Blade Tension - Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts Message Board

scotti158 · 10-31-2009, 04:07 PM

Hi everyone,
I have a Dewalt DW788 and not quite sure about blade tension. For a #3 blade I'll set the tension on 4 or 4.5. Is this about the right position? I've read that you tension by the "ping" you hear when you flick the blade put I'm not sure what the proper "ping" sounds like. I'm new to this and thought this would be a good place to find out

wood-n-things · 10-31-2009, 04:12 PM

Welcome I hope you will continue to be a part of the family and share some of your work with us.
The ping should sound like a musical note not a twang or a thunk but a ping...when you hear it you will know it.

Janette · 10-31-2009, 04:42 PM

It will vary between saws so #4 on yours might be #5 on somebody elses. Also, as the saw "matures", I'm finding I have to go higher and higher in the #'s. It should be as far as you can easily turn it without forcing. Also, you may want to check it after cutting for a few minutes as the blade warms up, sometimes it may get a bit looesr (or it could just be that mine's old and shouldn't be doing that!

)

Mick Walker · 10-31-2009, 05:02 PM

scotti158, too much tension is better than too little. With the saw off, tension the blade. Push on the blade with your finger, you shouldn't be able to move it in any direction more than 1/8". When the blade slips out of the clamp you have too much tension on it. The smaller the blade the more tension you want.

ubgoofy2003 · 10-31-2009, 05:54 PM

Hi, Scotti. I would say that if you don't set your tension tight enough, it will bend or break the blade, beneath the table. I just pull the lever over to the right on my 788, & when it gets hard to move it should be tight enough. Like Mick said, just push on the blade to check the amount of bend in it. I guess the saw's all differ somewhat too. Good Luck --- Perk

Wood Dog · 10-31-2009, 05:59 PM

Welcome scotti158 glad you stopped by, we love new members.
Good advise from other posts. I would like to include a sound video to hear the ping. Just flick the blade with your finger. Make sure you read the little box well.
Good luck and stop by often, we would love to see what you are making.
Scroll Saw Tension

scotti158 · 10-31-2009, 07:18 PM

Thanks for all the help everyone. I recorded that blade tension audio clip on my cell phone, went to my saw and checked it against the recording. Setting "4" is where it sounded the closest and that is where I usually have it set. So now I know with a little more certainty what correct tension is.

lucky788scroller · 10-31-2009, 11:57 PM

You know, this whol 'ping' thing to me is a bit troubling.I have heard it a bazillion times before, and after years of scrolling, I STILL dont know what the correct ping is supposed to be. To make matters even worse, the ping sound doesnt even happen if the blade is fed through a blade entry hole in a piece of fretwork, so your back to square one. Janette said what I was going to say. that number on the saw by the tensioning lever isnt really an accurate thing to use to guage your tension. If your blade is tightened in the blade holder at the exact same place each time (the location of the top arm and it being fully down when tightening the thumbscrew), the number would be close each time, but a few thousands of an inch off and the number is invalid. And, a few thousandths of blade stretch after a bit of cutting will also make that number incorrect. Micks suggestion of less than 1/8th inch blade deflection sideways is a great rule of thumb, certainly more accurate than just watching the tension number on the yella saw.Its a thing youll get used to with some experience, I never even look at those numbers on there, I pull the lever until it feels right. I cant say how I know its right, other than just experience. And yea, a tighter blade is always better than a looser one.

Ramjet · 11-01-2009, 01:55 AM

You may fimd as time goes by as janette say's the numbers keep climbing . That's what happened to my 788 .

What I had to eventually do was remove the cover and reset the tension lever .
The screw loosened off .

Once you get a little experience you'll sense or get a feel for the right tension .

Roger

marshall · 11-01-2009, 01:00 AM

Welcome to the family , I put my tension setting on three for the most part . I guess as its been said different saws different settings ..........Marshall

10-31-2009, 04:07 PM	#1
scotti158 Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 12	Blade Tension Hi everyone, I have a Dewalt DW788 and not quite sure about blade tension. For a #3 blade I'll set the tension on 4 or 4.5. Is this about the right position? I've read that you tension by the "ping" you hear when you flick the blade put I'm not sure what the proper "ping" sounds like. I'm new to this and thought this would be a good place to find out

