This is one of the more recent models (with a tension adjustment right
by the blade and a built-in puffer).
1) How do you know when you don't have enough or too much tension on
the blade (beside the obvious ka-ching! as it snaps)? How much flex
should there be?
2) I need the blade to be absolutely vertical and at right angles to
the worksurface. The blade slopes slightly backwards and to the right.
How do you make these adjustments?
3) I also have a project coming up where I need to cut foam and Depron
(platic foam that used in meat trays), what is the recommended blade
to use so that I don't burn the foam or rip it to shreds?
I'll post the model numbers when I go downstairs next time....
Nate Perkins wrote:
> [email protected] (Byrocat) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
>
>>This is one of the more recent models (with a tension adjustment right
>>by the blade and a built-in puffer).
>>
>>1) How do you know when you don't have enough or too much tension on
>>the blade (beside the obvious ka-ching! as it snaps)? How much flex
>>should there be?
>
>
> Lightly pluck the blade, you'll hear the pitch of it increasing with
> the increased tension. Increase the tension until it makes a pitched
> ping sound. There shouldn't be any noticeable flex.
>
>
>>2) I need the blade to be absolutely vertical and at right angles to
>>the worksurface. The blade slopes slightly backwards and to the right.
>> How do you make these adjustments?
>
>
> You can set the blade to be square to the surface from side to side by
> tilting the tabletop. From front to back, there usually is no
> adjustment because the blade doesn't remain perfectly square anyway;
> it tilts slightly as it rocks.
>
>
>>3) I also have a project coming up where I need to cut foam and Depron
>>(platic foam that used in meat trays), what is the recommended blade
>>to use so that I don't burn the foam or rip it to shreds?
>
>
> Sorry, I don't know about that. I'd try the finest blade at the
> slowest speed setting.
>
> p.s. My scrollsaw is a Delta, but they are all pretty similar.
For cutting foam hot wire as some else mentioned. The most controllable
hot wire is nichrome with an adjustable power supply. For cutting
foam on a scroll saw I would use a fairly coarse blade to avoid
melting the foam. Use a zero clearance insert so the foam does not flex.
Byrocat wrote:
> This is one of the more recent models (with a tension adjustment right
> by the blade and a built-in puffer).
>
> 1) How do you know when you don't have enough or too much tension on
> the blade (beside the obvious ka-ching! as it snaps)? How much flex
> should there be?
Pluck it and listen to the pitch. The higher the better. Come to that I'm
not sure you can snap a blade by over-tensioning it. The rule on blades
like that is the tighter they are the better they perform and the longer
they last.
>
> 2) I need the blade to be absolutely vertical and at right angles to
> the worksurface. The blade slopes slightly backwards and to the right.
> How do you make these adjustments?
Use a machinists square to adjust the blade perfectly vertical. This will
probably involve setting the table angle. The backslope may be a
characteristic of the design and shouldn't be a problem if it is not too
extreme.
--RC
>
> 3) I also have a project coming up where I need to cut foam and Depron
> (platic foam that used in meat trays), what is the recommended blade
> to use so that I don't burn the foam or rip it to shreds?
>
> I'll post the model numbers when I go downstairs next time....
[email protected] (Byrocat) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> This is one of the more recent models (with a tension adjustment right
> by the blade and a built-in puffer).
>
> 1) How do you know when you don't have enough or too much tension on
> the blade (beside the obvious ka-ching! as it snaps)? How much flex
> should there be?
Lightly pluck the blade, you'll hear the pitch of it increasing with
the increased tension. Increase the tension until it makes a pitched
ping sound. There shouldn't be any noticeable flex.
> 2) I need the blade to be absolutely vertical and at right angles to
> the worksurface. The blade slopes slightly backwards and to the right.
> How do you make these adjustments?
You can set the blade to be square to the surface from side to side by
tilting the tabletop. From front to back, there usually is no
adjustment because the blade doesn't remain perfectly square anyway;
it tilts slightly as it rocks.
> 3) I also have a project coming up where I need to cut foam and Depron
> (platic foam that used in meat trays), what is the recommended blade
> to use so that I don't burn the foam or rip it to shreds?
Sorry, I don't know about that. I'd try the finest blade at the
slowest speed setting.
p.s. My scrollsaw is a Delta, but they are all pretty similar.
"mac davis" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> we used to cut a LOT of foam for model airplane wings, and the best
> way we found was a hot wire..
> we started with copper wire and a car battery, ended up within a year
> using some kind of tungsten wire and a power supply.. (i wasn't
> involved in that part)
>
Actualy, it's sheet Depron (5mm thickness). I've managed to rip strips with
no real problem except for making sure that I don't get flutter and my
fingers are well away from the blade as I guide ths sheet through.
FYI, here is the link to the thread on RCGroups:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=285011
There are pictures of my scrollsaw setup and the strips.
On 7 Oct 2004 12:12:52 -0700, [email protected] (Byrocat) wrote:
>This is one of the more recent models (with a tension adjustment right
>by the blade and a built-in puffer).
>
>1) How do you know when you don't have enough or too much tension on
>the blade (beside the obvious ka-ching! as it snaps)? How much flex
>should there be?
>2) I need the blade to be absolutely vertical and at right angles to
>the worksurface. The blade slopes slightly backwards and to the right.
> How do you make these adjustments?
>3) I also have a project coming up where I need to cut foam and Depron
>(platic foam that used in meat trays), what is the recommended blade
>to use so that I don't burn the foam or rip it to shreds?
>
>I'll post the model numbers when I go downstairs next time....
we used to cut a LOT of foam for model airplane wings, and the best
way we found was a hot wire..
we started with copper wire and a car battery, ended up within a year
using some kind of tungsten wire and a power supply.. (i wasn't
involved in that part)
Basically, you draw the hot wire through the foam and it cuts it like
you used a very good blade on wood..
Run in down a wood straight edge for simple cuts, for curved or repeat
work, make a form and follow the contours with the wire...
We learned this when my brother's model company out grew his garage
and we asked our foam vender what type of cutter the factory used..