What am doing wrong? - Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts Message Board

Anneh · 03-14-2009, 08:03 PM

Been busy today playing with my new scroll saw but it feels like the blade is being pushed to the side to stay on the line. This saw has varible speed and a tension adjuster that I'm not use to so am wondering - do I not have the tension tight enough? Too tight? Or am I sawing too slow? Or too fast? I am sawing 1/4 oak and have a reverse tooth blade. Somehow, it just doesn't feel right!
Thanks for all your help!
Anne

JimSawyer · 03-14-2009, 08:18 PM

Anne,
Most blades cut more agressively on the right side of the blade. This is due to the way blades are manufactured. I don't know if this is what you're running into or not, but it's something to consider.

Burdez · 03-14-2009, 08:22 PM

Anne:
My guess would be the tension or maybe you are trying to feed the wood to fast try slowing your feed just a bit and see if that makes a diffeance for you and also it takes a little bit to get used to a new saw I think as they all have their own careteristics {personalities} so just play around with it and you will get used to it and it to you
hope this helps some not much information I know
Erssel

scrollpup · 03-14-2009, 09:16 PM

Anne, try plucking the wire as you tension it.It should have a high pitched "twang" when its tight enough and not much "give" (I think not more than 1/8").If you have it set up like this then nothing should be wrong outside of getting a "feel" for your new saw...I hope this helps and Happy Scrolling!! Jerry C

Okie_Arkie_Wood_Cutter · 03-14-2009, 11:22 PM

You may, and probably do know this, but when you are moving the wood straight into the blade, you will probably automatically try to push the wood to one side in an effort to cut a straight line. You have to practice cutting on the line and you will find the slight angle that you need to feed the wood into the blade in order to stay on the line. You should be moving the wood steadily at a slight angle from the right side to the left side. practice practice

Anneh · 03-15-2009, 03:17 AM

Thanks for all the info. I tightened the tension until it "twanged" and that helped a lot. Can't wait now for tomorrow as I'm anxious to try Okie's advice. That sounds so logical (find the slight angle) and can't wait to experiment with it. Thanks!
You all have been a big help! Thanks!
Anne

lucky788scroller · 03-15-2009, 04:02 AM

I position my stool just to the right of center when sawing, you might try that. It could also be possible that Fred and Sean have a little different action in their stroke, causing Sean to be a bit more aggressive. This is something you will get used to very quickly. So, your initial thoughts on Sean sound pretty positive otherwise huh??

Mick Walker · 03-15-2009, 05:14 PM

Anne, too much tension is better than not enough. You have to push the wood into the blade the way a dog runs, kinda off to one side. The more you use your saw the quicker you will get used to feeding the wood into the blade. Practice cutting straight and curved lines on some scraps. You can't saw too slow, let the blade do the work, don't force it.

ubgoofy2003 · 03-16-2009, 04:50 AM

Anne, it sounds like you have some good advice here. I find myself pushing the wood piece to one side or the other, not realizing it. The blades also will track to the right as mentioned before, & the quality of the blade is important too. Hope you get along well & good luck with the saw. Perk

Anneh · 03-16-2009, 10:41 PM

Thanks for all the tips. Had to work today so didn't get to play with it but tomorrow will work with it all day.
Thanks for all the wonderful advice!
Anne

03-14-2009, 08:03 PM	#1
Anneh Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 365	What am doing wrong? Been busy today playing with my new scroll saw but it feels like the blade is being pushed to the side to stay on the line. This saw has varible speed and a tension adjuster that I'm not use to so am wondering - do I not have the tension tight enough? Too tight? Or am I sawing too slow? Or too fast? I am sawing 1/4 oak and have a reverse tooth blade. Somehow, it just doesn't feel right! Thanks for all your help! Anne

03-14-2009, 08:18 PM	#2
JimSawyer Laying into Inlay Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Lincoln, RI Posts: 1,075	Anne, Most blades cut more agressively on the right side of the blade. This is due to the way blades are manufactured. I don't know if this is what you're running into or not, but it's something to consider. __________________ Jim The limits of the imagination are imaginary. No task is too tedious for Art. Rock and Scroll My Website Featherwood Woodcrafts

03-14-2009, 11:22 PM	#5
Okie_Arkie_Wood_Cutter Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: SouthWest Arkansas Posts: 402	You may, and probably do know this, but when you are moving the wood straight into the blade, you will probably automatically try to push the wood to one side in an effort to cut a straight line. You have to practice cutting on the line and you will find the slight angle that you need to feed the wood into the blade in order to stay on the line. You should be moving the wood steadily at a slight angle from the right side to the left side. practice practice __________________ You can take the boy out of the hill country, but you can not take the hill country out of the boy. Okie's Cuttings and Patterns http://s210.photobucket.com/albums/bb24/okiearkie/ darrell, the okiearkie

03-15-2009, 04:02 AM	#7
lucky788scroller Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: wisconsin Posts: 6,260	I position my stool just to the right of center when sawing, you might try that. It could also be possible that Fred and Sean have a little different action in their stroke, causing Sean to be a bit more aggressive. This is something you will get used to very quickly. So, your initial thoughts on Sean sound pretty positive otherwise huh?? __________________ Dale w/ yella saws

03-15-2009, 05:14 PM	#8
Mick Walker Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Janesville, WI Posts: 1,335	Anne, too much tension is better than not enough. You have to push the wood into the blade the way a dog runs, kinda off to one side. The more you use your saw the quicker you will get used to feeding the wood into the blade. Practice cutting straight and curved lines on some scraps. You can't saw too slow, let the blade do the work, don't force it. __________________ Mick, - Delta P-20 The future ain't what it used to be.

03-14-2009, 08:22 PM	#3
Burdez Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: I'm an American living in San Miguel De Allende Mexico Posts: 1,124	Anne: My guess would be the tension or maybe you are trying to feed the wood to fast try slowing your feed just a bit and see if that makes a diffeance for you and also it takes a little bit to get used to a new saw I think as they all have their own careteristics {personalities} so just play around with it and you will get used to it and it to you hope this helps some not much information I know Erssel

03-14-2009, 09:16 PM	#4
scrollpup Avatar by Casey Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Hot Springs,Arkansas Posts: 1,732	Anne, try plucking the wire as you tension it.It should have a high pitched "twang" when its tight enough and not much "give" (I think not more than 1/8").If you have it set up like this then nothing should be wrong outside of getting a "feel" for your new saw...I hope this helps and Happy Scrolling!! Jerry C

03-15-2009, 03:17 AM	#6
Anneh Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 365	Thanks for all the info. I tightened the tension until it "twanged" and that helped a lot. Can't wait now for tomorrow as I'm anxious to try Okie's advice. That sounds so logical (find the slight angle) and can't wait to experiment with it. Thanks! You all have been a big help! Thanks! Anne

03-16-2009, 04:50 AM	#9
ubgoofy2003 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Arizona Posts: 486	Anne, it sounds like you have some good advice here. I find myself pushing the wood piece to one side or the other, not realizing it. The blades also will track to the right as mentioned before, & the quality of the blade is important too. Hope you get along well & good luck with the saw. Perk

03-16-2009, 10:41 PM	#10
Anneh Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 365	Thanks for all the tips. Had to work today so didn't get to play with it but tomorrow will work with it all day. Thanks for all the wonderful advice! Anne

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