Scroll Saw Quick Start Guide: Tips for Beginners
If you are just getting started with the scroll saw, this the guide you need to read before you begin.
Mastering the Art of Scroll Saw: Essential Tips and Techniques for Precision Craftsmanship
Scroll sawing, a captivating woodworking art, transforms ordinary wood into intricate sculptures and designs that captivate the eye. While learning to use a scroll saw is relatively straightforward, mastering it requires patience, practice, and a deep understanding of the tool’s capabilities. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve into essential tips and techniques that will elevate your scroll saw craftsmanship to new heights.
Introduction to Scroll Saws: Scrolling for Creativity
A scroll saw is a woodworking tool that allows craftsmen to create detailed and imaginative designs with ease. While the initial learning curve may seem daunting, the rewards are immense. It is in fact easier than it looks. It is one of the safest saws to use and hence it is ideal for getting kids and other beginners to get started on.
The process involves using a slender blade that moves up and down to intricately cut through wood, plastic, Plexiglass, and even metals.
The name comes from the style of designs that are most commonly cut using this type of saw – scrollwork. These are intricate designs full of right curves and flowing lines.
Fun fact: scroll saws, like many other machines, were manually powered using a foot pedal. Some parts of the world still use foot pedalled scroll saws to this date. Old school sewing machines were also powered in a similar manner.
Before Your Cut: Setting the Stage for Success
Inspect Blade and Tension:
Before embarking on any project, inspect the blade’s sharpness and size. Make sure you are using the correct blade for the material your using. Larger teeth areusually meant for softer material and finer teeth for harder material. Correct blade tension significantly affects the outcome of your work
Table Height and Lighting:
Set the scroll saw’s table at mid-torso level for comfortable access, and ensure proper lighting to enhance the accuracy of your cuts. Consider investing in a magnetic light with a gooseneck for greatest flexibility. A magnifying glass attachment might also be handy if you are cutting very minute details.
Choose Dry Wood:
To prevent moisture-related issues and ensure the best results, always opt for dry wood. This will also prevent your cutout pieces from warping afterwards.
Pre-Sand Your Wood:
Sanding your wood before cutting is a crucial step that minimizes fuzziness and ensures a smoother final product. You will still need to sand the city edges afterwards but all other sanding should be done before. Otherwise you might end up breaking or cracking your cut outs.
During Your Cut: Precision in Motion
Prevent Splitting:
Place a scrap piece under your workpiece to prevent splitting and ensure a cleaner cut. If your blade is starting to wear out, raise the whole table by adding a thick piece of plywood to it. This will raise the workpiece above the usual cutting line where the blade is not so work out.
Guide the Saw, Not Force It:
Allow the scroll saw blade to do the work. Gently guide the saw through the wood, maintaining a steady and controlled pace. Do not use a lot of pressure or force the piece in any way.
Prevent Splitting:
Place a scrap piece under your workpiece to prevent splitting and ensure a cleaner cut. If your blade is starting to wear out, raise the whole table by adding a thick piece of plywood to it. This will raise the workpiece above the usual cutting line where the blade is not so work out.
Guide the Saw, Not Force It:
Allow the scroll saw blade to do the work. Gently guide the saw through the wood, maintaining a steady and controlled pace. Do not use a lot of pressure or force the piece in any way.
Speed control:
Each blade and material combination has an ideal cutting speed. Blades with large teeth should be run slower and ones with smaller teeth with greater teeth density should be run faster. Softer, thinner material can be cut at slower speeds but harder, thicker material needs higher speeds. Always remember to let the saw do the cutting while you just do the guiding.
After Your Cut: Finishing Touches
Prevent Warping:
To prevent wood warping, place a heavier piece of wood on top of your workpiece after cutting. If your wood is properly dry, warping is less of a probability.
Stability with Cut-Out Pieces:
Leaving cut-out pieces in place provides stability and prevents weak bridges, ensuring the integrity of your project. Take them out once all the work is done or even till the time you are assembling them into their final position.
Choosing Your Scroll Saw: Selecting the Ideal Tool
When it comes to selecting the perfect scroll saw for your needs, several factors come into play:
Speed and Throat Length:
Consider the speed settings and throat length of the scroll saw, which determine the types of projects you can undertake. Most modern scroll saws will come with a variable speed feature. This gives maximum flexibility with blades and materials.
Blade Types and Ease of Changing:
Different projects require different blade types. Opt for a saw that offers easy blade changing mechanisms. There are two major blade attachment types – plain end and pin end. Plain end is the most versatile and most saws use this or both. Teeth type also varies – regular, skip tooth, hook and reverse tooth. Most blades are made for 5″ saws.
Arm Type:
Scroll saws come with different arm types, such as parallel, double parallel link, and C-arm. Choose one that aligns with your preferences and needs. Parallel and parallel link are most common because they reduce vibration.
Safety Features:
Ensure the scroll saw you choose comes with adequate safety features, such as blade guards and hold down feet.
Additional Features:
Some models offer unique features like variable speed control, dust extraction, and integrated work lights. Choose the ones that enhance your workflow.
Recommended Scroll Saw Models: Tools of Precision
Several scroll saw models stand out for their features, benefits, and reliability. These include:
Shop Fox W1713
A compact yet powerful option with variable speed control.
WEN 3921
Known for its affordability and versatility, this scroll saw is suitable for both beginners and seasoned craftsmen.
Dewalt DW788
A popular choice with a double parallel-link arm design for reduced vibration and improved accuracy. Check out our in-depth review here.
Delta Power Tools 40-694
A versatile scroll saw with a spacious table and adjustable speed settings.
Jet JWSS-18B
An professional scroll saw that provides great value for all levels.
Dremel Moto-Saw
Known for its user-friendly features, adjustable speed settings and hybrid
design that can be used handheld. Good for small craft projects.
