Scroll Saw Issue

[RiverSmallieGuy]

As a person who has just now gotten their scroll saw, I was curious about something. In the little bit I have messed with it, the wood would sometimes get stuck on the teeth of the blade and jump up and down on me, is this a product of the blade being dull or am I using it wrong? I know that there are different blade tensions and TPI's but I don't really know much about that. If it helps, the scroll saw I use is the Ryobi SC164VS 16" Variable Speed Scroll Saw.

[RiverSmallieGuy]

2 minutes ago, RiverSmallieGuy said:

As a person who has just now gotten their scroll saw, I was curious about something. In the little bit I have messed with it, the wood would sometimes get stuck on the teeth of the blade and jump up and down on me, is this a product of the blade being dull or am I using it wrong? I know that there are different blade tensions and TPI's but I don't really know much about that. If it helps, the scroll saw I use is the Ryobi SC164VS 16" Variable Speed Scroll Saw.

The woods I use are Douglas fir, pine, cedar, basswood, and balsa

[Big Epp]

I know scroll saws usually use some sort of foot, kind of like a sewing machine, when cutting sheet stock.  Perhaps this is why?

[RiverSmallieGuy]

20 minutes ago, Big Epp said:

I know scroll saws usually use some sort of foot, kind of like a sewing machine, when cutting sheet stock.  Perhaps this is why?

What do you mean when you mean foot? Are you meaning a pedal, a stand?

[Chris Catignani]

53 minutes ago, RiverSmallieGuy said:

...the wood would sometimes get stuck on the teeth of the blade and jump up and down on me, ....

You need to hold the wood down. Most scroll saws have an arm you can adjust to hold the piece down.
The problem you will have is that sometimes the piece your cutting is really small(ish) and is difficult for the arm to hold it down.

[RiverSmallieGuy]

2 minutes ago, Chris Catignani said:

You need to hold the wood down. Most scroll saws have an arm you can adjust to hold the piece down.
The problem you will have is that sometimes the piece your cutting is really small(ish) and is difficult for the arm to hold it down.

So, I really need to apply some force on it downward then, I have just been barely holding it down to the table. That would probably help.

[Go55]

Adjust those two finger metal down to top of wood

[RiverSmallieGuy]

4 minutes ago, Go55 said:

Adjust those two finger metal down to top of wood

I didn't even know what that arm was for lol, thanks man!

[Travis]

As mentioned tighten position the drop foot (two finger metal thing) onto the wood to help hold it down.  You should also make sure and have the proper tension on the blade and have to don't feed to fast.

If everything set properly it doesn't take force to push the wood or hold it down.  Any time "force" is used STOP this is how wood workers get into trouble on bandsaws, table saws, etc...  

I don't scroll saw much but I always find to to be just gently guiding the piece into the blade, it just flows.

 

[Big Epp]

13 hours ago, Travis said:

the drop foot (two finger metal thing)

 

Thank you for translating, that's exactly what I was referring to! I suppose a sewing machine reference my not have been particularly helpful.

[RiverSmallieGuy]

20 minutes ago, Big Epp said:

Thank you for translating, that's exactly what I was referring to! I suppose a sewing machine reference my not have been particularly helpful.

haha I get it... I make references that are not helpful all the time! I didn't know what that arm was for, I thought it was like a guard on a bandsaw...

[Go55]

16 hours ago, RiverSmallieGuy said:

I didn't even know what that arm was for lol, thanks man!

Glad to help. I personally think we could use more picture attachment. Not only about this thread sometime a picture tells more than words in our type of forum.  JMHO

[RiverSmallieGuy]

19 minutes ago, Go55 said:

Glad to help. I personally think we could use more picture attachment. Not only about this thread sometime a picture tells more than words in our type of forum.  JMHO

Absolutely true!

[Travis]

5 hours ago, Big Epp said:

Thank you for translating, that's exactly what I was referring to! I suppose a sewing machine reference my not have been particularly helpful.

Completely useful.. as very clear what was being described.  Just adding what I believe is the correct term for future use.   I had to replace mine once and had to looked it up as I was calling it a "foot".

