edward Posted October 12, 2014 Report Share Posted October 12, 2014 I use a lot of FD #1 and FD #2/0 lately they seem to snap off about 1 1/2 from the top and thats after I release the blade, I just touch in and it snaps, never had that problem before. I hav some olson blade, tried them and no problem. Has anyone ever had that problem. I'am just wondering if its the quality of the blades. edward Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ike Posted October 12, 2014 Report Share Posted October 12, 2014 I have tried lots of blades and I like olson blades best I very seldom break a blade I did with the last saw but with the DW788 i have no problems but I use olson blades . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Scroller Posted October 12, 2014 Report Share Posted October 12, 2014 Ed I've snap them because of to much tension but never for releasing it. Roly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryEA Posted October 12, 2014 Report Share Posted October 12, 2014 I break more in cold weather. Maybe you have a bad batch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amazingkevin Posted October 12, 2014 Report Share Posted October 12, 2014 What saw you running tells alot too! :cool: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Multifasited Posted October 13, 2014 Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 If your breaking on release ,sounds like the harden process ,was over done on that batch .try a new one try bending at same point if it snaps you have your answer ,overheating takes hardness out so ,Imho you got some super hardened blades ,no flex left in them . especially small thin blade have little room for error .some times the reverse is true they were not hardened enough and bend and dull easily. an easy test (same size same # blade ) place between entended hand between thumb and middle finger and start to flex blade gently making a arc and feel spring action as you gently close and open your hands grip .differing sizes will have differing tention because of difference of tpi & thickness of different sizes ,if it springs back and forth fine , super hard will snap in the middle, soft ones will bow and not return to straight . At least from you limited discription is my assumption ! Hope that helps identify your mystery ! amazingkevin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amazingkevin Posted October 13, 2014 Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 Give mike a e-mail and throw out your question to him . he's the man to ask about your fd blades in question www.flyingdutchmansblades.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunnerb47 Posted October 13, 2014 Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 I would contact the supplier and let them know. When I had an issue my supplier replaced some of the blades. Most scrollsaw suppliers are fellow cutters and pretty darn good people. But as Multifastied stated hardening process is the most likely culprit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amazingkevin Posted October 13, 2014 Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 Give mike a email about his blades .he has all the answers about the blades he sells mike@mikesworkshop.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu Posted October 13, 2014 Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 (edited) Had the same problem last year went through 3 doz blades just tightened tension didn't even start saw Stu Edited October 13, 2014 by stu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilson's Woodworking Posted October 13, 2014 Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 I agree with Kevin, contact mike and see what he has to say. Carl is probably correct that something in the heat treat process was probably missed. The steel would have been hardened then tempered back to the correct hardness for the blade. The tempering improves the grain structure of the steel so that it is not so brittle. If they didn’t get drawn back (tempered) then they would be terribly brittle and break wherever the blade would get kinked. amazingkevin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edward Posted October 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 I did contact Mike a few months ago when I purchased the blades, he gave me some more blades, and with my latest purchase I still have the problem, after the blade is released and ready to insert it in another hole it snaps about 1 1/2" from the top, and I am careful on threading through the hole. Like I said before I tried Olson blades that I had and no problem. edward Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amazingkevin Posted October 13, 2014 Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 It's coming back to me now about blade problems i've had .If it breaks close to the top the blade was to tight on thin ones and if it breaks close to the bottom the blade was to loose or loosen up before changing if that helps you.Thin blades are temperamental You can't tighten the thumb screws very tight either or it severs the blade.These may or may not be related to your problem but i thru it out there for you to decide Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travis Posted October 13, 2014 Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 Can you take a new blade and break it with your fingers, or does it bend? FD #1 and #2/0 are very thin blades and wouldn't take much to break them. What thickness are you cutting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edward Posted October 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 I been cutting 1/4" oak for ornaments, and also 1/8" BB stacked three together. I was at Lowes over the weekend and seen Bosh blades #1 28tpi, gave them a shot and had no problem. edward Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travis Posted October 13, 2014 Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 Hmmm....yah, you should be fine with that thickness. I'd try to bend them with your fingers and see what happens. Is it breaking where you're putting your clamping pressure (or immediately below)? I've had that where the clamping bolt had a bur on it and more-or-less cut into the blade. It would snap my thin blades (mostly spirals) after a few times of clamping/unclamping. It could also do that if your set screw is slightly below the clamping plane, and the clamping screw is pushing the blade into the recess. That creates a sheering pressure that will certainly weaken the metal at the clamping point. Just a thought. It's just strange that it would do it to one brand but not to another, assuming all other things are equal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilson's Woodworking Posted October 13, 2014 Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 The way I read it the blades are breaking below the clamps but above the cut area of the blade. I have never had this problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Multifasited Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 The Key to me is where the break is occuring ,basicly in this case it is near the middle .clamp issues breaks will be at the or near the the clamp ,all info is correct about clamps but this is not failure at eitheer clamp area s .,I would save failed blades andd see if failures are all at or near same spot ,then take a pair of pliers and see how brittle the rest of the blade is near the break wit a slight twist of the pliers ,then do same test on olson , that should confurm or dispell quess's ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amazingkevin Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 This has been one great educational topic!Excellent advice ,all of it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clare Rothwell Posted October 26, 2014 Report Share Posted October 26, 2014 Thanks so much for all the info. I am a beginner. My blades (nearly all Olson) always break in the same place, near the top. I've been using a Jet saw with different thicknesses of wood. I was told that after I've clamped the blade and am adjusting the tension, I should be able to make the blade 'ping' by 'strumming' it. I always do this, and they still break. I was cutting thinner composite board, but recently started cutting pine, 2cm thick, with 10tpi blades. I go really slowly, cutting at about 1mm every couple of seconds (!), but the blades still break. Thanks in advance for all the marvellous tips! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrimper Posted October 26, 2014 Report Share Posted October 26, 2014 I have to say that fairly recently I decided to try FD blades after always using the Niqua brand for over 30 years and I have had a lot of breakages too. I am not the only one, in another Scrollsaw forum I am a member of (UK) quite a few there have reported breakages recently with FD blades. Understandably we all have blades break from time to time but some of the FD blades seems to break one after the other whilst the Niqua blades only need changing when blunt. I assume there must have been a bad batch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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