# AWFS18/Hegner? What FD blades for cutting puzzles?



## Eda (22 Nov 2009)

*Hello everyone,* 
I am *new* to the forum and to scroll saws. 

After spending hours trawling the forum, I have almost decided to order either a *Hegner* or *AWFS18* for cutting *jigsaw puzzles*. 

Do AWFS18 owners feel that their saw has stood the test of time or do they secretly wish that the extra investment in a Hegner would have been a wiser choice in the long run? 

Also, has anybody got the *Axminster fretsaw stand*? 
http://www.axminster.co.uk/recno/6/product-Axminster-Fretsaw-Stand-32501.htm 
Is it any good? 
At 98cm high, i.e. higher that a kitchen top, +slab, possibly? +saw, it sounds high to me who knows nothing about it. I am only 5'6"/168cm tall, and that would mean cutting at about stomach to chest height. Is that the correct working position? 

I was thinking that *Ryobi Multi Function Stand*, rated as supporting up to 100kg, topped with a slab perhaps, might be more practical, but I am also thinking mass and vibrations. Any thoughts or feedback? 
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/21765/Power-Tools/Benchtop-Woodworking/Ryobi-Multi-Function-Stand 

I got some 6mm, 5-ply Birch (from Harlow Bros). 

My main puzzlement at the moment concerns *blades*. Most puzzle cutters on both sides of the Atlantic appear to use Mikesworkshop *Flying Dutchman* reverse teeth thin blades, but which ones? :? May I ask puzzle cutters *what model-number* they use?
http://www.mikesworkshop.com/blades.htm 

Lots of questions...  
I would be grateful for your thoughts and feedback.


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## Eda (22 Nov 2009)

I notice that the links I've inserted got automatically tagged REPORT TO MODERATOR.
I apologize sincerely if I have done something in breach of the forum policies.


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## StevieB (22 Nov 2009)

No problem. its a newbie SPAM trap and will disappear once you have posted more than 3 posts.

I have the Axminster saw and have no concerns about it at all - never used a Hegner but the extra money is not going to buy you a better quality of cut, just a nicer finish to some of the castings really.

As for blades, Mike does superior puzzle blades specifically for jigsaws, and when cutting puzzles I use those. They are very thin though so not much good for other types of cutting where tight tuns and a close fit of pieces are not necessary.

Vibration - at high speed the saw will vibrate, but I tend to run at about 50% and I find it fine for my needs. I just run it on a standard wooden table as I have space, so cannot really comment on the saw specific stands - sorry.

HTH,

Steve


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## chrispuzzle (22 Nov 2009)

For jigsaw puzzles, the FD "Superior Puzzle Blade" is the one to get, there is only one size of it. For other brands it would be a 2/0 or a 3/0. You should expect to change the blades quite frequently, I go through about two an hour.

I have been happy with my AWSF18 for three years, no regrets about it not being a Hegner!


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## Geoffrey (22 Nov 2009)

Hello Eda welcome to the forum.
I have four saws .
Delta 16.
Diamound 24.
AWFS 18.
Hegner 18vs.
If i was to buy now i whould go for Hegner.
My AWFS 18 is a great saw now but when i got it the table was not flat :shock: 
And i got it reground it is now Exelent.
I use F.D blades.

Regards Geoff


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## Mike M (22 Nov 2009)

Hi Eda,
Check the tutorial from Carter Johnson:
http://www.mikesworkshop.com/Carter%20J ... torial.htm
The FD-SP is really a # 3, however as long as I had only one kind, I did not use a number.
Mike


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## Mike M (22 Nov 2009)

Eda,
You have to high light the complete http, I don't know why the last part, don't know why it did not come up blue all the way.
Mike


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## Gill (22 Nov 2009)

I've edited the link. Hopefully it works now   .


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## chrispuzzle (23 Nov 2009)

I forgot to add - yes, I got the fretsaw stand from Axminster. I think it was designed for their smaller saws, it isn't a very good fit for the AWSF18 although you can match up enough holes to bolt it down. It's adequate but you coud do better. Chest high is fine for working if you are standing up, but I sit at a high draughtsman's chair.


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## Eda (23 Nov 2009)

Thank you everyone for your contributions.
I've ordered Flying Dutchman blades from Mike's. (thanks Mike, great straight forward advice  )
So far it looks like I'll probably get an AFWS18.
Stand issue still unresolved... :?


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## Mike Wingate (27 Nov 2009)

I had a Dremel scroll saw, very poor. Bought a Hegner, brilliant. We have had a Delta and an Axminster at school. The Delta's upper blade locking mech kept on breaking. We have 3 Axminsters. They are all noisy and vibrate. Spend the extra, and buy a Hegner, you will not regret it. I made a 3 legged wooden stand for my Hegner.


