Scroll Saw or no Scroll Saw?

[BigBassBenjamin]

Hey all,

I am new as you can see and I have some questions that need answering please. If anyone can help me out I'd be greatly appreciative.

I am considering buying a scroll saw for cutting my own blanks for painting, however I know you can order pre-made blanks from Janns, Barlows, Stamina etc. I am wondering if it is worth the investment buying the scroll saw and cutting and designing my own blanks or should I just go with ordering them pre-cut?

What do most of you all do as far as ordering blanks or cutting your own?

Thanks and I'm sure to have more questions later!

[Polecat]

My opinion...buy a scroll saw if you have the $. That way...you can design your own baits. Then of course...you probably need a table sander...Then an option would be a band saw. Delta makes all of these for about $99. each. Its only money...

[cheesehead]

there is nothing better than catching a fish on a lure that is completely your own. So do it.

in my opinion though a band saw is a more versatile option if it's in your budget.

[dtrs5kprs]

Scroll saws are cool. Neat cuts and you get to keep all (or most of) your fingers. You will definitely need one once you get sick enough to want to cut your own lexan lips.

[emptycooler]

I use a band saw to cut blanks and lips. I have a scroll too but almost never use it. Hope this helps. Chris

[BigBassBenjamin]

O.K. I went ahead and purchased a pretty nice scroll saw off ebay it's gonna run me about $70 total after shipping. I looked into the band saws, but they're a little to pricy for me at this point. Thanks a lot for the help I think I'm going to enjoy cutting my own blanks better than ordering them anyway. I just needed a little reassurance before the purchase.

Thanks Again!

[michael merrill]

BBB,

Another option for profiling your own creations is a template/pattern following type drum sander.It mounts on a drill press with the drill press table nearly flush to the bottom of the bearing that mounts on the lower portion of the drum.I have attached a pic. to help visually understand the concept.

First, one would need to make a pattern to their own liking/standards using 3/8" or 1/2" stock( something fairly hard).Now you have a pattern to follow, but you need a way to fasten it temporarily and securely to the actual wood blank.I have drilled three tiny holes about 1/4" in from the edge of the pattern around the profile.Then, take needles or small pins and glue them into the holes with about 1/8" or so sticking out.Try to be sure that the location of these holes places them where they will be completely removed during the sanding/shaping part of the process.If not, the the remaining tiny holes sometimes create air bubble issues during finish.Lastly, push your balsa blank straight down onto the pins.This will hold the blank in place while it is sanded with the pattern following drum.The pattern rides along the bottom bearing while the drum accurately reproduces the blank above it.

This enables you to reproduce the exact same profile over and over while you tinker with the hardware, lip, line tie, and weighting placements of your creation.

[northrivergeek]

When I draw a new bait pattern, I hand draw my patterns, I have used the computer to do .. but I can just sketch new baits easier by hand.

I always sketch make my first on thin plywood, hardboard etc, so if I like the size etc .. then I have good solid pattern to trace back onto the wood I'm using. I like Michael's idea of the drum sander, but sounds more messy.. well now that think about it .. I currently cut out baits on band saw, then use sander to clean up saw marks, then dremel to refine the shape.. so its could be bout the same mess, and from what I can decipher from his post at least one less step :grin:

[Toddo1513]

That sanding drum is cool. Where can I get one?

[michael merrill]

Rockler

[BobP]

A bandsaw is faster by far than a scroll saw in cutting hardwoods. For balsa, there's less difference. If I were making 25 hardwood cranks a week, I'd use a bandsaw. But I'm in no particular hurry when I make cranks in batches of 4-6, so a scroll saw works fine. JMHO but cutting your own gives you the freedom to experiment and opens an endless variety of bait patterns not sold by the blank makers. If you continue making baits, you'll want that. But starting out on pre-made blanks is a good way to get your feet wet. It's easier to end up with a symetrical crank that runs correctly and catches fish if you start with a symetrical pre-made form.

