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Scroll saw blades break. It happens to all of us. And when it does, it scares the bejesus out of me. When a blade breaks mid-cut, it’s not only surprising but also frustrating, especially if it interrupts the flow of your project. However, understanding the reasons behind blade breakage can help you avoid this problem and keep your projects on track. Here is a list of common reasons why scroll saw blades break and their solution. Enjoy! Improper Tension Getting the tension just right can be a bit of a Goldilocks situation—too loose, and the blade will bend and flex, causing uneven cuts and eventual breakage. Too tight, and you’re risking a snap, especially on harder materials. Solution: Adjust the tension so it is firm and doesn’t deflect much when you apply pressure to the side of the blade. You can also gently pluck the blade like a guitar string. If you get a clear "ping" sound you’re good to go. Here's how it sounds on my saw: blade_sound.mp3 Excessive Pressure It is tempting to push the wood through faster to save time, but scroll saw blades aren’t fans of being rushed. This adds strain and can cause overheating, which wears out the blade quicker. You may also be adding pressure to the side of the blade without even realizing it. Solution: Relax and let the blade do its thing! Use a light, steady hand and let the saw do the work. Imagine guiding a knife through butter— no extra effort is needed. Your cuts will come out smoother, and your blade will last longer. Sometimes you don’t even realize you’re adding excess pressure. What I do is release the pressure on my workpiece from time to time to see if the workpiece springs back. This is especially helpful to see if I’m adding side pressure. Dull Blades Blades don’t last forever. A dull blade struggles to cut, requiring more pressure and increasing the chances of snapping. You might notice your cuts looking fuzzy or uneven. Solution: Keep an eye on performance. If you find yourself pushing harder or the edges of your cuts start to look rough, swap out the blade. For me, I’ll use a new scroll saw blade every time I start a project. It’s common to use several during a project, depending on the complexity and materials I’m working with. Blade Selection Using the wrong blade for your project is like wearing flip-flops on a hike—it’s just not a good fit. Fine-toothed blades struggle with thick wood, and coarse blades can be over-aggressive for delicate work. Solution: First and foremost, you’ll want quality scroll saw blades. The hardware store variety usually arn’t very good. You’re better off buying quality blades from someone who specializes in scroll sawing. Don’t worry, they are not very expensive. Popular brands are Flying Dutchman, Pégas, and Olson. From there, match the blade to the job. For thicker woods, go with a blade that has fewer teeth per inch (TPI) to handle the strain. A skip tooth configuration will help with clearing out the sawdust from the kerf. For intricate designs or thinner materials, a higher TPI works well. Blade packaging usually provides guidelines—don’t skip reading it! Here are my go-tos: Thin Materials (⅛” - 1/2”) - Flying Dutchman #3 Scroll Reverse. This will also work with ¾” softer material such as pine and poplar. Thicker Materials (¾” and dense material) - Flying Dutchman #5 Scroll Reverse or Flying Dutchman #9 Scroll Reverse if I don’t need the detail. Overheating Friction is the enemy. Cutting thick or dense materials without pauses can make the blade overheat, weakening it to the point of snapping. Solution: Adding a layer of either masking or packing tape to your workpiece will act as a blade lubricant and can make a big difference. It will also help reduce burning on susceptible woods such as cherry. Depending on the thickness and density of your material, sometimes the blade has a tough time clearing out the sawdust. This will cause the cut to take longer and heat up. In this case, look for a skip tooth blade If you’re tackling thick wood, adjust the speed to reduce friction. Misalignment A crooked blade is bad news. Misalignment puts uneven stress on the blade, making it more likely to break. This often happens if the blade isn’t seated properly or the clamps are overtightened. Solution: Before starting, make sure the blade is perfectly straight and aligned with the saw’s table. The teeth should face forward and down. Tighten the clamps snugly but not so much that you risk bending the blade. Regularly check alignment as you work. You can also check the positions of the set screws in the blade clamps. Make sure the blade is seated nicely between the set screws and not being crimped. What did I miss? If I missed anything or if you have any suggestions that would help new scrollers, please leave it in the comments below!

