scroll saw topic.
Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2017 9:14 pm
If you are just getting started into the hobby of pinewood derby.
And you are looking at scroll saws as a way to cut patterned design cars from the pinewood derby books that have internal cuts out in there design
or to a design of your very own. Or by chance you've just purchased a scroll saw.. or are unfamiliar with them but looking to get one to get started.
I fell there is a need for this topic just based off some of the scroll saw questions that have been ask to me on the site lately!
Because I was once new to the hobby of scroll sawing my self .. so with that said I'm going to shift my focus on to this topic.
A little about my self and my scroll sawing hobby.. I've been scroll sawing for a little over 20 years now and I'm some what self taught.
I started out in my Grandads workshop.. then on to my Fathers Sears walking beam scroll saw.. and my passion for scroll sawing & woodworking took off from there.
But it is my hopes with what I'm going to share here .. that it will help you and your child to have a pleasant experience with using a scroll saw
as you enter into the pinewood derby , and or wood working and scroll sawing hobbies.
For starters new into scroll sawing I don't recommend paying a lot for a new scroll saw when there are many models for less that will make grate new starter saws.
And for the time to time projects with the short cutting sections. ( hours spent cutting with the saw)
You probably don't want to pay a lot and buy the most expensive equipment when your getting started in any hobby!
So look at it this way once your hooked you can always up-grade. from a starter saw to a mid-level or higher end saw.
But as with any piece of scroll saw equipment you buy the more features the saw has the more the price go's up.
So with that in mind when your looking to purchase a scroll saw.. keep a mind set that some of the features can be added to the saw later
when your tempted to go with the model that is more expensive.
Some of the features that can be added later are accessories to your saw like a light source, magnifying glass, saw stand, and on/off foot peddle controls,
and better blade chucks.
Some buying advise that I my self would look for in a starter saw would be the controls on the saw because you'll be using them a lot !
Are the on/off & tension controls in a safe spot and easy to reach.
Variable speed control models are in my opinion a good option to have.. because you'll have a hard time adding that feature to your saw later.
And when you are new to scroll sawing you'll want a saw you can control by slowing it down for better control over your work!
When you fell your ready to cut at a faster pace and feed rate you'll have away to speed the saw up.
Probably one of the most important decisions to make when buying a scroll saw is on the blade type the saw uses.
Some models use pin-end blades only, or the reg flat blade only or both blade types.
Here's an example of the two blade types and pilot hole sizes needed to thread the blade.
Now here's that important decision you have to make and that's finding one that will allow you easy blade changes for the blade types or one you can work with
for the type of work you'll be doing most with the saw.
I say this because there are some models that have very cumbersome blade chucks to where the blades are some what of a pain to change out.
To me this only leads to a bad experience with using the scroll saw if you are having a hard time changing blades out.
Pinned end blades are grate for large internal cut outs.. but short lived because of the 3/16" pilot hole size needed to thread the blade.
For much more detail work where small internal cuts are needed the straight/flat end or spiral blades are used most for this purpose.
From there look at the table sizes and shapes the throat plates they use or into the way they tilt... some will tilt more to the left.. some left and right..
and then on some of the higher end scroll saw models only the arms tilt while the table stays flat..
( Need to turn your scroll saw into a sander as well ? )
For Scroll saws with the large plastic throat plates covers there are scroll sanders on the market as well for pin end and plain end type saws.
pin end type: with 1/4'' and 1/2'' options.
plain end type with 1/4'' and 1/2'' options.
These are offered by Olson at..https://www.olsonsaw.net/cat/scroll-saw ... llsanders/
Pegas type Scroll sanders at Bearwood.. https://www.bearwood.com/product5880.html
Most scroll saws can cut up to 2" with the hold down removed and work table flat in some cases.
For most scroll saw hobbies the 18'' model will handle most all the saw jobs. larger model saws larger projects!
Well that's it for tonight.. as I will be back with some photos showing some scroll saw's that I have in my workshop.
That I'm hoping will show you just how hard it can be to change blades on some different models.
