I just picked up a scroll saw from our local Homier tool show. The problem I
seem to be having is the blade seems to have a mind of its own and wanders
off course. Straight cuts are no problem but when I try to cut curves the
blade tends to turn at an angle to the cut I'm making and off course I go! I
have the tension on the blade set to the specs of no more then 1/8" side
movement. I "think" I'm feeding the stock slow enough, but the blade still
bends and the cut starts to wander. Any suggestions? Thanks.

I "think" I'm feeding the stock slow enough, but the blade still
bends and the cut starts to wander. Any suggestions?

First question I have for you is what kind of blade are you using? As far as
the "right" tension, it should sound like a high "C"....think of it as tuning
the strings on a guitar. 1/8" side to side movement sounds like an awful lot
to me although I never measure it. My first thought is that your blade isn't
tensioned enough, not enough tension makes it virtually impossible to follow a
line. It's something you get a feel for with experience. Just takes lots of
practice, I've made a lot of nice scroll sawn firewood while learning.

Hope this helps,

Kevin Daly
http://hometown.aol.com/page1.html

I am with Kevin on the blade tension. 1/8 inch seems quite loose. Also =
one problem I had when starting out was unconsciously pushing from the =
side of the stock into the blade instead of feeing the cuts from the =
front. I don't know if this makes any since but I am to tired to =
articulate it any better right now.
Puff

"Kevin Daly" wrote in message =
...
I "think" I'm feeding the stock slow enough, but the blade still=20
bends and the cut starts to wander. Any suggestions?=20
=20
First question I have for you is what kind of blade are you using? As =
far as
the "right" tension, it should sound like a high "C"....think of it as =
tuning
the strings on a guitar. 1/8" side to side movement sounds like an =
awful lot
to me although I never measure it. My first thought is that your =
blade isn't
tensioned enough, not enough tension makes it virtually impossible to =
follow a
line. It's something you get a feel for with experience. Just takes =
lots of
practice, I've made a lot of nice scroll sawn firewood while learning.
=20
Hope this helps,
=20
Kevin Daly
http://hometown.aol.com/page1.html

I tighten up the tension on the blade and in keeping what Puff said about
feeding from the front and not pushing from the side made a world of
difference. Far from a Pro but considerable improvement. THANKS

MikeS wrote:
I just picked up a scroll saw from our local Homier tool show. The problem I
seem to be having is the blade seems to have a mind of its own and wanders
off course. Straight cuts are no problem but when I try to cut curves the
blade tends to turn at an angle to the cut I'm making and off course I go! I
have the tension on the blade set to the specs of no more then 1/8" side
movement. I "think" I'm feeding the stock slow enough, but the blade still
bends and the cut starts to wander. Any suggestions? Thanks.


Increase tension. Blade quality is very important. I have had good
luck with Blades from www.mikesworkshop.com He will even send free
samples of the blades he sells.

I am fairly new to scroll sawing. Some of my recent wooworking projects
can be seen at http://rayr.150m.com/Woodwork2/woodwork2.html My
scroll saw was used on most of them.

Definitely you have some nice work there. Gives me incentive to keep trying!

MikeS wrote:
Definitely you have some nice work there. Gives me incentive to keep trying!


Thanks, if you have any questions just ask.

On Sun, 03 Oct 2004 12:18:48 -0700, Ray R
wrote:

MikeS wrote:
I just picked up a scroll saw from our local Homier tool show. The problem I
seem to be having is the blade seems to have a mind of its own and wanders
off course. Straight cuts are no problem but when I try to cut curves the
blade tends to turn at an angle to the cut I'm making and off course I go! I
have the tension on the blade set to the specs of no more then 1/8" side
movement. I "think" I'm feeding the stock slow enough, but the blade still
bends and the cut starts to wander. Any suggestions? Thanks.


Increase tension. Blade quality is very important. I have had good
luck with Blades from www.mikesworkshop.com He will even send free
samples of the blades he sells.

I am fairly new to scroll sawing. Some of my recent wooworking projects
can be seen at http://rayr.150m.com/Woodwork2/woodwork2.html My
scroll saw was used on most of them.

Very good looking work Ray. If you're that new, you've come a long way
quickly.

For more specific help, there is a scrollsawyer forum at
http://se.allthingswood.com/ which includes a mailing list. There is
also the Scrollsaw Association of the World at
http://www.saw-online.com. Membership is not required to see most of
the website.

Keep making sawdust,

Bob McConnell
N2SPP

Ray R wrote in message ...
MikeS wrote:
I just picked up a scroll saw from our local Homier tool show. The problem I
seem to be having is the blade seems to have a mind of its own and wanders
off course. Straight cuts are no problem but when I try to cut curves the
blade tends to turn at an angle to the cut I'm making and off course I go! I
have the tension on the blade set to the specs of no more then 1/8" side
movement. I "think" I'm feeding the stock slow enough, but the blade still
bends and the cut starts to wander. Any suggestions? Thanks.


Increase tension. Blade quality is very important. I have had good
luck with Blades from www.mikesworkshop.com He will even send free
samples of the blades he sells.

I am fairly new to scroll sawing. Some of my recent wooworking projects
can be seen at http://rayr.150m.com/Woodwork2/woodwork2.html My
scroll saw was used on most of them.

Ray I don't believe you are new to scrollsawing I looked at your work
and it's very impressive, too impressive for a beginner.

In article ,
MikeS wrote:
I just picked up a scroll saw from our local Homier tool show. The problem I
seem to be having is the blade seems to have a mind of its own and wanders
off course. Straight cuts are no problem but when I try to cut curves the
blade tends to turn at an angle to the cut I'm making and off course I go! I
have the tension on the blade set to the specs of no more then 1/8" side
movement. I "think" I'm feeding the stock slow enough, but the blade still
bends and the cut starts to wander. Any suggestions? Thanks.



Probably just a practice & technique issue. When you advance the
workpiece into the blade, the work must always be positioned so that
the saw blade is going "straight" into the work, hope you can
visualize what I mean by this. By all means experiment with blade
tension and try another blade, but most likely it's just a questoon of
practice, practice, practice...


--

Larry Wasserman Baltimore, Maryland