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## StevieB (27 Nov 2009)

Interesting - given the Axminster is a clone of the Hegner why do you think the Axminsters vibrate while the Hegner does not? I think you are possibly the first person to have hands on experience of both machines (most of us have one or the other here) so it would be useful if you could expand on the relative cost versus benefit of both machines. I would also be interested to know whether you tried bolting the Axminsters down to stop the vibration. I have the Axminster myself and over about half speed it does vibrate, but I do not have it on a dedicated stand, just a wooden worktop so always assumed it was a limitation of the bench rather than the saw.

Steve


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## scroller frank (28 Nov 2009)

Hi all,--bit of topic ,!! but can i ask Mike W. what was it that broke on the Delta, as i have two Delta's , one is over 10 yrs old , and i change the bolt in the top clamp , now and again , when it bends , and apart from a drop of oil here and there i don't have any problems .
I have heard of clamp problems before,!!!!!!!!

I have been away from Scrolling for a while , just got back into it 
and enjoying it again


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## Mike Wingate (28 Nov 2009)

The clamp on the Delta was always breaking. Fractures then splitting apart. This was at least 10 years ago. We had sales reps coming to look at the machine, and selling, then giving us top clamps. Eventually we had a lady exec come with an "engineer, they fitted a new arm, went away and the clamp blew apart again. The machine had light use only, and I or another teacher fitted the unpinned blades. The Axminster saws (we have 4 in the dept are all bolted to metal legged, wooden topped 3 legged stands. They vibrate and the noise is considerable. They are quite robust. We only use pinned blades, My Hegner was bought from the Hegner stand at the Bristol Wood show, many years ago. It was the most expensive tool in my workshop for a time. I bought an external speed control and hundreds of "Pebeco" "Goldschneke" and "Gottfried" blades, along with spare blade clamps.


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## chrispuzzle (28 Nov 2009)

I am also suprised to hear about the vibrations and noise: my Axminster AWSF18 makes almost no noise at all and what vibration there is at high speed is largely felt through the floor.

When you say you use it with pinned blades, how? Mine doesn't take pinned blades, only flat blades. Are we talking about the same machine? The AWSF16 takes pinned blades but it is a much cheaper saw with a completely different design.


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## Eda (30 Nov 2009)

Hi everybody, 

I've received my AWFS18 today. Although I have not cut anything with it yet (I'm waiting for the FD blades so that I know I'm using the correct type for the job), I thought I'd share my first impressions. 

1- It's very heavy, no surprise there. Although it was delivered by a woman :shock: (stronger than weak and feeble me, obviously), it had to be a two people job to safely lift it on the table. 

2- It's very greasy. :x 

3- The instruction manual is shocking :shock: very sketchy, useless photographs that have been photocopied many times over, dreadful translation that makes very little sense and would be a hilarious read if you did not need the information. :x 

4- You're left to puzzle out many things for yourself. It took me a bit of thinking and trial and error to fit the blower and the plastic guard. It took two brains and a fair while to work out how to switch the machine on. I was actually about to ring up Axminster and give them a piece of my mind :x when my clever boyfriend suggested to test the normal switch using a kettle power cable to bypass the panic button. :idea: It worked, and we eventually managed to work out the panic button operation. 

5- Now that I know how the panic button works, I love the idea that I can wack it if needed. The normal switch is two rubbery and fiddly for comfort. 

6- My garage is too cold and leaky for the moment, so I gave it a comfy temporary home on my desk. It's a flat pack wobbly birch table from Ikea, so I expected the think to jump up and down and bring everything crumbling down when we (eventually :roll: ) switched it on, but no, nothing of the sort. Running on empty at low speed it's still and quiet, makes quite a pleasant purring actually  

We'll see how things turn out once I've got the blades and start using the beast. I expect fitting the blades will put some further strain on my feeble brain  because, let's face it, the manual is rather cryptic on that topic too :evil:


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## DaveL (30 Nov 2009)

Eda,

If you look here you will find a PDF manual, Axminster have a lot of manuals on line, often better than the printed one in the box with the machine.


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## chrispuzzle (30 Nov 2009)

Eda":3n789dds said:


> Hi everybody,
> 
> 2- It's very greasy. :x
> 
> ...



You'll need to clean the grease off with some white spirit and a rag. It's there to protect the cast iron table which might otherwise rust. Wax it to protect against rust for workshop purposes.

Blade changing wil seem clumsy and slow at first. When you get used to it is not so clumsy and not so slow, but it's still the least exciting feature of the saw.


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## Eda (30 Nov 2009)

Hi DaveL,
Thank you very much for the PDF, that's miles better


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## hawkinob (4 Dec 2009)

Hi,
Don't have the Axminster but here in Oz there two Hegner clones available, used to be three. I have the WMS, the others are the Carbetec and Trupro models. Other than paint colours all look to come from the same Taiwainese factory.
I have since bought the Hegner "Quick Release Clamp" and find this, as it implies, quicker to change blades. Needs a bit of wrist action sometimes but this can be overcome with an allen key in the centre, (defeats the object - the allen key - I guess but I rarely have to use it):-

http://hegner.co.uk/pages/Hegner_Machin ... ories.html 
Bob H.
p.s. Thanks for the tip about about the manual pdf.


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