Cutting a straight line on a scroll saw?

Tue, Dec 11, 2007, 2:10pm (EST-1) [email protected] (Kate)
looks around in awe, and queries:
I have a Delta 16" scroll saw <snip>

Sounds like mine, 'cepti mines a Craftsman I got some years back,
at an EXCELLENT price.. However, my table does have holes in it, so I
could make a strightedge and fasten it down. However. LOL. There's
almost "always" a 'however'

However, I have used my scrollsaw to make straight cuts, freehand.
Just follow the pencil line, go reasonably slow, and I have had no
problems cutting lines up to about a foot long that are very nicely
straight when checked with a straightedge.

With the holes in the table, it would be simple enough to mount a
adjustable straightedge, something like a fence, and either run the
piece alon it, or make some sort of a jig to hold the piece, but
personally I don't think it's worth the time and ffort.

Hehehe I still get a warm fuzzy thinking about when I got my
scrollsaw. Went into a Sear appliance store, and that had a stack of
new, in the box, srollsaws, marked around $35 (that's thirty five) each.
Variable, speed, top of the line at that time. I coulsn't believe it,
and asked if the price was correct. They said yes, I walked out with
one. A fe days later I was in ther again, and they had another model,
almost identical with mine, just very minor differences, pricet at
around $175. I got a brand new bench bandsaw for around the same price,
same store. And later they had a similar, but different, model going
for around $175 also. Right place, right time. About that time I
started believing in the Woodworking Gods. Still have both machines,
still work perfect, both painted bright yellow.



JOAT
I do things I don't know how to do, so that I might learn how to do
them.
- Picasso

"Kate" wrote:

> I have a Delta 16" scroll saw that I would like to use to cut some
small
> pieces of stock with.
> The stock is 1/2" x 3" x 8"

Use a fine drafting pencil and layout cut lines on actual piece, then
cut by eye along line.

It is the way my landlord makes gasket cutting dies.

Lew

{snip}
>
> The table is completely round and there are no guides that I can find for
> setting up a jig so that when I push my pieces through they will cut nice
> and straight.
>

Your blades are the problem. Every scroll saw blade has a bias. Not only
that, as the blade starts to dull, the angle of the bias will change ever so
slightly. (other posters have mentioned this also.)

Heritage of scroll saw is the coping saw. Heritage of bandsaw is the bow
saw. Two different hand tool heritages.

BTW: to scroll saw a straight line is actually a very advanced skill.
Scroll sawing is an eye-hand type of thing. Takes practice, not a lot, but
any skill takes practice. The only more advanced is the symmetrical long
curves, like two sides of a heart.

Mainstream woodworking has all kinds of jigs and fixtures for purchase, or
building, to bypass the years of apprenticeship training it would
historically take. Scroll sawyers are into skill building, again which
isn't a whole lot to acquire.

- Use a large blade like a #5 or #7
- Keep wrist flat
- use fingers to only hold wood down,
(using fingers will cause mini-course correction "bumps")
- Push with whole arm- from the shoulder
- Practice on scrap wood
- Two variables to learn about: Feed rate and Strokes per minute
Both will subtly affect your straight line cutting.
- Don't feed the wood too fast. Scroll saws are one of the slowest cutting
tools in the shop.

Did I mention you have a learning curve to climb? A skill to learn? It
ain't a hard steep curve, and it don't take long but you must get up and
over it.

Phil

"Kate" wrote:

> I tried that once. Just a slight shift will cause it to be wavy.

When it comes to a scroll saw, patience is a virtue.

It may take a couple of minutes just to make a 2"-3" cut.

Try a few cuts on some scrap to develop your skill set.

Good luck.

Lew

Don't know if this might work for you but it might be worth a try. Make an
other top for your scroll saw but make it square. Use cleats on the bottom
of two edges to press against the current top. Measure carefully and drill
a hole for your blade to go through. Then build a fence, cut two slots in
the table so you can move the fence towards or away from the blade to give
you less/more distance. Once you get it lined up, make reference points on
the saw and the table for future set up. I was working on a project and got
tired of the tiny, I mean tiny, pieces falling through the hole of my
craftsman scroll saw so I used some plastic I had on hand. Worked great!
Toy chest is now in the finishing state.


