Blade/Speed Selection

[Oogie]

Hello All!

Yes I am new to scroll saws so please be gentle!

When working on a project that has a lot of detail or you need to make tight turns, is it better to have a blade with a high or low TPI? Also, would you want to be running at a higher or slower speed? One of the things I will be making is animal puzzles for younger children out of ¾” pine (to start).

I know it will take time and practice but I am looking for a starting point.

Thanks!

Tim

[Mick Walker]

Tim, I cut Patterns with a lot of tiny, intricate cuts from 1/2" or less wood most of the time so I use a 28 t.p.i. 2/0 blade. Cutting 3/4" pine you will want a blade with less t.p.i. to allow the sawdust room to exit the kerf. I have a Delta P-20 which has 6 speeds, I usually run it at 1200 rpm's. I would try different speeds and pick the one you are most comfortable with, probably a slower speed to start with and going faster as you gain more experience. 3/4" pine is not the easiest wood to cut, consists of soft and harder wood and the blades want to follow the grain. Good luck with your projects.

[greatdane2]

I have a Dewalt, and usually cut 1" thick stuff. With the speed control up front I slow down to do inticate cuts and speed up after. Mostly use a #3 to 7 skip tooth blade. I still find I make mistakes and going slower limits the damage if I wonder.
I also convert everything I cut into red lines,I find I can see where the blade is a lot easier and can correct before I leave the line.
Alan.

[SNAPPER]

For Pine I usually run half throttle with a lower TPI count. #3-#5. Pine tends to clog blades with higher TPI. Practice, Practice, Practice.
Dean

[PeteB]

For cutting finer detail, the key is the width of the blade. I often cut 1/2" plywood with 10 plies with #5 modified geometry reverse blades. This is probably tougher than 3/4" pine because of all the glue, yet the blades rip right along and leave a very nice surface and edge finish.

If I were you, I would also try:

• #3 skip tooth
• #3 skip tooth reverse
• #2 double tooth

Blade chart for comparison:

pegas blade specifications

[Barefoot1]

Also, you will find that adjusting the speed of the saw several times while you are learning will help you find 'your speed'. I have seen these guys at the fair doing demos and the fly through them, I use a slower speed, it takes me longer but I get better detail cuts that way. Don't be afraid to experiment with the parameters others have provided. I do a lot of 1/4" hardwood fretwork and this has worked for me. Find your own groove.

[minowevie]

Hi Tim, all the advise you got so far is pretty good, when I started, I started with puzzles too. out of 2x4 pine studs. ouch. that was not easy. and I only had a one speed pin end blade saw. but it tought me alot. I went and got a better saw, and straight end blades. HAHA. with v speed. personaly, I think 3/4 wood is harder for me. you need some bigger blades. But. i normaly cut thinner wood. 1/4". and at first used a lot of teeth per inch. and went very slow. just kinda choped my way along. gettin used to going along the lines with out verying so easyly. I did find , after a while, I could speed up. and use less teeth per inch. the less teeth per inch, carrys out the dust faster, and seams to be sharper, and much faster, I still go pretty slow. but who cairs. it is really up to you, and how you handale the saw and blades you are useing. you can speed up, and slow down. no matter. just get used to your own speed. sometimes it is easyer to cut going alittle faster. like on a straight line. or on a curve. but on wavy or small frets. I slow down, I also slow down when putting a new blade in. till it dulls some. thats just what I do. others are much better at their speeds. 3/4 is hard for me. so hope this helped some. a # 5,7,9 skip tooth is good , for a starter, on 3/4 thinck wood. or even if you can handale them a presion ground . your friend Evie