Newbie buying advice

[paul24dual]

So just to make sure i'm on the right track and to get me on my road to my woodworking discovery, can you suggest a list of basic tools. I want to be able to do simple projects like cutting out basic shapes like animals, hearts etc, then step up do shelfs, coat hangers etc. Then maybe discover more detailed scroll sawing later.

Here what i thought, so far. Can you add or suggest would be great

1. A Cheap scroll saw (to cut out shapes like animals, hearts etc) and to see if i get the buzz!!
2. Quick release clamps
3. Rasps/files/Sand block
4. Miter saw
5. Hand saw
6. Hand plane
7. Tri square and engineering square

Any further suggestions would be great.

p.s JB love the photos, they look great

 

[Chippygeoff]

In my workshop I have a couple of scroll saws, a drill press, a belt/disc sander. a router table, a dremel router and table. Several power sanders. A range of drum sanders for the drill press, a dewalt cross cut mitre saw, a dewalt cordless drill, a hand held router, power planer, 2 Henry's and a large vacuum extractor. I do scroll saw work on a professional basis in that everything I make I sell at craft fairs and for me speed is the name of the game.

 

[M P Hales]

Just thought I would chip in here. I have a couple of inserts for a hegner saw. I did put them on here some time ago and had a guy that wanted them but then I could not find them again. Now I have moved they have surfaced again and they are sitting on my computer desk and wont move until someone wants them. One is the standard insert with the slot and the other is a blank so you can just have a small hole in it for very fine work.

I also have 2 blade clamps for an Excalibur saw if anyone wants them and also a Patrick Spielman book on everything you want to know about making jigsaws. Everything is free to a good home but would appreciate the cost of the postage.

PM sent
M

 

[paul24dual]

Thanks for all the advise guys. Much appreciated. I'm going on the lines of buying a cheap saw and see if i get hooked. And save for a quality one later.

i had a look on Ebay but there is no used one at the moment....

Any suggestions would be good.

 

[Scrollerman]

Hi Paul, welcome to the forum.

I just thought I would add my 2p.

Here is my saw. It cost £40 second hand and it's rubbish.
It vibrates like mad, it's cheap and nasty but.....
It works. It was a £40 gamble and it paid off.
It showed me that I like scroll sawing and my next saw will be a Hegner/Excalibur.
All the stuff below has been made on this nasty saw.
I'm posting this to show that a £600 saw is not needed to create (what I think is) nice work.

I would recommend buying a cheap saw to see if you like it first. Hopefully you will get the bug and then move onto a better saw.
It will also give you time to work out what you like and need from said saw.

I hope this is helpful

That's very impressive work done on a budget scroll saw Ben and a cracking post from you which I'm sure will spur newcomers on. =D> =D>
I endorse your statement......"I would recommend buying a cheap saw to see if you like it first. Hopefully you will get the bug and then move onto a better saw.
It will also give you time to work out what you like and need from said saw."
Dipping your toe in the water is the sensible way to go as is the case for most new hobbies.

 

[toesy]

Other people replies are great advice, all I can say is this, I bought two of the Clarke ones, and both of them broke, by broke I mean the Tension Bolt is really poor and strips its thread, first one lasted 6mths, second one 3mths, still have them in the garage, but as someone has said, get a Hegner second hand you wont go wrong and some decent blades.

Or maybe it was me being new and tightening the blade to much, thinking back this was more than likely the case, if you live near the M6 Junc 6 - you can have one for free both have been repaired.

 

[Scrollerman]

Other people replies are great advice, all I can say is this, I bought two of the Clarke ones, and both of them broke, by broke I mean the Tension Bolt is really poor and strips its thread, first one lasted 6mths, second one 3mths, still have them in the garage, but as someone has said, get a Hegner second hand you wont go wrong and some decent blades.

Or maybe it was me being new and tightening the blade to much, thinking back this was more than likely the case, if you live near the M6 Junc 6 - you can have one for free both have been repaired.

Hi toesy and welcome to this forum,
I'm confused.....
If bought new, could you not get a refund or a replacement under guarantee on the first saw that broke after 6 months ?
Even a replacement that fails 3 months later still comes under a normal guarantee as the total for both is only 9 months (as far as my understanding goes).
If you bought them second-hand, why buy a second one if the first disappointed :?:
I don't know that particular tension bolt but was it not an option to replace just the bolt instead of the whole machine ?

Hope you can understand my confusion.

 

[toesy]

Hi toesy and welcome to this forum,
I'm confused.....
If bought new, could you not get a refund or a replacement under guarantee on the first saw that broke after 6 months ?
Even a replacement that fails 3 months later still comes under a normal guarantee as the total for both is only 9 months (as far as my understanding goes).
If you bought them second-hand, why buy a second one if the first disappointed :?:
I don't know that particular tension bolt but was it not an option to replace just the bolt instead of the whole machine ?

Hope you can understand my confusion.

Not at all, When the 1st one broke after 6mths, I kinda thought it was my fault. And gathered that I'd used it for six months a lot, plus I needed to complete some work over the weekend, so I just bought another one. When this one went also 3mths later, I ended up contacting Machine Mart, and they supplied FOC the tension bolts after a few phone calls.

And after that I just thought I'd invest in a decent Scroll Saw, the plan was to fix the two broken ones and sell them on fleabay or somewhere, but with two young children, I just don't seem to get enough time, to sleep..

 

[Scrollerman]

Hi toesy and welcome to this forum,
I'm confused.....
If bought new, could you not get a refund or a replacement under guarantee on the first saw that broke after 6 months ?
Even a replacement that fails 3 months later still comes under a normal guarantee as the total for both is only 9 months (as far as my understanding goes).
If you bought them second-hand, why buy a second one if the first disappointed :?:
I don't know that particular tension bolt but was it not an option to replace just the bolt instead of the whole machine ?

Hope you can understand my confusion.

Not at all, When the 1st one broke after 6mths, I kinda thought it was my fault. And gathered that I'd used it for six months a lot, plus I needed to complete some work over the weekend, so I just bought another one. When this one went also 3mths later, I ended up contacting Machine Mart, and they supplied FOC the tension bolts after a few phone calls.

And after that I just thought I'd invest in a decent Scroll Saw, the plan was to fix the two broken ones and sell them on fleabay or somewhere, but with two young children, I just don't seem to get enough time, to sleep..

I am still confused !
If you needed to complete orders 'over the weekend' you clearly bought another saw from Machine Mart as you go on to mention Machine Mart supplied FOC bolts which to me is plural. You also mention that "both have been repaired"confirming your statement of replacement bolts from Machine Mart.
Surely you could've/should've got a replacement from Machine Mart under the guarantee at that time of the weekend in question for the first machine instead of buying another which makes no sense at all as they clearly had a machine in stock for replacement but you bought another one instead of opting for the obvious replacement...why ?