Breaking blades

[dheaton]

Hi All
I am new to this forum and to using the scrollsaw.  I have a Hawk 21 and am having some issues.  I keep breaking blades.  I know I must be doing something wrong.  I have tried different types of blades but it seems that they never last very long.  I can't even make it through one project without several blades.
Any help and suggestions would be appreciated.

[dheaton]

Here are a couple images of my scroll saw.  I said it was a 21 inch but it is actually a 26 inch.
The last blades I have tried are TWS.  I was told that these were good blades.  ??

[pddesertrat]

Possibly to much tension on the blade.  Try relaxing the tension a notch and see it that helps.  I haven't been at this long, so take it for what it is worth.   I would though, without hesitation, recommend Flying Dutchman blades from Mike's Workshop.

http://mikesworkshop.com/

If have any question on what blades work best for what you are doing, call him or email him and ask, he is very knowledgeable a a pleasure to deal with.  He will even send you a couple blades to try for free if you ask.

And, welcome to the forum.  It very nice here.  Nice saw you have.

[UHMNL]

Go to my website and click on Q & A, you will find a lot of help. www.mikesworkshop.com.
I like to use good tension, the blade should not move sideways more than 1/8" and that is almost too much. Have good speed and push very slow into the blade, let the blade do the cutting. Also, blades have a burr on the right side what makes the blade cut to the right. To stay on the line, you have the move the woos somw=e degree to the right, that is the bottom part.
Never be in a hurry scroll sawing.
FD Mike

[Ray]

There's a boatload of variables that make a difference on how many you use in a project.

Type of wood
Wood thickness
Blade size
Blade tension
Feed speed

There are a lot more. Blades do break fairly often, but if they are breaking excessively, I would look at a couple things. First and foremost is how hard you're pushing the work into the blade. You shouldn't push any harder than it takes to cut without moving the blade back more than a tiny bit. It's hard to describe without seeing it, but you need to let the blade cut and move the work only to follow the line without trying to make the blade cut faster.

Another thing is blade tension. Too loose will cause blades to break quicker as well as too tight. Steve has a video somewhere in his collection that shows the sound a blade should make when plucked like a guitar string.

Blade size is another one. Too small a blade on too thick of a piece can break them quicker.

Personally, I do better with small blades I rarely use anything bigger than a #5 whether it's intarsia or fretwork. On 1/8" or 1/4" wood, I use #3 and #1 a lot.

The project also makes a difference.

If I use Steve's Panther pattern that he posted this morning as an example, that would easily be a very quick and simple one blade cut for me. Most of the time that is. Occasionally I might get a bad blade, but I would say that cutting that panther out of 1/4" wood I would use a #3 ultra reverse and 8 out of 10 times, one blade would do it. Probably a #5 on 3/4" stock.

Oh and if you don't already do it, packing tape on top of the pattern also makes blades last longer!

Ray

[BilltheDiver]

I have the identical saw and love it.  I've had it for years.  You are getting lots of good advice.  Since you are new, go slow!  Everyone wants to push too hard.  Also make sure you are using the correct blade for the type and thickness of wood you are cutting. 

[dheaton]

Thanks everyone for the replies.  I have many blades to choose from but really not sure which blade is best for what board and board thickness.  The blade I am looking at right now says it is TWS, TPI=12.5,  #5,  if that means anything to you.

Mike I will go to your site right now, thanks again.

[scrimper]

Thanks everyone for the replies.  I have many blades to choose from but really not sure which blade is best for what board and board thickness.  The blade I am looking at right now says it is TWS, TPI=12.5,  #5,  if that means anything to you.

Unless you have a duff batch of blades or you are trying to force your way through the material you should not have problems with blades breaking especially with the thicker blades such as a No5 and above. Blades do break especially the thinner finer sizes such as the No 00 (commonly called 2/0) up to No 2 but generally blades don't break that often they normally are replaced because they go blunt.

 Naturally anyone just starting will break a few blades either because they are forcing the work to quickly or trying to use too thin a blade on thick material especially if the wrong blade tension is set. You will soon get to know the correct tension, the blade should twang like a guitar string when you pluck it, if you get a low dull twang then it's probably to slack a very high pitched twang is too tight! but mostly too slack is more likely to break a blade IMHO.

I imagine it is possible to get a bad batch of blades, for many years I have used the Niqua blades without many breaking (except due to my ham-fisted-ness) but a few months ago I bought some FD blades to try but have had a a lot more breakages with them and I am not the only one as people in UK woodworking forum have had similar problems with recent purchases. Perhaps your blades are not 100% and you might have more luck with a different batch or make of blade especially if you still have breakages after following advice in this forum.
   

[BilltheDiver]

Everyone has their favorite.  I use Flying Dutchman blades almost exclusively and have no problem with breakage.

[Jim Finn]

I have a lot of experience with cutting 3/4" stock and find that I get in a hurry and push too hard and this is what breaks blades for me.  If I slow down a bit the blades last 3-4 times as long for me.  I keep the tension quite tight. (Ping)

[Russ C]

I use Flying Dutchman blades exclusively and have had no problem with premature breakage. I usually wear them out to the point of breakage or I just give up and change the blade because it's too dull.

I think most people starting out have a tendency to push too hard and too fast starting out. That along with too much tension will cause breakage. 

[Toneman]

I use FD UR #1 about 80% of the time on 1/8" to 1/2" thickness. This blades seems to give me the smoothest cut on Baltic Birch. Now. I will move up to a #3 or #5 on 3/4". I simply keep a tight tension and cut SLOW; never get in a hurry and when I have to start pushing, I change blades. I probably change a little too soon, but, blades are cheap compared to wood.

Tony,aka,Toneman

[dheaton]

Go to my website and click on Q & A, you will find a lot of help. www.mikesworkshop.com.
I like to use good tension, the blade should not move sideways more than 1/8" and that is almost too much. Have good speed and push very slow into the blade, let the blade do the cutting. Also, blades have a burr on the right side what makes the blade cut to the right. To stay on the line, you have the move the woos somw=e degree to the right, that is the bottom part.
Never be in a hurry scroll sawing.
FD Mike

Hey Mike I went to the site and sent a request for info but have not received any answer yet.  Did you get the question?  It has been  5 days.  Let me know

[UHMNL]

Please send it again. Can't remember that I got it. Sorry about that.
Mike

[Kragax]

Being a guitar player, I seemed natural to listen for the "ping". Also like the guitar strings stretch I stretch by blades ( the lighter ones).
I set my tension and keep it that way, When Im done I don't release the tension the first time. When I come back to my saw I check/reset the tension, and after that I release the tension when finishing for the day. I don't break many blades.