Beginner questions

[Fireball]

Hi y’all! I’ve been bitten by the scroll saw bug and I’m loving it. To be honest, it’s a little overwhelming. Between choosing the right blades, picking the kind of wood, finding patterns(choosing which to do first lol), and figuring out the finishing my head is spinning! 

 

Logically, I’ve got some questions and I’d appreciate any help y’all can give. 

1. What do y’all use on the edges of a finished project with a backer on it to get rid of the line? Same thing with birch plywood. 

2. Do I need to spray finishing lacquer over danish oil or Tung oil or stain? 

3. Do y’all start in the middle of a piece and work out or some other way and why? 

4. In the middle of a project do you have to take the blade out of both sides and feed it through? I’ve converted my blade change to the Pozsgai thing but I can’t lean the blade forward enough to avoid the top part where the blade slides in. 

I appreciate any answers y’all can give and thanks in advance!

[Fireball]

Also, has anyone ever used vinyl plank flooring? I have quite a bit leftover from the house and I’m hoping it will work. It has the backer already on it so I might have to remove that maybe? 

[WayneMahler]

Fireball

First welcome to the village. Great place to be. Next welcome to the addiction also a great place to be. 

1) When I finish a piece that shows a line or the edges of BB I normally frame them. It adds to the overall appearance of the project.

2) Watco, Danish, Tung oils and stains can all be top coated with what your wish, as long as you let them dry completely. Some oils take longer to dry then others depending on weather conditions. I normally top coat my stuff with poly giving it plenty of time to dry between coats.

3) Normally I start in the middle. This depends on the pattern though. If there are area that are going to be very delicate when cut, I cut them first, then tape the cut outs back into the board for strength. 

4) Can't help you with this one. I have an EX-21 and the upper arm lifts up out of the way. Thinking back to my older saws, I did not have problems feeding the blades through the holes most of the time. Someone might give you better answers but would be nice to know what saw your working with.

 

Remember the important things, have fun, relax and enjoy. 

 

[amazingkevin]

2 minutes ago, Fireball said:

Hi y’all! I’ve been bitten by the scroll saw bug and I’m loving it. To be honest, it’s a little overwhelming. Between choosing the right blades, picking the kind of wood, finding patterns(choosing which to do first lol), and figuring out the finishing my head is spinning! 

 

Logically, I’ve got some questions and I’d appreciate any help y’all can give. 

1. What do y’all use on the edges of a finished project with a backer on it to get rid of the line? Same thing with birch plywood. 

2. Do I need to spray finishing lacquer over danish oil or Tung oil or stain? 

3. Do y’all start in the middle of a piece and work out or some other way and why? 

4. In the middle of a project do you have to take the blade out of both sides and feed it through? I’ve converted my blade change to the Pozsgai thing but I can’t lean the blade forward enough to avoid the top part where the blade slides in. 

I appreciate any answers y’all can give and thanks in advance!

#1, You could paint the side ,stain the side.I never  do anthing with the sides.

#2, i can't help much with this one,but stains and oils need to dry plenty before top coating i'm sure.

#3,Yes from the inside out  as handleing the outside full of holes is very fragile for one,Theres more reasons but some one else will chime in on that as i forgot what they are.

#4,I've used chinese saws where the  top arm is stationary  and the dw788 ,dewalt arm lifts up out of the way for easy threading of the blade either from the top or bottom,i'm a bottom feeder.Thanks for  asking beginers questions ,Keep asking away that's why were here to make scrolling easyier for you !Welcome friend!!!!!!!!!

[lawson56]

First,a Big Howdy,Welcome to The Village,1 I use a belt sander to sand my sides smooth then either stain or paint.I normally have 3 layers including my frame.3 layers of 1/4 luan. 2 I use a spary on finish.I put on 2 coats. 3 I can't help help ya with this either,Sorry

[MrsN]

1. What do y’all use on the edges of a finished project with a backer on it to get rid of the line?  I typically don't do anything special to the edges. I frame a lot of my projects so the edges are hidden, and sometimes I use an oversized backer so the edges are part of it.

2. Do I need to spray finishing lacquer over danish oil or Tung oil or stain? You don't need to, but I almost always do. I like the look of it

3. Do y’all start in the middle of a piece and work out or some other way and why? I usually start in the middle. I look at the cuts I am making and look for the pieces that will be most fragile, I cut in the order to make them the strongest as I am working on it.

4. In the middle of a project do you have to take the blade out of both sides and feed it through? My saw arm lifts up so between bending the blade and lifting the arm I can usually get the blade through.

[MTCowpoke22]

3. It all depends on the pattern. I look for where the cuts are the most delicate and bunched together. Generally this is towards the middle, but not always. I always want to start with the smallest, most fragile cuts first so I have the rest of the piece to support it. And when moving to the next cut, I always cut the edges along side previously cut areas first. Again for support.

