Another newbie with Questions

[jduffield]

Hello to all. I just started into this new and exciting world of scroll sawing and I only have about 50 million questions! First off, I just purchased some reverse tooth blades, I was wondering about what speed should I run them (spm)? Mostly for 1/4". I've been cutting some 1/2" 5 ply with regular #6 blades at about 1250spm and I've noticed that cuts fairly well. The problem with those is the slivers on the bottom Second, is there any way to make the light from shaking like a shaved dog in a snow storm! Well now my mind is a blank. Darn kids got me distracted. Oh well. These are really all I can think up for now. Trust me there will be more to come.

[lucky788scroller]

Welcome to the fun and sometimes frustrating world of scrollsawing. Soon, it will be like therapy more then a frustration. Actually, calling it an addiction is more fitting. As for blade speed, evperiment with it, on 1/4 inch thick, I would run it about 1/2 of full speed. I dont know what saw you have, but on a Dewalt thats what I do,I rarely cut that thin though. Anything 3/8 or less I generally stack cut it, even if I plan on only ever using one.Set your blade up so your reverse teeth only go about halfway up into the wood at the peak of the upstroke, you dont need them to go any further up than that.
As for your dog , try tieing him up on a stronger leash.If his leash is attached to a good solid tree, he wont shake as much. You could try getting him to sit on a seperate platform, so his shaking isnt amplified by your scrollsaw. If that doesnt cure your canine issues, try mounting a seperate light altogether above your saw.A bright halogen is my choice, hanging from the ceiling. It doesnt shake, but it does throw off a little bit of heat, but thats not a problem, because the dog will be still. Ask away, we can try tackling anything (might not be the answer you want, but an answer none the less. Dale

[Carter-Johnson]

For 1/4" wood, a #6 blade is way too big. Try 2/0 or just a little larger. That's all you need, and you'll prevent the slivers.

Have phun....

Carter

[SharonW0111]

Gosh get that poor dog a sweater --lol-- is it attached to your saw or is it touching your saw somewhere? that will make it shake bad--move it to a yard of its own and he will be alright- I am with Dale on slowing down your speed- I for one like to go very slow if I am doing fine detail fretwork and portraites and about half if just plasin fret-- I do use large blades when the detail is not tight but on tight intricate I use a #1 or # 2/0
and the splinters you have can be fixed by putting packing tape on the back-I use posterboard on my back and it works out well.
Sharon

[SharonW0111]

and another thing i just noticed re reading your post-- you said you are using a regular blade?? try checking and make sure you aren't putting it in upside down - that will cause those splinters also.( the teeth should point downward to be right,,, )
Dale she is trying to light her work not land a airplane lol - i assume she is a she because of the mention of kids --if your a guy ----opps.

[lucky788scroller]

good point sharon.. Make sure the light is pointing down, towards the saw! And welcome, Im Dale in WI, tell us about you, your saw, tools available to you whenever you get a chance. Dale

[minowevie]

Hi Jduffield. welcome for real. I love reverse tooth blades. I cut alot of 1/4 wood. ply wood and hard woods. I use a # 2 and a #0/2 . those are my favorites.on 1/4. they are easyer to turn around with . without liveing a big hole. the reverse teeth are there to make your cut as clean on the back of your wood as those on the top.they have teeth pointing down, and the bottom are pointing up. some times though, if you are cutting very hard wood they can be a pain.Only because they bring the dust back up with the reverse teeth . and if you don't hold your wood down , it may bounce alittle. the # of teeth have a lot to do with how easy the saw dust is pushed out of the kerf. (the width of the blade.) a # 6 leaves a wider kerf. they have the same amount of teeth. but are thicker blades side to side. and back to front. and are alot more agressive. I use a blade that is 13 teeth per inch. and 15 teeth per inch. those move through the wood alot easyer.because there is a bigger space between the teeth. and they remove the saw dust better. but more aggressive. the more teeth per inch moves slower. but easyer to handale. say 20 to 28 teeth per inch.those have alot more saw dust built up,so you need to slow down , or at least understand the blade is working harder , to get through the wood. with more teeth to cut,haveing cut and push the saw dust through the wood. they both come in skip tooth or other makes. crown tooth, doubale tooth. two way etc etc. ,don't let all these confues you. just stay with skip tooth. for now. and when ever use revers teeth.there great. I use them when ever i can. so i don't have so many frizzies on the back. makes sanding alot easyer. you just have to get a few differant blades and practice. before you know it , you will find what blades you really love the most. the blades from differant companys look the same but ack differant . ??? don't know why. but you just have to try them all. hope this helps my new friend. glad you are here. your friend Evie

[ZooZoo1]

JD just practice practice. We all were beginners at one time. As the questions arise just post them here, You will get lots of reponses. Happy scrolling Toby Tyler BOD

[jduffield]

Ok Hello, My real name is Jeramy, from MI, I'm only 24, married with 3 wonderfull girls. My wife bought a Craftsman 18" for herself but I use it a lot more. Introductions aside. The light is attached to the saw, the blower runs through the same lines. My wife recently purchased #2/0 reverse tooth blades for me to do some of the more intricate detail work. I did just what you said Lucky and slowed down to about 800spm. Wow what a difference. Also the the light now has quit moving around so much. Thank you very much for that tip. There is one thing that I have given a lot of thought to, and decided to go with it. No matter what thickness wood, I am only going to cut on layer and one project at a time. This way I can say that every piece is its own original. I just recently finished up the light house on page 29in the new Scroll Sawer mag for my Mother-in-law and she loved it. I figured I will make 2 more for her and hang the first cut in my own house. My next project is 3 of the Victorian Fretwork Music Box found on pages 16-19 of the same mag. Hoping to get them done by Easter Sunday. We'll see! Thank you again for your tips. Very Much Appreciated.

Jeramy Duffield

[lucky788scroller]

Jeramy, no problem on the help, thats what were here for.Im glad your projects are turning out better. The more you do, the better they get, and also, quite possibly, the less time your wife will have to put up with you, because your going to get addicted to that saw! Dale

[ChuckD]

You will find, anyway I did, that 1/4 and 1/8 boards or plywood sheets are harder to cut than if you stacked them 3 or 4 deep. You will have more control and if the bottom one is ruined by tear out or splintering it will not be the end of the project. I cut stacks and more than once have decided the bottom piece is no good and it becomes designer firewood. Unless some visitor sees it and goes all googlelly (Evie, is this spelled right?) and wants that piece of junk. You have to say yes.

[SharonW0111]

Isn't it nice some people can't see our mistakes?- I too have given away with a smile because I didn't have the heart to charge for a piece I had flubbed ..Heck they couldn't see the flaws even tho I told them it wasn't first quality..
Sharon

[jduffield]

The lighthouse that I just got finished with was my first "real" project. I showed it to my mother-in-law and she loved it. Its not perfect. So my newest question is: When drilling the start holes, how do I keep the bottom of the wood from splintering? It's becoming a real pain in neck.

[Gill]

You could put a sacrificial board underneath your workpiece when drilling.

Gill

[lucky788scroller]

Yup, as Gill said, its a simple thing to fix, just by sticking a scrap beneath your hole when you drill it. And, congrats on that lighthouse! Your well on your way now. Dale