From there I'll get into sharing different blade types and talk about there use's.
And you are looking at scroll saws as a way to cut patterned design cars from the pinewood derby books that have internal cuts out in there design
or to a design of your very own. Or by chance you've just purchased a scroll saw.. or are unfamiliar with them but looking to get one to get started.
I fell there is a need for this topic just based off some of the scroll saw questions that have been ask to me on the site lately!
Because I was once new to the hobby of scroll sawing my self .. so with that said I'm going to shift my focus on to this topic.
A little about my self and my scroll sawing hobby.. I've been scroll sawing for a little over 20 years now and I'm some what self taught.
I started out in my Grandads workshop.. then on to my Fathers Sears walking beam scroll saw.. and my passion for scroll sawing & woodworking took off from there.
But it is my hopes with what I'm going to share here .. that it will help you and your child to have a pleasant experience with using a scroll saw
as you enter into the pinewood derby , and or wood working and scroll sawing hobbies.
For starters new into scroll sawing I don't recommend paying a lot for a new scroll saw when there are many models for less that will make grate new starter saws.
And for the time to time projects with the short cutting sections. ( hours spent cutting with the saw)
You probably don't want to pay a lot and buy the most expensive equipment when your getting started in any hobby!
So look at it this way once your hooked you can always up-grade. from a starter saw to a mid-level or higher end saw.
But as with any piece of scroll saw equipment you buy the more features the saw has the more the price go's up.
So with that in mind when your looking to purchase a scroll saw.. keep a mind set that some of the features can be added to the saw later
when your tempted to go with the model that is more expensive.
Some of the features that can be added later are accessories to your saw like a light source, magnifying glass, saw stand, and on/off foot peddle controls,
and better blade chucks.
Some buying advise that I my self would look for in a starter saw would be the controls on the saw because you'll be using them a lot !
Are the on/off & tension controls in a safe spot and easy to reach.
Variable speed control models are in my opinion a good option to have.. because you'll have a hard time adding that feature to your saw later.
And when you are new to scroll sawing you'll want a saw you can control by slowing it down for better control over your work!
When you fell your ready to cut at a faster pace and feed rate you'll have away to speed the saw up.
Probably one of the most important decisions to make when buying a scroll saw is on the blade type the saw uses.
Some models use pin-end blades only, or the reg flat blade only or both blade types.
Here's an example of the two blade types and pilot hole sizes needed to thread the blade.
Now here's that important decision you have to make and that's finding one that will allow you easy blade changes for the blade types or one you can work with
for the type of work you'll be doing most with the saw.
I say this because there are some models that have very cumbersome blade chucks to where the blades are some what of a pain to change out.
To me this only leads to a bad experience with using the scroll saw if you are having a hard time changing blades out.
Pinned end blades are grate for large internal cut outs.. but short lived because of the 3/16" pilot hole size needed to thread the blade.
For much more detail work where small internal cuts are needed the straight/flat end or spiral blades are used most for this purpose.
From there look at the table sizes and shapes the throat plates they use or into the way they tilt... some will tilt more to the left.. some left and right..
and then on some of the higher end scroll saw models only the arms tilt while the table stays flat..
( Need to turn your scroll saw into a sander as well ? )
For Scroll saws with the large plastic throat plates covers there are scroll sanders on the market as well for pin end and plain end type saws.
pin end type: with 1/4'' and 1/2'' options.
plain end type with 1/4'' and 1/2'' options.
These are offered by Olson at..https://www.olsonsaw.net/cat/scroll-saw ... llsanders/
Pegas type Scroll sanders at Bearwood.. https://www.bearwood.com/product5880.html
Most scroll saws can cut up to 2" with the hold down removed and work table flat in some cases.
For most scroll saw hobbies the 18'' model will handle most all the saw jobs. larger model saws larger projects!
Well that's it for tonight.. as I will be back with some photos showing some scroll saw's that I have in my workshop.
That I'm hoping will show you just how hard it can be to change blades on some different models.
From there I'll get into sharing different blade types and talk about there use's.