add them to the list and make a note if you want in a post. But to beat a dead horse to death, please. Maybe I am being too picky then please forgive me but I guess I can't get past this pet peeve. One of the main reasons is everyone gets on and touts their saw as the best and there is NO such thing as the best. You get what you pay for. There are lemons in all brands such as CARS. As far as saws overseas I am not familar with them because there are quite afew saws on the market that people don't hear about.

I don't know I will just shut up about this and let the chips fall where they will and bear it. Have fun!!