general tips for scroll sawing thicker wood

[rljohn56]

i just finished a very detailed piece that was done on 3/4 thick wood.  my question is this: on the pattern it suggested using a #7 or #9 blade to cut it, but there are some places that there is no way in hell you could do that! take for instance eyes the size of pin holes. so those of you that are masters out there how do you do that then? I won't post the actual picture( i got in trouble for doing that once before), but the pattern is of a gun stock with deer, trees, etc. on it.  I finished it and it looks great, but still i had to go to much smaller blades just to try and get the details down.  is there some technique that i'm missing? thanks, again for all the replies. 

[Sycamore67]

I think as you said go to smaller blades.  You can cut 3/4" thick wood with a#3 blade but just need to go slow.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

My go to blade for up to 3/4" stock is a #5 blade and the trick with thicker wood is you need to let the saw do the work even more so. You are cutting more material and those tiny teeth need to clear the saw dust. You can try a blade with less teeth. But 3/4" should not be hard to cut at all. Step up to 1" and now things get interesting. 

[fredfret]

I have cut 3/4 stock with a 2/0 blade just to prove it could be done. Very very slow feed rate no side pressure and only enough pressure into the blade to keep the in contact. Any size blade can be used just watch feed rate and tension.

Fredfret

[WayneMahler]

My cuts in 3/4 are normally done with a #5UR and have stepped down to the a #3 as needed. Going by the "suggested" blade charts available are a good starting point but are only a "suggested" size. As we scroll and learn more we all develop our own ways and preferences to accomplish things. 

[Dan]

I agree with everyone. The pattern only suggests the blade size. Try the size and blade type you feel comfortable with. I've been scrolling for about 15 years and I still change things up as I feel work for me. 

[Bill WIlson]

You do bring up a good point.  The suggested size of #7 or #9 implies that the piece was cut with those blades.  If the level of detail precludes using those larger blades for the entire pattern, it would have been nice if it was noted as such.  For something like that I might use a #7 for some areas, then switch to a smaller blade to do the fine detail.  But then again, I've been scrolling for many years and don't depend on the recommendations by the pattern maker.  Beginners need that sort of input. 

[amazingkevin]

15 hours ago, rljohn56 said:

i just finished a very detailed piece that was done on 3/4 thick wood.  my question is this: on the pattern it suggested using a #7 or #9 blade to cut it, but there are some places that there is no way in hell you could do that! take for instance eyes the size of pin holes. so those of you that are masters out there how do you do that then? I won't post the actual picture( i got in trouble for doing that once before), but the pattern is of a gun stock with deer, trees, etc. on it.  I finished it and it looks great, but still i had to go to much smaller blades just to try and get the details down.  is there some technique that i'm missing? thanks, again for all the replies. 

I look at a pattern and decide if i want to mess around with tiny drill bits and blades or just enlarge the pattern and use one size blade.

[NC Scroller]

For 3/4" I start out with a #5 but will go down to a #1 if I think the cut needs it.  It is not unusual for me to use 2 or 3 blade sizes on a project.

Your comment on getting in trouble posting a picture of the finished project interests me.  We here at the Village and at the other major scroll saw forum do it all the time.  Tell us more please.

[Rolf]

Very rarely do I pay attention to the recommended blade size. After scrolling for 12 years I have found my comfort blades and the tend to be smaller than what most folks use. 

I will use what ever blade I need to cut the details. The 2/0 R Olson is my primary detail blade, (28 TPI) 

Regarding blade usage, this is for new scrollers just learning,  you can't just depend on a suggested  blade number you really need to have the TPI (teeth per inch ) information.

For instance the Flying Dutchman 2/0 has 15 TPI and the Olson 2/0 has 28 TPI. The FD blade will cut faster and more aggressively.

Scott's #1, if it is a FD has 13 TPI 

Bottom line is practice with different blades and MFG's until you find your own comfort blades. 

[Scrappile]

I'm with Rolf.  The largest blade I have ever used is a #5 and that is rare.  But I am a very slow scroller.

[stoney]

I guess I take a different tack then some.   I seldom use a blade smaller then a # 3 or larger then a #7.   I feel I have the best control and length of service with blades in this range.   I tend to use the largest size that will do the job.   I seldom cut a pattern that the fine detail requires a blade smaller than a #3 and occasionally a #1.   As far as rljohn56 statement of cutting eyes the size of pin holes I would suggest just drilling the pin holes with a small drill bit and be done with them.   LOL   

[OCtoolguy]

10 hours ago, Rolf said:

Very rarely do I pay attention to the recommended blade size. After scrolling for 12 years I have found my comfort blades and the tend to be smaller than what most folks use. 

I will use what ever blade I need to cut the details. The 2/0 R Olson is my primary detail blade, (28 TPI) 

Regarding blade usage, this is for new scrollers just learning,  you can't just depend on a suggested  blade number you really need to have the TPI (teeth per inch ) information.

For instance the Flying Dutchman 2/0 has 15 TPI and the Olson 2/0 has 28 TPI. The FD blade will cut faster and more aggressively.

Scott's #1, if it is a FD has 13 TPI 

Bottom line is practice with different blades and MFG's until you find your own comfort blades. 

Wow! This is exactly the type of info we newbies need. I had no idea that there were more or less teeth per inch. I figured that it was just the blade number/size that was important but now I need to also watch out for TPI too? I have been using Pegas #3mg and also the #5 mg but I have no idea how many TPI they are. I'll start watching from now on. Thanks for opening my eyes.

Ray

 

[rljohn56]

ok, here is my finished project.  this is 3/4" baltic birch. I used mainly a #5, #3 and for the tiny stuff #1. my question is for much of this even though it turned out fine is that some of the cuts i.e. the minuscule deer eyes etc. were so small that even a #1 was too big so how do you handle cuts like that? 

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

I think someone mentioned it before but what I do is just use a drill bit to the size needed. Who is going to see if they are perfect round or not. Sometimes I will drill them out and maybe run a blade through to make it oval or add shape. But start with a drill bit. You have to drill it anyway. That came out real nice. Thanks for showing.

[spirithorse]

Hi, Ray,

Well done on your project!
I think one point that hasn't been made is that the designer may not be a scroller and may not have test cut the patterns.
Therefore, some of the patterns we see have areas that are almost impossible. In that case, if the cut is too small to be
made it probably isn't that noticeable in the final project to begin with.

God Bless! Spirithorse

[rljohn56]

Thanks to all of you that responded.  For someone who is still new to this it really means a lot!