Blades for compound cutting - Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts Message Board

millwab · 12-04-2006, 05:08 PM

Scrollers,
Most of my scrolling is on thin stock and I've pretty much settled into a type and size of blade that works for me. However, over the weekend I tried something new – compound cutting a Christmas ornament – and need your input. The stock was 1.5" x 1.5" and I used a #5 that I had on hand (I'm usually in the 2/0 to maybe a 3 range) and was having a bit of a time. Is there a particular blade design that works better for this type of scrolling? I'm not looking for a blade manufacturer, but rather a tooth configuration (ie. skip vs reverse vs whatever). What do you out in scrollerdom use for this? I'd like to try more of these, but not with the blades I have on hand.

Bruce

Gill · 12-04-2006, 05:28 PM

Hi Bruce

I'm also a newcomer to compound cutting and I'm using oak that's about the same size as yours. I've found that applying low tack masking tape to the wood, then applying the pattern over the top really helps the cut enormously. It seems important to keep the blade lubricated. Although I'm following a Diana Thompson pattern and she prescribes a #5 skip tooth blade, I've found that a #9 will do the job quite happily. She says to avoid reverse tooth blades and I can see why - when you 'catch' a 1.5" block of oak and it hits your fingers, you know all about it!

Something else I've found is that I cut faster if I slow the saw right down. On another thread Carl said you should cut 'as slow as molasses' and he's right. I believe the secret to succssful cutting is to stop your blade overheating and losing its tempering; to do this you've got to cut very slowly indeed.

Gill

ozarkhillbilly · 12-04-2006, 05:43 PM

I don't know how you feel about spiral blades, but I used #3 FD spiral blades to cut my compound christmas ornaments with no trouble. I used 1.5x1.5 poplar for my wood.

Rolf · 12-04-2006, 05:47 PM

I mostly use a # 5 skip tooth, sometimes I will go as high as a #9. Clear tape also helps lubricate the blade. You do have to take tour time and give the sawdust a chance to clear the kerf or the blade will heat up and loose its temper and dull very quickly. I like the Precision ground blades they seem to stay sharp longer.

Marsha · 12-04-2006, 10:43 PM

Hi Bruce,
I use a #5 Polar blade, no skip tooth or reverse tooth. I use full tension on the blade and almost full speed on the saw, I have a Dewalt and I think the highest speed is 7 and I run the saw at 6. I mostly cut poplar, cedar and pine, although I used some maple to make some ornaments this year. I adhere my pattern directly to the wood, and wrap the whole thing in clear packaging tape. I drill my entry holes before I wrap the wood in packaging tape, then just a little poke with the blade and it goes through the tape quite easy. I also use a clamping jig which makes the block of wood much easier to hold then the clamps, I found the clamps were always getting in my way

Block Holding Jig 002.jpg

Here's a pic of some of the compound ornaments I've done this year. The ones on the left are poplar dipped in Minwax clear sating sealer and the ones on the right are maple, stained with golden oak and sprayed with glitter spray.

Compound cut ornaments 006.jpg

Marsha

lucky788scroller · 12-04-2006, 10:47 PM

I use an FD-Polar blade, a #7 , which is a skip tooth blade. DO not use one with reverse teeth as they will trap dust in your cut. One person I consider an expert on 3D cutting is Marsha, she will know all the right info for you. Dale

Marsha · 12-04-2006, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lucky788scroller

I use an FD-Polar blade, a #7 , which is a skip tooth blade. DO not use one with reverse teeth as they will trap dust in your cut. One person I consider an expert on 3D cutting is Marsha, she will know all the right info for you. Dale

Thanks Dale, I didn't know a Polar blade was a skip tooth. Quess I'm not so expert after all. LOL
Marsha

lucky788scroller · 12-04-2006, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marsha

Thanks Dale, I didn't know a Polar blade was a skip tooth. Quess I'm not so expert after all. LOL
Marsha

Quess again Marsha..With pictures like that, I will still call you an expert!!! Dale

Bill Wilson · 12-05-2006, 02:35 PM

I too tried my hand at compound cut ornaments this year for the first time. It was a learning experience. The blades I used were Olson #7 MS blades because that is what I had. I started out with #5, but found the going too slow and switched to #7. I was cutting poplar and soft maple and there were some rough spots, so I may try skip tooth next time.

millwab · 12-05-2006, 04:31 PM

Okay, now I'm really confused

We've got

Quote:

skip tooth blades, as slow as molasses

We've got

Quote:

no skip tooth or reverse tooth, almost full speed

Gill, I'm cutting Diana's Guardian Angel from her Compound Christmas Ornaments book I picked up at the Open House in September. Since the face of the block doesn't matter, I glued the pattern directly on the wood and covered it with clear packing tape. Other than the blade choice, it probably didn't help that the body was mahogany and the wings were curly maple. An inch and a half of that can be a tough cut with a scroll saw (and the wrong blade). I think the #5 I had did have some reverse teeth and I now know that's not the way to go. I tried different speeds but the cutting didn't seem to improve with one over the other.