"Kate" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> That part I've got...
> The problem is how to figure a nearly exact straight line to place the
> fence
> on?
> I will be mounting it to an unmarked round surface with only one point of
> reference being a small blade that is not located to the center of the
> circle. No other part of the saw is in straight alignment of the table.
>
> Kate
>
>
> "SonomaProducts.com" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:da961b32-32f8-41a1-b4f4-41f5392e602e@s12g2000prg.googlegroups.com...
> Just clamp a board to the table that runs parallel to the blade and
> use it as a fence to guide the cuts.
>
> On Dec 11, 12:10 pm, "Kate" <[email protected]> wrote:
>> I have a Delta 16" scroll saw that I would like to use to cut some small
>> pieces of stock with.
>> The stock is 1/2" x 3" x 8"
>>
>> The table is completely round and there are no guides that I can find for
>> setting up a jig so that when I push my pieces through they will cut nice
>> and straight.
>>
>> Now I realize that many of you will tell me to just use my table saw, and
>> this would be the best option, but in this particular case I need to
>> utilize
>> the thinner blade of the scroll saw so that I lose as little material as
>> possible..
>>
>> Have any of you made up a jig for such a beast?
>> if so, would you be willing to share tips and techinques?
>>
>> --
>> Kate
>> ______
>> /l ,[____],
>> l-L -OlllllllO-
>> ()_)-()_)--)_)
>>
>> The shortest distance between two points,
>> is a lot more fun in a Jeep!
>> Wash behind your ears before you reply :¬)
>
>

I forgot one obvious but important thing, attach firmly to your current
table. I used clamps but found they were sometimes in the way. So I
measured and drilled the made table to match the predrilled holes in the
Craftsman's table. I also made my table slightly larger which gave me more
table space resulting in more stability.
"Jack Casuso" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Don't know if this might work for you but it might be worth a try. Make
> an other top for your scroll saw but make it square. Use cleats on the
> bottom of two edges to press against the current top. Measure carefully
> and drill a hole for your blade to go through. Then build a fence, cut
> two slots in the table so you can move the fence towards or away from the
> blade to give you less/more distance. Once you get it lined up, make
> reference points on the saw and the table for future set up. I was
> working on a project and got tired of the tiny, I mean tiny, pieces
> falling through the hole of my craftsman scroll saw so I used some plastic
> I had on hand. Worked great! Toy chest is now in the finishing state.
>
>
> "Kate" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> That part I've got...
>> The problem is how to figure a nearly exact straight line to place the
>> fence
>> on?
>> I will be mounting it to an unmarked round surface with only one point of
>> reference being a small blade that is not located to the center of the
>> circle. No other part of the saw is in straight alignment of the table.
>>
>> Kate
>>
>>
>> "SonomaProducts.com" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:da961b32-32f8-41a1-b4f4-41f5392e602e@s12g2000prg.googlegroups.com...
>> Just clamp a board to the table that runs parallel to the blade and
>> use it as a fence to guide the cuts.
>>
>> On Dec 11, 12:10 pm, "Kate" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> I have a Delta 16" scroll saw that I would like to use to cut some small
>>> pieces of stock with.
>>> The stock is 1/2" x 3" x 8"
>>>
>>> The table is completely round and there are no guides that I can find
>>> for
>>> setting up a jig so that when I push my pieces through they will cut
>>> nice
>>> and straight.
>>>
>>> Now I realize that many of you will tell me to just use my table saw,
>>> and
>>> this would be the best option, but in this particular case I need to
>>> utilize
>>> the thinner blade of the scroll saw so that I lose as little material as
>>> possible..
>>>
>>> Have any of you made up a jig for such a beast?
>>> if so, would you be willing to share tips and techinques?
>>>
>>> --
>>> Kate
>>> ______
>>> /l ,[____],
>>> l-L -OlllllllO-
>>> ()_)-()_)--)_)
>>>
>>> The shortest distance between two points,
>>> is a lot more fun in a Jeep!
>>> Wash behind your ears before you reply :¬)
>>
>>
>
>

"J T" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
Tue, Dec 11, 2007, 2:10pm (EST-1) [email protected] (Kate)
looks around in awe, and queries:
I have a Delta 16" scroll saw <snip>

Sounds like mine, 'cepti mines a Craftsman I got some years back,
at an EXCELLENT price.. However, my table does have holes in it, so I
could make a strightedge and fasten it down. However. LOL. There's
almost "always" a 'however'

** yup, there always is, I'll start cringing now LOL

However, I have used my scrollsaw to make straight cuts, freehand.
Just follow the pencil line, go reasonably slow, and I have had no
problems cutting lines up to about a foot long that are very nicely
straight when checked with a straightedge.

