New Member with Questions...

[kcleere]

Greetings,

This is my first post here. I am and have been a woodturner for about a year and for the most part have made pens. I am ready to expand my penmaking through the use of inlays and so on. I have purchased an RBI 216-3 at what I feel was a very good price but I know nothing about the machine itself. My question is, did I purchase a good starter machine? I realize it isn't variable speed and doesn't have quick change blades but I'm a beginner scroller....

Andy information you can give me on this saw would be great.

Ken

[workin for wood]

I don't know that particular machine, but most of the RBI machines are good quality. Just not the G4 that I own. Personally I think that variable speed is pretty important and I'm sure your machine can be altered to do so. It is good that you didn't buy the cheapest machine on the market, because then you would be turned off by scrolling.

[William Young (SE BC)]

Hi Ken;
You will find your scroll saw handy for all kinds of things within your turning. Putting scrolled patterns within platters and all kinds of neat things.
If you are still at the pen making stage you might want to try a pen similar to the one I made shown below.
I will eventually get around to making one with a heart and club and spade as well , or maybe you will even beat me to it.
The diamond there is not a surface inlay. It goes all the way through from one side to the other.
W.Y.


I just sold this platter with a scrollsawed design in it for $89.00 at a craft sale last week. Here again the design is all the way through from top to bottom... It was my first platter using a scrolled picture within it and was just a practice piece.

[workin for wood]

that's an awesome platter. What a great way to combine scrolling and turning. Now I wish I had a lathe. If I saw that at a craft show, I'd buy it.