Newbie advice please

[kkartz1]

Well, Ive started scrolling with my Hegner and went straight into some Xmas tree patterns with some internal work. I`m using some elm which i felled around 3 years ago and have stored since then. I have cut it into squares 120 x 120 x 15 and am using some Flying Dutchman blades.
Initially I think my blade tension was a bit slack as I was concerned about snapping blades but I have got a bit braver and now I think I have it sorted. After watching some of the experts on You Tube, I am in awe with how fast they can turn the wood and keep a nice smooth corner with seemingly no effort. I am cutting into a corner, backing out to make a large radius and then going in from the other side to make the corner nice and square. I am hoping with more practice I can master this control. Another problem I have is that the wood `chatters` sometimes and I have to hold it down with quite a lot of pressure. I have now slowed my cutting right down and am taking it far slower which seems to help. I dont have an arm fitted to hold the work down and would like to know peoples opinions on these. I have a variable speed saw and would welcome any advice on blade speed. I have tried through a range of 400 upto 1200. Around 1000 seems about right but am not really sure.
I have produced two items now and having really good fun...oh and I have only broken one blade so far :-)

[EIEIO]

Most people do not use a hold-down.

Chatter - Are you sure your blade is in installed in the right direction (cutting on the down stroke)? If it's reversed, it pulls the wood up, you hand pushes it back down, and you get chatter.

Practice makes the difference in scrolling. Some of the on-line guys are super good. Meantime, backing out and coming around to make a sharp corner is OK.

[kkartz1]

Yes, I am using the FD blades and they have a kink which I have been told means it is the top. I think it is possibly due to my enthusiasm and has got better now that I have slowed my speed. I have heard that some types of timber and the grain are more challenging than others.

[GrayBeard]

The harder the wood and the tighter the grain it will be more challenging to cut. Cutting with the grain is different from cutting across the grain and diagonal to the grain is again a different matter.

Hold down...NO! they just get in the way every time you have to move the blade to another location.

I think you will find that slower speeds will tend to cause you more chatter than faster.
Remember what we all say constantly..."Let the blade do the work!"

My mantra..."Fast blade speed, LOTS of tension and SLOOOOOW feed rate"! The faster your blade is travelling it is cutting constantly so all you have to do is guide the wood into the teeth and let them work.

Now practice, practice, practice and keep asking questions.
Virtually every person on this forum is here to both Learn & TEACH....

~~~GB~~~

[Billy in Va]

I use a high tension and a fairly high speed.  I find I get much better conrol with that combo. One of the hardest things for me to learn was that just because the speed is high, I do not need to cut faster. Let the blade do the work.

[PaPa50707]

What's a holddown? Seriously, your speed usually depends on the thickness of your wood. But if you are comfortable at 1000 rpm stick with it.

[wombatie]

Don't use a hold down they are just a pain in the rear end.  I think with time you will find a speed that you are comfortable with and you will stick to it but as long as you have the blade in tight and you have the right blade for the right job, it is just practice, practice, practice.

Marg

[julief]

The hold down is a waste of metal.  They get in your way and only do a marginal job of holding anything.  It's a safety thing required by law but practically useless.  The more you scroll, the more you get used to keeping pressure on your wood to prevent the chatter.  You always want good tension on the blade.  Without it, you blade will bend and wander.  Speed is a personal preference.  Just because you've got the RPM up, does not mean you have to cut fast.  Feed the wood in slowly and let the blade do the work.  Practice, practice, practice.  Have fun.

[PigsFly]

I agree with the above comments.  Do not use the hold down and with the right blade, speed, and feed rate you should be able to cut any wood with minimal hold down pressure from your hands.  It obviously will vary between types of wood and thickness of wood so it just takes experimenting.  I do 3/4 to 5/4 wood and find the only problem I have with "chatter" is if the wood is even just a little cupped or warped.

[Shogun]

I don't use a hold down either. As far as FD blades, I only use FD, how ever not all of them have the dimple at the top so you may want to double check which type you have and that the teeth are pointing down.

[Al W]

It would repetitive to say it all again - but let the blade do the work, guide your project into the blade Slowly, and most of all - ENJOY.

Al

[kkartz1]

Thanks for the advice ladies and gents. All points are noted and I will heed the advice. No hold downs and lots of practice :-) If only work didnt get in the way of my scrolling time :-(

[puzzlemaker]

I agree with ALL of the above comments. I would check the direction of the blade, though. I only get appreciable chatter when I mistakenly but the blade in upside down. You will get a little chatter with a reverse tooth blade. No hold down!
Pat

[king310]

loose the hold down!!! I just say tension is important. There are time I'm so intense I bite my tongue.

Speed N feed will be determined by your comfort, thickness of product, type of material and size of blade, and last the detail of the pattern you are cutting. There will be many of those moments when you go OOPPPSS! @#$$#$$%#$%&&*($%

[Rapid Roger]

When you get frustrated    (and we all do) stop, take a deep breath, tell your self "This is not rocket science" get a firm (not tight) grip on the wood, and slowly run the pattern line into the front of the blade watching it disappear and become a kerf cut.    Next thing you know you'll tell yourself "This is FUN!" 

Rog