** showoff ;¬D

With the holes in the table, it would be simple enough to mount a
adjustable straightedge, something like a fence, and either run the
piece alon it, or make some sort of a jig to hold the piece, but
personally I don't think it's worth the time and ffort.

** In the long run, it might be. Something tells me I am going to be doing
this more than once.
I'm just not sure how to get the holes in it so that when I put it all
together it will make a straight line.

Hehehe I still get a warm fuzzy thinking about when I got my
scrollsaw. Went into a Sear appliance store, and that had a stack of
new, in the box, srollsaws, marked around $35 (that's thirty five) each.
Variable, speed, top of the line at that time. I coulsn't believe it,
and asked if the price was correct. They said yes, I walked out with
one. A fe days later I was in ther again, and they had another model,
almost identical with mine, just very minor differences, pricet at
around $175. I got a brand new bench bandsaw for around the same price,
same store. And later they had a similar, but different, model going
for around $175 also. Right place, right time. About that time I
started believing in the Woodworking Gods. Still have both machines,
still work perfect, both painted bright yellow.

** I bought mine at a pawn shop. It's not variable, but it was only $40.
Works like a champ though.
You were really lucky finding yours like you did. I love it when I run
across soemthing at an amazing bargain.

That part I've got...
The problem is how to figure a nearly exact straight line to place the fence
on?
I will be mounting it to an unmarked round surface with only one point of
reference being a small blade that is not located to the center of the
circle. No other part of the saw is in straight alignment of the table.

Kate


"SonomaProducts.com" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:da961b32-32f8-41a1-b4f4-41f5392e602e@s12g2000prg.googlegroups.com...
Just clamp a board to the table that runs parallel to the blade and
use it as a fence to guide the cuts.

On Dec 11, 12:10 pm, "Kate" <[email protected]> wrote:
> I have a Delta 16" scroll saw that I would like to use to cut some small
> pieces of stock with.
> The stock is 1/2" x 3" x 8"
>
> The table is completely round and there are no guides that I can find for
> setting up a jig so that when I push my pieces through they will cut nice
> and straight.
>
> Now I realize that many of you will tell me to just use my table saw, and
> this would be the best option, but in this particular case I need to
> utilize
> the thinner blade of the scroll saw so that I lose as little material as
> possible..
>
> Have any of you made up a jig for such a beast?
> if so, would you be willing to share tips and techinques?
>
> --
> Kate
> ______
> /l ,[____],
> l-L -OlllllllO-
> ()_)-()_)--)_)
>
> The shortest distance between two points,
> is a lot more fun in a Jeep!
> Wash behind your ears before you reply :¬)

"Brian Henderson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
On Tue, 11 Dec 2007 14:10:15 -0600, "Kate"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>I have a Delta 16" scroll saw that I would like to use to cut some small
>pieces of stock with.
>The stock is 1/2" x 3" x 8"

You can fake something but why? A scroll saw is not made for straight
cuts and even if you mount an aux fence to your scroll saw table, the
blade is going to do a bit of wandering whether you want it to or not.

--

I realize this.

The reason WHY is because it's a 60 year old piece of walnut that I nave
spent considerable time carving. I don't want to destroy the carving when I
cut it in half but I MUST cut it in half. A table saw would remove too much
material and since I do not have the proper blades for the table saw it
would likely tatter the pattern edges .

This piece will be used for the front panels of a box, both top and bottom.
I want the two edges to come together as closely as possible so that the
design will require minimal modification to enable proper alignment when
fitted together.

I prefer not to carve around a cut. It's difficult to keep them aligned and
sometimes a piece will chip at the cutline with just a minor slip of a
carving tool. Carving first and then cutting the piece in half is my
personal preference.

Thanks for trying to help.
Kate

"Kate" wrote...

> The reason WHY is because it's a 60 year old piece of walnut that I =
nave=20
> spent considerable time carving.=20
[...]



Kate:
I would go about it like this:
Install your widest scroll saw blade, and carefully place a 12 or 18" =
straight edge (i.e. combo square blade) along the scroll saw blade. =
Measure parallel from the straight edge and clamp your fence.

Now make a test cut with a piece of scrap that has a pencil line where =
you want your kerf to be. You will be checking for 2 adjustments: =
firstly, is the cut parallel to your pencil line, and secondly, is the =
size of the cut correct. =20

Get the fence parallel first, by moving one end torward or away from the =
blade. Once the saw kerf is parallel to your pencil line, I'd recommend =
scribing a line on the saw table - then you'll always have a reference =
line on the table next time you want to set up a fence. =20

Finally, adjust the fence - parallel to your scribed reference line - =
till your cut size is correct. =20

Keep testing on scrap until it is perfect.

