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[ukmike]

Hello.

I'm looking to buy one and am drawn towards the Proxxon DSH2.

The Hegner are far to expensive and even secondhand ones command quite a lot of money.

My question is this ... which saws will I be best to avoid and your recommendations as to a good accurate example to consider.

Thanks.

Mike.

[John W E]

Hi ya Mike
 
I do have a cheap fretsaw machine and also I have the hand-held fretsaws.   My preference has always been the hand-held ones - it might be just me - but I do feel more in control of how, when and where I cut - but when I use the mechanical one I dont feel so much in full control of where the blade is cutting.     Also, when cutting the middle of frames out for the models - its always a bit of a bother for me - cos you always have to dis-assemble half the machine before passing the blade through the centre of the workpiece and reconnect the blade up.    Hand-held fretsaw - just a case of loosening top wing nut to release the blade and then passing it through the workpiece.
 
The other thing is if you buy an expensive machine and you arent really keen on cutting frames out for hulls - it may be a bit of a waste of dosh although it can be used for other DIY.
 
The down side of hand-held fretsaws is they can take a lot of getting used too - to make them cut straight.
 
Food for thought.  I am sure a lot of people love power assisted fretsaws - and can work wonders with them - I admit to being a dinnosaur 
 
aye
john

[ukmike]

Thanks for that John.

Did try one of those hand held saws once.

Was trying it out in my shed when the wife appeared and started to watch, I was making a right hash of it trying to cut a straight line.

The wife said, "Tha mekin a reight mess, cum art, let me show thi ", ( she's from Gods own county, Yorkshire), and proceeded to cut a perfectly straight line. 

I sloped off very red faced and later gave the saw to a friend.

It's going to have to be electric I think, also, she has no idea how to use one of those and is banned from entering my shed for life anyway. 

Mike.

[Big Ada]

I am with John, I have both and I use the coping saw most. if you are cutting straight  then change to a thin tenon saw. then spend the cash you save on B***s or B***s.
 
Len.

[Neil]

Clarke's tools do a decent relatively cheep scroll saw.......you have to check with scroll saws how easy it is to change blades, as some can be a pain in the butt to do
this one seems ok ... I have an older version of it and works well........it even takes common coping saw blades which are cheep to buy.
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/060112400

[barriew]

Mike


If you fancy a trip to Essex I have an electric Fretsaw you can have. Like Bluebird, I can't get it to cut where I want it to


Barrie

[wizard]

I use a hand fret saw and coping saw regularly. I think the reasons people have trouble with them are, wrong blade and wrong technique.
For the fret saw I use a 48 TPI ( teeth per inch ) blade for cutting up to 10mm, for anything thicker I use the coping saw with a 24TPI blade.
When you hold these saws your thumb should be on top of the handle. Sight your cutting line from in line with the back of the saw and focus on the line. It sounds basic and it is but the majority of beginners don't do it.
As an apprentice I had this drummed into me not only by Tech Teachers but by the tradesmen I worked with. I have no trouble with straight or curved lines but prefer a band saw for the speed.


Wizard

[colin]

And for those that don't know hand held Fret saws and Coping saws should cut on the pull stroke .


Regards
Colin

[Neil]

And for those that don't know hand held Fret saws and Coping saws should cut on the pull stroke .


Regards
Colin

with the teath facing backwards.......

[catengineman]

And for those that don't know hand held Fret saws and Coping saws should cut on the pull stroke .


Regards
Colin

And let the saw do the work not you! a firm hold and steady stroke will give perfect results IMHO

[tonyH]

Hi, I must admit to being old school and prefer the hand fretsaw, but no-one seems to have mentioned the need for a small fret-saw table to clamp to the bench. Easy to make and pretty well indispensable for the job.
 
Tony

[Big Ada]

Hi, I must admit to being old school and prefer the hand fretsaw, but no-one seems to have mentioned the need for a small fret-saw table to clamp to the bench. Easy to make and pretty well indispensable for the job.

Can you do a Fag Packet Plan please.
 
Len.

[John W E]

hi there,. Mike
 
what to do on a Sunday afternoon when you are bored
 
you know the imaginery lotto win, when you think to oneself - one day WHEN I DO WIN the lotto, the work shop I am going to build and stock it up - well I spent a fortune this afternoon
 
But, what I did do was set meself a budget or £160 for a scroll saw - and for the £160 I wanted to include several things one of them was to have a 'deep throat cut' from the back of the blade to the arm mountingand all of the makes I looked at had 14 inch depth thereabouts standard, the ones that were deeper were in the higher priced bracket.
 
The other thing was, variable speed and the majority of scroll saws seemed to have this already - next thing was ease of removal and fitting of blades - there seemed to be very little information on any of the sites I have looked at about this part.  What I was after was the ability to turn the blade 90 degrees in the machine  to do long parallel cuts such as for cutting the keels out on models.  The last thing was for the table to be able to tilt - there were makes that had this facility but looking at the pictures of them seemed to be more robust than others.   The best place I found would be Ebay they seem to come up with the best price - I know a lot of people dont like dealing with these people and also the 'older' Hobbies website, they have a nice Scroll saw.
 
I am going to put a couple of links on shortly to show what I found.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/Scroll-Saws-/117253/i.html
 
aye
John

[ukmike]

hi there,. Mike
 
what to do on a Sunday afternoon when you are bored
 
you know the imaginery lotto win, when you think to oneself - one day WHEN I DO WIN the lotto, the work shop I am going to build and stock it up - well I spent a fortune this afternoon
 
aye
John

Hi John.

Found one, thanks to your link, and bought it.

All I need now are the plans, and a bit of wood. 

Mike.

[grendel]

fret saw table - its a plate with a v cut out of the bit that overhangs the table that clamps to the table, usually the top of the clamp is fixed to the bottom of the plate with the v notch.
the sides at the v support the work while you cut with the fretsaw in the v.
Grendel

[tonyH]

That's it Grendel. My dad made my first one about 55 years ago. It was about 9 inches by 6 and lasted for years. Current one has coach bolts onto the bench but the 'C' clamp system means you won't have to drill holes into the kitchen table!
 
Found this pic on line. The clamp comes through the rear slot into a suitable channel.

[Big Ada]

Thanks Guys.
 
Len.
 
Ps, another thing I find usefull is a Bench Hook.

[tobyker]

I bought my electric one from Aldi. It takes time to learn how to cut exactly to the line, but it has been useful. But I also use a fret saw and a piercing saw and a coping saw and a variety of blades. Horses for courses.

[grendel]

I have one from many years ago - I think its possibly a stanley tool as its yellow, the trick to accurate cutting is light pressure and go slow, mine is safe since the vibration is so small that if you get your finger on it the blade doesnt move far enough to cut it, it works via an electromagnet working against a spring arm.
Grendel