Newby

[Cotsy]

Hello all,
I just bought a Porter Cable saw to cut a gothic pattern for a bookshelf.  I am starting to practice with the saw and am finding it's not as easy as some of the videos I viewed of Steve.  Where is the best place to learn the basics.  I seem to have trouble with making tight turns and the blade wondering.  I am using Olson blades (#5, 7).  Not sure how tight to get the blade.  Is tighter always better?

thanks for your help
dave

[newtoscroll]

Use a number 1 or 3 blade.  The lower the better especially on 1/2 or thinner stock.  Flying Dutchman or fd blades are the best.  I use FD-3 Polar the most.  You can get a trial pack from Mike @ www.mikesworkshop.com or give him a call at 1-605-582-6732.

[dgman]

Hey Dave, Welcome to the forum! And yes tighter is always better. With a #5 and a #7 blade you want the tension as tight as you can get it. You wont break the blade.
The blade should not deflect more than 1/8" when you push on it. Make sure the teeth are pointing down and toward you.
For practice I would stick with a #5. This is what I start my beginner students with.

[Cotsy]

Thanks,
I'm finding I have to turn the speed way down for me to not wander and have better control.  Do you make sharper turns with higher speeds though?  Also, I do slip out of the holder ocasionaly.  Is there a better holder I can buy for this Porter Cable.

[Russ C]

Try cleaning the ends of the blades. They sometimes have a small amount of oil on them from manufacturing. It wouldn't hurt to wipe the clamps either. Also with a small pirce of sand paper, fine grit, you can rough up the ends of the blades and clamps a little. That should help. 

[julief]

Dave, Welcome from Texas.  So glad you found the forum.

[tux_linux]

Hey!

yes - give Mike a call or order right away. Those FD blades are great, there is no way past them.

Also - consider to cut a stack. Sometimes it's easy to have some "more wood" in the saw, you will have more control and the result will be better.

regards
Torsten

[malc]

When I started I coudn't cut a straight line or a tight turn to save my life............Then one day it just comes!!!! Practice then practice some more.
Malc

[Sawdust Dave]

When I first started I had the same problems especially with tight turns. I was forcing the wood into the blade too hard during the turn. This is a really good book you might want to consider buying http://www.foxchapelpublishing.com/p-704-new-scroll-saw-handbook.aspx

[cameronj]

Hey Dave,
Welcome--glad you found us.  All I can really say is that practice and more practice will only pay off and help you follow the line better.
Don't try to make tight turns until you feel that you are controlling the cutting of straight and gentle curves.
And the blades will warm up as you cut and stretch a bit, so you will have to stop the saw and tighten the blade until it has really warmed up.
Jim

[Rapid Roger]

Grab a piece of scrap wood, fairly soft like popular, about 12" long and 1/2" thick, and start cutting wavy lines, zig zag lines, straight lines, circles, and some with real sharp corners, in it. Go from one end to the other with each exercise. After you have done that twice or three times, you will be amazed how easy it can be.
Trust me, BTDT!

Rog

[Rapid Roger]

Also, I forgot to add...When cutting into a REAL sharp corner, BACK UP a little, do your turn and after your center drops or can be removed, go back and cut the "bump" back into the tight corner from the other direction. Does that make any sense to you at all?

Rog

[Cotsy]

All great suggestions.  Sanding the blades helped the grip.  They are no longer slipping.  I am practicing the curves and triangles on 1/4 in oak plywood.  It seems like plywood can be harder to cut because you hit air pockets and the blade moves through them very quickly. What type of blade do you recommend for this??

Thanks again for the great responses!!

Dave

[dgman]

for 1/4" plywood I would use a smaller blade like an Olsen #2R or a flying Dutchman #3UR. If you are just starting out I would practice on 3/4" pine or poplar with the #5 blades.

[Becky]

You came to the right place for advice.  The folks here have given me (and others) so much help I know I am doing far better than I would be if I was on my own.

My advice would be to take their advice.  There have been a couple times when I decided to do it my own way and always came out wishing I'd done what they said!

I had my saw set on dead slow for the better part of a year.  As you practice and get better with control, you can start to speed it up and still do OK.  I'm sure I still go a lot slower than most of the folks here but I'm fine with that.  When you're still learning how to do something, there's nothing odd about not being able to do it as quickly as people who have been doing it for years.  Steve makes it look easy but his videos are full of great tips that have helped me a lot.