Hi Guys, the tea and bickies having been consumed, old togs on and loaded with the iPad (no time for the camera at present), it's out to the car to unpack.
Before going further, let me tell you about my visit to Axminster today. I mentioned that I had received a call from Rob at Nuneaton, to say that they have received the new scrollsaws and the one reserved for me and he was getting an Ex16 ready for the showroom. Having thanked him for his call, I said I would call on Friday morning so that he could demonstrate the machine to me, explaining all the details I may need. Upon arrival and asking to speak with Ron., I was tols that it was his day off.
Can you imagine my thoughts? I explained the reason I had come and as Ron was the scrollsaw man at Nuneaton, they persuaded Peter to help as much as he could, but it was not his area really.
It's a good job that I have been looking so intently at the Excalubur machines for so long, reading all the iunformation and watching a number of video's of tuning machines etc, the way I did with the bandsaws.
Peter was extreemly helpful and between us we eventually sorted our what I needed to know, but it was semi-blind leading semi-blind and we both learned from the meeting. Thanks Peter. Please ask Ron to keep a diary.
Back to unloading .................., it was a bit heavy, but the straps helped to carry it in and I decided to unpack slowly and carefully - as you do. As tom said for the Ex21, nicely packed with blocks of well fitting polystyrene, extra cardboard surround and plywood.
An initial word of CAUTION .... the upper arm of the machine should not be used to help lift it as damage could be caused. Lift the machine from the base under the table end and the motor end.
The machine was bolted down to plyboard with 4 bolts, which were soon undone and the new aquasition placed carefully on the latest table that I have recently fitted, so that I can be sitting down and have room for more tea and bickies
Time to check it over.
Having looked over the machine carefully and as a result of my meeting with Peter I knew what to look for, the new 'hold down' is large and intrusive. It can be adjusted by means of a side clamp and as long as the main arm of the machine is raised, can be removed totally. However, it can be split in two, leaving a hold down that is around the blade at the rear, but not in front of it. This may be helpful for beginners to use the full clamp to start with, then remove the front section by removing the two screws seen in this next photo, or removed fully if you have confidence to work without it. There is also a safety extention below the table and in front of the blade, shown in photo 9, which can be a little awkward.
The blade positioning can be a little bit tricky until you get used to it. Both upper and lower holders have a grub screw opposite the handle/tightening knob (nice and easy to operate) that tightens onto the blade. The screw can be moved in or out to move the blade position sideways if needed.
In order to help thread the blade when undertaking pierced cuts, the Ex models allow the main arm of the machine to raise and lower with one end of the blade made free. This is a considerable advantage to the normal scrollsaw and makes for a far easier and quicker job when making numerious internal cuts.
The large knob at the rear on top of the main arm is the upper arm tensioner to adjust the blade tension slightly. Once the intiial setting has been found, this should not need altering.
The forward and back movement of the blade is carried out by lengthening or shortening the upper arm. The instruction book is very clear on how to do this but essentially it required the three bolts on the motor to be slightly loostened and while the blade is in motion slowly, turn the motor's position and watch the blade. This will get a correct vertical movement of the blade to 90 degrees and then you tighten the motor up again.
Saturday afternoon and I have just done this, turning the motor whilst the blade is at it's slowest. This has made a difference not only to get the blade verticle front to back, but also to reducing the sound. It's remarkably quiet now.
Dust extraction has been well thought of and in my discussions with Peter, I commented that the system here is one idea I had thought about only a few days ago, only a littlemore refined. With a suitable extractor attached to the black tube, air is drawn from within a clear plastic lower film just under the perforated holes around the blade, sucking in fine dust.
Not having checked this out as yet, it may get clogged if slightly larger particles were sucked in and a good idea to keep an eye on this initially. Further reports on this later.
The machine is switched on initially with the NVR switch, but from then on, the small black switch, covered with a plastic film, can be used. When working, the NVR is within reach on the Ex 16 model, but it would be furter away on the Ex21 and Ex30, so one would need to stand and stretch forward to reach the NVR switch.
Overall I am very pleased with the Axinster Ex16 Trade scrollsaw, which carries a 3 year guarantee even using it commercially. I believe it will prove to be a good investment and although I have not previously done very much scrollsaw work and then on a very old machine, this is far quieter. It has far less vibration and I did stand a pound coin on the table and adjust the speed up and down without any movement.
It is more stable to have the machine bolted down in use or at very least, clamped down. I will follow this review up in a few months time but for now, I need to develop my skills on the scrollsaw that other members have honed for years...................................... now to have a go at the Intarsia stuff!
Malcolm
