Cutting Thin Wood, Purchasing Thin Wood

[ishatruth]

I wonder, if you have a few minutes, if anyone could give me a couple of bits of advice.  I have two questions I have been wondering about.

1.  What tips do you you have for cutting thin wood?  I tried to make the pattern from this website, the portrait of a horse, on 1/8" oak plywood.  I stack cut it with a second 1/8" blank behind it for strength, taped the fragile pieces in as I went for extra support, put my saw on a slow speed with a #1 blade, and still found it breaking on me!  The saw blade, as it cut up and down on the wood, caused the wood to move slightly, which put pressure on the fragile veins of wood, and they snapped.  I stayed "on the lines," felt like I was cutting carefully, but -- especially around the face -- found things breaking on me!  I was able to salvage the piece -- fortunately, the person I made it for won't ever see the pattern and won't know what was missing -- but I have really struggled with this and don't know what to do.  I have a porter cable scroll saw, bolted to a workbench, and it is the scroll saw rated best of the lower price models in the Woodworking and Crafts Scroll Saw magazine.  Are there any other tips or things I should do?  It makes me feel so frustrated when something I do breaks, after I have cut it on the lines perfectly!!

2.  I just cut the "floral cross" pattern on this website.  It worked out perfectly.  I used 1/4" plywood oak for the backer and the same for the "design piece."  I want the front to be darker, so I plan on staining it.  I realize that it is going to take a long time -- I have to stain the edges (inside and out) of the "design piece," which I will do with a q-tip or something.  I don't have a planer, and I am wondering if there is a way for me to go about getting thinner dark wood, so I wouldn't have to stain it, that is also reasonably priced.  Do they have dark walnut plywood, 1/4" or 1/8" thick?  Would a wood shop have what I need? Or do you have any other suggestions?

[jrpeteo]

I'm a relative newby myself, but I think you might try speeding up the machine. If it is moving too slowly it wants to grab the wood. Fast speed on the machine, slow easy pace with your hands. Don't push too hard. Let the blade cut. I have bought wood from ocoochhardwoods.com and had good luck. They have thin hardwoods (1/8",1/4" walnut, maple whatever) and plywood. You can also sometimes find thin plywood at your local big box lumber yard. I like 1/8" baltic birch for portrait type things, stack 3 or 4 if you want. For the edges of your "design piece" you could pour your stain onto a plate or something ( I use the disposeable aluminum cooking thingies) and then pour it back into the can, or use a spray.
Pete

PS  you should go to the introduction page and introduce yourself, there are many people here who like to help each other.

[GrayBeard]

Cutting with too slow speed will cause this breaking, especially with SPIRAL blades.
Speed up your saw and DO NOT Push the wood either into the blade or against the sides of it.
Just guide the wood slowly and let the blade speed allow it to cut.

~~~GB~~~

[dgman]

Good advise given, speed up the saw!

[SheGold]

Great advise and all I can ad is you might find what you need in wood here. http://ocoochhardwoods.com/index.php I've used them and bought the thin wood and love the service.. Hope this helps... Sheila

[Keefie]

I agree with all the advice given so far, but if you still having trouble with it try looking here http://www.sheilalandrydesigns.com/articles/scroll-saw-zero-clearance  and make a zero tollerance insert to support your work a little more where the slot is for the saw blade.

[julief]

It definately sounds like you are cutting too slow.  Just because you have your speed up, doesn't mean you have to cut fast.  Feed it in slowly but with the blade moving faster.
As far as color, a Q-tip will leave cotton fuzzies on your piece and if you are using stain, you usually have to wipe it off.  I use Danish oil in a variety of colors to do what you want to do.  Either dip it or flood it with the oil.

[ishatruth]

Thank you everyone!  I had no idea that I should be cutting 'thin stuff' with a faster speed.  My thought was that if the speed was slower, i would have more control.  I will try this tip!

Thanks for taking the time to help me out! 

-Joel

[GrayBeard]

You just learned WHY we are all here! We are a select group of woodworkers and we take care of our own!

~~~GB~~~

[dunk]

One thing not mentioned and because it is so obvious some tiems overlooked.  be sure you have your blade in the right way.  You may be surprised at how many times a blade i put in upside down.  If this happens you will find excessive "chatter" and breakage of fragile parts.

New technique for darkening light woods...bake it in the oven at 450? for about 20-30 minutes keep an eye on it until you obtain the darkness you desire.  You will find it will darken all the way through the woods.  Give it a try you will be amazed.

[ishatruth]

New technique for darkening light woods...bake it in the oven at 450? for about 20-30 minutes keep an eye on it until you obtain the darkness you desire.  You will find it will darken all the way through the woods.  Give it a try you will be amazed.

That sounds like it would be really helpful for me.  Would I do this before or after I cut?  And does it make the wood fragile?  And does the wood look dark as in "stained" or does it make it look a bit ...well, burnt?

Thanks!