been playing , comments/questions

[pete00]

howdy all hope all is well....

Well its been a few weeks of playing, so I have a couple of comments and or questions.

I now have a collection of bent and broken blades, should I keep or toss out. The bent ones are because I m having trouble getting the right tension. Usually its too loose and it poops out. Trying to get 1/8 “ play in blade. Delta 350 saw

Still trying to figure out how fast I can turn the wood.

I may be putting too much pressure on the wood ¾ inch cherry while cutting. Sometimes as I let go it comes back a good 3/8 to ¼ inch. Too much ?

On thinner pieces it keep cutting after I stop pushing.

Slow speed seems to cut better than faster, not sure why.

Oh yea and I have discovered I cant follow a line, straight or curved…..lol

But its fun….pete

[CanadianScroller]

Tension is always tricky at first. I don't use a 1/8" deflection method I pluck the blade and it sounds right. I know that isn't fair.
It will ring when you pluck it.

I suspect the blade is quite loose if it continues to cut after you stop pushing. The blade will flex forward when there is no pressure on it.

It does sound like you are pushing the wood a little too much.

As for cutting speed, I like cutting slow anyway but if the blade is loose and the speed is high you will find the blade bounces around side to side.

I think if you tighten your blade a little more, slow down the feed rate,,,,,the amount you are pushing on the wood.... then you will be able to follow the line better.

There are lots of great hints in the Ultimate Scrollsaw Pattern collection, and lots of patterns too.....not that I am plugging it, but it is a great resource.

Good luck and email me if you have any specific questions.

[sheltiecarver]

Pete,
Pitch those blades - they will not tension correctly after they have bent, and they are cheap enough that you don't need to fool around with them. I did read a hint once about using a broken blade as a sort of "push stick" for itsy-bitsy pieces, so if you are planning any of those soon, you might keep just one for that purpose.
I find cherry one of the most difficult (but beautiful) woods to cut properly - too fast and it burns too slow and it burns, too dull a blade and it burns. I just resign myself to doing a bit of sanding after to remove the burns. It will cut with an almost glass smooth surface if conditions are right, though. It is so "tight" that it may be causing you to over-push your wood - Carl is right about the "ping" of a properly tensioned blade, but I read your post that it is deflecting up ot 3/8" while cutting - if that is so, the blade is either too lightly tensioned or (this is what I do) you are hurrying it too much, and the blade just can't keep up. Try keeping a closer watch on the angle the blade is entering the wood - and relax your hold just a bit often to let the blade come back to 90 degrees. If you are doing what I do, you'll find this improves your accuracy about 50%. We just have to keep remembering that this is not a bandsaw! So we get to slow down.
Do you have John Nelson"s Scroll Saw Workbook? You could try cutting that first project -the one with the lines - a few more times to get the hang of staying on the lines better. But practice with some cheap wood keep the cherry for those special projects!
And please keep letting us know how you are getting on - we'd love to see your work!
Sandy

[ozarkhillbilly]

Pete,

Carl and Sandy both gave good advice and said pretty much what I would of told you. But I will add this about your bent and broken blades, another member in a past post said he glues one to the back of his projects that he sells or gives away so people can see what it was cut with. I thought that was a nice addition to do.

Keep practicing and ask away with any questions........

[Bob in Whitby]

Quote from previous post:
"I did read a hint once about using a broken blade as a sort of "push stick" for itsy-bitsy pieces, so if you are planning any of those soon, you might keep just one for that purpose. "

Just a comment on the above quote. I like using the eraser of an unsharpened pencil as a push stick for itsy-bitsy pieces. I hate to think what might happen if an old blade gets caught in the active blade! I would think there could be both project and hand damage!! Safety is priority one remember.

Bob

[lucky788scroller]

my thoughts on the blade/pushstick thing is thast it was meant as to use to push the teeny waste areas out that get trapped in the fret hole. I do that often with an old blade on teeny sections. Also, to get the stubborn sawdust thats trapped in a veining line, even after the compressed air missed it, I push an old blade (a size or two smaller then the one I cut with) through the veining, and work it by hand, pulling out the trapped dust. Dale

[Gill]

If a used blade is used as a push stick, it will be flexible enough to hit a moving blade without any damage. In my opinion, it's a much safer device than a rigid push stick which a moving blade will bite into on impact.

The used blade also ensures that you don't use too much pressure as you feed your wood in.

Gill

[wwalker47]

pete00-

I use the bent blades to clean out the veining. Saw dust always gets packed into the veining cuts and hard to get out. Just run the bent blade down the vain and then blow out with your air compressor.

-Bill

[pete00]

thanks for all the comments and suggestions....appreaciate it.!!

Ill post a pic of my latest .....thanks pete

[minowevie]

HI Pete. I just can't trow anything away. lol. I guess i need to learn how to do that. well I do trow my bent blades and brocken blades away. but one of the things I save my blades for is when i am cutting hard woods like oak, I do need to change blades alot. but there is still enouph blade teeth sharpness, to cut soft woods with , or just to slow down. the new blades , sometimes are so fast and sharp that a dull blade can cut just fine. also. when i wont to do some very small veining, I can use the smalliest drill bit i have , drill the hole, and file my old blade down enouph on the back, to get into the hole and saw, buy hand, the deapth of the blade i wont to use, that way i don't get such a big old hole to fit my blade i am useing. I can get a head start on the veining without the whith. does this make sence. what i meen is the drill bit is wider than the blade i am useing. so sawing by hand ,into the line ,makes the blade fit in the hole. as long as you use a blade with the same kerf whith. also. I have found when i push my work into the blade, and get to a place where i need to stop or turn , I need to stop alittle befor the stop. and let the blade catch up. letting the bow out of it so to speek. that way you are not stoping at the corner. and over cutting. hope this helped. your friend Evie