Puzzle pieces cutting fatter on one end

[rdatelle]

Hi everyone, I'm having a problem Cutting a puzzle out of 7/8 maple. After I cut the piece and take it out, one end is fatter that the other. I checked the blade and it's straight and I'm going slow making the turns. The bottom part is wider that the top where the pattern lines are. Don't know what else to do. Any ideas. I'm using a #3UR blade to. Could that be the problem.

[scrollerpete]

If you used Hard maple, I would suggest to go to a #5 blades since the thickness of the wood is close to one inch. Using a #3 on maple you might force the blades a little bit too much and it will cause the cut to slanted.

[rdatelle]

21 minutes ago, scrollerpete said:

If you used Hard maple, I would suggest to go to a #5 blades since the thickness of the wood is close to one inch. Using a #3 on maple you might force the blades a little bit too much and it will cause the cut to slanted.

 

Just went out and put a #7 Ur in there and I'm still having the same problem. I think I'm going slow. Maybe I need to go slower.

[OCtoolguy]

Are you absolutely sure that your blade is square to the table. Sounds like it's off to me. Unless you are really pushing your work through. I've cut 1 1/2" mahogany without that problem but I'm sure the hardness of the maple has something to do with it also. 

[kmmcrafts]

What kind of saw you running? A very aggressive cutting saw can / will do the same thing if there is a lot of front to back motion of the blade.. 

[JimErn]

Ralph there is more to the blade than just square to the table, plumb is important, see the attachment

clamp set up.pdf

[Sycamore67]

I use FD Polar blades on thick wood as the skip tooth design clears the dust better.

[rdatelle]

1 hour ago, kmmcrafts said:

What kind of saw you running? A very aggressive cutting saw can / will do the same thing if there is a lot of front to back motion of the blade.. 

I.m using ex 21.

[rdatelle]

2 hours ago, octoolguy said:

Are you absolutely sure that your blade is square to the table. Sounds like it's off to me. Unless you are really pushing your work through. I've cut 1 1/2" mahogany without that problem but I'm sure the hardness of the maple has something to do with it also. 

I squared up a small piece of wood and drew a straight line with a pencil and lined it up with the blade. Lined up perfect.

[new2woodwrk]

It sounds to me like you're cutting at an angle.

Is the blade 90 degrees to the table and is the table leveled?

Those would be my guess. I make puzzles all the time with Maple and a #3 MG with no issues

[rdatelle]

45 minutes ago, JimErn said:

Ralph there is more to the blade than just square to the table, plumb is important, see the attachment

clamp set up.pdf 96.88 kB · 0 downloads

I'll have to check that. I bought some new parts for the clamps but I haven't put them in yet. I'll give that a try. Thanks.

[rdatelle]

3 minutes ago, new2woodwrk said:

It sounds to me like you're cutting at an angle.

Is the blade 90 degrees to the table and is the table leveled?

Those would be my guess. I make puzzles all the time with Maple and a #3 MG with no issues

Thanks Jess. It looks like the blade is square. I've cut 3/4 poplar for puzzles without a problem. Something has to be off somewhere. I bought some new parts for the clamps so I'll change them and see what happens.

[kmmcrafts]

52 minutes ago, rdatelle said:

I.m using ex 21.

The knob at the back of the saw hasn't been free spinning has it? They are known to adjust themselves out of wack.. I'd start with checking to be sure the upper arm is paralleled to the table.. and be sure the saw is tuned as it should be.. My EX-21 did this to me..  

[kmmcrafts]

54 minutes ago, rdatelle said:

I squared up a small piece of wood and drew a straight line with a pencil and lined it up with the blade. Lined up perfect.

easiest way to check for blade being square to the table is to get a thick piece of scrap and cut into it.. then swing the board around to the back of the blade and if it's squared to the table the back of the blade should slide right into the slot you just cut.. If it doesn't then you need to make adjustments and try it again..keep repeating until you get it..

