Cutting Puzzles

[Jim Rodman]

Hello Support team

I am new member and new to scroll sawing, one project I am looking to start into is to make children's puzzles.

I am having a problem with some of the cuts; they are not square tops to bottom.
I am using 3/4” solid pine as my material and my machine is a Delta 350.

When I cut the tight corners the blade is cutting off square, therefore when you try to push the piece through it will only come out in one direction.

Things that I have tried to correct the problem have dean.
- Use a double cut blade.
- High tension
- Low tension
- Slow feed cuts
- Fast feed cuts
- Make sure the blade is square to the table.

Any help that someone could pass on would be appreciated.

Thank you
JimR

[PuzzledMoose]

Hi Jim and welcome. This subject came up just a couple of months ago - I know because I was having the same problem you're having ...

Have a look at this thread .. Puzzling Dilemma!

and there is also Jeff's recent posting about squaring the blade that might help

beginner scrolling tip

If you're table is definitely square it is most likely to be caused by pushing the blade sideways slightly when cutting.

[3_M]

One more thing to watch, Jim is to let the blade do the cutting. If you push a little too hard the blade starts to cut with a bevel.

Mike M

[Randy Huckeby]

Hi Jim & welcome to the board. Any relation to Dennis?

[workin for wood]

I'd like to add cutting teqnique to your list of try's. It's really easy to push sideways into the blade when making turns, especially tight turns. It takes self training to learn how to spin the wood into the front of the blade and not the side of the blade. There's not really any pushing going on while turning. Here's a self training idea to teach you how to turn the wood and not the blade. Use a drill press and drill a hole slightly larger than the blade into a scrap of wood that's about the size of your hand or a bit larger. Thread the blade through the hole. Now turn on the saw and practice spinning the wood without the blade ever touching wood. This is much harder than it may sound, but this is the way you have to cut with a scroll saw. Teach yourself to spin mostly in the direction that you are most comfortable with, because your goal is to make as many cuts as you can in the same direction...not too many of us are ambedextorous (nor good spellers). The blade is the axis, no matter where you are on a line while cutting, your still in the center of the circle...use the force luke.
With 3/4 pine I'd run, well I always run big hogging #9 skips, but for puzzles perhaps #4 would be good. Tighten the tension so you can only push back on the front of the blade about 1/8 inch. Set speed about half way or a bit less.

[Carter Johnson]

Jim......

Here's an alternative which would not involve the difficulties you've encountered: a regular children's jigsaw puzzle from 1/4" Baltic Birch. The picture is lifted from a 2007 calendar. It's just over 60 pieces and I cut it freehand in about 45 minutes. It's for a couple of grandchildren, both boys, ages 4 and 7 (the former is the better puzzle maker).

These kinds of puzzles can provide lots of entertainment for kids who enjoy them. I've included photos of the front and the back, both enhanced for sharpness so you can discern the pieces.

Have phun.......Carter

[Rolf]

Carter IS THE puzzle wizard. I got a present in the mail the other day, it was a 10 piece puzzle cut in a 1 cent stamp. It is an amazing piece of work.
Thank you Carter.

Where do you find the match boxes?

[workin for wood]

yea, using thinnner wood sure makes it easier for a square cut. That one cent puzzle sounds cool. Show us what he sent you...puleeeze.

[Carter Johnson]

I've posted this before, but not for some time. This little puzzle is kind of my calling card. I give them out wherever I want to be remembered. They take only around six minutes to cut and I always have a couple in my pocket. The container is a matchbox......Carter

[PeteB]

Hi, Jim--

You've received many good pointers so far.

To reinforce Jeff's point about cutting in a particular direction, most scrollers like to cut clockwise around a shape. Every once in a while I go the wrong direction and am a very unhappy fellow until the cut is done.

Rick Hutcheson has a wealth of instructional material about scrolling on his site, and I recommend it highly:

http://www.scrollsaws.com/

Pete