Puzzle Blades

[bluelucky]

Iwas wandering what the difference is between regular blades and Puzzle blades. I cut my first 2 puzzles with FD-SR#5 and seem to have came out ok. But was wandring if puzzle blades will cut any faster?

Michael
Lucky's Custom Scrolling

[turtleteasers]

Puzzle blades leave a narrow kerf, usually 7 or 8 thou. They are typically designated "2/0".

The FD-SR#5 will give a kerf of around 15 thou. If the width of the kerf is not a problem for your puzzles, then you might want to try a double skip #5 which will cut more aggressively, since it has fewer teeth per inch and so clears the sawdust more easily. Also, I think your FD-SR#5 has reverse teeth, which produce a clean cut, minimizing the need for sanding, but do not clear the sawdust as well and so reverse-tooth blades are not known for their speed.

Incidentally, great puzzle idea. Your own design? You ought to be able to develop this theme into a collectable range.

Ron

[Max]

If you're cutting puzzles like your cats from 1/2" or larger boards, I'd stick to the #5. You'd go through dozens of puzzle blades on wood that thick. I agree with Ron about a theme for these puzzles. Hmmm, the creative juices are flowing.

[lucky788scroller]

The puzzle blades will not speed up your production. And, on wood 1/2 to 3/4th inch thickness, they will no doubtedly slow your production, and you will lose some of your puzzles because of pieces not coming apart or fitting back together. The puzzle blades are more designed for cutting thin stock, like 1/4th inch or so. Trying the tight turns in thicker woods with the puzzle blades will leave you a little frustrated.I recently cut out a puzzle using a FD-TC #1 blade in 13/16" maple. I was extremely careful cutting it to make sure the pieces still slid apart freely, and there are a couple that ended up as real tight fitting. Generally on a puzzle that thick I would use a FD-TC#3 , but this particular one I was concerned with the fit of a few parts after cutting, thats why I used a #1, to tighten up the saw kerf. If you are going to do puzzles in 1/4th thickness or thinner, then use the puzzle blades, if any thicker than 1/4th, use a #1, #3, or #5 flat blade of your liking. Remember, the bigger the blade size, the looser your pieces will fit together.

[georgewoodie]

Bluelucky:

I am certainly not expert in cutting puzzles but I went from the #5 to the 2/0 for my last puzzle and the kerf difference was fantastic.

The #5 left me with very loose fit while the 2/0 was quite tight. After reassembly of the 2/0 cut, I could pick up the assembled puzzle at one piece and it all held together.

I would say if you are making a jig saw puzzle for younger children the #5 blade would allow easier assembly but if you are making a puzzle for older and more coordinated persons, then the 2/0 would be better.

Where you may have narrow sections, the 2/0 cut would be more likely to break when handling.

I found that the 2/0 blade being much thinner will break if the tension is too great even before starting my machine. Take care.

Woodie

[Okie_Arkie_Wood_Cutter]

I have found that the puzzle blades really work great for jigsaw puzzles using 1/4" stock, but the stand up puzzles that are cut from stock that is 3/4" to 2" require larger blades. Some 3/4" wood works well with a #5 and #7 blades. If you get into full 1" to full 1 1/2" stock, I like to use the #7 and #9 blades, depending on the hardness of the wood. If I venture into a full 2" stock, nothing but #9 and #12 blades.

[Okie_Arkie_Wood_Cutter]

Those cat puzzles, look a whole lot like the stand up puzzles by Judy Peterson. Who I consider to be the standard for Quality stand up puzzles.

[Pete_M]

Looks like the blades you used on those two in your message worked ok. Nice looking puzzles to.

Assuming you cut them from 3/4" wood, your #5's would be the minimum if you want to hand paint the top and sides of each piece. It took three tries on the "Tree" puzzle in the Summer issue of SW&C before I was happy. Anything less and the pieces are hard to get together. I'd have used the next size bigger if I'd had it.

For a standard puzzle on 1/4" BB I use a Flying Dutchman 2/0 blade from Mike's and for cutting a few postage stamp puzzles I used Forme d' Art 8/0-JW Jewelers blades from Sloan's.

PETE

[Scrolling Days]

Originally Posted by georgewoodie

Bluelucky:


I would say if you are making a jig saw puzzle for younger children the #5 blade would allow easier assembly but if you are making a puzzle for older and more coordinated persons, then the 2/0 would be better.

Woodie

That's true, especially for kids' tray puzzles. With the surrounding fixed border, a 2/0 blade can leave these puzzle a bit on the tight side depending on the type of wood used.

[sawdustus]

For stand up puzzles cut in 5/8" - 1 1/4" thick hardwoods, like the Peterson cats you cut, or the tree puzzle, I use either a #5 or #7 skip tooth blade. Anything smaller and any bowing of the blade or forcing of the wood as you go around the tight corners makes it impossible to keep the cut square and then the pieces will not come apart. For tray puzzles for kids, I use either a #5 or #2 reverse or skip tooth blade depending on how loose I want the pieces to be. Since I don't paint the sides of the pieces in a tray puzzle, this poses no assembly problems. For jigsaw puzzles, I use a 2/0 puzzle blade for a nice, tight fit.

george