basic central machinery scroll saw from harbor freight..pin or pinless? - Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts Message Board

obsessis · 06-27-2009, 12:03 AM

I am new to this and am about to get a scroll saw from a guy off of the internet here in my town. it is a central machinery 16" scroll saw, retail is $80, with a green base. It is the cheapest CM scroll saw that harbor freight sells.

anyways, i am looking into buying blades. i am checking out the .pdf file in the sticky that has olson blades. I will be sawing hard wood 1" thick. It seems that most of the blades good for that require a plain end, not pin end. Does anybody have this scroll saw or know what type of saws it takes?

I hope this saw will work out for me, i'm just doing some basic cuts into wood blanks to make scales for straight razors that I have.

wjbclocks1 · 06-27-2009, 12:23 AM

Go for a higher priced saw,one that will take pin or pinless blades
I don't think you'll be sorry for the upgrade.

obsessis · 06-27-2009, 12:36 AM

i'm getting this one for $20. i found a refurbished ryobi on amazon that was $80 shipped that i read takes both.

i will only be using the saw for straight-ish cuts, nothing intricate. as long as it saws it should work for me. if i get a lot of use out of the $20 one i wouldn't have a problem upgrading, but until I get a feel for how many straight razor handles I'll make I don't want to go crazy.

merry · 06-27-2009, 02:41 AM

if i was buying a saw get a good one you most likely will never be
happy with a cheap saw because they are not made that well i had a cheap saw from sears and did not like it they are a big differnce in saws. some time you can find very good used saws or rebuilt saw
i like the pin less blades so you do not have to drill a big hole for the pin. they are lots of rebuilt saw on amazon.com. just my thought.
merry

Jim McDonald · 06-27-2009, 03:53 AM

If memory serves me correctly, that saw is pin only and the arms look like they are ready to fold up at any minute. $20 for a saw may seem like a great deal, but like the others, I will tell you that cheap saws almost always give cheap results.

yost69 · 06-28-2009, 05:11 AM

I have only had one saw so i have no opinion on the saw you are purchasing.

But if all you are doing is straight cuts, with no inside cuts, then pinned blades will suit your purpose just fine.

Ben

georgewoodie · 06-28-2009, 05:32 PM

Obsessis:

I would go for a good saw rather than a $20.00 unit. If you are lucky you will get what you pay for. I would not expect much of a saw for that price.

A poor tool will likely turn you off from scrolling so you would be doing yourself a disservice.

Once you start with a tool, you will soon find more and diversified uses for it. The pin blades need a large enough hole to do blind cuts and will be a disadvantage in that respect.

Consider your age and then amortize the cost over your expected years of use. Better equipment is cheaper in the end.

Good luck.

Woodie

06-27-2009, 12:03 AM	#1
obsessis Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 6	basic central machinery scroll saw from harbor freight..pin or pinless? I am new to this and am about to get a scroll saw from a guy off of the internet here in my town. it is a central machinery 16" scroll saw, retail is $80, with a green base. It is the cheapest CM scroll saw that harbor freight sells. anyways, i am looking into buying blades. i am checking out the .pdf file in the sticky that has olson blades. I will be sawing hard wood 1" thick. It seems that most of the blades good for that require a plain end, not pin end. Does anybody have this scroll saw or know what type of saws it takes? I hope this saw will work out for me, i'm just doing some basic cuts into wood blanks to make scales for straight razors that I have.

06-27-2009, 03:53 AM	#5
Jim McDonald Workin' for the Weekend Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: On the Other Side of the Monitor Posts: 882 Blog Entries: 6	If memory serves me correctly, that saw is pin only and the arms look like they are ready to fold up at any minute. $20 for a saw may seem like a great deal, but like the others, I will tell you that cheap saws almost always give cheap results. __________________ Jim There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness". "Political Correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end."

06-28-2009, 05:11 AM	#6
yost69 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Berkeley Springs, WV Posts: 129	I have only had one saw so i have no opinion on the saw you are purchasing. But if all you are doing is straight cuts, with no inside cuts, then pinned blades will suit your purpose just fine. Ben __________________ Alcohol is not the answer. It just makes you forget the question. http://www.huhdowhat.com

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06-27-2009, 12:23 AM	#2
wjbclocks1 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 203	Go for a higher priced saw,one that will take pin or pinless blades I don't think you'll be sorry for the upgrade.

06-27-2009, 12:36 AM	#3
obsessis Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 6	i'm getting this one for $20. i found a refurbished ryobi on amazon that was $80 shipped that i read takes both. i will only be using the saw for straight-ish cuts, nothing intricate. as long as it saws it should work for me. if i get a lot of use out of the $20 one i wouldn't have a problem upgrading, but until I get a feel for how many straight razor handles I'll make I don't want to go crazy.

06-27-2009, 02:41 AM	#4
merry Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 314	if i was buying a saw get a good one you most likely will never be happy with a cheap saw because they are not made that well i had a cheap saw from sears and did not like it they are a big differnce in saws. some time you can find very good used saws or rebuilt saw i like the pin less blades so you do not have to drill a big hole for the pin. they are lots of rebuilt saw on amazon.com. just my thought. merry

06-28-2009, 05:32 PM	#7
georgewoodie Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 117	Obsessis: I would go for a good saw rather than a $20.00 unit. If you are lucky you will get what you pay for. I would not expect much of a saw for that price. A poor tool will likely turn you off from scrolling so you would be doing yourself a disservice. Once you start with a tool, you will soon find more and diversified uses for it. The pin blades need a large enough hole to do blind cuts and will be a disadvantage in that respect. Consider your age and then amortize the cost over your expected years of use. Better equipment is cheaper in the end. Good luck. Woodie