Stack cutting

[Runa]

How would you keep the different pieces together when you stack cut? Do you glue an extra section and then saw it off after scrolling to separate them together?

 

I would love to try stack cut 2 pieces of 1/4 ply? 

[Bill WIlson]

There are several methods.  You can wrap them with tape.  You can drive short brads into waste areas.  Some use small pieces of double backed tape.  I've even read a suggestion of using round toothpicks, driven into pre-drilled holes.  Personally I use hot glue on the edges of the stack.  Only downside is that if one of the edges is a finished edge, you need to remove the glue after cutting.  Otherwise it works great for me.

[Sam777]

I have used the Brad nail method but didn't like because you have to have the right nail length.  So started using hot glue on the edge. When I get home  I will take a couple of pictures. It works GREAT

[Scrappile]

I just use the nails on larger pictures.  I put blue painters tape on the front. I put the strips of tape across the front and over the edges to an inch or 2 on the back.  I face the whole front that way ending up with it covered and the two edges.  Then I put the pattern on.  To insure the pieces do not move or lift up in the middle, I put a few nails in waste areas.  If the nails are a little long.  I pound them in with the piece on a piece of metal.  When the nail hit the metal, it flattens the point of the nail, so it doesn't scratch my table top.  My nails usually stick up on the pattern side 1/8+.  Doesn't hurt anything if they do.  I cut the pieces with the nails out last.

[WayneMahler]

I use tape around the sides of my stacks. Then cover with blue painters tape and apply the pattern. As you can see there are many ways to do this. I think it is what works best for you. So try a few different ways and see what suits your needs

[dgman]

If I'm cutting pieces from inside the stack, I use the hot glue method. If the edges are part of the piece, I use blue painters tape on the edges to keep the stack together.

[spirithorse]

I just use masking tape on each corner. Make sure to keep the stack as tight as possible

while taping to keep saw dust from building up between the layers. I have cut 4 layers of 1/4"

for large projects and 6 layers of 1/4" for small ornaments. You definitely have to slow down

and don't try to force the blade into the wood. Let the blade do the cutting.

God Bless! Spirithorse

[Sam777]

Here are  two pictures of my stack cutting. I may use too much glue but I know they will never move until the last cut.

I am very happy with this method. you guys/girls should try it.

The light color wood is 1/8 Baltic Birch (Stack of 6)

The Brown color wood is 3/16 thin Walnut (Stack of 3)

Thank you

Edited October 20, 2017 by Sam777
Typo

[Scrappile]

6 minutes ago, Sam777 said:

Here are  two pictures of my stack cutting. I may use too much glue but I know they will never move until the last cut.

I am very happy with this method. you guys/girls should try it.

The light color wood is 1/8 Baltic Birch (Stack of 6)

The Brown color wood is 3/16 thin Walnut (Stack of 3)

Thank you

Absolutely nothing wrong with this method, I have used it for "small" cuttings.  But when I get to a say a, 14" x 11" or bigger detailed picture, I want more holding in the center part also.  Hence I use small nails.  I also like blue painters tape.  Does not leave residue.  I use to apply the pattern directly to the wood, but I do not like cleaning the residue off a delicate piece with a rag and Mineral Spirits.  I would rather lift the tape off with a X-acto knife blade.  But Wayne is correct, in my opinion, what ever you are comfortable with is the correct method, for you. 

[Lucky2]

I use the same method as Sam777 does, I've been using that method for years. It's the only way I've ever done stack cutting, I tried masking tape once but didn't like that method.

Len

 

Edited October 20, 2017 by Lucky2

[Lucky2]

1 hour ago, Scrappile said:

Absolutely nothing wrong with this method, I have used it for "small" cuttings.  But when I get to a say a, 14" x 11" or bigger detailed picture, I want more holding in the center part also.  Hence I use small nails.  I also like blue painters tape.  Does not leave residue.  I use to apply the pattern directly to the wood, but I do not like cleaning the residue off a delicate piece with a rag and Mineral Spirits.  I would rather lift the tape off with a X-acto knife blade.  But Wayne is correct, in my opinion, what ever you are comfortable with is the correct method, for you. 

Paul, I use the glue method that Sam777 uses, I've never had an issue on any of my oversized pieces. The weight or pressure of my hands on top, seem to hold everything together the same as if it was nailed down. There has never been any offset or displacement, on any of the pieces I've used this method on. Everything I've ever cut using this method, has turned out perfectly fine. Try it some time, you may like how it works. I use spring clamps, to hold everything in place for gluing purposes.

Len

[Scrappile]

I have, what I described is just what I am comfortable with.  I also think hot glue guns are messy and a pain.  Glue running all over, after you are through..

[Sam777]

4 minutes ago, Lucky2 said:

Paul, I use the glue method that Sam777 uses, I've never had an issue on any of my oversized pieces. The weight or pressure of my hands on top, seem to hold everything together the same as if it was nailed down. There has never been any offset or displacement, on any of the pieces I've used this method on. Everything I've ever cut using this method, has turned out perfectly fine. Try it some time, you may like how it works. I use spring clamps, to hold everything in place for gluing purposes.