[northrivergeek]

here is link to drum shaper http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=11201&SearchHandle=DADBDBDJDADADDDGDBDCGCDHDHDEGFGBCNDBDADCDECNDEDCGBDDCNGCDDGGDHCNDEDBGCDIDCDBGDDFDBGEDJGGDADADADBDCDADADADEGEHCHFGNDADADCDGDADADCDCDADADBDIEEEDEDEEEEEFEEEFEEEIEDEEEEECEEEEEEEJDADADADBDFDADADADBDADADADADADADADADADADADADBDADADADADEGEHCHFGNDADADADBDB&filter=drum

[DanCampbell]

Hi Michael,

Do you still have this picture aroound? I would really like to see what you are talking about.

Thanks

Dan[

quote name=michael merrill' date='06 March 2006 - 11:23 AM' timestamp='1141658639' post='44819]

BBB,

Another option for profiling your own creations is a template/pattern following type drum sander.It mounts on a drill press with the drill press table nearly flush to the bottom of the bearing that mounts on the lower portion of the drum.I have attached a pic. to help visually understand the concept.

First, one would need to make a pattern to their own liking/standards using 3/8" or 1/2" stock( something fairly hard).Now you have a pattern to follow, but you need a way to fasten it temporarily and securely to the actual wood blank.I have drilled three tiny holes about 1/4" in from the edge of the pattern around the profile.Then, take needles or small pins and glue them into the holes with about 1/8" or so sticking out.Try to be sure that the location of these holes places them where they will be completely removed during the sanding/shaping part of the process.If not, the the remaining tiny holes sometimes create air bubble issues during finish.Lastly, push your balsa blank straight down onto the pins.This will hold the blank in place while it is sanded with the pattern following drum.The pattern rides along the bottom bearing while the drum accurately reproduces the blank above it.

This enables you to reproduce the exact same profile over and over while you tinker with the hardware, lip, line tie, and weighting placements of your creation.

[Vodkaman]

Unfortunately, Michael has not been on TU since May 2006. Pity, because I would have liked to see what he was writing about too.

Dave

[mark poulson]

Be sure to have lots of sharp blades on hand. Dull blades drift, cut very slowly, and work the scroll saw too hard.

[RayburnGuy]

Unfortunately, Michael has not been on TU since May 2006. Pity, because I would have liked to see what he was writing about too.

Dave

Hey Dave,

I think what he was talking about is a sanding drum with a guide bearing much like what you see on a flush cutting router bit.

[DanCampbell]

It sounds interesting.

[

quote name=RayburnGuy' date='10 May 2010 - 01:14 PM' timestamp='1273511650' post='145980]

Hey Dave,

I think what he was talking about is a sanding drum with a guide bearing much like what you see on a flush cutting router bit.

[Vodkaman]

It is an interesting idea, but it is only going to give you a profile cut, unless I am reading wrong. You still have to round off and shape the blank, which is where the variation from blank to blank comes in.

If the shaped blanks vary, then the ballast has to vary to suit. Of course the wood density is going to vary too.

In my opinion, a computer print out of the blank shape, glued to the stock, roughly band sawed and then finished with the belt sander is almost as quick. I don't see significant time savings here. But I could be missing something.

Dave

[RayburnGuy]

It is an interesting idea, but it is only going to give you a profile cut, unless I am reading wrong. You still have to round off and shape the blank, which is where the variation from blank to blank comes in.

If the shaped blanks vary, then the ballast has to vary to suit. Of course the wood density is going to vary too.

In my opinion, a computer print out of the blank shape, glued to the stock, roughly band sawed and then finished with the belt sander is almost as quick. I don't see significant time savings here. But I could be missing something.

Dave

Don't think your reading it wrong Dave. When he speaks of "fastening it to the template" and using the table on a drill press I can't see any other way than to just cut a profile. And when he talks about cutting a pattern out of 3/8" or 1/2" stock it seems he would have to be speaking of only cutting profiles. If he were speaking of somehow using a drum sander to do contours all around the bait the template would have to be much thicker so as to follow the bait much like the machine you built. At least that's my thinking. But, like you said, I could be wrong. It sure wouldn't be the first time.