Proxxon DSH 2 Speed Scroll Saw

[Jacob]

I just bought a Proxxon DSH 2 Speed Scroll Saw- £90 on ebay. Seems just about unused but an older model than current product.
How tight should be the blade? Instructions are in German and I haven't got around to translating.
Seems a nice machine- very quiet, solid, easy to change blades etc.

It's for a project for the bloke next door - he's caring for an elderly gent losing his marbles who used to be a film fan and film expert. We thought film poster jig saws.
Could get the old chap livened up a bit if he's having to fiddle about with bits of Marilyn Munro and put her back together again!

Any useful tips welcome.

 

[Brandlin]

... having to fiddle about with bits of Marilyn Munro and put her back together again ...

quote of the year so far!

 

[NazNomad]

How tight should be the blade?

The only definitive answer would be... tighter than you'd think. The correct tension on every saw is precisely somewhere between loose and snapped.

You won't be able to deflect the blade sideways very much if it's tensioned enough. You'll see the ''high C note'' quoted a lot, you'll soon learn to tension by ear, pinging/plucking the blade as you tension it.

Wipe the ends of a new blade to remove any manufacturing schmoo which may cause slippage in the clamps (something I never do as I've never had a problem with it).

If your blades still slip out of the clamps, scuff the blade ends a bit for more grip (more = better, right?).

Tension a new blade, run the saw for 10 secs, release the tension to see how much the blade has stretched (you'd be surprised), then re-tension it.

Slowly slowly catchee monkey. Cut slow, don't force the wood through the blade.

 

[Jacob]

Thanks for that.
Blades pin only - no clamps.

 

[NazNomad]

Nowt wrong with pinned blades, you'll just not be able to cut such tight curves as with pinless blades.

However, another tip I've never tried is this... File the back corners off the blade to allow 'slightly' tighter curves to be cut.

Also, because of the way scroll saw blades are made (stamped out), you'll notice they want to cant to one side. Easily corrected by turning the wood, but infuriating until you realise why it's happening.

Another also, even more importantly for puzzles, is to make sure you're cutting dead 90° to the table...

[youtube]DmtkafjkHuw[/youtube]

 

[whatknot]

Thats odd as the Proxxon has clamps that take both pinned and pinless, has somebody changed them?

Thanks for that.
Blades pin only - no clamps.

 

[whatknot]

A better way to get tight corners with pinned blades is to use a good quality blade such as Pegas, chalk & cheese compared to the standard pinned blades

 

[NazNomad]

Thats odd as the Proxxon has clamps that take both pinned and pinless, has somebody changed them?

Does it use adapters for pinless blades though? T'was an ebay purchase, they may have not been included.

 

[whatknot]

The DSH 2 had blade clamps that take both and tightened with pinless with a T bar wrench which clips on the side

Thats odd as the Proxxon has clamps that take both pinned and pinless, has somebody changed them?

Does it use adapters for pinless blades though? T'was an ebay purchase, they may have not been included.

 

[AES]

+1 for all the points above Jacob. Also:

Tension: When tensioned "enough" you shouldn't be able to move the blade backwards n forwards more than about one eighth inch, max;

Pegas blades: Axminster Tools are the UK stockist. Pegas make both pinned and pinless blades;

Cutting "square": Weird at first but you soon get used to having the job "canted" over to the LH (behind the blade) as you pass the job through the blade. As said, it's how the blades are made, and the amount of "cant" varies from blade to blade. The trick is don't look at the job in relation to the saw, look at the blade in relation to the line marked to be cut. Works for me anyway.

HTH

AES

 

[Jacob]

The DSH 2 had blade clamps that take both and tightened with pinless with a T bar wrench which clips on the side

Thats odd as the Proxxon has clamps that take both pinned and pinless, has somebody changed them?

Does it use adapters for pinless blades though? T'was an ebay purchase, they may have not been included.

Not on mine. I think it's an earlier model, or bits are missing. Pinned blades only - which is OK as they are very quick and easy to fit.

Mine's almost same as this one same model number, but the tension knob is underneath not on top, no plastic hold down device and no twin purpose blade holders.

 

[whatknot]

As you say must be an early model, not seen one like that

But although Proxxon are well regarded, the comment I see most from users is that the pinless blade change is fiddly so perhaps you are not missing much anyway ;-)

Mine's almost same as this one same model number, but the tension knob is underneath not on top, no plastic hold down device and no twin purpose blade holders.[/quote]

 

[NazNomad]

Jacob, your saw is like this? - https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anz ... 7512-84-10

 

[Jacob]

Jacob, your saw is like this? - https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anz ... 7512-84-10

Thats it. Maybe it's the German model or something. More or less identical except for a few details, same model number.
Seems OK though - hardly used and works well.