Here is a fun little project you can knock out in an afternoon. These little wooden jack-o-lanterns will certainly delight and add some spooky decor to your house this Halloween. This project is made from cedar fence boards, so they're super cheap to make, and they look great! Step 1 I'm using cedar fence boards. Not only are they super cheap (between $3-4 per board) they have a rough-sawn look that will really make the project look great! The cedar fence boards have little fuzzies on them. Using 80 grit sandpaper, I knock off those fuzzies. I don't want to get it too smooth. The character of the uneven surface and milling marks is what makes this project sand out. Step 2 I'm cutting down each of the panels on the table saw. You can certainly cut out the panels with your scroll saw using the full-sized drawings in the pattern. I'm making 2 jack-o-lanterns, so I doubled the number of panels I need. For each pumpkin, I need two of each of the following: Top & Bottom 5.5"x5.5" Front & Back 4.5" x 6" Sides 3.5"x6" Caps & Inset 3.5"x3.5" Step 3 I like to paint the inside of the jack-o-lanterns so it reflects the light better. It's easier to paint them now than later. For the front and pack panels, I'm taping up the edge. I don't want any paint on these edges, since it will be visible on the outside. Step 4 I'm giving it a quick coat of white primer, followed by a quick coat of yellow spraypaint. I don't worry too much about perfect coverage. In fact, it looks better when there is variation in the coverage. Step 5 I grab my front panel and attach my scroll saw pattern to it. I use spray adhesive on the back of the pattern, then stick it to the front. Step 6 At the drill press, I make pilot holes for the blade to fee through. You can also use a regular hand drill. Step 7 These patterns are really easy, and you'll be able to knock these out in a few minutes. I'm using a #3 scroll reverse blade. Step 8 Time for assembly. I'm using standard wood glue and brad nails to pin it together. You can also use regular hammer and nails. Just be careful not to split the wood. Step 9 For the bottom, II put the box on the bottom panel and trace around it. I'll use this as a guide so I know where to put my brad nails into. I don't do any measuring, just eyeball it. Step 10 With the traced side facing up, I lay down a bit of glue. I know where the perimeter of the box is, so I know where to drive my nails into. Step 11 The inset is supposed to fit inside the box so the lid nestles in nicely. This will be a bit too big and will require some trimming. Just trim off a little on each end until it fits. I don't like it too tight, just enough where it will settle in nicely. Step 12 I glued and sandwiched the top panel between the inset and the cap piece. The cap is only decorative. I didn't bother nailing this one. I just put a little weight on the top and let the glue dry. Step 13 With a propane torch, I went outside and scorched the box. This is a lot of fun and will make your jack-o-lantern look awesome. Keep the flame moving, or you'll get uneven scorch marks. Step 14 I'm using a water based stain from Minwax I got at the big-box store. They can tint the stain any color you want. Naturally, I chose pumpkin orange. I applied the stain fairly heavy, then when I was done with the side, I quickly removed the excess with a paper towel. For the face, I dabbed on the stain, trying hard not to get it into the cuts. I found it easiest to work on one side at a time. Apply stain, then quickly wipe it away. Step 15 I found a stick outside and started stripping away the bark. We'll use this as our stem on our pumpkins. I like to find interesting parts of the stick, just to add a bit of interest. Step 16 On the scroll saw, I trimmed off sections of the stick to make the stem. I also sanded the bottom edge on a belt sander to get it flat. Step 17 I drilled a hole through the top of the box. I also drilled a pilot hole into the bottom of the stem. I'll attach the stem with a screw that goes through the bottom of the box and into the stem. Step 18 I painted the stem with regular craft paint. I painted it on and quickly wiped off the paint with a paper towel before it dried. This gives the stem a stained look and you can still see the wood grain. Once dried, I attached the stem to the lid with a screw from below. I also tied a bit of raffia around the base of the stem for a little extra pizzazz. Step 19 I'm using battery-powered fairy lights. I like this set because it had different displays, as well as a remote and timer. I've put a link to the ones I got here. Happy Halloween! Final Project

Adding color to scrolling is easy and fun. It saves you a lot of time and the cost of purchasing many colors of paint, brushes and the time waiting for the paint to dry between coats. This is not a new process however, Fisher-Price toy company made their toys this way back in 1940 and 1950 before plastic came along. You simply glue artwork to your project instead of painting. You can use clip art printed from your computer or make up your own artwork drawings as I have done. You do not have to be an artist, as I surely am not. I do my artwork using colored pencils. Make copies of the artwork on a color printer in order to keep the original drawings and use them again. Attach the scroll saw pattern to the wood and cut out as you usually do. Sand all over and round the edges slightly. Paint the edges of the project and all around the project about ½ inch in on the front and back surfaces. (optional). This is the only painting you have to do (you do not have to prime the wood). There are two choices to make at this time. White is usually the best choice, or you might want to use a color that matches the artwork. If you choose white, using scissors cut out the artwork about 1/64 of an inch out from the art itself. This does not have to be perfect as the white will be hidden by the white paint you applied to the project itself. If you choose a color other than white, to match the artwork cut the artwork exactly and leave no white edges. Using plain Mod Podge or white glue (Mod Podge is preferred), apply a very thin and even coat with a brush or your fingers. Don’t worry if you get some on the edges, it will not show when it dries. Carefully center the artwork on the project. Try to keep it centered, but do not worry if it is not exact. It will not be noticed. Very carefully smooth out the artwork. Put aside and let it dry overnight Apply a couple of light coats of Mod Podge or white glue over the art, don’t worry if it looks white or cloudy, it will dry clear. These coats will hide the edges of the artwork and give it a harder surface. Apply two of Minwax Satin Urethane (or equal) all over including the edges and back surface. Lightly steel wool with 0000 wool and apply paste wax (optional). Note: A project should look good AND feel good. The paste wax gives your project a “finished” look and feel. Examples Patterns You can find downloadable project patterns using these techniques here.