Bill, I haven't met a spiral yet that I've liked

Marsha, I love the clamp you made. If I decide to keep doing these I'll definitely have to 'borrow' that idea.

Thanx all for your input.

12-04-2006, 05:08 PM	#1
millwab Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: NE Ohio Posts: 400	Blades for compound cutting Scrollers, Most of my scrolling is on thin stock and I've pretty much settled into a type and size of blade that works for me. However, over the weekend I tried something new – compound cutting a Christmas ornament – and need your input. The stock was 1.5" x 1.5" and I used a #5 that I had on hand (I'm usually in the 2/0 to maybe a 3 range) and was having a bit of a time. Is there a particular blade design that works better for this type of scrolling? I'm not looking for a blade manufacturer, but rather a tooth configuration (ie. skip vs reverse vs whatever). What do you out in scrollerdom use for this? I'd like to try more of these, but not with the blades I have on hand. Bruce

12-04-2006, 05:28 PM	#2
Gill Fallen Angel Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 2,625	Hi Bruce I'm also a newcomer to compound cutting and I'm using oak that's about the same size as yours. I've found that applying low tack masking tape to the wood, then applying the pattern over the top really helps the cut enormously. It seems important to keep the blade lubricated. Although I'm following a Diana Thompson pattern and she prescribes a #5 skip tooth blade, I've found that a #9 will do the job quite happily. She says to avoid reverse tooth blades and I can see why - when you 'catch' a 1.5" block of oak and it hits your fingers, you know all about it! Something else I've found is that I cut faster if I slow the saw right down. On another thread Carl said you should cut 'as slow as molasses' and he's right. I believe the secret to succssful cutting is to stop your blade overheating and losing its tempering; to do this you've got to cut very slowly indeed. Gill __________________ There is no opinion, however absurd, which men will not readily embrace as soon as they can be brought to the conviction that it is readily adopted. (Schopenhauer, Die Kunst Recht zu Behalten)

12-04-2006, 05:47 PM	#4
Rolf Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Bellport, LI New York Posts: 2,808	I mostly use a # 5 skip tooth, sometimes I will go as high as a #9. Clear tape also helps lubricate the blade. You do have to take tour time and give the sawdust a chance to clear the kerf or the blade will heat up and loose its temper and dull very quickly. I like the Precision ground blades they seem to stay sharp longer. __________________ Rolf RBI G4 Hawk, Delta SS350 Philosophy "I don't know that I can't, therefore I can"

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12-04-2006, 05:43 PM	#3
ozarkhillbilly Moderator Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Missouri Posts: 1,229	I don't know how you feel about spiral blades, but I used #3 FD spiral blades to cut my compound christmas ornaments with no trouble. I used 1.5x1.5 poplar for my wood. __________________ Bill DeWalt 788 A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. aut viam inveniam aut faciam

12-04-2006, 10:43 PM	#5
Marsha Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Hamilton Ontario Posts: 1,225	Hi Bruce, I use a #5 Polar blade, no skip tooth or reverse tooth. I use full tension on the blade and almost full speed on the saw, I have a Dewalt and I think the highest speed is 7 and I run the saw at 6. I mostly cut poplar, cedar and pine, although I used some maple to make some ornaments this year. I adhere my pattern directly to the wood, and wrap the whole thing in clear packaging tape. I drill my entry holes before I wrap the wood in packaging tape, then just a little poke with the blade and it goes through the tape quite easy. I also use a clamping jig which makes the block of wood much easier to hold then the clamps, I found the clamps were always getting in my way Block Holding Jig 002.jpg Here's a pic of some of the compound ornaments I've done this year. The ones on the left are poplar dipped in Minwax clear sating sealer and the ones on the right are maple, stained with golden oak and sprayed with glitter spray. Compound cut ornaments 006.jpg Marsha

12-04-2006, 10:47 PM	#6
lucky788scroller Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: wisconsin Posts: 6,260	I use an FD-Polar blade, a #7 , which is a skip tooth blade. DO not use one with reverse teeth as they will trap dust in your cut. One person I consider an expert on 3D cutting is Marsha, she will know all the right info for you. Dale

12-05-2006, 02:35 PM	#9
Bill Wilson Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Butler, PA Posts: 590	I too tried my hand at compound cut ornaments this year for the first time. It was a learning experience. The blades I used were Olson #7 MS blades because that is what I had. I started out with #5, but found the going too slow and switched to #7. I was cutting poplar and soft maple and there were some rough spots, so I may try skip tooth next time. __________________ "I'm a white male, aged 18 to 49. Everyone listens to me! No matter how dumb my suggestions are."