HTH

--=20
Timothy Juvenal
www.tjwoodworking.com

I just went and looked at mine and as a suggestion how about using a
carpenters square and the upper arm as a reference point. My scrollsaw arm
appears to be pretty straight, I figure if you put a straight line down on
the cutting table then you could work from there.

--
Mike
Watch for the bounce.
If ya didn't see it, ya didn't feel it.
If ya see it, it didn't go off.
Old Air Force Munitions Saying
IYAAYAS
"Kate" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> That part I've got...
> The problem is how to figure a nearly exact straight line to place the
> fence
> on?
> I will be mounting it to an unmarked round surface with only one point of
> reference being a small blade that is not located to the center of the
> circle. No other part of the saw is in straight alignment of the table.
>
> Kate
>
>
> "SonomaProducts.com" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:da961b32-32f8-41a1-b4f4-41f5392e602e@s12g2000prg.googlegroups.com...
> Just clamp a board to the table that runs parallel to the blade and
> use it as a fence to guide the cuts.
>
> On Dec 11, 12:10 pm, "Kate" <[email protected]> wrote:
>> I have a Delta 16" scroll saw that I would like to use to cut some small
>> pieces of stock with.
>> The stock is 1/2" x 3" x 8"
>>
>> The table is completely round and there are no guides that I can find for
>> setting up a jig so that when I push my pieces through they will cut nice
>> and straight.
>>
>> Now I realize that many of you will tell me to just use my table saw, and
>> this would be the best option, but in this particular case I need to
>> utilize
>> the thinner blade of the scroll saw so that I lose as little material as
>> possible..
>>
>> Have any of you made up a jig for such a beast?
>> if so, would you be willing to share tips and techinques?
>>
>> --
>> Kate
>> ______
>> /l ,[____],
>> l-L -OlllllllO-
>> ()_)-()_)--)_)
>>
>> The shortest distance between two points,
>> is a lot more fun in a Jeep!
>> Wash behind your ears before you reply :¬)
>
>

Just clamp a board to the table that runs parallel to the blade and
use it as a fence to guide the cuts.

On Dec 11, 12:10 pm, "Kate" <[email protected]> wrote:
> I have a Delta 16" scroll saw that I would like to use to cut some small
> pieces of stock with.
> The stock is 1/2" x 3" x 8"
>
> The table is completely round and there are no guides that I can find for
> setting up a jig so that when I push my pieces through they will cut nice
> and straight.
>
> Now I realize that many of you will tell me to just use my table saw, and
> this would be the best option, but in this particular case I need to utili=
ze
> the thinner blade of the scroll saw so that I lose as little material as
> possible..
>
> Have any of you made up a jig for such a beast?
> if so, would you be willing to share tips and techinques?
>
> --
> Kate
> ______
> /l ,[____],
> l-L -OlllllllO-
> ()_)-()_)--)_)
>
> The shortest distance between two points,
> is a lot more fun in a Jeep!
> Wash behind your ears before you reply :=AC)

Also, make sure you use a new blade.

Smitty

Thank you Phil.
You have given me a goal.
I am going to learn how to cut a straight line that I can be proud of.
I love a challenge. When someone tells me that something is VERY hard to do,
it seems to drive me to accomplish it.

Your post really inspired AND educated me. I have been looking forward to
using my scroll saw for something more decorative. Maybe this spring I will
start practising. Right now though I just don't have the time - darn it.

The blade in the saw is nearly new, only used for a few small cuts. I do
have some new blades though I will be sure to use one before trying.

Thanks so much for your post.

Kate


"Phil-In-Mich." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

{snip}
>
> The table is completely round and there are no guides that I can find for
> setting up a jig so that when I push my pieces through they will cut nice
> and straight.
>

Your blades are the problem. Every scroll saw blade has a bias. Not only
that, as the blade starts to dull, the angle of the bias will change ever so
slightly. (other posters have mentioned this also.)

Heritage of scroll saw is the coping saw. Heritage of bandsaw is the bow
saw. Two different hand tool heritages.

BTW: to scroll saw a straight line is actually a very advanced skill.
Scroll sawing is an eye-hand type of thing. Takes practice, not a lot, but
any skill takes practice. The only more advanced is the symmetrical long
curves, like two sides of a heart.

Mainstream woodworking has all kinds of jigs and fixtures for purchase, or
building, to bypass the years of apprenticeship training it would
historically take. Scroll sawyers are into skill building, again which
isn't a whole lot to acquire.

