About a 3 D scrollsaw project that I'm stuck on!

[ohioweaver]

Cutting Sam Keener's ballerina and swan. Got so far as the foot of the ballerina and broke my blade. Luckily the blade pulled out ok. But now what?
How can I get a blade back in such a tight little slice? I tried drilling an entry hole but my drill bit wasn't long enough and it didn't go all the way thru. AAAAArrrrrggggghhhhh! And if I can get the blade in, I'm a little confused about doing the second side. Tell me this: I don't understand when I finish the ballerina, pull out the blade, then I begin cutting again by entering from the left side again like I did on the first side? If I break a blade again, can I
EVER cut an entry line into where I stopped? Tell me if I just have to cut both sides all the way thru without ever stopping? That's very hard to do.

Diane

[Marsha]

Hi Diane,
I do a lot of 3-D/compound cutting. I'm not familiar with the pattern your cutting, but when I break a blade, this is what I do. I gently work the blade out with a pair of pliers. Once I have the new blade secure, I slow the machine down quite slow and carefully work the blade through what I have already cut. The new blade should work its way through the kerf and when you hit the spot where your blade broke you can speed up the saw and continue your cut. To prevent breaking a blade you need to make sure the blade is tensioned as tight as it will go. And always run a new blade for a few seconds without cutting, shut the saw off, release the tension and reset your blade. This takes the spring out of the blade and helps you cut a bit straighter. It's also very important to use the right size blade for 3D cutting. I use a Polar # 5 blade.
Hope this helps,
Marsha

[minowevie]

HI Diane my friend. Marsha gave some good advice. I did not know I needed this too. thanks for starting this thread. I am new at compound cutting, so I will learn here too. your friend Evie

[Minnesota scroller]

I was under the impression that the cause for a broken blade was because the tension was too tight. Unless that just refers to band saws.

[lucky788scroller]

most often, a broken blade on any tool is caused by excessive use or operator error. Typically, you will break more scrollsaw blades from lack of tension than from to much tension. I have yet to break a blade from to much tension on the scrollsaw, but I have overtightened my bandsaw a time or two and broke a blade. The only blade I have broken on my dewalts is a 2/0 spiral, I never broke a flat blade. Operator error was the cause. Dale

[Rolf]

I agree with Dale,
The only time I break a blade is when I push it past its useful life.
Although I did break alot more blades with my Delta than with my Hawk.
When I first started cutting ornaments (stack cut) with a 2/0 blade I broke 2 or 3 per ornament. I suspect that was caused by my inexperience.