Creative Woodworks & crafts 1999-11, страница 33

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Scroll saw gossip

Over the last lew years I have encountered rumors at several tool shows regarding the future of Excalibur Scroll Saws. Most stories involve the company going out of business for any one of several reasons offered by the teller of the talc. I was particularly interested in these rumors because I own a couplc- of Excalibur saws and want to make sure that I can get. parts when I need them. Each time another story camc to my attention, I would call Ray Seymore at Scyco (an Excalibur distributor) and he would put me at ease, assuring me that he would be able lo get any part I needed and not to listen to idle gossip.

Tom Sominerville of Sommerville Design and Manufacturing recently advised us that the confusion and litigation regarding the ownership and usage of the Excalibur trade name had been resolved by the Ontario Court, General Division on April 27, 1999. The court issued a judgment declaring Sommerville Design and Manufacturing to be the rightful owner of the trademark Excalibur with all associated rights and privileges. It also stated that J. Philip Humfrcy International and Excalibur Machine and Tool shall ccasc immediately to manufacture, market or advertise, directly or indirectly, any product under the trademark Excalibur.

This should lay to rest the rumors that we have heard in woodworking circles that Excalibur was either going bankrupt, out of business, lost.their patent(s) or any other combination of business disasters that were going to negatively impact present owners and future sales. Excalibur is very much alive and well. Thank you, Tom!

Quick Grab revisited

1 am still getting requests for information about Quick Grab Glue from you folks who do not have an A.C. Moore store in your neighborhood. You can reach them directly at: Quick Grab Inc. P.O. Box 15040 Scottsdale, AZ 85267-5040 1-800-878-8733

Tiger Teeth blades

Dick Holly, owner of Steebar Corp. recently gave a few dozen scroll saw blades to several people for evaluation, and if the individuals that he selected Lo test them gave positive evaluations, he would begin importing them from Germany. Both George Ahlcrs and I liked them very much and apparently so did the other testers because. Dick is now marketing them under the Tiger Teeth brand. They arc aggressive in their cutting action and leave a fine edge that requires little or no sanding. In the six dozen or so that I cut with, I had one blade break. The rest stood up to heat very well and gave exceptional cutting time before dulling. However, they will snap if they are tightly kinked, which is typical of most blades. If thev don't have this property, they don't seem to last too long. 1 believe it has to do with proper heat treating.

The manufacturer's quality control is to be commended as each blade was as good as the one before. 1 had no rejects and all cut with less than a five degree lead, and most cut nearly straight on. The reverse teeth are located in such a position that. I did not have to trim the blades to fit on any of my saws and still had enough end room to get a good grip with the blade clamps. I asked Dick if he had rcccivcd hand picked samples from the manufacturer. He stated that the manufacturer assured him that they were random samples from a normal production run.

The order 1 place in November will reveal how consistent they

arc. That is when I get the greatest amount of reject blades out of an order. Of course, that is the busiest season for the manufacturers and quality control seems to take a sccond scat to production.

Dale Whisler's Scroll Saw Picnic

Aunt Alice and I had the pleasure of attending Dale Whisler's annual Scroll Saw Picnic on June 12, 1999. I always find it inspiring when I meet, people who when confronted by the adversities of life, deal with them without skipping a beat and live in such a way as to bring their positive attitude to others who may be losing their perspective. Dale is just such an individual. As most of you know, he started these gatherings to celebrate our common endeavor-scrolling. His conccpt is that if you know something about it. teach it. to someone who doesn't and we will all move collectively forward.

Just about the time his plans were to become reality for this year. Dale was hit with a bout of bad health. 1'he first word I received was that there might not be a picnic this year. That would have been okay, his health is more important. Well, Dale's health seems lo be directly connected to his picnic. He put it. together, got the people there, and everyone had one heck of a good time. Perhaps it was providential that RBIndustries held their 70th Anniversary Celebration that same weekend. Bccause the RBI event precluded some commercial vendors and guests from attending. Dale opted for a one-day event this year. A one-day picnic is far less stressful than two. Could it be that a divine hand interceded?

Dale makes sure that he has ample space for anyone who wishes to display their handicraft. I am constantly impressed by the quality of work that you folks are doing, but one piecc in particular took my attention. It. was the Lord's Prayer that was brought, in by Gilbert Kyle of Harrisburg, PA. His great-grandfather, Augustus Kyle, cut it by hand in 1870 -and not on a foot-powered saw either.

For you Civil War buffs, Augustus Kyle was a drummer in the Union Army and served two enlistments. The first, was in the

130th Regiment of the Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry and the second in the 187th Regiment of the Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and his original drum is on display in the Pennsylvania Civil War Museum.

It seems filling to me that he would have chosen this pattern after having drummed the cadencc for all the troops he marched into battle with. If you look very closely, in just the right light, you can make out a number of faded stains that seem to be from some sort of droplets scattered in the wood.... May your soul rest in peace, Augustus.

If you have any questions, just drop me a line: Uncle Wes' Woodshop, i'O Box 7138. Sussex, NJ 07461 or e-mail me at unctewes@warwick.net or cwwmag@aol.com.

One of the highlights of Dale Whisler's 1999 Scroll Saw Picnic was this version of the Lord's Prayer, brought from Harrisburg, PA by Gilbert Kyle. It was hand sawn

by Gilbert's great-grandfather, Augustus Kyle, a Civil War veteran.

November. 1999