- Use a large blade like a #5 or #7
- Keep wrist flat
- use fingers to only hold wood down,
(using fingers will cause mini-course correction "bumps")
- Push with whole arm- from the shoulder
- Practice on scrap wood
- Two variables to learn about: Feed rate and Strokes per minute
Both will subtly affect your straight line cutting.
- Don't feed the wood too fast. Scroll saws are one of the slowest cutting
tools in the shop.

Did I mention you have a learning curve to climb? A skill to learn? It
ain't a hard steep curve, and it don't take long but you must get up and
over it.

Phil

On Tue, 11 Dec 2007 14:10:15 -0600, "Kate"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>I have a Delta 16" scroll saw that I would like to use to cut some small
>pieces of stock with.
>The stock is 1/2" x 3" x 8"

You can fake something but why? A scroll saw is not made for straight
cuts and even if you mount an aux fence to your scroll saw table, the
blade is going to do a bit of wandering whether you want it to or not.

Thank you Jack, good suggestions - all of them.
I'll give it a good look.

I hadn't thought of drilling into my table. I'm not opposed to it, it just
enver crossed my mind.

Kate

"Jack Casuso" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
I forgot one obvious but important thing, attach firmly to your current
table. I used clamps but found they were sometimes in the way. So I
measured and drilled the made table to match the predrilled holes in the
Craftsman's table. I also made my table slightly larger which gave me more
table space resulting in more stability.
"Jack Casuso" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Don't know if this might work for you but it might be worth a try. Make
> an other top for your scroll saw but make it square. Use cleats on the
> bottom of two edges to press against the current top. Measure carefully
> and drill a hole for your blade to go through. Then build a fence, cut
> two slots in the table so you can move the fence towards or away from the
> blade to give you less/more distance. Once you get it lined up, make
> reference points on the saw and the table for future set up. I was
> working on a project and got tired of the tiny, I mean tiny, pieces
> falling through the hole of my craftsman scroll saw so I used some plastic
> I had on hand. Worked great! Toy chest is now in the finishing state.
>
>
> "Kate" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> That part I've got...
>> The problem is how to figure a nearly exact straight line to place the
>> fence
>> on?
>> I will be mounting it to an unmarked round surface with only one point of
>> reference being a small blade that is not located to the center of the
>> circle. No other part of the saw is in straight alignment of the table.
>>
>> Kate
>>
>>
>> "SonomaProducts.com" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:da961b32-32f8-41a1-b4f4-41f5392e602e@s12g2000prg.googlegroups.com...
>> Just clamp a board to the table that runs parallel to the blade and
>> use it as a fence to guide the cuts.
>>
>> On Dec 11, 12:10 pm, "Kate" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> I have a Delta 16" scroll saw that I would like to use to cut some small
>>> pieces of stock with.
>>> The stock is 1/2" x 3" x 8"
>>>
>>> The table is completely round and there are no guides that I can find
>>> for
>>> setting up a jig so that when I push my pieces through they will cut
>>> nice
>>> and straight.
>>>
>>> Now I realize that many of you will tell me to just use my table saw,
>>> and
>>> this would be the best option, but in this particular case I need to
>>> utilize
>>> the thinner blade of the scroll saw so that I lose as little material as
>>> possible..
>>>
>>> Have any of you made up a jig for such a beast?
>>> if so, would you be willing to share tips and techinques?
>>>
>>> --
>>> Kate
>>> ______
>>> /l ,[____],
>>> l-L -OlllllllO-
>>> ()_)-()_)--)_)
>>>
>>> The shortest distance between two points,
>>> is a lot more fun in a Jeep!
>>> Wash behind your ears before you reply :¬)
>>
>>
>
>

I tried that once. Just a slight shift will cause it to be wavy. That won't
do because I cannot sand the cut edges more than about ammount it will take
to take the saw marks out.
The area is where the top and bottom of a box come together when closed.

K.


"Lew Hodgett" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

"Kate" wrote:

> I have a Delta 16" scroll saw that I would like to use to cut some
small
> pieces of stock with.
> The stock is 1/2" x 3" x 8"

Use a fine drafting pencil and layout cut lines on actual piece, then
cut by eye along line.

It is the way my landlord makes gasket cutting dies.

Lew

You can't use a guide because the blades don't cut "straight" - most
of them cut at some slight angle, which differs from blade to blade.

The best way to cut a straight line is to draw a straight line, then
follow it manually.