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Secrets for Scrollsawing Success From blades to tool tuning to cutting By Rick Hutcheson Because every tool must Talking teeth so does the blade width and earn its shop footprint, many Using the right blade for the kerf, but the TPI (teeth per inch) woodworkers question if owning task and material at hand helps decreases, resulting in more a scrollsaw is a good idea. But for guarantee your scrollsawing aggressive and coarser cuts. making inside cuts, multiples of success. In the Blade Selector As a rule, rely on low-number curved parts, and crisp fretwork Chart is a rundown of the most blades for thinner materials 3 3 in stock up to 1 4" thick, no common blades and when to use (under 4 other tool contends.⁄ The trick them. These numbers refer to I do most⁄ of my scrollsaw work is to cut smooth, splinter-free, the blade’s thickness, width, and with 2/0," 2R, thick) and and 5R reverse-finer cuts. unburned edges that replicate number of teeth. Generally, the patterns effectively. I’ll help you lower the number, the thinner get set up, and then lay down the blade and the more teeth. tighttooth curves blades, and using the the latter first for the skills for the essential cuts. As the blade number increases, generaltwo for finepurpose detail cutting. lines and 54 woodcraftmagazine.com June/July 2011 Blade Selector Chart Type Number Materials* Uses/Comments Thin S, V w/fi ner From fi ne cutti ng to wide contours. Fewer Skip- 3/0-12 blades; H, S, P, MDF, teeth keep blade cool, allowing for fast tooth PL w/coarser blades. sawing, less burning. Smooth fi nish. Great for fretwork. Reduces tear-out Reverse S, V w/fi ner blades; at top and bott om of cut. Finer blades skip- 2/0-12R H, P, MDF, Pl w/ cut extreme radii; use coarse blades tooth coarser blades. to cut thicker stock. Smooth fi nish. Straight-line cutti ng w/no drift . Larger S, Pl w/fi ner blade; H, Precision gullet good for aggressive cuts in thicker 5RG-9RG S, P, MDF, P w/med. ground (1" or more) dense hardwoods. Leaves the to coarser blades. smoothest fi nish with litt le burning. Pricey. Thin S, V w/fi ner Cuts on upstroke and downstroke for Crown blades; H, S, P, MDF 2/0-12 fi ne to general purpose cutti ng. Reverse tooth w/coarse no. 9 and blade for longer life. Smooth fi nish. no. 12 blades only. Makes rough to medium cuts in all directi ons Spiral 2-4 S, H, P, MDF without turning the workpiece. Makes a large kerf; not ideal for ti ght V-type cuts. Metal Jeweler’s to More TPI for cutti ng nonferrous C/A 1 cutti ng thin metal metal up to ⁄8" thick. *Materials Key: S=Soft wood; H=Hardwood; V=Veneer/Thin Plywood; P=Plywood; MDF=Medium Density Fiberboard; Pl=Plasti c; C/A=Copper/Aluminum Note: Go to olsonsaw.net and pswood.com for a complete list of blade size numbers. (and inconsistencies) for ranking blades from smaller to larger. 10-minute tune-up up and down and is aligned • Set the tension. Tension the After you’ve selected the right with the stroke of the arm. blade until you hear a ping and blade, install it and tune up Photos A1 and A2 show how to not a dull thud sound when your saw. Follow this exercise check for a vertical blade stroke you pluck it. If the blade breaks every time you begin a project and adjust for alignment. right away in use, you may have and as needed during cutting. • Square the table. With the overtightened it. If the blade Adjust the blade stroke. wanders, it’s probably too loose Ensure the blade cuts straight table to the blade (Photo B). and requires more tension. • blade stroke fixed, square the Adjust blade to right. A1 A2 B Place the rule to the blade in its downstroke positi on (A1). Without moving Hold a business card against the rule, raise the arm to its upstroke positi on. If a gap shows, adjust the the blade and table to check for Allen screw and thumbscrew so the rule and blade touch at both positi ons. square; adjust the table as needed. Photos: William H. Hopkins, Illustrati ons: Heather Lambert June/July 2011 woodcraftmagazine.com 55 Protocol For Patterns Choose from two methods of applying patterns: 1) spray adhesive; 2) packing tape. The former method is the faster. To remove patterns applied with Direction spray adhesive go with a heat of cut gun or mineral spirits. With dense hardwoods like oak and C D cherry, the latter lubricates the Cut a cube from scrap. Pass the With the cut direction