Best Blade for Cutting Balsa and Thin Ply

[rb51]

I'm new to scrollsaw cutting.  I purchased a RBI Hawk 226VS to cut parts for model airplane building.  We use balsa wood as well as plywood and a product called light plywood.  The plywood never exceeds 3/8 inch thickness and can be birch or the light ply.  The problem I've encountered is tearout.  I've tried a variety of blades and all produce tearout on bottom side.  I sometimes must cut sharp turns.  As I said I'm new to scrollsaw cutting and unfamiliar with blades.  Where is the best place to purchase blades?  Thanks so much for any help.

[dirtrider73068]

There is a blade called reverse scroll or just  reverse blade it has teeth on the bottom that will cut on the up stroke this helps reduce tear out and works pretty good, flying dutchman has them, I think other brands have them as well but flying dutchman is what I use.

[Wooden Lace]

I'm currently cutting a bird cage out of 1/8" baltic birch plywood and have been trying lots of different blades.  By far the best one I've come across is the Flying Dutchman two way cut.  The picture looks just like their ultra reverse, but it cuts completely different.  Slower for one thing, so it's easier to make tiny cuts, and WAY better on small round outside curves.  Plus, when they get dull, you can just turn them over and use the other side.....with thin wood like you and I are using.  Much like the Olson crown tooth blades.  They are also quite a lot cheaper than the ultra reverse.  I just ordered 6 gross, so they've sure won me over.

This blade also works well for some of the 1/4" hardwoods I use.  Things like walnut, cherry, padauk and sapelle are fine, but the really hard ones like ipe, jatoba, bubinga it can't manage.  Maybe a larger size....I neglected to say that I'm using the #1.  Hope this helps.
Nancy

[3Dface]

i have been cutting portraits in 1/16" luan, it's not as fragile as balsa.
i stack cut for 2 reasons.
so that i can have copies to gift or sell and tear out. if the luan is going in picture frames i add 1 extra layer to sacrifice to tear out. with some detailed sanding it can sometimes be saved. 
if i am making the portrait for sale i put 2 pieces of luan between 2 pieces of birch plywood. the birch is much easier to sand.

another trick i have found is when i cut out large pieces of the pattern i use blue tape to hold it in place on the front and back instead of removing it. then when i am done cutting i remove the tape on the back and sand before removing the cuts. this gives just enough play so sanding goes much quicker.

chris

[rb51]

I'd like to thank everyone for the help.  I've just ordered the 2-way blades from Flying Dutchman.  Thanks again.

Greg

[rash_powder]

A zero, or as close to zero clearance as a scroll saw will allow, clearance table may help too.  They support the material much better around the blade. 

Use a piece of plywood to make a new table top for your saw, but instead of the largeish hole for the blade, make as small a hole as you can. 

[GLC]

I would recommend the Flying Dutchman Ultra Reverse Blades - say in a size 3 or 1 for this thin material.  For blades smaller than that - I have trouble seeing to use them.

Regards - GLC from Texas

[Starman]

I should 5hink that a fine toothed blade would be preferable for very thin plywood and balsa.  I used a #3 blade from Sawbird with 40 tpi. It cut smoothly with little lifting.  I also had some old Olson crown tooth blades thatbi never use because they cut so slowly;  I tried them on thin plywood and they worked quite well...very easy to control.  The FD Penguin silver reverse is a nice blade for 1/4" plywood