Cutting straight? no

[alanpassmore]

Can someone please help me. my scroll saw keeps veering off to one side while cutting. is it something i'm doing or is the machine set up wrong...?

[nzmerlin]

Slow and steady don't rush and remember when you push the wood into the blade (slow) the blades cuts aprox: 3degree of centre.
NOw on my saw standing in front of the saw to cut a straight line I wood be pushing (slowly) to the left.
Hope that helps there are more experienced people here then me, that we probably give a lot more advice than me.

And welcome to the site.

Merlin

[alanpassmore]

thanks for the welcome nzmerlin.

i've tried pushing it through dead slowly, but it still seems to veer off. i've tried pushing in a different direction but it still seems to prefer to go off course. i never had this problem when i first got it. the only thing that's changed is i've bought new blades for it.

[wood-n-things]

Some blades have a tendency to veer right or left depending on the blade.. If your tension is too loose it can cause your blade to veer. Grain of the wood can cause your blade to veer off course. Most of the time you have to steer the wood.

[Ocelot]

It could also be the blade. Some are certainly better than others. Lots of the cheaper stamped blades have a burr on the teeth on one side and they tend to cut more off straight than others. I only use Flying Dutchman blades from Mike's

Merlin is correct though. Slow steady and above all practice. Slow enough that the blade doesn't want to deflect backwards. You'll find over time that cutting becomes much easier and you'll find yourself just doing it without thinking about it.

Ray

[JimSawyer]

I remember when I got my first saw, (back in '91), a friend said that I couldn't cut straight lines with it. At the time he was basically right. Now, after 18 something years, I can actually cut straight enough to do joinery work, (without gaps). I haven't seen that friend in a long time, but whenever I have to cut a straight line, I wish he was still around. I could make some good money on a bet, lol.
Seriously though, The way most blades are made, they cut more aggressively on the right side, so you need to feed at an angle. And remember, "Speed versus Feed". If you can slow your saw down to a more comfortable speed and don't feed too fast, (or hard), you may get better results.
Strangely enough, straight lines are difficult on a scroll saw.

[3_M]

Most blades have a burr on the right side, This makes them cut to the right.Move your wood some degree to the right, this helps to stay on the line. Do not slow the speed, this will give you an tendency to push to hard into the blade and the blade starts to cut with a bevel. Good speed, good tension and let the blade do the cutting. There are a few blades what don't have that burr. Mike

[Mick Walker]

alanpassmore, make sure you have good tension on the blade, too much tension is better than too little. the finer the blade the more tension you need. When sawing a line think of driving a car, look a little ahead of where the blade meets the wood rather than right at the blade. Be sure to steer the wood directly into the teeth rather than pushing to the side. Dull blades will tend to wander more than sharp ones. Practice makes perfect.

[Bill Wilson]

OK, you've just learned about the dreaded scroll saw blade drift. Most scrollers just get used to it and after a while don't think about it much. What I do is set my chair just a little off center. If the blade drifts to the right, I set my chair a little to the right, so that when I'm pushing the wood straight into the blade, I'm actually on a slight angle on the saw. Takes some getting used to, but after awhile you will learn to adapt, even use it to your advantage.

[STEVESSAWSHOP]

Lots of blades on the market are stamped out blades. If you rub your finger down each side of the blade you will feel the burr Mike is talking about. Stamped blades are less expensive and work great in softer woods. Keep the speed up on the saw and reduce your push in to the blade. This will help you with your problem. Percision ground blades cost more but they last longer, better in hardwoods and give you a straighter cut. If you use the same size FD or Olsen stamped out blade, each one will cut different.
Steve