Making sure the blade is square

[wntrrwd]

With the puzzle I cut I cannot take it apart from both directions. Which means the blade and the saw are not square. I have read how to square it but cannot seem to figure it out. It is not out of square by much but just enough stop the pieces.  If I lay it like it was on the table when I was cutting it then I can pull the pieces apart by going down (which should mean I am a little over 90 degrees).  I can almost take it apart from the top (I used 1 inch wood and will go to about ? inch before it stops).  Any words of wisdom to help out someone who can?t figure out how to get this square. Thanks for any help!

[wntrrwd]

Ok so looking at it some of the pieces I can take one way other one will only go the other way and a couple of them will slide both ways it just little tight going one way. Hope that makes since.

[Mainewoods]

Mark,  lots of reasons your cuts aren't square.  Number one is your table isn't set square to the blade.  Use a small square or protractor and make sure it's as square as you can possibly make it.  Number 2 is make sure your blade tension is good and tight.  A loose blade will flex causing uneven cuts.  Number 3 is make sure you aren't pushing the wood into the blade too hard.  This can cause the blade to flex as well.  Based on your description, I'd guess #2 or 3 since some will come out one way while others will come out the other way. 

What are you using for a saw?  Blade?  How thick is your wood?  All this wood be useful information to diagnose your problem.

Hope this is of some help.

Glen

[wntrrwd]

My saw is a delta 40-690. I was using a olson blade...I think. I was cutting 1 inch wood (Aspen and mahogany). I was trying out how different woods cut.

[Al W]

I picked up one of those digital fancy cubes for checking blade angles, and I found it works just great for setting up the scroll saw as well.  Takes a couple of minutes, and done.

[UHMNL]

I am with Glen about tention, good speed and let the blade do the cutting.
I check the blade square to the table; take a piece of 3/4" wood, cut about 1/16 to 1/8" into it, take it and see if it fits in the back of the blade. If it fits the table is square with the blade. Make sure you have the right number of the blade for the tickness you are cutting.
FD Mike

[Mainewoods]

I have the same saw.  First off, make sure your blade is travelling as straight up and down as possible.  Lay a straight edge (I use a metal ruler) beside the blade, then, use a flat tip screwdriver to turn the motor (there's an opening on the  end of the motor) and watch where the blade is in relation to the straight edge throughout the whole stroke.  If there's space between the blade and straight edge at the top of the stroke, and none at the bottom of the stroke (or vice versa) your blade isn't travelling straight up and down.  You can fix this by adjusting the set screws on the blade clamps in/out and rechecking with the straight edge until you've eliminated the "wobble".  You'll need to move those set screws in opposing directions (i.e. top in/bottom out or vice versa).  Once you've got the blade travelling straight up and down, now you can square your table to your blade.  Square it side to side using the bevel knob.  You might have to square it front to back as well.  I had to raise the back of the table about 1/8" to get it as square as I could.  Test the  front to back squareness by slightly touching a thick (1" or greater) piece of wood to the front of the blade with the saw running.  Make sure the side of this piece of wood is truly square! If you see a mark on the wood at the top and nothing at the bottom, your not square.  Adjust the table up/down as needed until you get an even blade mark all the way up/down the side of the wood.  Do not cut into the wood, but  rather simply score the wood with the blade.  If you cut into it, it'll be very difficult to determine where your blade is hitting.  

I hope this information helps.  Let me  know if you have any questions.

Glen

[mrsn]

Mark, Since you can take some pieces out one way and others out the other, I think that you need to check the tension and let the saw do the work (aka, don't push the wood)

[jimbo]

One of the biggest problems while cutting jig saw puzzles is not to push the wood side ways the wood  has to be kept square to to the blade, not as easy as you think, cut slowly and do as advised let the blade do the cutting, I have cut hundreds of puzzles and only have problems when I try to hurry the wood through the blade
Jimbo

[iggygiles]

     Having satisfied yourself that the saw is running properly, and made adjustments as described by Glen you can then verify a couple more things as follows. Firstly, 1? thick hardwood is a pretty tall order for a puzzle cutting blade to handle, so the tension is pretty critical and so is the speed of cut so test them by elimination as follows.
1   Take a 1? square piece of the timber you are cutting, about 6? or 7? long, and cutting at your normal speed, cut straight across about ? an inch from one end, then using an accurate square, measure the angle of the cut you just made.
2      Do the same again only this time make a sharp left turn and measure the angle again
3   Then repeat with a sharp right angle cut and measure the angle of the cut again.
If all 3 cuts are square then you have cured the problem with your adjustments to the saw,
If the cuts are not square then try making the 3 cuts again at half your normal speed and see if there is an improvement. If not then crank up the tension a bit and try again firstly at normal speed and then at half speed. These tests should tell you what the best scenario is for your saw. If the problem still persists, you still have 4 options left.
1   Start again
2   Buy a new saw
3   Get some FD blades from Mike
4   Ring Seco
Hope this helps.

[tux_linux]

With 1" wood you should use a #3 or #5 - not smaller. Smaller might do also, but (my favorite) #5 has a bit more "loose fit" which makes it simpler for you and also simpler for the kids to play with the puzzle.