4. No, I've never disconnected the blade from both ends. I now have a saw that lifts out of the way, but for 15 or so years I didn't. I was always able to flex the top of the blade get it through the holes. However, you do have to be careful to not put any permanent bends in the blade. When you can, use a larger drill bit. It's easier to thread the blade through a bigger hole. It does take practice to get good a threading the blade with the upper arm in the way, but you will get better at it.  

[Scrappile]

Welcome to the forum.  I think you will get help and make good friends here.  I think you are already getting good answers.   Might help if you let us know the type saw you have, maybe even a picture. 

[Sparkey]

Welcome to the Village Tyler. I don't do anything to the sides because I frame most of my work. I spray everything with a clear to stop the dust inside the frame. I always start in the middle at the most delicate spot and work out.

[OCtoolguy]

Welcome to the Village. You came to the right place. I too am newbie and so far I have gotten all the answers to my questions. As I was told by many folks here, there are no dumb or silly questions so ask away. As to feeding the blade through the holes, when they are tiny holes, or even for larger ones for that matter, I was taught to use a small counter sink drill on the back side. My first foray was in marquetry using a #68 drill bit and a 2/0 blade. Those holes are tiny and by counter boring them they become much easier to see/find with the blade. The rest of your questions have already been answered by much more learned folks than me.

Ray

 

[Sam777]

Welcome to this GREAT FORUM  and I don't mean to hijack your post/question but I think we newer scrollsawers will all learn from this.

Now I have a question for all of you who frame your work: 

Would you please elaborate a little on what kind of framing you make/use which hides the edges of BB plywood? would you please show some pictures?

Thank you all

Sam

[OCtoolguy]

15 minutes ago, Sam777 said:

Welcome to this GREAT FORUM  and I don't mean to hijack your post/question but I think we newer scrollsawers will all learn from this.

Now I have a question for all of you who frame your work: 

Would you please elaborate a little on what kind of framing you make/use which hides the edges of BB plywood? would you please show some pictures?

Thank you all

Sam

I imagine it would be no different than framing anything. It would require some wood strips with a small rabbet milled into one edge. Cut, mitered and glued up. I was wondering if edge banding would be an option. You could use the iron on type or cut some very thin pieces and glue them to the edges. If they were cut thick enough they could also be mitered and bradded. Just brainstorming here.

Ray

 

[Fireball]

Wow guys thanks for the answers! Lots of different ideas to think over and put in practice. I have a Dayton 16” variable speed. It seems like it’s doing a good job for now. I would really like one that the upper arm folds out of the way now that I know that exists lol. 

 

Any ideas on the vinyl click together flooring? 

[Kragax]

Welcome to the village. There is a wealth of information here and you will find a bunch of very helpful, friendly people as well.

[SCROLLSAW703]

As a rule, it's best to start cuttin' your project from the center & work out for the simple reason of project strength. But, as stated in other posts, in cases of fret work or weak points in the project, most cut those places first & some will use blue tape to hold that part together for strength. 

If you cut the weaker places in your project first, be aware of it as you move the project around to cut in different places. 

There are a number of ways to get entry holes in the project. The size of the project, placement of entry holes, etc. Use the size of drill bit that is most sizable for the project, & ease of placement in the project w/out destroying your cut lines. 

You can use a blade you are comfortable with. You just have to learn how to make that blade size work for you. How that may sound to you may be backwards, but, in reality, as some have said, you have to figure out what works for you. In turn, there is really no reason to take your blade out of both holders. You can feed your blade either way. 

I do all my finish sanding before I put the project on wood. I very seldom frame my finished projects, unless customer requested. After I'm done cuttin', I run a palm sander w/220 grit over the project, then spray 2 - 3 coats of lacquer over it, then spray 2 coats of Watco Clear coat over it, & call it done.

Your flooring issue, I'm sure others will jump in. 

hope my .02 pennies worth helps.

 

[Phantom Scroller]

On 1/13/2018 at 4:57 AM, Fireball said:

Wow guys thanks for the answers! Lots of different ideas to think over and put in practice. I have a Dayton 16” variable speed. It seems like it’s doing a good job for now. I would really like one that the upper arm folds out of the way now that I know that exists lol. 

 

Any ideas on the vinyl click together flooring? 

Click flooring I have used for desk & name signs just the right width but beware of the dust get a mask and it will wear out your blades quicker but looks great.

.

2

 

[Bill WIlson]

On ‎1‎/‎12‎/‎2018 at 11:57 PM, Fireball said:

Any ideas on the vinyl click together flooring? 

Well, I've never tried to cut any of it with my scroll saw, but I do know that it is very hard on carbide tooth, circular saw blades.  I've installed enough laminate flooring to dull several blades on my compound miter saw.  I'm certain you could cut this material reasonably well, but would expect that blade life would be pretty short on the scroll saw. 

