Blade thickness

[John B]

Well, I never.
Over the past 15 plus years that I have been using a scroll saw, I have always selected my blades on size # +tpi and trial and error to see which ones do a specific job best.
Just the other day, I realised that all numbers are not equal. eg a #7 Olson PG is thicker than a #7 FDUR actually a #5 Olson PG is thicker than a #7 FDUR.

Never too old to learn new tricks

[Scrappile]

This is true.....  I find Pegas to be the thinnest....

[scrollingforsanity]

I found out the same way you did John. It's surprising that some of the smaller numbered blades are thicker than the larger number blades. I know they give you the thickness in the chart but I never was good with math anyway, so just trail and error for me. we are never to old to learn I guess.

grizz

 

[don watson]

Thanks for this. I never knew that the makers had there own sizes ?? I will either need to use 1 make of blade or measure every blade I use. There is a post somewhere else on the forum where someone wants a drill chart to suit his blades ?? looks like that will be a long job. I must go out the shed and see what my blade sizes look like, I am using Pegas and Niqua at the moment but there may still be some Olson.

Thanks again for this.

Don W

 

[JimErn]

55 minutes ago, don watson said:

Thanks for this. I never knew that the makers had there own sizes ?? I will either need to use 1 make of blade or measure every blade I use. There is a post somewhere else on the forum where someone wants a drill chart to suit his blades ?? looks like that will be a long job. I must go out the shed and see what my blade sizes look like, I am using Pegas and Niqua at the moment but there may still be some Olson.

Thanks again for this.

Don W

 

On the D&D site when you order pegas blades it tells you what drill size to use for that blade, as well as the measurement for the blade.

Since that is all I am using right now, I am not sure about niqua (flying dutchman) but I would expect that is there too, or if not on the WTB site

[John B]

@don watson Don, I never worry about the drill bit size. I find that 1/16" (1mm) suffices for 95% of the time. I do have a few sizes of the Micro (Numbered) bits but only need them rarely.
The other advantage of using larger bits is I can find the hole to thread the blade through

 

[don watson]

@JohnB, I'm with you on that. Sometimes 1/16" is big and the smaller (micro) bits are used but sometimes a pattern comes up that needs a few very,very fine cuts (like the one I am doing at present) and then I use the smallest blade I have and drill half a dozen holes at a time then cut, rinse and repeat, until the project is finished.

[Bill WIlson]

About the only time I worry about trying to match the drill bit to the blade is when making veining cuts.  The closer the entry hole is to the size of the blade, the less obvious it is.  Otherwise, I let the size of the fret dictate the size of the drill.  I typically use 3 different sizes; 1/16" for most frets where there is plenty of room, a little bitty one (#56, I think) for most small frets and an itsy, bitsy, teenie one (#72, I think) for anything that is too small for the other 2 sizes.

[dgman]

I do the same as Bill. I have each drill bit chucked up in their own mini drill chuck so they are always ready to go.

[OCtoolguy]

1 hour ago, dgman said:

I do the same as Bill. I have each drill bit chucked up in their own mini drill chuck so they are always ready to go.

It seems that in this hobby, there is always something else to buy. Now I have to buy some more mini drill chucks. Dang! Oh well....hello Amazon.

 

[Rockytime]

I've been using a #68 for nearly everything. It is seldom that I use anything larger than a #5 blade. But then I cut very few things greater than 3/4". Others may have different needs.

[Bill WIlson]

19 hours ago, octoolguy said:

It seems that in this hobby, there is always something else to buy. Now I have to buy some more mini drill chucks. Dang! Oh well....hello Amazon.

 

No.  In order to do it correctly, you're supposed to have 3 drill presses.  

[Scrappile]

I use a 1/16" or a #63 wherever I can in fret work and then I go to smaller bits as needed.  I don't try to drill based on blade size, I base it more on what drill bit will work in the area I need a hole.  I figure the larger the hole the easier to get the blade through... I use bits 1/16" down to #70.  I have also found I like the bits D and D sells the best so far. I love the Flying Dutchman blades but not the bits Mike's Workshop sells or use to.  1/2 of the ones I got wobbled so much they were unuseable.  

Another thing I found is I bought a little chuck to put in my drill press for the mini bits (that drill press chuck did not close all the way).  That mini chuck wobbled so bad it was useless.  The drill press I have now closes all the way  and if it didn't, I would be looking to replace the chuck with one that did.  To me if you do a lot of fretwork scrolling which means lot of drilling, might as well fork out the $ for a good chuck.

Edited August 9, 2019 by Scrappile

[kmmcrafts]

1 hour ago, Bill WIlson said:

No.  In order to do it correctly, you're supposed to have 3 drill presses.  

I myself am working on that... I want one chucked up with my 1-3/8 forstner bit. can't tell you how many times a day / week that I'm swapping out the mini chuck to the forstner bit.. then back to the mini chuck.. I've been saying for a couple years that I want at least two more drill press's.. Wouldn't mind a press set up with a sanding mop too.. LOL

[John B]

@Scrappile I have a couple of quality 1/4" chucks from an old drill. I have screwed a bolt with the head cut of into the chuck and chuck that in my drill press. I keep the 1mm and another smaller bit chucked in them. Makes it easy. I'm a bit of a hoarder (You never know when it's going to come in handy) so have 1/2 doz chucks or more which I have taken of various drills that have given up the ghost over the years.

Edited August 10, 2019 by John B

[OCtoolguy]

4 hours ago, Bill WIlson said:

No.  In order to do it correctly, you're supposed to have 3 drill presses.  

Following that train of thought, I would need 3 benches. Where does it end? 

[kmmcrafts]

33 minutes ago, octoolguy said:

Following that train of thought, I would need 3 benches. Where does it end? 

Make it a lazy susan style then just spin to the press you need, LOL

[Sycamore67]

I cut some thick puzzles from Judy Peterson from 3/4" material.  I tried to use blade thickness to determine how tight the pieces fit together. While the thickness was important the type and brand of blade and how the teeth are set was also important.  For this use, the width of the saw kerf was critical and you can get different width needs from blades with the same thickness.