Source of pinned blades or a decent adaptor?

[chaoticbob]

I have Axminster 'Hobby' machine which I bought maybe 7 years ago for a specific job. It did the job (internal cutouts) but I got very frustrated because it takes only pinned blades, and at the time I couldn't find much of a range - much more variety with unpinned blades. So I bought 'adaptors' (probably from Axi) and a load of Pegas unpinned blades. The 'adaptors' are just barrels of metal with machine screws at each end which you tighten up to grip the blade. The problems with this arrangement are: (a) the screws mangle the blades making them liable to break, (b) the 'barrels' are so bulky that if you're doing small cutouts you have to take one off to thread the blade through the work and further mangle the blade when re-attaching ,and (c) the bulkiness of the adaptors means that the effective length of the blade is reduced to the point where it becomes a struggle to fit it between the arms.
I now want to make some cutouts in 6mm ply with maybe 2 mm radius curves. Any advice on either suitable pinned blades or a better adaptor which would allow me to use my Pegas blades without going mad?
Robin

 

[whatknot]

Axminster Hobby covers several different models, a picture of yours would help greatly

Plus the actual model number which should be on the plate

Does your blade clamp look like the attached?

 

[loftyhermes]

Google for pinless adaptors, you should find one that suits your saw. I just have and Axminster have some, https://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-b ... saw-400124. Which ever you choose you will have to take the blade out and thread it through the hole, which for me is usually only 1 or 2mm in dia.

 

[whatknot]

They are the ones I usually suggest but it depends on the machine, if its the type in the photo they will fit, but some others they don't

 

[AES]

Some members here have had problems with "those" Axi adaptors apparently (I wrote "those" because there are several different models of adaptor).

But if you want/need to stick to pinned blades, Pegas (amongst others) have a big range of pinned blades.

Here's the Pegas "lists":

View attachment Pegas Scroll Blades Wood Rev etc Blades.pdf

View attachment Pegas Multi-Scroll Blades.pdf

View attachment Pegas Metal Scroll Blades.pdf

HTH

 

[whatknot]

I would agree with Pegas pinned blades being very good, the problem being the cost, they are double the price of pinless

You would soon pay for a couple of blade clamps using pinless

I believe the problems some have with the replacement clamps is due to fitment rather than the clamp itself

 

[chaoticbob]

Thanks for replies.
The saw:

The blade holder (looks the same as whatknot's pic):

The style of adaptor I have:

The reason this came up is that my daughter asked me to make her some 'sock blockers' - a commercial example:

My version will be far less detailed, but I'd like to be able to make cuts with a radius ~ 2mm or tighter. Looking at the Pegas pinned range AES linked to, I can't see anything smaller than 3mm blades. I already have some of those. Maybe it's a matter of technique - perhaps drill and cut up to the hole?
Anyhow, I'd like to get some use out of the (much finer) unpinned blades I have so an adaptor may be the way to go.
I wasn't planning on getting into scrollsawing, but I can see that it might become quite addictive...

Rob.

 

[whatknot]

On pinned blades, if you have some of the usual generic pinned blades, they are a lot thicker than Pegas, in fact I haven't found any as thin as Pegas

On the adaptors, the Axminster clamps as per attached, fit instead of the metal U shaped hanger, invert the U shape and fit on the top of the new clamp, bolt to the rearmost hole using the original bolt

You can use pinned or pinless

I know some have replace the allen key screw with a wing nut bolt to make it easier

They are not perfect but better than what you have for not to much outlay

 

[whatknot]

Probably help if I attached the picture ;-)

 

[AES]

If the adaptor shown doesn't suit, it may well be worth having a search through this section of the Forum - there have been various discussions on pinned/pinless blade adaptors that have cropped up here from time to time.

Alternatively, if you decide to stick with pinned blades for a while (whether Pegas or w.h.y.) the the illustration below, taken from my VERY old copy of "Scroll Saw Handbook" by Patrick Spielman (Sterling Publishing, New York - ISBN 0-8069-4770-5 pbk) MAY assist:

It's a B&W paperback and the original is "OK" for clarity, so hope this scan works for you - the idea is basically to make a big "loop cut" into the waste to allow the blade to come back into the sharp corner at the correct angle.

Hope this isn't teaching granny to suck eggs!

 

[chaoticbob]

Thanks. I was half thinking that as I have metalworking equipment I could knock up some adaptors myself, given a proven design, but at ten quid for a pair for the Axi ones it's not worth it.

AES - not teaching granny at all, I bought the machine years ago to make decorative features on some stage props and it's been gathering cobwebs ever since. So I have next to zero scroll saw experience. Thank you for your input.
Robin