Diamond Fretsaw

[CanadianScroller]

Oh now I have saw envy .
I first saw the Diamond Fretsaw in the Scroll Saw Bench Guide by Zachary Taylor.
When I first got the book I went online to find out about the availability of the saw. The site is down now and has been for quite some time. Two years ago the saw was available for around the price of the top saws here in North America. I figured out the cost with shipping and exchange would be close to $2000. WAY out of my price range.
I could get a saw custom built for that.
Two of my favourite features on the saw are
1)The blade clamps, which can be rotated while holding the blade......cool for cutting when there is not enough throat depth....
2) The blade guide which is adjustable and eliminates any lateral motion in the blade.

This is where the forum will burst into a cacophony

I know in a perfect world where scrolling blades will only move up and down with zero tolerance on the perfect saw then it is not necessary to have a blade guide.
Well the world is not perfect and we all cannot afford those perfect saws, so I was thinking a blade guide on a low end saw can only improve the functionality of the saw.
I have removed the hold down on my Delta and I was thinking of making a blade guide in that location.

Now I sit back and wait for the comments

You gotta love this forum!

[Gill]

Carl, if you can make an adapter that'll fit a Hegner, I guarantee you at least one customer .

Gill

[3_M]

Carl,
When you are talking about a blade guide, do you mean a fence, like on a table saw? Scroll saw blades are milled and have a little burr on the right side when in the saw. This makes the blade cut to the right. You have to move your wood to the left to stay on the line.
Mike M

My standard reply to questions of this type - Go ahead and try it. It's the only way you'll really know for yourself and it might even be fun.

[CanadianScroller]

The blade guide is a bearing or groove that is just behind the blade. The teeth do not touch it. It stops the blade from side movement.
It is used in very acurate cutting. like inlays etc. Check out the book for a pic.
Another saw that used a blade guide was the Delta Milwaukee scroll saws from the 40s.
It is the same principle as a bandsaw blade guide.

[3_M]

Thank you Carl,

Never too old to learn. However I still have a few questions. If it was such a great idea, how come that none of the newer saws have some like that?
How about a blade with off-set teeth? You say that it does not tought the blade but all blades will move some what sideways. It might be OK cutting veneer but how about cutinng thicker wood? My table insert has a big opening but still I have cuts from the blade in it.
Just wondering and I would love to see a saw with a groove.

Mike M

[jttheclockman]

Let me step in here and add fuel to the fire. If you practice and practice and practice there would never be a need for a blade guide. Now you are going to say just put them on beginners saws. It is like have a set of training wheels on a saw. A bandsaw is different in that you are talking about a 105" blade as opposed to a 5" blade. If you have guides as you want then you need to increase the size of the blades. The clearance would not be there. I say if you would like to have them maybe invent something that can be adapted to all saws and put a patten on it. Might be worth the investigation.

[CanadianScroller]

Originally Posted by jttheclockman

Let me step in here and add fuel to the fire. If you practice and practice and practice there would never be a need for a blade guide. Now you are going to say just put them on beginners saws. It is like have a set of training wheels on a saw. A bandsaw is different in that you are talking about a 105" blade as opposed to a 5" blade. If you have guides as you want then you need to increase the size of the blades. The clearance would not be there. I say if you would like to have them maybe invent something that can be adapted to all saws and put a patten on it. Might be worth the investigation.

I LOVE this forum

I agree that an experienced scroller may not need a guide but when you are cuttin 4 cow legs in a quarter inch piece of wood, it would sure help.
I will work on a design this weekend and post some pics. maybe it could be adapted to ther saws.

[CanadianScroller]

The only function of a scroll saw is to move the blade up and down. And have a table to slide the wood into the blade.
There are merits to all the types of mechanisms out there that accomplish this task, and volumes could be, and have been written on the subject.
If there is any lateral (side to side motion while looking at the blade) it will detract from the accuracy of the saw. I know a good workman never blames his tools he learns the limitations and works with them. This is why I am looking to build the guide.

In my quest for finding blade guides for scroll saw I came upon a site with a saw that has one.
Keep in mind this site is not a saw for diehard scrollers, just something else that is being offered for the hobbyist.




The saw is found at Micro-Mark

[3_M]

Carl, very interesting to see all the pictures. However it looks more like a down hold than a quide. It has the same opening as the hole in the insert or table. That is not much of a guide. If the blade can go sideways that much, than the tension is too loose. I did a little reading on your web site and found that you are saying that the blades are "Stamped" this is not correct, all blades are "Milled". The quality of the steel is different but the two factories in Germany all mill their blades.
Mike M