Newbie

[Sawdust King]

Well, let's see. I have had my Dremel all of a couple of months and already the table top is showing significant rust. Could be due to my eagerness to get started, I cleaned the table with some of that mechanic hand soap I have. Any suggestions for helping me correct this blunder would be appreciated (a new saw is tempting but my wife might have something to say about that). Also, I've been doing some puzzle work in 3/4" red oak and it seems to take forever. I am using Vermont American (VA) blades that are not upside down. If I apply some push they cut fairly well but the adage 'let the saw cut' doesn't work for either me or the VA blades. A nine piece Turtle puzzle shouldn't take 3 hours right?

Thanks.

If there is one thing I can make perfect every time it is sawdust.

[Neal Moore]

Welcome Aboard!!

Although you didn't mention what size blade you are using, you need a better brand of blade. Also 3/4 inch oak is probably not the best choice of stock if you're just getting started scrolling. Pine or poplar will cut much easier with the blades you are currently using. Check with Mike here on the forum. He sells Flying Dutchman blades for about any application you can imagine. He will send you a sample and advise you regarding which size and type blade you need for a given project. Right now I suspect your main problem is the size of the blade you are using if it's taking three hours to cut a nine piece puzzle. With that brand of blade you will need at least a #5 and probably a #7 or #9 for 3/4 inch oak. Hope that helps a little and welcome to the board. If you have questions regarding scrolling we have folks with lots of experience in every aspect who are happy to help.

[CanadianScroller]

As you know rust is not our friend
Try buffing the table with some emery cloth or some steel wool. Once you have buffed the rust away you can put a paste wax on the table.
Neals advice on the blades is top notch.
Oak is a hard hard wood. I have been frustrated before when cutting it. The new blades will make all the difference.

[Sawdust King]

The blades are a VA #7, I put a new blade in and started a 4 piece Cat puzzle (still 3/4 oak), 1/3 through the process I put in another new blade. I could see improvement in ease of cutting. I probably should have done one or two more blade changes which would have helped it along. Thanks for the advice. I guess with scrolling Oak and using VA blades you need to change them frequently. Lesson learned. Now to get that steel wool.

[Gill]

Keep that steel wool away from your oak ! It'll react with the wood's tannins and discolor it.

Gill

[CanadianScroller]

Keep that steel wool away from your oak ! It'll react with the wood's tannins and discolor it.

Gill

I thought that is where "Black Oak" came from

Good point Gill. I do tend to use emery cloth more.
I did want to make a steel wool vinegar wash to ebonize the edges of some weathered barn boards. I should have remembered the reaction before I sent the post.

Good job there are lots of checks and balances on the forum.

[jttheclockman]

Boy I can't remember the last time I used steel wool. I would recomend getting that stuff out of the shop and getting yourself some flexible woven pads. These come in varies courseness. No need to worry about metal filings to contaminate a finish. One of these pads and some Simple Green and your good to go.. Add a coat of paste wax no silicon in it.

[minowevie]

Gosh Sawdust King. for me I still have not mastered 3/4 " oak. I still burn even with tape and blade lubracant.the blade just wonts to travale where it wonts to go.or burn. or brake. lol. but I have thought about getting out my chain saw . lol. well I guess thats not the best advice lol. for its hard to do fret work with that. the only blades i know of is FD # 7 or 9 or up. or a prisition milled tooth. blade. and going slow. depending on the work your doing on fretwork. for the size of blade. I agree it is not the best way to start your scrolling . can be frustraiting.I too would love to know some advice from the pro's here. sorry about your rust. I have not had that problem ,,,,as Yet. only in my joints. lol. but that would be a good thing to learn too. I didn't know about the still wooll thing eather. wow so much to learn, don't they know we just wont to make things. hahaha. I will be learning from your quistion too and thank you for asking it. your new friend Evie

[lucky788scroller]

as for your table issue,its been covered pretty well.I dont like the sound of steel wool near the scrollsasw either because of the little filings getting trapped in the moving parts on the saw,and causing unwanted wear.And I also agree with the VA blades being pretty much useless. They might be fine for 3/4inch pine and playing around,but a good blade makes the learning curve much more manageable.With things adjusted properly,and your feed rate monitored ,as well as strokes per minute,theres no reason why you cant use a #5 blade on 3/4 thick red oak. My preferance for a good all around blade,one I use on hardwoods from 1/4 thick to 3/4 thick is the FD-TC #5 flying dutchman blade. Even the FD-TC #3 works nice on 3/4 red oak,but after you get to know your saw and speeds that work best. Good luck with it.

[minowevie]

Thanks Lucky . Im righting that blade size down. for furtuer oak projects. Evie