# Can anyone identify this old Scroll Saw? Manufacturer/Model?



## davebulow (Feb 9, 2013)

Hi All!

I'm from the UK and this is my first post here by the way!

I've just started getting interested in woodworking and scrolling, so please forgive my lack of knowledge. I picked up this old rusty scroll saw at a car boot sale (yard sale?) this morning for £15 (about $23). It's nothing special I know, and it's just a single-speed machine, but at that price I couldn't say no! Most importantly, it works! The blade it came with seems to be original (the coloured areas of the blade which aren't rusted seem to match the body of the machine itself, but the blade seems WAY too deep to be a scroll saw blade?! Have I missed something? I'll probably work on removing the rust soon, but I think it might need some work to straighten the angle at which the blade goes down, as it appears to (very slightly) go to the left at the end of the down-stroke.

I just wondered if anyone knows anything about this old scroll saw, as it has no manufacturer / model number written on it anywhere! I've taken a number of photos just for your reference to see if anyone can shed some light on this.

Many thanks!

Dave


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## davebulow (Feb 9, 2013)

Hi. Just to say, that since posting this I've had some help and found out what it is (roughly)...

With that help I searched the net and found many photos and articles, and so I can now only conclude that it's a very late (1950s/early 1960s) 'Hobbies Gem'...

Have a look at this page: http://treadleit.info/Hobbies-Scroll-saws - and note the two photos near the bottom of the page. Note that in the second photo (1950s version) the table is square/rectangular (not round like all old Gems), the tension adjustment knob is the same as on mine, and there's no spring under the tension knob, as in all older Hobbies Treadle Gems!

Only one (obvious) thing is different - the fact that it's motor driven rather than a treadle! Does anyone know if Hobbies made non-treadle versions of the Gem? Or has this been adapted by someone? the base looks too original to me - but under all the rust it's hard to tell!

Anyway, I'm getting closer!


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## dhazelton (Feb 11, 2012)

What confuses me is the hacksaw blade. Did someone retrofit that in there to cut metal? Can't imagine it worked well for that.


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## davebulow (Feb 9, 2013)

Hi dhazelton! Yes that's a bit weird I must admit. I've just ordered a few fret/scrollsaw blades and looking forward to trying them with it.


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## dhazelton (Feb 11, 2012)

Those treadle units are cool - maybe you should convert it back it to that.


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