Scroll Saw Adventures
I'm slowly extending my set of tools in the workshop. One tool I always coveted for finer detail work was a scroll saw.
The problem with scroll saws is that there is no real middle ground. There is basically one type of saw that everyone sells. The models are so similar you could believe they all come from the same factory in China1). They sell for different prices between 50 and 200 EUR, but all have the same mixed reviews. Then there's a whole lot of nothing and finally come the Hegner machines starting at 600 EUR and going up to 2500 EUR.
Since I for sure wouldn't spend that much on a machine I might use just a couple of times a year, I thought why not buy the cheapest machine I could find that had all the features2) I want.
That machine was the Parkside PDS 120 B2 by German supermarket chain Lidl for 79 EUR.
Unfortunately when trying the machine for the first time, I noticed really bad lateral vibrations which made sawing rather imprecise and unpleasant. But what to do?
As I said, all those cheaper machines are basically the same. So instead of buying a more expensive machine, I decided to try my luck: I sent the machine back and ordered exactly the same model again.
And it worked. The second machine worked much better.
To mount the saw to my work bench, I used the same swivel mechanism as for my disk sander. I also made a little case to hold the saw blades that can be stored right under the saw.
For my first project, I decided to make a little jewelry holder for Kaddi. I cut out a silhouette of some flowers from plywood, mounted it to a second sheet of plywood and put in some dowels to hold the rings and necklaces.
For finish I used two coats of different color chalk paints, a bit of sanding for that “shabby chic” look and some waxing for protection.
