41-Scroll Saw Tricks.Indd
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.
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