Advice needed please

[Shufflex]

This will sound like a daft question so please be gentle with me.

How do you know when the time is right to change a blade? and is there a general rule as to what blade to use and when?

Gary

[scrappile]

When it breaks!   When the blade gets dull, it requires some pushing to saw, has a tendency to wonder, in some cases, depending on the wood, will start burning the wood.  I think it is something that you get a feel for.  I know of some scrollers that only change a blade when it breaks.  I change my blades when they start to do the things I mentioned.  I also do detailed fret work, and move from one hole to the next often.  The  blade gets bent, or starts to bend at the point where it is clamped in.  I also use very small blades, so I have to change more often than some. 

There are charts available that gives guidance on blade sizes and types.  I know Olsen has one you can search for something like scroll saw blade chart and it will probably come up.  Also some vendors sell variety packs that help.  They contain different size blades to try.  The main way to find the right blades for you is to buy a dozen or so of various sizes and types and try them.  Do not just try one blade of a type of size, use it for a little while to get use to it's characteristics.  A lot of it is  personal preference.

Also, it is not a "daft" question, it is one every scroller, starting out, asks.  There are a lot of different blades, used for different reasons.  I takes some time of trial and error to figure out what works best for you.  One more thing.  Buy a good brand blades.  The ones you buy at big box stores, Home Depot, Lowes, etc. are not real good blades.  Try to ones like Olsen, Flying Dutchman, Pegas... much better blades.  There is a difference.

[Shufflex]

Scrappile thank you very much for taking the time to write such a detailed reply, I am very new to this and working with wood and your reply will help me out a lot.

All of my blades are in fact Olson apart from the one in the machine that came with it.

Gary

[scrappile]

Very glad I could help, thank you.  We scrollers have all been where you are.  You invent nothing new.  Just be patient, you will figure out what is best for you.

[3Dface]

hey gary...
me again...

for me, Olson was the  first blades i bought. i also still use them for pin end crown tooth blades but have found sense moving to spiral blades for portraits  the flying dutchman hold up longer.
i am not sure is they ship outside the US but this place has great prices on both brands.

http://www.woodenteddybearonline.com/x/home.php?cat=87

[sawdust703]

Like Scrappile said, the first give away to a dull blade is having to push a little harder to cut. Don't let that fool ya with tension. If your tension is to loose to begin with, your blade will wander like a drunk in the street! In turn, dulling your blade almost immediately. Depending on what wood you're cutting, the thickness of it, & the speed of the blade all play into how long your blade will actually last. Speed creates heat, so the faster you cut, the heat will take the temper out of the blade causing it to dull & burn the wood. You'll be able to smell a light burning wood scent if you're paying attention.

Wood species will dull a blade pretty fast, too. The Harder the wood, the faster the blade will dull. Cherry, oak, walnut, maple, just to name a few, will not eat a blade as fast as ash, teak, cypress, etc. Cherry & oak wood WILL burn if your blade speed is to fast, in turn, dulling your blade.

The thickness of the wood you're cutting will dull blades, too. Make sure you're using the right size blade for the thickness of material you're cutting. The thicker the material, the less teeth/inch you want, & a little less tension. The thinner the material you're cutting, the MORE teeth/inch you want on the blade, & a little MORE tension. Every blade makes its own sound when cutting. As a rule, if your blade starts to make a squeal sound, it's done. Don't force it to cut, you'll just bust the blade.

And as Scrap pile also mentioned, try several breeds of blades in your projects til you find what works for you. Personally, I keep 30 different types & sizes of blades of Flying Dutchman & Olson. With more experience, you'll soon figure out every project, unless it's a small one, usually uses more than one size & type of blade. Keep practicin', & keep askin' questions. We were all beginners at one time Enjoy the day!

[Bill Wilson]

General rule of thumb is that the larger the number of the blade, the bigger it is, the fewer teeth per inch (TPI) is has and the more aggressive it will cut.  Large size blades are generally used for cutting patterns without a lot of fine detail, out of thick, hard wood.  The smaller the number, the smaller the blade, the more TPI and the slower it will cut.  Cutting patterns with a lot of fine, delicate detail, out of very thin wood requires the control of a very small blade.  Everything else is kinda in-between.

Blades also come in several different styles.  The most popular ones are reverse tooth blades for general fretwork, spiral blades for portraits and projects that are too large to spin, within your saw's depth capacity and skip tooth blades that are best suited for thick wood, where a little tear out on the back of the wood is not problematic.  The websites of blade suppliers usually have general recommendations, describing what the blade is best suited for.  That gets you started.  After that, it's all about personal preference that is generated via experience.

[dirtrider73068]

When it breaks or gets dull and having to push wood instead of blade cutting it, sometimes I change them out sooner if I feel like the blade is not cutting right or getting hard to control. I have changes balde back to back if I don't the new one due to it being bad even though its new.

[OPi]

Back in the day when I was still young and stupid – I got over being young, still working on the other – I had a tendency to push the blade past its limit and ruined more than a few projects. Now I use a timer set to 20 minutes for most wood and 15 for the hard stuff. I have gone as low as 10 a few times. When the timer goes off, I change the blade and make a tally mark somewhere on the pattern – helps me keep track of how long I spend on a project which helps me determine what I should charge if I ever decide to sell my handiwork.
That’s my two cents worth (actually I think it’s worth at least a nickel).
What's with all those goofy little yellow circles up there whenever I do this reply thing?

[Natfine]

Gentle men thought I never asked the question thank you all. Your advise was great and spot on I have been scrolling for over 20yrs. and must say your advise helps me still

[Shufflex]

Thank you everyone for all your advice,

This scroll saw of mine is becoming very addictive the more I know. 

[Dannyb]

Another Great place to buy "Flying Dutchman" blades, which are my preference, is at www.mikesworkshop.com.  They have extremely fast shipping and great customer service!  Where I always go to....   Scroll ON LOL