[Lucky2]

Hello Fireball, welcome to the site. I'll give my answers to your questions, I think I might do things a bit different then all the others. On #1, If I use plywood for a project, I always frame the item. On #2, You don't have to, but it is advisable too. On #3, Now here's where I'm a bit different then the others, No, you don't have to start in the middle, it is advisable to cut the most difficult part first. I read this in one of the scroller mags, they suggest you cut the most difficult part first, The reason for doing it this way, is because it's the part your most likely to screw up. And by cutting it first, you will learn if you want to complete the cutting or save the leftover piece of wood. When cutting this part first, it's the only portion you drill out. Because if you frig up, you don't have a bunch of holes stuck in a piece of leftover wood. So you could use the piece of wood for something else, you would only lose the portion you drilled out. On #4, I have no answer for you, I'm not familiar with the Pozsgai thing. And in your next posting, I have no answer for you there either, I have never tried cutting what your asking about.

Len

[Lucky2]

On 1/12/2018 at 8:04 PM, Sam777 said:

Welcome to this GREAT FORUM  and I don't mean to hijack your post/question but I think we newer scrollsawers will all learn from this.

Now I have a question for all of you who frame your work: 

Would you please elaborate a little on what kind of framing you make/use which hides the edges of BB plywood? would you please show some pictures?

Thank you all

Sam

Sam, I generally make my own frames, but if it's a real special cutting I will buy a new frame or use one of the ones I bought from a yard sale. You can buy wood already shaped for framing, all you have to do is cut it to fit the project. Or, you could use just regular pine or poplar, and make your own frame If you go that way, you can make the frame as fancy or plane as you want. I buy a lot of frames from yard sales, it doesn't matter what the frame holds as I'm only interested in the frame itself. I hope this helps, now start yard sailing looking for frames. It'll save you some money, and you never know what else you might find that's interesting.

Len

[Sam777]

On 1/12/2018 at 5:21 PM, octoolguy said:

I imagine it would be no different than framing anything. It would require some wood strips with a small rabbet milled into one edge. Cut, mitered and glued up. I was wondering if edge banding would be an option. You could use the iron on type or cut some very thin pieces and glue them to the edges. If they were cut thick enough they could also be mitered and bradded. Just brainstorming here.

Ray

 

Ray,

Thank you for the clarification. When I asked about framing, my thinking was frame irregular oulines, not rectangular or square pieces

Sam

[WayneG]

I frame most all of my square rectangular pieces, just adds more to the overall look of the project, I make float frames from time to time but mostly I just bang out 4 pieces at 45 degrees, glue, clamp and pin nail them directly to the piece or the backer.

the edges of non framed pieces or pieces that are mounted and framed but you can still see the edges are more of a pain in the ass.

At times I have sanded them down with my rigid or a detail sander but I hate that process and sometimes they are too fragile to do so. 

What I have learned to do is be more precise and careful with the outside of the piece when cutting and use Better Quality blades and that results in smoother / better cuts that don't need sanding at all.

I also have small shaped diamond tipped screwdriver type sanders that work nicely  for some areas that need attention, I generally use the flat, cried and triangular one at most, these are a very important tool to the scroller IMO

I have some leftover vinyl click flooring but never tried cutting it with scroll saw, let me know how it works...

[Fireball]

Thanks everyone for the responses! I finally found some time to sit at the saw and try the vinyl flooring. Wow am I impressed! 

As I said before, we had a bunch of life proof vinyl flooring from Home Depot left over from our house. It’s the kind with the underlayment pad attached to the bottom. Anyways, the picture below was done with 1- #9 Olson pgt blade. It really cut well, no sanding/staining/finishing necessary, and I really like the distressed look. Let me know what y’all think. 

The other picture is the under side. 

[OCtoolguy]

On 1/12/2018 at 8:57 PM, Fireball said:

Wow guys thanks for the answers! Lots of different ideas to think over and put in practice. I have a Dayton 16” variable speed. It seems like it’s doing a good job for now. I would really like one that the upper arm folds out of the way now that I know that exists lol. 

 

Any ideas on the vinyl click together flooring? 

Very nice work. I must ask you though, what is the "instrument of torture" doing so close to a "happy time" hobby? Are the weights used when you are gluing something? I can't imagine any other reason?

Ray

 

[hotshot]

2 hours ago, octoolguy said:

Very nice work. I must ask you though, what is the "instrument of torture" doing so close to a "happy time" hobby? Are the weights used when you are gluing something? I can't imagine any other reason?

Ray

 

The weights are a good motivation to get cutting.  If you are trying to stay in shape and lift weights, you can appease your conscience by doing some alternate productive exercise, like scroll sawing :-)

[Fireball]

2 hours ago, octoolguy said:

Very nice work. I must ask you though, what is the "instrument of torture" doing so close to a "happy time" hobby? Are the weights used when you are gluing something? I can't imagine any other reason?

Ray

 

You gotta get some pull downs in there to stretch your back out! Honestly, I’ve used the weights to hold stuff together while glueing more than their intended purpose lol.