Speed, more speed!

[Dan]

Inspired by Ike, I decided to make another stand up puzzle. I cut it from poplar and the blade speed set at 4 (of 6). The Kerns were not perpendicular so I had to do some sanding. Arg!

 

I changed the speed to 6 and, OMG, the kerfuffle is perfectly perpendicular. After thinking about it it makes sense. I'll have some pictures as soon as the finish cures.

[ike]

I tried a puzzle today and no matter what i did I couldn't get it to cut perpendicular . I don't know if it was the blades or what i had no problems yesterday.
so I guess I will try nest week , i am just going to give it a rest.. I have a sale Saturday, and another one the following  Saturday at my church.

IKE 

[jerry1939]

My first guess is that your blade isn't 90 degrees to the table.  I use a 1 1/2" high oak piece and saw into it 1/2 the thickness of the blade.  Stop the saw, spin the wood around & hold the cut to the back of the blade.  If the blade doesn't fit perfectly into the cut, you either need to change the table tilt or adjust the left blade holder screw(s)

 

jerry

[amazingkevin]

My first guess is that your blade isn't 90 degrees to the table.  I use a 1 1/2" high oak piece and saw into it 1/2 the thickness of the blade.  Stop the saw, spin the wood around & hold the cut to the back of the blade.  If the blade doesn't fit perfectly into the cut, you either need to change the table tilt or adjust the left blade holder screw(s)

 

jerry

i definitely need to try that trick Jerry

[amazingkevin]

Inspired by Ike, I decided to make another stand up puzzle. I cut it from poplar and the blade speed set at 4 (of 6). The Kerns were not perpendicular so I had to do some sanding. Arg!

 

I changed the speed to 6 and, OMG, the kerfuffle is perfectly perpendicular. After thinking about it it makes sense. I'll have some pictures as soon as the finish cures.

awaiting pictures sir

[Dan]

My first guess is that your blade isn't 90 degrees to the table.  I use a 1 1/2" high oak piece and saw into it 1/2 the thickness of the blade.  Stop the saw, spin the wood around & hold the cut to the back of the blade.  If the blade doesn't fit perfectly into the cut, you either need to change the table tilt or adjust the left blade holder screw(s)

 

jerry

The blade was at its degrees. I think at the slower speed it was flexing which caused the angled cut. At the faster speed it was probably cutting more material which lowered the resistance to the feed rate. I think that was the secret. At least I have convinced myself of that.

[NC Scroller]

At slower speeds I find myself pushing the wood more and not feeding the wood.  The causes the blade to bend.  I do 90% of my cutting at the max speed setting.  Especially on puzzles.

[Rockytime]

In some of the puzzles I cut I discovered that sometimes I would push to the side of the blade inadvertently causing an angled cut.It resulted in the pieces releasing in on one direction and not in the other. When I was careful the cuts were perpendicular.

[SCROLLSAW703]

if your blade is flexing to one side at a lower speed, most likely you're not running enough tension on the blade, which in turn causes broken blades from the heat created from slow blade speed. Make sure you're running enough tension.

 

 

To cut at full speed is, imo, hard on equipment, & in the end, really doesn't do anything for you except open a door for more mistakes, & jagged edges to fix. I've been scrolling 24 years, & do not own a saw that has run over 3/4 speed, tops. Maybe it's just me, but from what I've learned, the scroll saw is a machine that was designed to create with finesse & technique. It's also a tool that, if you don't have patience in the learning stages, it will teach you patience as you learn. Patience is a virtue, in every project. Again, just from learning. I am self taught. Believe me, trying to use it as a stress reliever when you're reading books about it & trying to learn it, it takes awhile before the stress level starts to go down.

 

Rockytime, might I make suggestion to you that might help with you pushing against the blade. Take a piece of 1" wide x 1/4" thick piece of wood about 12" long. Make sure it's flat & square. Clamp it to your table close to the blade, square it with the blade. Make a few test cuts against that piece of wood. It may help you to relax your push against the blade, & just relax & let the saw do the work, & you find the sweet spot that works for you. Just a thought, Sir. Enjoy your day.  

[Phantom Scroller]

Well done Jerry I have a digital angle measure with magnets on and even with that I find it difficult to get it spot on with a small blade but the piece of wood trick works every time. I make a few puzzles and without sounding like a record and repeating I always find never force the blade through it will flex under pressure Roly

[stoney]

Well I might as well add my two cents worth.   I think part of the problem some are having is blade size and yes the amount of tension. For stand up puzzles I don't feel the need to use the very small blades as they are very non forgiving.   It is much easier to over push or flex a very small blade.   On most of the stand up puzzles I cut the pieces tend to push together from shear gravity so the teeny tiny blades are not necessary.  Also a larger kerf helps allow for operator error. JMHO   

Edited December 4, 2016 by stoney

[Rockytime]

if your blade is flexing to one side at a lower speed, most likely you're not running enough tension on the blade, which in turn causes broken blades from the heat created from slow blade speed. Make sure you're running enough tension. <SNIP>

 

Rockytime, might I make suggestion to you that might help with you pushing against the blade. Take a piece of 1" wide x 1/4" thick piece of wood about 12" long. Make sure it's flat & square. Clamp it to your table close to the blade, square it with the blade. Make a few test cuts against that piece of wood. It may help you to relax your push against the blade, & just relax & let the saw do the work, & you find the sweet spot that works for you. Just a thought, Sir. Enjoy your day

 

 

 

Thank you for the suggestion. I have often been in St. Francis while visiting the antique tractor event in Bird City. I always spent the nights in a motel in St. Francis. Have not done so for several years. Always made the trip by Motorcycle. May have to do it again while a have a modicum of health left.

[Dan]

A lot of great advice here. With the variations in the saws and types of blades I guess once you find what works for you keep working with it.

[SCROLLSAW703]

good deal, rockytime! ya get this way, look me up. I'm going to fort collins next for back surgery. pouder valley hospital. We're leaving here on monday. Enjoy the evening.