new to me old scroll saw

Not sure if this should be under old tools or here. Oh well.
Today I bought a scroll saw from a pawn shop for $30.00. Negotiated 51 cents off the asking price. I'm a tough trader.
Enneyhow, it is a Delta model 40-560. Looks and runs sound. Obviously has been setting a while and will need some clean up. The table is begging for steel wool and waxing. But otherwise seems to be a very sound machine. I'll try to find and download a users manual to know where all the wear parts are for lubricating, etc. I have an idea for a new type project and can use this for fine cutting that would be hard to do on the bandsaw. I do not plan to make those cathedral things with hundreds of cut-outs. Stopping and removing the blade hundreds of times would put me in the looney bin. Now to find a place for it in my tiny shop. I think I'll be able to add it to one of my 'islands' with other tools.
I'll be cutting mostly 1/8" acrylic and need to research what type of blade is best for that kind of work.

It's been a while since I cut much acrylic, so I can't remember which blades I tended to use. I know you don't want the blade to be too thin, because the acrylic will just melt back together as the blade passes by. Even with a "regular width" blade I always used the TV show tip of laying down some clear packing tape along the intended cut line. Somehow that magically removes the heat (or something) and prevents the self adhesion issue.

Most of my acrylic work was making templates for my wife, for laying out teddy bears and others shapes on fabric. What kind of stuff will you be making?

Sounds like a good score Frank. I want to say my dad picked up one at a yard sale last year of that same model for about $100. Is it the two speed version?

It is the two speed.
I plan/hope to make a combination bas relief/layered (there is a term for that I can't bring to mind right now) carving picture of hunting scenes, mainly ducks. Duck hunting is big in Arkansas and the pics of ducks flying is always dramatic. Other scenes like quail, pheasant, deer, bear, etc. are probable as well. My plan is to cut out acrylic templates of the animals in different sizes. Smaller to give the image of distance, larger closer, etc. Using those I'll cut wood blanks and carve those for mounting to a large board which might/will have a carving on that. The cut images will be on basswood I'll order from Wisconsin, the boards will be ordinary white pine one byes. Biggest hurdle will be painting. An artist I am not. Two approaches I'm considering is finding someone who is a painter and collaborating with them. I make, they paint. The other is to create (my weak aptitude) a simple two or three color scheme and not even try actual colors found on ducks and in nature.

Nothing wrong with scoring a good deal! Good going!

I call your buy an excellent deal. Around us you don’t get anything called a tool for that money.
So great to hear you back at it Frank after all the health issues. All the best for 2018. Look forward to seeing what you cut out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks, Rob.
I'll be mounting it today. Cannot find a manual online. Actually, found many sites with them but it takes a Martian genius to open them. So, I have to figure out how to use it before doing much. I'll just lube anything that moves and fiddle with the rest.

This should just open with any pdf reader...
http://www.deltamachineryparts.com/documents/instruction_manuals/En1346925.pdf

In case there's still some trouble opening it.. Says to remove the cover over the arm assembly (4 screws), use light machine oil on the two screws at the back of the arm that hold the upper and lower pieces to the up/down piece (do NOT remove these screws). Remove the two larger pivot bolts nearer the front (one top, one bottom) and then clean and lube them, also with light machine oil.

Never cut acrylic (good hint on the tape Kerry, wouldn't have ever thought of that).. sounds like you have some cool ideas, can't wait to see them.

Congrats on the new tool, Frank. Sounds like a great price to me. And I'll echo Rob's comment on being glad to see you back in the shop.

Ryan Mooney said:

This should just open with any pdf reader...
http://www.deltamachineryparts.com/documents/instruction_manuals/En1346925.pdf

In case there's still some trouble opening it.. Says to remove the cover over the arm assembly (4 screws), use light machine oil on the two screws at the back of the arm that hold the upper and lower pieces to the up/down piece (do NOT remove these screws). Remove the two larger pivot bolts nearer the front (one top, one bottom) and then clean and lube them, also with light machine oil.

Never cut acrylic (good hint on the tape Kerry, wouldn't have ever thought of that).. sounds like you have some cool ideas, can't wait to see them.

Click to expand...

Thanks. It opened fine. I'll be printing it out later.
The table insert is missing, I'll make one later today cutting with the ole bandsaw.
For lube I'll probably use a Teflon based gun oil like Break Free.
It feels good to be fussing around in the shop. Yesterday I mounted the ss to one of my 'islands' will send a pic later.