scrollsaw hole locater

[Ramjet]

I was cutting a project today and sometimes I pierce from the top and other times from the bottom .

When I was trying to get the blade through the project hole from the top and through the scrollsaw blade entry I found myself sorta hunting and pecking .

Sometimes I would bend the blade .

To make a more acurate stab I put lines horizonal and vertical on the scroll saw table where the blade enters the hole .

I used a black felt and suprised myself as to how well it worked .

Just thought I'd pass that along .

Roger

[wood-n-things]

Nice tip. Thanks for sharing.

[Ramjet]

Here is a photo of how I marked the table.
Roger

[Sally]

Interesting - I'll try that next time. Thanks.

[handibunny]

How nice to see an opening in the table that's not all chewed up!

[Mick Walker]

Roger, I top feed all the time and have a hat pin fastened to a magnet on the edge of my saw table. Works great for finding the hole.

[sawdustus]

Nice tips Roger and Mick. I must try them.

george

[Ramjet]

Mick . I have a pencil magnet I'll try . Thanks for the hat pin idea .

Roger

[hotshot]

On the EX, I position the blade over the hole, move the board under the blade. Works for me.

-------Randy

[flyingduck]

Hey guys and gals, just curious, I have always fed the blade from the bottom of the project (newbie for about two months). I don't quite get the concept of how you feed from the top and install the blade in the bottom clamp without taking a lot of time. Is the blade in the top clamp when you feed it through the project or do you feed from the top, clamp, install in top clamp and tighten? I have a Ryobi 16" with a large removable blade guide. Does that make any difference or are you talking about tables with only a small hole for the blade? I can see where top feeding would be easier through the project. Just my pea brain questions.

[Mick Walker]

flyingduck, I am not familiar with a Ryobi saw. You have to have a saw that you can easily get your hands on the bottom clamp. Then you have to teach your fingers to see. Takes a little practice to operate the clamp just by feel. I leave the blade clamped in the top clamp. Unclamp the lower clamp, raise the blade with the upper arm. Move to the next hole, insert blade by lowering top arm. Reclamp the blade into lower clamp, tension blade, make the next cut. You can cheat for awhile by bending down to look at the lower clamp. Will become second nature after awhile. I had an older Delta that I had to bottom feed with for 11 years. I then purchased a P-20 that I can top feed with. I would never go back to bottom feeding. Some saws you can't top feed with, does your upper arm move up out of the way with the saw turned off??

[fireglass]

I've got to try those lines, Thanks for the tip. Lance

[Ramjet]

Another thing I recently tried while stack cutting a wall hanging called The Green Man was to attach a light below the saw. It illuminated the hole . The lines on the table didn't work as the pattern was larger than the table .

Roger

[Terry Murphy]

where is the Greenman pattern from?
I like it!

[daveW]

good morning flyingduck....i have the same saw......i have NEVER fed from the top.....i LEAVE the blade attached to the bottom clamp and feed it upward ......my saw is sitting on my bar in the basement and the extra height allows me to see the lower section of the project to position the blade.....(a bit rough standing most of the time) i DO have the side shield removed for lower clamp access and removed the hold down clamp cause it was "always" in the way. much easier for me......