10-31-2009, 04:12 PM	#2
wood-n-things Behave Yourself..I can't. Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Right here ---silly Posts: 6,006 Blog Entries: 1	Welcome I hope you will continue to be a part of the family and share some of your work with us. The ping should sound like a musical note not a twang or a thunk but a ping...when you hear it you will know it. __________________ The Mike One of them anyway. I don't make mistakes..I thought I made a mistake once, but I was wrong. Mike's Wood-n-Things

10-31-2009, 05:59 PM	#6
Wood Dog Senior member--Absolutely Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: MA USA Posts: 3,925	Welcome scotti158 glad you stopped by, we love new members. Good advise from other posts. I would like to include a sound video to hear the ping. Just flick the blade with your finger. Make sure you read the little box well. Good luck and stop by often, we would love to see what you are making. Scroll Saw Tension __________________ WD Last edited by Wood Dog; 10-31-2009 at 06:01 PM.

10-31-2009, 11:57 PM	#8
lucky788scroller Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: wisconsin Posts: 6,354	You know, this whol 'ping' thing to me is a bit troubling.I have heard it a bazillion times before, and after years of scrolling, I STILL dont know what the correct ping is supposed to be. To make matters even worse, the ping sound doesnt even happen if the blade is fed through a blade entry hole in a piece of fretwork, so your back to square one. Janette said what I was going to say. that number on the saw by the tensioning lever isnt really an accurate thing to use to guage your tension. If your blade is tightened in the blade holder at the exact same place each time (the location of the top arm and it being fully down when tightening the thumbscrew), the number would be close each time, but a few thousands of an inch off and the number is invalid. And, a few thousandths of blade stretch after a bit of cutting will also make that number incorrect. Micks suggestion of less than 1/8th inch blade deflection sideways is a great rule of thumb, certainly more accurate than just watching the tension number on the yella saw.Its a thing youll get used to with some experience, I never even look at those numbers on there, I pull the lever until it feels right. I cant say how I know its right, other than just experience. And yea, a tighter blade is always better than a looser one. __________________ Dale w/ yella saws

11-01-2009, 01:00 AM	#10
marshall Just love Being Here Join Date: May 2008 Location: Jonesboro Arkansas { USA } Posts: 2,653	Welcome to the family , I put my tension setting on three for the most part . I guess as its been said different saws different settings ..........Marshall __________________ Usually busier than a cat in a sandbox !!!!!!!!!!! { Dewalt 788 only }

10-31-2009, 04:42 PM	#3
Janette Intarsia Moderator Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Eugene, Oregon Posts: 2,326 Blog Entries: 4	It will vary between saws so #4 on yours might be #5 on somebody elses. Also, as the saw "matures", I'm finding I have to go higher and higher in the #'s. It should be as far as you can easily turn it without forcing. Also, you may want to check it after cutting for a few minutes as the blade warms up, sometimes it may get a bit looesr (or it could just be that mine's old and shouldn't be doing that! ) __________________ Janette www.square-designs.com

10-31-2009, 05:02 PM	#4
Mick Walker Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Janesville, WI Posts: 1,492	scotti158, too much tension is better than too little. With the saw off, tension the blade. Push on the blade with your finger, you shouldn't be able to move it in any direction more than 1/8". When the blade slips out of the clamp you have too much tension on it. The smaller the blade the more tension you want. __________________ Mick, - Delta P-20 The future ain't what it used to be.

10-31-2009, 05:54 PM	#5
ubgoofy2003 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Arizona Posts: 763	Hi, Scotti. I would say that if you don't set your tension tight enough, it will bend or break the blade, beneath the table. I just pull the lever over to the right on my 788, & when it gets hard to move it should be tight enough. Like Mick said, just push on the blade to check the amount of bend in it. I guess the saw's all differ somewhat too. Good Luck --- Perk

10-31-2009, 07:18 PM	#7
scotti158 Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 12	Thanks for all the help everyone. I recorded that blade tension audio clip on my cell phone, went to my saw and checked it against the recording. Setting "4" is where it sounded the closest and that is where I usually have it set. So now I know with a little more certainty what correct tension is.

11-01-2009, 01:55 AM	#9
Ramjet Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Saltspring Island B.C. Canada Posts: 1,191	You may fimd as time goes by as janette say's the numbers keep climbing . That's what happened to my 788 . What I had to eventually do was remove the cover and reset the tension lever . The screw loosened off . Once you get a little experience you'll sense or get a feel for the right tension . Roger

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