Pop's got some questions for the group

[Pop]

Ok... brain picking time. I've notice when I use a spiral blade that there doesn't seem to be a big difference in the vein it cuts no matter what size I put in. I think it may be because I'm not tensioning the blade enough and am getting some lateral vibration. What's a good 'rule of thumb' for adjusting the tension?

Also (I'm really going to sound GREEN after this)...what is BLO? Everyone seems to know but me and you all seem to use it to finish your projects at one time or another.

[Daryl185]

this is how I set mine I tighten it till it sounds like a guitar string something like a tingggg sound hope that makes sence

[Pop]

this is how I set mine I tighten it till it sounds like a guitar string something like a tingggg sound hope that makes sence

Is that middle C or high C? I do flick it when I have it adjusted and listen to how high the pitch is but am cautious to make it too tight so it doesn't brake the ends off the blade. Maybe it's just the saw?

[Mackem]

Hi Pop, in reply to your question BLO is Boiled Linseed Oil i've never used it either.

[PuzzledMoose]

Hi Pop, in reply to your question BLO is Boiled Linseed Oil i've never used it either.

I've been using 50/50 BLO and mineral spirits to dunk (technical term!) my stuff in lately - it does a nice job of making the grain pop .. no pun intended ..:-)

[utbva]

I have wondered what pitch to tighten the blades to too. Is it a high note or a low note? I think a lot of it is practice to learn what sound works best for you.

[BobD]

I'm tone deaf...so I tighten it until it makes a high ping...the higher the better. It may shorten the life of my blades, but it makes for more accurate cuts when I'm cutting...

Bob

[workin for wood]

I'd crank the tensioner until the blade breaks, then I'd back off a full turn and install a new blade. That's my sacrificial blade technique, but it only works on smaller blades like what you are using. You wouldn't want to use that technique on a big blade like a number 9. With a big blade, tighten it until you can only push it back about 1/8 inch with your finger.

I never used the BLO ...linseed oil. I do use danish oil and tung oil sometimes. The danish oil gives a really elegant soft looking finish. I Prefer tung oil with several coats of poly on top, then a rottenstone rubdown and possibly a thin wipe on poly to finish. The tung oil is my UV protection. If I was only using a wood like oak or maple, I'd skip the tung oil.

[chrispuzzle]

Middle C is too low, whatever John Nelson's workbook says. I just checked my saw blade and it's on high E - that's towards the end of its life, too, after it has stretched a little between the clamps. I think I normally start somewhere between high G and the C above it (two octaves above Middle C.) That's a 2/0 puzzle blade though.

Chris

[SharonW0111]

I love to use spirals but I couldn't tell a C from a whatever -lol-- I tighten mine until taught and test it on a scrap of the same wood I will be cutting- then adjust acordinly. I like to keep it fairly tight as this tends to give me more control but some woods work best on a loose tension..also during long cutting sessions I sometimes have to tighten the blade a bit more.

[dale]

ON the Boiled Linseed Oil we use it all the time when carving. After we carve what ever it is if its painted then we paint it then dip it in the 50% BLO and 50% Mineral Spirits and to add a little color to it we squeeze out 1 inch of Burnt umber oil paint and mix it first with the mineral spirits then add the blo.

Makes a nice finish even if you dont paint it givesit a little stain but not much

dale

[lucky788scroller]

I tighten my blades till they are tight enough. I dont know what noise,it becomes something you wont even think about after a while. As for the kerf, its hard to notice a huge difference in kerf size with spirals because the kerf is so wide compared to what your used to. I do think that the 2/0 spiral is the best size for anything, at least up to an inch thick. Dale

[Rolf]

Just curious. cut a line straight front to back. Then cut sideways.
I suspect you will have a narrow kerf front to back and a wider kerf sidways.
The blade motion on my Delta 350 made spiral use a problem for me.

[GrayBeard Phil]

Pop:

After reading these replies to your post, I feel a few important points haven't been mentioned:

- With some aspects of scroll sawing, specifically fretwork, it is not the wood that draws the eyes of the viewer, it is where the wood ain't. In these cases, artistically you wouldn't want a shinny finish. A very dull satin finish is many times selected so the finish isn't fighting against the missing wood for the focus of the viewer's eyes.

- (This is exactly the opposite of Intarsia and segmentation where the wood makes up the image, and a standard finish is used, and a shinny finish is preferred. BLO wouldn't, in most cases of Intarsia, be a preferred choice.)

- Time, money, and effort to finish off a fretwork piece by any means other than spray or dipping is a lot of work. All those corners and sides to get to. Dipping in BLO, wiping down, and hanging up to dry is quick, easy, and very cost effective to add some protection to the wood.

- If the fretwork is to be handled and viewed from the hand, then additional protection is needed. If project is something that sits of a shelf, or hung on a wall BLO, or any oil finish, is OK. But do your own homework, compare the cost of BLO and Mineral spirits against Danish Oil.

- BLO has many draw backs, not the least of which is the rag problem you know all to well. It also takes a very long time to cure.

- No finish is the correct finish for all scroll saw projects. Many times the selection comes down to an artistic decision (aesthetics) rather than shine or protection decision. Sometimes the decision is make for cost and time reasons alone. Craftsman's choice.

This should not have answered all your questions, because there are just too many other decisions that go into any finish method; example is a spray can finish that puts a lot of material in the air and the forced air heating system blows it all over the shop in winter. The next thing you know your 4 legged shop buddy needs matted fur cut off.

Phil

[Pop]

Just curious. cut a line straight front to back. Then cut sideways.
I suspect you will have a narrow kerf front to back and a wider kerf sidways.
The blade motion on my Delta 350 made spiral use a problem for me.

I never really noticed because even though it's a spiral blade, I often cut into the blade from the front just because it makes it easier to follow the lines. I use the sideway cutting feature when it's a small short cut or a clean out. BUT... because you mentioned it..I'm going to make a comparison. I can imagine because of the way the saw arms move that a complete verticle cut with out some front and back cutting might be impossible on a saw with such long arms. I guess the better the saw with the shorter arms, the less front to back and side to side movement of the blades verticle path. I do a test this weekend.