Thread: Scroll saw blade's

Need some recommendations for scroll saw blades to cut bone and horn. The horn is not so bad on the same blades I use for wood but the bone not so much.

Thanks
John

I have no recollection of the tooth count, but as fine as you can get them. Gentle on the feed or it will get real chippy.

Many teeth. Fine is all i can say.

I would think the best thing for cutting bone would be a tile saw with a water-cooled, diamond blade. If you plan on doing a lot of bone, that might be worth the investment. You can get them with 4 1/2" blades that might be suitable. That would provide very smooth cuts.

Would jeweller’s saw blades fit your scroll saw? They are very fine cutters designed for metal.

Originally Posted by DZEC

Would jeweller’s saw blades fit your scroll saw? They are very fine cutters designed for metal.

I don't know but sounds like something I could check into. Thanks

I cut antler, which is harder than bone, with a bandsaw.

Assuming you are cutting 1/8th inch bone you could cut it with a scroll saw but the thicker and harder a material is the fewer teeth you need. More teeth more heat and you break blades. Use a no.5-9 blade about14 TPI.

Making a long straight or curved cuts on hard or dense material is difficult to do with a scroll saw, easy on a band saw. More teeth cut slower and make it more difficult to follow a line.

Use fewer teeth, and cut close to your line, it will cut cooler and faster, then sand or file to your line. I buy my scroll saw blades from Flying Dutchman, he has quality blades at good prices and good quick service.

They also have a help line that might better recommend a blade. I have used their Polar line to cut Ebony with good success, it is a harder, thicker blade made for dense hard wood, antler, and bone.

If you have a scroll saw you know, using it is not as easy as it looks without a lot of practice. Do invest in quick release holders, they are worth every penny.

Originally Posted by Euclid440

I cut antler, which is harder than bone, with a bandsaw.

Assuming you are cutting 1/8th inch bone you could cut it with a scroll saw but the thicker and harder a material is the fewer teeth you need. More teeth more heat and you break blades. Use a no.5-9 blade about14 TPI.

Making a long straight or curved cuts on hard or dense material is difficult to do with a scroll saw, easy on a band saw. More teeth cut slower and make it more difficult to follow a line.

Use fewer teeth, and cut close to your line, it will cut cooler and faster, then sand or file to your line. I buy my scroll saw blades from Flying Dutchman, he has quality blades at good prices and good quick service.

They also have a help line that might better recommend a blade. I have used their Polar line to cut Ebony with good success, it is a harder, thicker blade made for dense hard wood, antler, and bone.

If you have a scroll saw you know, using it is not as easy as it looks without a lot of practice. Do invest in quick release holders, they are worth every penny.

Looks like my problem was using a No.2 blade I will give a it go with a No.5 then move up till I find what works best.
I am assuming that quick release holders are the blade holders or is it some kind of material holder?

Yea, there are aftermarket blade holders for most saws, that use large knobs in place of Allen keys or screws and make changing a blade a quick simple task. I switched years ago and don’t remember how the blades attached, except that I had to have a special key that frequently got misplaced. I have a Hegner saw that is 30 plus years old and still going strong. Just keep the bushings oiled.

You also want to calibrate your saw table and blade, so they are square and cutting up and down as square as possible. It will not matter much for cutting scales, but still a good idea to align the blade and table, it will also make blades last longer, by preventing binding and heat buildup.

Most saws use a rocking arm system so the blade cuts in a bit of an arc, front to back. /Not enough to make a difference for most tasks, but there is some adjustment,

There are some good scroll saw forums for advice and tips.

Originally Posted by Euclid440

Yea, there are aftermarket blade holders for most saws, that use large knobs in place of Allen keys or screws and make changing a blade a quick simple task. I switched years ago and don’t remember how the blades attached, except that I had to have a special key that frequently got misplaced. I have a Hegner saw that is 30 plus years old and still going strong. Just keep the bushings oiled.

You also want to calibrate your saw table and blade, so they are square and cutting up and down as square as possible. It will not matter much for cutting scales, but still a good idea to align the blade and table, it will also make blades last longer, by preventing binding and heat buildup.

Most saws use a rocking arm system so the blade cuts in a bit of an arc, front to back. /Not enough to make a difference for most tasks, but there is some adjustment,

There are some good scroll saw forums for advice and tips.

I know just about enough about scroll saws to get me into trouble. I have had mine for 10 years and it was used when I bought it. a old Delta 40-150. but I really only used it to cut foam and cork inlays for fishing rod handles. And because I never sell my tools I still have it and now found another use for it.