established, blade and reduces burning. piece through the opening. If it relocate your body in line with the Patterns with thinner cut passes freely, your tool is tuned. rule, and feed stock at this angle. lines are easier to follow. When cutting patterns with • Conduct a squaring test. To them to track to the right. To thick lines, those enlarged check if your tool is tuned, cut a adjust to this “wander,” push a at a copier, for instance, you small shape such as a cube from piece of scrap straight into the need to decide to either scrap wood. If the cutout piece blade in alignment with the top leave the line or take it. slides out the top and bottom arm. Stop 2" in. Without moving Typically, I cut along the of the workpiece as shown in the scrap, use a rule to show outside edge of thick lines. Photo C, then you’re ready to cut. the angle of cut in relation to If the cutout gets stuck at either the arm as shown in Photo D. end, further adjustment is needed. the manufacturing process, most • Check the blade tracking. The essential cuts blades are burred on the right Most scrollsaw blades (not and cutting side. Sawyers take advantage precision ground) have a tooth With the correct blade installed of this defect by keeping the burr along the right side (from and the saw tuned, you’re ready “save” piece to the right front the saw’s front edge), causing to scroll. While some prefer to edge of the blade where the stand when cutting, I choose cutting action takes place. to sit so I don’t have to bend I don’t use the tool’s hold- Tip Alert over the saw to work. I like down, nor do most scrollers. Running the blade at a higher the saw table chest high for (It gets in the way.) And besides, speed and using a slower feed maximum comfort and control. rate helps prevent the board from Keeping in mind the established applying slight downward slapping on the saw table. cutting direction, feed your pressurethat’s what on your the workpiece. fingers do, workpiece into the blade. Due to In terms of cut sequence, E F Nib G Use the index finger as the pivot Before leaving the cut area, remove Make quick work of outside point for turns and down pressure; any nibs with the burr side of the corners by making a loop cut in feed the stock with the other hand. blade. (Nib exaggerated for clarity.) the waste area of the workpiece. 56 woodcraftmagazine.com June/July 2011 Blade H start hole I J Keeping the “save” piece to the Use nails in the waste areas when Cut into a business card and tape right of the blade, saw in the cutting multiples to hold the pieces it to the table for a zero-clearance direction shown for inside cuts. together and provide handles. surface for cutting small parts. always make your inside blade into a hole and clamp it in place, applying tension. Now outside or perimeter cuts. cut out the openings as shown cutsAs first, shown followed in Photo by Eyour, position in Photo H. At inside corners your hands so that the index pivot the workpiece quickly or back out of the corner after pivot point when turning the cutting to it. Then sharply cut finger of one hand serves as the into the adjacent cut line. of the other hand to grip edges Oftentimes you need to cut andworkpiece; feed the use workpiece the fingertips into multiples of the same part. the blade. Depending on the cut Depending on the thickness K line direction, you may need to of the material, you can stack Sandwich thin metal between the parts and cut them at the plywood to protect the edges and same time. To do this, nail the prevent scratching the workpiece. mayswitch notice hands a little and indexnib left fingers. on the workpieces together with the wood.Upon Using finishing the side the ofcut the you blade pattern on top as shown in in Photo J. It’s ideal for cutting Photo I. Limit the total thickness tiny parts and puzzle pieces. 3 as shown in Photo F. It’s faster to 4" or less or you’ll risk making Cutting thin copper or with the burr, “file” off the nib than removing it with sandpaper. bowed⁄ cuts and invite blade aluminum rounds out the When a cut offers a little wander. Locate the nails a safe essential cuts. For crisp, unbent cutting freedom, take it. For distance from the cut lines. edges, sandwich the metal example, for sharp outside Cutting small pieces can between two pieces of plywood corners, rather than making a prove challenging.

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