Oh Poly... Cut 3

[Blister]

My P3 does have the tilting bed

Also picked this up today , added to the collection , I do like scroll saw's

74ADCA0C-A8A2-438C-9275-47B7A652C45D by https://www.flickr.com/photos/150639903@N08/, on Flickr
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A15E47A4-6B51-4FB9-80A3-1F1F988F5244 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/150639903@N08/, on Flickr

https://www.axminstertools.com/axmi...7653?queryID=4133414094626367606aeb63e59f6a48
Not owned a saw where the arm / blade moves rather than the bed.

 

[user 42626]

You can never have too many scroll saws
At one point I had 15 Hegners, as they were refurbished they got a good shakedown and then shelved until they found a new home.
If they sit there for months I don't care. I know that I could pick any of them to use without issue. They can be very different beasts once completed.

The design of that Axminster is very clever, rotating the saw and keeping that table level is simply genius. I wonder what the chaps at Hegner think of it.

 

[AES]

The Axi saw pictured is actually a clone of the Excalibur range of saws. Originally designed and made in Canada, then bought by General International (also in Canada) but made - to very high standards - in Taiwan. They are still available under various labels, including "Excalibur", "Pegas", and the pictured Axminster Trade, amongst others. But there have been a lot of complaint posts on here in the past about the 30 inch version of the Axi Trade version (doesn't seem to affect the 18 and 21 inch versions).

It was 8 years ago now when I had the chance to buy a "good" machine, and was able to compare/use a multi speed Hegner (I forget which model now) and an Excalibur 21 - thanks to Dictum in Munich. I found both to be VERY well made but chose the Excali as A) it was somewhat cheaper than the Hegner, and spares were MUCH more reasonably priced (!); and B) because of the tilting head instead of a tilting table. That feature alone is so much better and used much more frequently than you might think).

I have never regretted that choice and have used my machine a lot, in many cases for jobs a scroll saw is not really expected to do! (Amongst other attributes, the Excali will happily take bits of broken bandsaw blades , coping saw blades, and junior hacksaw blades as well as both pinned and pinless "proper" scroll saw blades).

But as well as the apparently troubled history of at least some of the Axi cloned machines, there are also some other versions floating around, mainly in the US, which are also apparently "less than good" shall we say!

It's about 2 or 3 years ago now (I think!) when there was a lot of traffic here on this whole subject and at that time I did some research and posted here on what I found out. After posting this I'll go and search for that then come back and post the link.

HTH

Add P.S. Here's the above link:
https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/threads/excalibur-scroll-saws.135732/

 

[user 42626]

The Axi saw pictured is actually a clone of the Excalibur range of saws. Originally designed and made in Canada, then bought by General International (also in Canada) but made - to very high standards - in Taiwan. They are still available under various labels, including "Excalibur", "Pegas", and the pictured Axminster Trade, amongst others. But there have been a lot of complaint posts on here in the past about the 30 inch version of the Axi Trade version (doesn't seem to affect the 18 and 21 inch versions).

It was 8 years ago now when I had the chance to buy a "good" machine, and was able to compare/use a multi speed Hegner (I forget which model now) and an Excalibur 21 - thanks to Dictum in Munich. I found both to be VERY well made but chose the Excali as A) it was somewhat cheaper than the Hegner, and spares were MUCH more reasonably priced (!); and B) because of the tilting head instead of a tilting table. That feature alone is so much better and used much more frequently than you might think).

I have never regretted that choice and have used my machine a lot, in many cases for jobs a scroll saw is not really expected to do! (Amongst other attributes, the Excali will happily take bits of broken bandsaw blades , coping saw blades, and junior hacksaw blades as well as both pinned and pinless "proper" scroll saw blades).

But as well as the apparently troubled history of at least some of the Axi cloned machines, there are also some other versions floating around, mainly in the US, which are also apparently "less than good" shall we say!

It's about 2 or 3 years ago now (I think!) when there was a lot of traffic here on this whole subject and at that time I did some research and posted here on what I found out. After posting this I'll go and search for that then come back and post the link.

HTH

Add P.S. Here's the above link:
https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/threads/excalibur-scroll-saws.135732/

Thanks AES, whilst I have never used angle cutting very often I totally appreciate how much better doing such on a level table would be.
I was observing an Axminster Hegner M2S clone recently and even the ITECH, not to purchase. As a diehard Hegner man it'll be interesting to see how these fare long term, they're still in their youth as yet but hopefully they go the distance and last the same as Hegners do.
I was told of an Axminster Hegner clone motor going bang but I lost touch with the owner so I'm unsure of what the outcome was.