Len

Thank you for the reminder Len,

I forgot to mention how I hold the stack together while the glue is drying (that hot glue dries VERY FAST). I use clamps all around the stack edges until glue sets (few minutes)

Now if you need the edges to stay as part of the project, then you may not be able to glue all around the edges.

Sam

[Lucky2]

Sam, the glue pulls off of the project so easily, that I glue all around the edges in the same way as  your pictures show. There is never any glue residue left on the project, it pulls off so easily. I use this method for gluing my ornaments together also, then I use the little square remnants with the glue on them as fire starters. They are perfect for this, the glue burns quite well. I usually keep a box of the ornament remnants by the woodstove, they are great for starting fires in the workshop or anywhere else you might need them.

Len

[lawson56]

I myself use Masking Tape.Never had any problem with it.

[amazingkevin]

4 hours ago, Sam777 said:

Here are  two pictures of my stack cutting. I may use too much glue but I know they will never move until the last cut.

I am very happy with this method. you guys/girls should try it.

The light color wood is 1/8 Baltic Birch (Stack of 6)

The Brown color wood is 3/16 thin Walnut (Stack of 3)

Thank you

Now i need a glue gun!

[blights69]

2 hours ago, amazingkevin said:

Now i need a glue gun!

Snap think I may get me one too even though I tape mine it would be nice to have one handy just in case and it can be used on other things too, good job christmas is coming I shall put that on my wanted list they always say I am hard to buy for I will make it easier this year 

[MrsN]

I use tape on almost all of my stack cuttings. I cover the top piece in tape before I glue the pattern down, so it is easy to just wrap it around the edges. I find that there is enough support in the middle unless my wood is warped or my plywood is cheap.

If I am doing a bunch of ornaments or pieces that will be cut out of a bigger sheet, I will sometimes use nails. that way as I cut pieces I can make my work piece a bit smaller and not lose the stability.

Runa, you may have noticed how many different ways there are to do something, it can feel a bit overwhelming at times. I recommend picking one way and trying it for a while, then try something else to see if it feels better to you. 

[stevan]

I make a stack sandwich.  A layer of wood, then a layer of paper with spray on adhesive on both sides, then a layer of wood and then another layer of paper with spray on adhesive on both sides, repeat as necessary.  I will then also overlap my painters tape over the sides to the bottom of the stack.

[Rolf]

I use a pin nailer in the corners and waste area. I do it on an anvil and then hit them with a small hammer so that everything is flush and smooth.  It takes a few seconds. Hot glue , tape etc. all take too long.  

[Scrolling Steve]

A lot of good info here !

[Scrappile]

4 hours ago, stevan said:

I make a stack sandwich.  A layer of wood, then a layer of paper with spray on adhesive on both sides, then a layer of wood and then another layer of paper with spray on adhesive on both sides, repeat as necessary.  I will then also overlap my painters tape over the sides to the bottom of the stack.

Golly, I always learn something new here.  This is the first time I have read about this method.  Seems like it would require more clean up, but I am not sure.  Thanks for the info.

[Runa]

Thank you everyone for sharing how you stack cut. I hope to try it

[stevan]

12 hours ago, Scrappile said:

Golly, I always learn something new here.  This is the first time I have read about this method.  Seems like it would require more clean up, but I am not sure.  Thanks for the info.

Clean up is not bad. The paper usually just peels off just like a stencil.

[CharleyL]

You should also make certain that your saw is adjusted so that the blade is truly vertical in both the side to side as well as front to back direction for accurate stack cutting.

Side to side adjustment by moving the table is easy. The front to back adjustment is much more difficult on many saws and may not be possible on some saws. The thicker your material, the more important that these adjustments become necessary. On a DeWalt 788 the front to back blade angle requires filing the mounting holes of either the top or bottom yellow arms where the silver blade mechanisms attach. Most often, this is needed on the lower blade arm. Filing the holes so that the silver mechanism can be moved toward the motor by about 1/2 the diameter of the existing hole is usually all that is required. Then re-attach the blade mechanism, slide it back and test the saw for the blade to be at 90 degrees front to back to the table with the blade tensioned using with a small machinists square or 1-2-3 block (a machinists tool consisting of a block of metal that is very accurately ground to be 1" X 2" X 3" in size) You can buy a pair of these blocks on Amazon for less than $20 plus shipping, and they are handy for many kinds of machine adjustments or measurements. You may need to loosen the lower blade mechanism, move it slightly and tighten the bolts several times to get the right position, but the trouble is very worthwhile if you will be stack cutting or compound cutting on the saw. Setting the side to side angle can also be done with a small machinists square or 1-2-3 block and moving the table tilt adjustment until the table is at a perfect 90 degrees to the blade. Don't trust the table tilt scale to get this right. It can be off by several degrees and you need it about as perfect as you can get it.

Once the blade is at a perfect 90 degrees to the saw table in both directions you should have no trouble at all sliding your cut pattern out of the waste in either direction. This is the true final test, but it can also fail if the blade tension isn't high enough or you push the work into the blade too hard when cutting, causing the blade to bend under the pressure. Keep the blade tension high and let the blade do the cutting. The tiny blade teeth can only remove a small amount of wood at a time. Feed the work into the blade to keep it cutting but don't force it.  Scroll sawing is one of the slowest ways of wood cutting, but it can be very precise and rewarding once you learn the basics, and patience is one of those basics.

Charley