Second hand saw thoughts

[rich.h]

Picked up this saw today after seeing it on a second hand site. I am well aware that generally anything with "NuTool" today is slang for plastic rubbish that will fall apart. So was a little apprehensive on the quality when I went to view it. However it seems to be a much older model as there is not a hint of anything but steel and iron all over this machine (apart from the obvious plastic housings.)

I haggled it down to £35 and it's my first scroll saw so only wanted something cheap that will last a year or so of hobby use to let me decide if it is for me or not. Can anyone take a guess on the age of this? Also is there any major problems known with these machines I should look out for?

It's a 405mm jaw and as can be seen has it's fair share of the brown stuff on the plate. However after stripping off a few parts there seems to be no other real problems and just a quick five minutes with the orbit sander and I can see it is only surface rust.

Cheers in advance for any help offered.

 

[Chippygeoff]

I am not familiar with this saw but as you say, it looks okay and with a bit of TLC it will come up nice. I would be a bit wary of using a sander on the table. I had a table like yours some years ago and I used white spirit and medium wire wool and it came up like new, it's hard work but it comes up nice. Afterwards I would treat it with liberon lubricating wax. It's a single speed machine by the look of it and I am not sure if the clamps will take pin less blades, if not Axminster do some clamps that will take pinless blades. I wish you well and hope it give you many hours of enjoyment. Though be WARNED, scroll sawing is addictive.

 

[ChrisR]

Looks like a substantial bit of kit and at the price you paid, cant see how you can go wrong.

I am with Geoff, regarding the Liberon wax oil.

Take care and enjoy your scroll sawing.

Chris R.

 

[powertools]

Looking at the image of the plate on the motor I would guess that the saw was made on the 4th of April 2000 or at least the motor was.

 

[martinka]

This model was also sold badged as Draper, Clarke, and probably others as well. I don't know, but I suspect they were made in Taiwan and were a solid machine with a cast iron table. Like many saws, they are let down by their lack of ability to change pinless blades easily and quickly. There are clamps for them for pinless blades but on the saw I borrowed, I found they broke easily, or maybe I was being too heavy handed. Either way, I think they are horrible to use. As Geoff says, Axminster sell clamps very cheaply which can easily be fitted and make it easier to release and reclamp the blade when doing internal cuts. Unfortunately it also makes it more difficult to secure the blade in the bottom clamp, but no doubt it's something you can get used to.

 

[scrimper]

I agree with Martin, I have a saw exactly like this one but with a Wickes badge, it cost around £35 when bought and was given to me by a friend, It works in that it will cut wood but it's more like a motorised coping saw than a fretsaw and is hopeless for doing decent fretwork, IMHO it's more useful as a substitute for a small band-saw if you already have a bigger band-saw in your workshop as it can obviously cut tighter radius's than a band-saw.

IMHO anyone starting to do fretwork/scroll sawing will be more likey to be put off the hobby struggling with this type of saw.

Sorry to be 'blunt'.

 

[rich.h]

Thanks for the helps folks, to be honest I will be happy enough if it functions and a mini band saw for most of the things I have in mind. One other question is about the blade guard, I know it can be a contentious issue But I like to remove these on pretty much every tool I have and instead use a high quality set of goggles. I do understand the safety risks involved and accept them as part of the task in hand. But I noticed that without the guard on this saw I do get quite a large increase in the amount of cutting depth available to me.

Provided I were to go slow with cuts, will cutting deeper pieces of wood without the guard put any major strain on the machine? Am I likely to burn it out doing this?

 

[Chippygeoff]

I think you would struggle to cut anything thicker than an inch on that saw, especially if it was hardwood. Re-the blade guard, most of us don't use them. I feel that on many machines a guard has to be fitted to comply with regulations but I have never seen a guard in place on the saws I have seen in use, it's the same with the hold down foot, just doesn't serve any useful purpose.

 

[scrimper]

I think you would struggle to cut anything thicker than an inch on that saw, especially if it was hardwood. Re-the blade guard, most of us don't use them. I feel that on many machines a guard has to be fitted to comply with regulations but I have never seen a guard in place on the saws I have seen in use, it's the same with the hold down foot, just doesn't serve any useful purpose.

Have to agree, I always remove the blade guard and have never used or needed a hold down.