Building an Eclipse scroll saw will probably be one of my first building projects. I’ve always liked to do woodworking as a hobby and I’ve always been attracted by projects like this, even though they’re quite large and time-consuming. A lot of people are intimidated by the possibility of building an Eclipse scroll saw because it is definitely bigger than a table saw. But if you think about it, any standard table saw is pretty much the same size as an Eclipse. The big difference is in the size of the cutting surface.
You also need some sort of spinning mechanism for your scroll saw because if it were attached to a table saw with a metal spindle and chain, the chain would make a jig pattern on the wood. Unless you have a specialized blade for your scroll saw, you’d have to get an X and Y together and some kind of moving surface so you wouldn’t be constantly trying to bind the blade to the table. It would be very tricky but probably an enjoyable project. What would be fun is to build something like an electric motor and run it on the same saw that creates the scroll saw. I’ve seen pictures like this done before and really like the concept. If you do want to try it, you’ll need to build something that is very sturdy and heavy enough to handle the counterweight of the motor.
Most Eclipse scroll saws come with two blade sets. The first type comes with a thin steel blade and the other type comes with a heavy duty aluminum blade. The thin steel blade is used for ripping and crosscutting wood easily. The aluminum blade is ideal for angled cuts and for light cuts in stock. One nice thing about the aluminum blade is that it is nearly silent while operating. It doesn’t make a lot of noise when it’s running, but it does make some when cutting wood.
The scroll saw comes with scroll saws that run on gasoline and electricity. The only time they are not used is when they are being assembled or disassembled. A gas powered saw motor is easy to install and operate and the cost is low compared to the cost of electricity and gas. I’d recommend this as your first woodcraft machine rather than your first power tool.
Both saws are available with a wide variety of blade types. You can choose from a variety of diamond blade types. The most popular is the type one. The type one is the most efficient for cutting in both wood and metal.
Eclipse also makes scroll saw blades in other styles. The other styles are referred to as either “custom,” “custom plastic” or “custom aluminum.” The difference between these two is that the aluminum blades require an extra stage of machining before they can be sold. The result is that they cost more than diamond blades. Because of their higher cost, I would not recommend them for beginners as the pattern can be missed if the saw cuts incorrectly.
The third option, which is available for your Eclipse is a variable speed saw. This is an older style scroll saw which means it has a different speed setting which allows the operator to determine how much material is cut per minute. This is very convenient as the operator can cut at different speeds without any human intervention.
All three saws come in different lengths. The longest is the seven eighty-six inch scroll saw which is a little over three feet long. The shortest is the seven forty-two inch version. The newer saws are equipped with a variable speed model which allows the user to set the maximum speed at which the scroll saw cuts. These saws are generally the better option when it comes to power versus size as the older models are smaller than their newer counterparts but both saws are still very efficient if you need a good solid wood turning machine.