 

[AES]

Thanks AES, whilst I have never used angle cutting very often I totally appreciate how much better doing such on a level table would be.
I was observing an Axminster Hegner M2S clone recently and even the ITECH, not to purchase. As a diehard Hegner man it'll be interesting to see how these fare long term, they're still in their youth as yet but hopefully they go the distance and last the same as Hegners do.
I was told of an Axminster Hegner clone motor going bang but I lost touch with the owner so I'm unsure of what the outcome was.
View attachment 165574

Thanks for the comments galvanisednuts. I have not even seen/heard of that iTech machine, but re an earlier Axi clone of a Hegner, there was at least one member on here who "swore by" his Axi Hegner clone (sorry, I can't remember the model number). And unfortunately too, that member hasn't been seen here for quite a while - shortly after his wife died he disappeared. Hardly surprising!

But his was a VERY fine standard of work as he regularly posted here, especially his wildlife and motor bike etc, intarsia. Produced mainly on that Hegner clone.

As to having an angled head (rather than an angled table) cutting, yes, you're spot on, it's VERY much easier to produce good accurate results.

So I guess it's a bit like other "goodies" - if you have them, you get used to them and therefore use them more and more frequently. If you don't have that particular "goodie" you don't miss it!

 

[scrimper]

Thanks for the comments galvanisednuts. I have not even seen/heard of that iTech machine, but re an earlier Axi clone of a Hegner, there was at least one member on here who "swore by" his Axi Hegner clone (sorry, I can't remember the model number). And unfortunately too, that member hasn't been seen here for quite a while - shortly after his wife died he disappeared. Hardly surprising!

But his was a VERY fine standard of work as he regularly posted here, especially his wildlife and motor bike etc, intarsia. Produced mainly on that Hegner clone.

Probably Brian who went under the name Claymore, A very decent fellow who was dealt a hard blow in his life, when our German shepherd dog passed away he very kindly sent me a piece of work that he had done in acrylics. I think he last posted here in 2021.

 

[user 42626]

Probably Brian who went under the name Claymore, A very decent fellow who was dealt a hard blow in his life, when our German shepherd dog passed away he very kindly sent me a piece of work that he had done in acrylics. I think he last posted here in 2021.

That was very kind of him. Sounds a decent bloke

 

[AES]

That was very kind of him. Sounds a decent bloke

You're correct scrimper. That's who I meant. I wasn't sure whether to mention his name (or UKW name) or not, because you may or may not be aware, but there was some problem with someone chasing him about copyright, and if I remember correctly, someone "stealing" some of his designs. So he went through all his posts and deleted everything before leaving. I don't know all the details (I wasn't involved) but I don't think he's still on UKW, but he may well be "just looking in" sometimes, so I was careful about what I wrote.

@galvanisednuts: Yes, you're correct, Brian was IMO, a lovely fella (as well as a very good scroll saw driver)! I didn't know about scrimper's dog (above) but when I was in trouble trying to create design for a Boeing AWACS a/c in landing configuration, Brian polished my (very feeble) efforts off for me - at no cost to me,just out of kindness.

Typical of the bloke I found, even though I never met him - he was/is up in the far N of "wild and windy Scotland" and I'm "way darn sarf in "sunny" - been bloody hot actually - Switzerland)!

 

[scrimper]

You're correct scrimper. That's who I meant. I wasn't sure whether to mention his name (or UKW name) or not, because you may or may not be aware, but there was some problem with someone chasing him about copyright, and if I remember correctly, someone "stealing" some of his designs. So he went through all his posts and deleted everything before leaving. I don't know all the details (I wasn't involved) but I don't think he's still on UKW, but he may well be "just looking in" sometimes, so I was careful about what I wrote.

@galvanisednuts: Yes, you're correct, Brian was IMO, a lovely fella (as well as a very good scroll saw driver)! I didn't know about scrimper's dog (above) but when I was in trouble trying to create design for a Boeing AWACS a/c in landing configuration, Brian polished my (very feeble) efforts off for me - at no cost to me,just out of kindness.

Typical of the bloke I found, even though I never met him - he was/is up in the far N of "wild and windy Scotland" and I'm "way darn sarf in "sunny" - been bloody hot actually - Switzerland)!

Claymore's posts are still on the forum for anyone to see (he may have deleted some) he last posted 15th Oct 2021. He was a very valued member here and a regular contributor but he had some very sad times, I miss his posts.

 

[user 42626]

Claymore's posts are still on the forum for anyone to see (he may have deleted some) he last posted 15th Oct 2021. He was a very valued member here and a regular contributor but he had some very sad times, I miss his posts.

Thanks for providing more insight with this, whilst I'm quite a new member here I have the upmost respect for our fellow members and can sympathise when things turn bad. I think there's a definite therapy in our madness and scrolling is a good release for many. In my time I've met some great people from guitar builders to guys with kids wanting to build fairy castles etc.
So for anyone reading this who's going through good or bad times in life, be strong we are here to help if we can

 

[AES]

Claymore's posts are still on the forum for anyone to see (he may have deleted some) he last posted 15th Oct 2021. He was a very valued member here and a regular contributor but he had some very sad times, I miss his posts.

Thanks for that info scrimper. I didn't notice Claymore's posting so recently. I haven't been as active in either my shop or on here myself in recent times.

If you read this Brian,