[RiverSmallieGuy]

So, the "foot" on my scroll saw cannot reach all the way to the table and there is a gap between the two fingers, so would it work to epoxy a piece of Lexan to the bottom of the foot joining the two fingers so that there is no gap to where I can essentially have one arm that is transparent and lower to effectively cut thin pieces of wood or Lexan that would be thinner than the gap between the two fingers. I know the way I worded it was a little hard to understand, so let me know if you are confused.

[Go55]

How about clamp thick steel or aluminum plate on the top of base plate instead? Note it should be decent metal  C-clamp for your safety.
Or stick thin material you want to cut onto thick scrap wood plate with double side tape I guess...

[mark poulson]

Two things I've learned using power tools that apply to scroll saws.  Admittedly, mine was from a swap meet in the 1970's, and did not have the foot attachment.

First, don't make any non-reversible changes to the tool until you've used it enough to really be familiar with it.  Sometimes what seem to be short comings are really just not yet knowing how to use the tool correctly.

Second, with my scroll saw, I found that the newer and courser the blade, the more it would "stick" and make the work piece jump when I first used it.  Eventually I figured out that there was no need for coarse blades with fine work, and that, in general, I had to use a slower feed speed when the blade was new.

Eventually, I found that the scroll saw wasn't the best tool for me, because I used wood that was 3/4" or more thick.

I bought a Chinese Grizzly 16" bandsaw and stopped using the scroll saw altogether.  If I need to do fine work on thin material, I use a coping saw.

[RiverSmallieGuy]

4 minutes ago, Go55 said:

How about clamp thick steel or aluminum plate on the top of base plate instead? Note it should be decent metal  C-clamp for your safety.
Or stick thin material you want to cut onto thick scrap wood plate with double side tape I guess...

So essentially, clamp a second surface to the table like a 3/4" slab of pine and that would work? That's probably the safer option. I have some big steel C clamps, so Im probably gonna try that.

[RiverSmallieGuy]

5 minutes ago, mark poulson said:

Two things I've learned using power tools that apply to scroll saws.  Admittedly, mine was from a swap meet in the 1970's, and did not have the foot attachment.

First, don't make any non-reversible changes to the tool until you've used it enough to really be familiar with it.  Sometimes what seem to be short comings are really just not yet knowing how to use the tool correctly.

Second, with my scroll saw, I found that the newer and courser the blade, the more it would "stick" and make the work piece jump when I first used it.  Eventually I figured out that there was no need for coarse blades with fine work, and that, in general, I had to use a slower feed speed when the blade was new.

Eventually, I found that the scroll saw wasn't the best tool for me, because I used wood that was 3/4" or more thick.

I bought a Chinese Grizzly 16" bandsaw and stopped using the scroll saw altogether.  If I need to do fine work on thin material, I use a coping saw.

I primarily use 3/4" and thinner. My thinnest stock is 3/4" by 1" by 6-12", and the gap in the fingers on my scroll saw is a little over 1", so it cannot press the stock down at certain angles. That is the primary reason for the epoxied Lexan.

[mark poulson]

6 minutes ago, RiverSmallieGuy said:

I primarily use 3/4" and thinner. My thinnest stock is 3/4" by 1" by 6-12", and the gap in the fingers on my scroll saw is a little over 1", so it cannot press the stock down at certain angles. That is the primary reason for the epoxied Lexan.

I'm surprised that you can't adjust the fingers closer to the bed to accommodate thinner material.  If I were you, I would check your saw to see if there's some adjustment feature you're not seeing. 

[Travis]

I would be surprised it can't be adjusted.  What model scroll saw?   I would not glue anything across the gap.  

[Go55]

Agree with Mark. The fingers should hold 3/4 plate. Check the fingers adjustment. Any bent or modifications? Sounds like finger adjustment mods would be your answer instead of adding plate thickness or something...  Could you upload any picture of your saw and finger parts? 

[RiverSmallieGuy]

4 minutes ago, mark poulson said:

I'm surprised that you can't adjust the fingers closer to the bed to accommodate thinner material.  If I were you, I would check your saw to see if there's some adjustment feature you're not seeing. 

I will look at that, and if I can't adjust them, I have an attachment in mind to make it removable and simple to attach. 

[RiverSmallieGuy]

Here's the model: Ryobi SC164VS 16" Variable Speed Scroll Saw

[Go55]

I meant real photo of "yours"