SCROLL SAW TIPS

F.A.Q.

Question: I try to make a cut on my Scroll Saw and the blade cuts to the right. Is there a problem with my Saw or the blades?
Answer:   There is no problem here. This is due to the way Scroll Saw Blades are made. They are usually milled which produces a sharper edge on one side of the blade. The blade wants to cut toward the least resistance causing it to cut to the right. This is easily fixed by turning your work to the left and feeding it in to the blade at an angle. It takes a little practice but soon you will be able to cut and follow a line with ease. If you would prefer to be able to cut straight try the Olson P.G.T. Blades. They are ground instead of milled so that one side is not sharper than the other. This process causes the blade to cut straight.

Question: When cutting my wood burns. What can I do to fix this problem?
Answer:   Burning is caused by the blade friction against the wood. There are three things you can do to reduce burning.

1. Try wrapping your wood with clear packing tape before you put your pattern on. I always do this. It lubricates the blade and stops most of the burning. If you are cutting a real hard wood like Cherry or Hard Maple, try and put two layers of packing tape on the wood.

2. Slow the speed down on the saw. This will produce less friction.

3. Use a larger blade. This will increase the cutting speed so the blades moves through the wood faster.

Question: Can I cut Plexiglas or Plastic on my Scroll Saw?
Answer:   Sure you can but, Try wrapping the Plexiglas or Plastic with clear packing tape before you put your pattern on. This will prevent it from melting back together behind the blade after it is cut. If it is still melting put more tape on the bottom.

Question: When I stack cut wood the bottom piece is not the same as the top piece. What am I doing wrong? 
Answer:   Make sure that your blade is lined up at a perfect 90º angle. Also make sure you are using the largest blade that will make the turns you want to make. To check to see if you are at 90° angle, take a scrap piece of wood and cut a circle in it. The piece that you cut out should be able to come out from the top and the bottom. If the piece doesn't come out one of the ways, you need to adjust your table. The best way to tell if your Scroll Saw is at a 90° angle is to use a steel square.

Question: I want to upgrade my Scroll Saw, which is the best Scroll Saw to get?
Answer:   There are a lot of controversies over which Scroll Saw is the best. I will give you things to look for that you next Scroll Saw should have. 

1. Variable speed.

2. Able to accept plain end blades.

3. Large workspace. (Throat and Table)

4. Little to no vibration.

5. Tool free blade changes.

6. Will bevel to the left and right.

7. Up front controls.

8. Can feed blade through top of work piece.

Here are some of the best Scroll Saws out there. They may or may not have all of the features listed above.

1. RBI Scroll Saws

2. Hegner Scroll Saws

3. Excalibur

4. Dewalt DW788

5. Delta

6. Eclipse
   

Question: My blades keep slipping out of the blade holders. What can I do to stop this?
Answer:   This is sometimes due to the fact that when blades are made they put oil on them. This keeps the blades from rusting. To stop this, clean the inside of the blade holders with alcohol. Also, use a piece of sandpaper to rough up the inside of the holders.
Sometimes this is also caused by the screw in the holders. If the first method doesn't work replace the screw and put a washer on it. This will allow you to put more tension on the screw itself.