[fredfret]

You could be pushing to the left or right since you are cutting dense wood 

[rdatelle]

1 hour ago, kmmcrafts said:

The knob at the back of the saw hasn't been free spinning has it? They are known to adjust themselves out of wack.. I'd start with checking to be sure the upper arm is paralleled to the table.. and be sure the saw is tuned as it should be.. My EX-21 did this to me..  

ThanksKevin. I'll check that to.

[rdatelle]

1 hour ago, kmmcrafts said:

easiest way to check for blade being square to the table is to get a thick piece of scrap and cut into it.. then swing the board around to the back of the blade and if it's squared to the table the back of the blade should slide right into the slot you just cut.. If it doesn't then you need to make adjustments and try it again..keep repeating until you get it..

Kevin, I just went out there and did what you said. I cut into a block of wood and it looks like it' a hair off. Not really that much but I guess it doesn't take much. The piece of wood I used with the pencil mark seem to line up but the cut one doesn't. I guess the cut one is the way to go. Seems more accurate.I'll put the new clamp parts in tomorrow and reset everything. I'll let everyone know how I make out. Thanks again.

[Norm Fengstad]

blade tension is another item to be aware of, 

[orangeman]

I can think of 3 things to check:

blade alignment - you have already checked.

blade sharpness - dull blades will cause your problem.

Type of blade - #3 FD UR may not be appropriate.

I had the same problem cutting hard maple with FD blades many years ago. So I called Mike and sent him wood samples. He had the same problem.

Then I switched to Pegas modified geometry blades and have not looked back.

Try Pegas #5 modified geometry blades. If that blade doesn't work on your project I don't know what would work.

bb

[rdatelle]

2 hours ago, orangeman said:

I can think of 3 things to check:

blade alignment - you have already checked.

blade sharpness - dull blades will cause your problem.

Type of blade - #3 FD UR may not be appropriate.

I had the same problem cutting hard maple with FD blades many years ago. So I called Mike and sent him wood samples. He had the same problem.

Then I switched to Pegas modified geometry blades and have not looked back.

Try Pegas #5 modified geometry blades. If that blade doesn't work on your project I don't know what would work.

bb

I finally got it lined up. I put a pegas #5 in there also and adjusted everything. Looking good.

[rdatelle]

Quick update. I replaced all the clamp parts and realined the blade and found out that the adjusting knob under the table wasn't right on zero either. I guess the red pointer was off a little to. After adjusting everything I finished cutting the rest of the 7/8 puzzle pattern and everything was right on. I want to thank everyone for there great advice and Jim for his  blade clamp setup. Thanks again.

[Wilson142]

And........? What was the problem? You can't leave us hanging like an Alfred Hitchcock ending. 

[rdatelle]

Just now, Wilson142 said:

And........? What was the problem? You can't leave us hanging like an Alfred Hitchcock ending. 

Just put the update on. Check it out. Blade alinement and table alinement.

[dgman]

1 hour ago, rdatelle said:

Quick update. I replaced all the clamp parts and realined the blade and found out that the adjusting knob under the table wasn't right on zero either. I guess the red pointer was off a little to. After adjusting everything I finished cutting the rest of the 7/8 puzzle pattern and everything was right on. I want to thank everyone for there great advice and Jim for his  blade clamp setup. Thanks again.

This is a prime example of never trusting the.miter gauge or angle gauge. I always use a machinist square or a protractor to set the blade square to the table.

[OCtoolguy]

10 minutes ago, dgman said:

This is a prime example of never trusting the.miter gauge or angle gauge. I always use a machinist square or a protractor to set the blade square to the table.

Yes for sure. I check and double check and then sometimes I re-check. I'm not even sure about the Wixey angle gauge. I zero it and then check it again. When cutting angle cuts, it makes a huge difference between 1 degree and 1.2 degrees. Ask me how I know that.