Tight turn tip from Terry

[ChuckD]

Gabby don't worry to much about the scroll saw blades.  The fingernail on my fore finger left hand is always shorter than any of my other fingernails.  Wonder why?

[geoff3]

Yer Gabby and chuck, Iwas doing this the other day with a new blade,in thin ply  so I hade very slow speed and because of  my old eyes my finger
touched the blade and I was I was amazed it did not cut me.
The good old scroll saw is the safest  sharp tool in my shed.
.......all fingers still present... LOL...Geoff3

[Wingnut]

Hey Gabby,
I've been sanding the back edges off the blades when I know I've got tight turns to make.  Just take the blade to your belt sander and sand the back corners/edges slightly.  While you're there sharpen the end of the blade so it goes through the starter holes easier.  Iffen you don't have a sander, glue some sandpaper to a block of wood and sand the back corners/edges away by running your saw with the blade tightened.
  Dave

[Gabby]

Yer Gabby and chuck, Iwas doing this the other day with a new blade,in thin ply  so I hade very slow speed and because of  my old eyes my finger
touched the blade and I was I was amazed it did not cut me.
The good old scroll saw is the safest  sharp tool in my shed.
.......all fingers still present... LOL...Geoff3

Hey Geoff,
Get yourself a magnifier lamp they are worth their weight in bandaids. I couldn't even do a simple cutting without mine. As thin as my skin is I wouldn't want to try touching my saw blade even at the slowest setting, I bleed if you look at me wrong.
Be careful I think you were just lucky this time.
Gabby

[Gabby]

Hi Wingnut,
I haven't tried that yet, maybe next spring when I can set my saw up again.
I've had pretty good results with backing up and making the cut wider so I have room to turn.
I never expect to get to the point where I can just spin that sucker, too shakey handed nowadays.
Sheesh I'll probably have to start from scratch learning all over again how to use my saw.
Gabby

[Wingnut]

Hey Gabby,

It's like riding a bike, once you got it, you got it.  Just takes a little getting used to the balance again.

Dave

[J,Hamilton]

I'm lucky enough not to use a magnifier as of yet. It is coming though.

[Wingnut]

Hey J,

   You might not need the magnifier yet for your eyesight, but it is sure sweet when you need to get your fingers almost touching the blade.  Looks like they're a mile away.   I've been using mine for years, wouldn't trade it for anything.

Dave

[J,Hamilton]

My problem would be this. "Objects are closer than they actually appear". My hands do get pretty close right now without having to use a magnifier whille allowing me to see what I need to. I just don't feel the need for one yet. For those that do, use one. No arguments from me what works for you. I tried one and did not like it.

[apopj]

Hello all,

I've heard that tip before, push the blade backwards while turning so the pressure is on the back of the blade. I find it usually works, but what if you are at the end of a cut coming towards you and you have to make a 90' turn? You can't really push it back against the back of the blade or you will push it back into the previous cut. Is there another way other than just "spinning" the blade in place?

thanks from a newbie

[Rapid Roger]

Yep, there is another way and you have almost discovered it on you own!
Just back the blade back into the previous cut a short distance, make a bigger turn and cut on down the next line and so on and so forth until the scrap piece (center section) comes out, go back and cut the 90 degree corner from the other direction to square it up!  This tip works on almost any angle greater than 90.

Rog

[Gabby]

I guess a little update is called for, as most of you know I was out of action for most of 2012 and only got to cut 1 plaque that year, that cool totem wolf plaque I have hanging in my "Library"   
So I was able to tackle a lot more this year and LOW AND BEHOLD I'm starting to make those smooth spins withough thinking about it too much. I guess I just needed the "rest"! LOL I won't tell you how many blades I broke though.
So the crux of what I'm saying is to those new comers to scrolling just have patience and keep at it and don't be afraid to ask those "dumb" questions we've asked before, and I am sure some "oldtimer" will step up and confuse you with an explanation and someone else will confuse you even more and finally someone will say it in such a way that it will sink in. So old timers keep explaining it and newbies keep asking.
That is what this forum is all about. Folks helping one another and giving a little moral support now and then.
None of us started out being perfect with the first cut!
None of us ARE perfect!
Gabby

[mbokie5]

I can't find Terry's tip. I've watched Steve's. But would also like to see this one.

Can someone link me to it?

Thanks in advance.

[dirtrider73068]

For me to make a tight turn and/or a 90 degree turn I cut into the corner back up a tad cut some of the waste out about wide as the blade, turn it 90 degrees slide into the corner and take off, give a good clean corner.

[Gabby]

There are lots of tricks to making turns, one that Dan posted a while back is to back up and use the corner/side of the blade to widen the the cut going into the corner it may take a few passes to get it to the point where you can stop the saw and spin the work piece around and back the blade into the corner and continue making your cut going the direction you want to go, this works especially well if you have cut into a sharp V corner and don't want a crude corner but rather a sharp crisp corner. The best thing to do is use up a lot of scrap pieces practicing those cuts you are having difficulty with. Don 't give up it WILL come to you.

I can almost predict when a blade is going to break "almost"    it inevitably happens when I get in a hurry and get heavy handed trying to make one of these spin cuts, it happens most often when I'm cutting thick wood and bind the blade up in the corner not giving the blade time to catch up and open up enough room to spin around. What I mean by catch up is the blade will actually be bending some from the pressure we're using to feed the wood through the blade, especially as the blade gets duller and we push harder without realizing it. If you stop pushing the blade will continue to cut until it straightens out that is when you can start to spin your work not before because that is when you put the blade in a bind and then "BANG" AND YOU JUMP 3 FEET!
Right? LOL Scares the crap out of me every time.
Hope I have confused you some more, now go make some sawdust, what the heck are you doing in here in front of yer pooter listening to this old crack pot?
LOL
Gabby