Huge Break-Through (For Me) ((Puzzle Related))

[jbrowning]

Hello everyone, so for as far back as I can remember I was never able to cut out jigsaw puzzles with anything smaller than a UR#5 blade. When I went to a UR#3 blade I wasn't able to slide the pieces into each other from the front, it was always from the back. So 2 weekends ago I was frustrated enough that I sat down and started studying things on this. Because I knew I should be able to cut the puzzles with a UR#3 blade with no issues. After about a 1/2 hour of studying and looking at things I finally notice there was a tiny tiny tiny gap between either the top or bottom of the blade an my square I was using. So I started tinkering and got it all sit correctly and am now able to cut the inside puzzles pieces with the UR#3 blade with no issues at all. Next step will be to try and get to a UR#1 blade. I tried it a couple of times but the blades slipped and got all bent up and that was just as the blade was starting to touch the wood.  Well, like I said I will try it again a little bit later on and see if I can get it to work.

Readers Digest Version:

So basically the table wasn't square with the blade.

 

Thanks

Jim

[preprius]

So how thick of wood are you puzzling?

 

 

[kmmcrafts]

Yeah that blade has to be spot on square to the table or you'll have issues.. I have a small square but I like to use a 1- 1/2 in tall block of scrap wood.. I saw into it just enough to get the full blade in past the edge on both upper and lower part of the block. Then spin the block around to the back of the blade.. it should slide right into the slot you just cut.. write the number blade on the block.. keep it handy as a reference.. it's quick and easy way to check before starting a project or even in the middle of a project.. If it's not 100% square it won't easily fit in that slot..  

[BadBob]

Yep, the blade has to be dead on square to the table to cut puzzles.

I keep a small square on my saw to check it. Backlighting when checking for square helps.

I once cut a puzzle from 1.5-inch thick southern yellow pine to see if I could do it. The thicker the wood, the more critical it is to be square.

[Rolf]

Another thing is to not push sideways in the turns. It takes a real conscious effort not to.

Glad you got it sorted.

 

[Norm Fengstad]

Puzzles can be puzzling!  Good feeling when we get it sorted out. 

[jbrowning]

15 hours ago, preprius said:

So how thick of wood are you puzzling?

 

 

I use 3/4" Poplar.

Jim

[jbrowning]

15 hours ago, kmmcrafts said:

Yeah that blade has to be spot on square to the table or you'll have issues.. I have a small square but I like to use a 1- 1/2 in tall block of scrap wood.. I saw into it just enough to get the full blade in past the edge on both upper and lower part of the block. Then spin the block around to the back of the blade.. it should slide right into the slot you just cut.. write the number blade on the block.. keep it handy as a reference.. it's quick and easy way to check before starting a project or even in the middle of a project.. If it's not 100% square it won't easily fit in that slot..  

Thanks Kevin, that's a great idea.

Jim

[jbrowning]

8 hours ago, BadBob said:

Yep, the blade has to be dead on square to the table to cut puzzles.

I keep a small square on my saw to check it. Backlighting when checking for square helps.

I once cut a puzzle from 1.5-inch thick southern yellow pine to see if I could do it. The thicker the wood, the more critical it is to be square.

Thanks, the thickest I've ever used is 3/4". Lol I did end up using a light behind the square and it did help out a lot.

Jim

[jbrowning]

5 hours ago, Rolf said:

Another thing is to not push sideways in the turns. It takes a real conscious effort not to.

Glad you got it sorted.

 

Thanks Rolf, I normally stop and let up on the pressure that lets the flex out of the blade just before I start making a corner cut. I've found that helps me a lot.

Jim

[jbrowning]

5 hours ago, Norm Fengstad said:

Puzzles can be puzzling!  Good feeling when we get it sorted out. 

Yes it is Norm. Glad to finally get it figured out.

Jim

[Roberta Moreton]

I have been cutting some puzzles from 3/4 popular using a #3. The hardest part is going slow while cutting the puzzle ‘keys’. 
Go slow enough so the bottom of the blade keeps up with the top of the blade.  Sometimes I do have to do some sanding, but I’m getting better!

[jbrowning]

4 hours ago, Roberta Moreton said:

I have been cutting some puzzles from 3/4 popular using a #3. The hardest part is going slow while cutting the puzzle ‘keys’. 
Go slow enough so the bottom of the blade keeps up with the top of the blade.  Sometimes I do have to do some sanding, but I’m getting better!

I totally agree. Sometimes I catch myself trying to push too hard. Slow and Steady is the key....oh and a sharp blade. lol

Jim

[Rolf]

13 hours ago, jbrowning said:

I totally agree. Sometimes I catch myself trying to push too hard. Slow and Steady is the key....oh and a sharp blade. lol

Jim

As you say a sharp blade is crucial! Many new scrollers buy a few blades and think that they will last forever.  After you have scrolled for a while you will (hopefully) get a feel for when a blade needs to be changed.  That is especially critical when doing delicate fretwork and you find you are pushing too hard.  I just had a refresher course after cutting 54,  3/4" maple puzzles that needed a minimum gap so I used a Pegas  MGT 3R (12.4TPI) for minimum kerf. 

Edited October 20, 2021 by Rolf

[Iguanadon]

I drove myself crazy for months trying to square the table using a square or using the tilt gauge on the saw, etc, etc... Forget all of that, just start cutting tests on scrap wood, tweak the table a little, test again, etc until you find that perfect sweet spot where pieces slide in and out from both sides.  If you want to really baffle your mind, do it that way, then check it with a square and it won't be square, but it's the perfect setting. 

Edited October 20, 2021 by Iguanadon

[kmmcrafts]

2 hours ago, Iguanadon said:

I drove myself crazy for months trying to square the table using a square or using the tilt gauge on the saw, etc, etc... Forget all of that, just start cutting tests on scrap wood, tweak the table a little, test again, etc until you find that perfect sweet spot where pieces slide in and out from both sides.  If you want to really baffle your mind, do it that way, then check it with a square and it won't be square, but it's the perfect setting. 

That's because squaring the blade to the table "starts with" centering the blade in the clamps first.. Or they can be off center but need to be in the same relative spot within the slot it sets in for both upper and lower clamps.. way off will cause issues. If one set screw is off center on one side and the other off on the opposite side you will never get a square blade via the square anyway.. This can also shorten blade life.. as the blade may be rubbing the sides of the board particularly with the bottom clamp as that one is closer, there is a lot of unused blade at the top side.. I had a issue with breaking blades at about the table level.. inspecting a broke blade noticing it was discolored from the heat because of this.. Yet it was cutting square.. at the table level. just going through a crapload of blades as the heat is the blades enemy..

Edited October 21, 2021 by kmmcrafts

[John B]

Jim,
I have an old Bank Card next to the saw and use that. They are perfectly square. Another method i used to use was a small clear plastic protractor. Very easy to use as you can see through it and line the blade up spot on.