My first project!

[dirtrider73068]

It takes time trust me, when I first started I picked easy jobs to start with and were still tough, can't count the blades I broke either too loose tension, too tight, made a turn and break one, or not knowing when it was dull and overheat it breaking it. You will get the hang of it. Go to mikesworkshop.com check out his charts and list for the FD blades, I use a reverse 1 for normal jobs, if I go thicker I use and like the ultra reverse has teeth both up and down and use a 1 as well and it cuts good. I also keep watch on the back side on my reverse blades if fuzzies start appearing the blade is getting dull and change it out, blades are cheap easy to get so as soon as it gets dull or close to it or not cutting like I want I pitched it, get a new one makes it easier to cut with a good sharp blade.

Your choice of blade will be different than mine and others find a blade or blades that you like and stick with them. Don't use those from lowes or sears they do work but are high, cheap they will get you by in a pinch might be good to practice with but be better to get some FD(flying dutchman) blades.

[mickey357]

WOW !!! My first turned out to be fire wood. Nice work.

[Malistar22]

Thanks for all the tips! I've been doing more work since this piece. Haven't taken any pics yet but I will soon. Since this project, I've bought blades from Mike and umm, ya, night and day difference! I'll never buy from anywhere else. Also, I think I've finally tackled the tension issue. I've noticed I can go tighter if I have less wood to cut through. I also removed the hold down and that alone has saved me countless blades! They constantly got bent as I fed them through the pilot hole because the hold down was in the way, which weakened the metal. I think since this project, I probably broke 5 more over the course of maybe 7 or 8 projects? Like I said, night and day difference now. Still got a way to go.

Also, I went out and got 1/4" BB plywood from Menards. It was a tough pill to swallow to buy wood at regular price but I just had to buy a small sheet, just to see the difference in cutting it vs this stuff. I now know why you all prefer BB! It's like cutting a stick of butter compared to MDF. I've done some stack cutting with it (3 pieces at a time) and it's very easy to cut. I can't imagine how easy it would be to cut a 1/8" piece of plywood! What's easier than cutting a warm stick of butter? lol

[EIEIO]

1/8" BB Ply isn't all that easy to cut by itself - kind of jittery - but stacked 3 or 4 deep it's OK. I prefer the look and feel of 1/4" BB Ply for portrait work, and solid material for things like crucifixes. I use the 1/8" for boxes and the like where a thin skin works fine, or for a backer board.

[dirtrider73068]

Yes 1/8 bb is hard to cut by itself being this thin it really cuts very easy.