OK! NEED HELP ON 3D SCROLL SAW PROJECTS

A friend of mine does this kind of scroll saw work and he holds the pieces together with rubber bands and masking tape. No clamps. He used FD #5 blades and says it is hard to make it come out even all around. Here is a photo of some of his work with cedar.

-- In God We Trust

I have done it with masking or painters tape. It doesn’t apply pressure so it won’t pinch.

-- Jim Beachler, Chief Puzzler, http://www.hollowwoodworks.com

I use clear packing tape. You can still see the patterns and something in the tape seems to lubricate the blade. Make your first cuts and then tape it all back together with packing tape…making sure that the tape goes on as flat as possible on the side that will contact the saw.

-- Jeff , Illinois Please...can I stay in the basement a little longer, please!

I wish I could help more, but I have never done compound cuts on the scrollsaw.

I’m not sure if it’ll work out correctly on the scrollsaw, but a couple of pointers I’ve learned by doing compound cuts on the bandsaw.
Apply your pattern to one side, cut that side, tape the waste back on, and apply the second side pattern,lining up with an uncut side or corner, instead of the waste stock. The reason for this is, once the waste area is altered (kerf material now gone) it messes up the dimensions for the second side to be cut. This is something you have to consider if you want everything matching on both sides. That can get confusing and takes practice.
After cutting one side, tape the waste back on. Don’t use clamps. If you tighten a clamp up enough to hold the wood together, it is also enough force to close the wood on the blade as you make your next cut. This creates all kinds of issues, including potentially breaking your blade.
When taping the wood back together, do not depend on simply wraping the wood in tape. As you make your next cuts, things will then start to fall apart like an unsupported 3D puzzle. Instead, wrape in in several different directions. If need be, as parts fall away, tape them back on to keep things together until you’re finished cutting. I do this by tacking a nail into the wooden frame of my band saw stand and hanging a roll of masking tape on it. You might try something similar at the scroll saw.

Lastly, you said that at times the blade does not want to cooperate. This is usually a sign of either the blade not having enough tension for the operation you’re doing, the blade not being large enough for the operation you’re doing, or a dull blade. Only experience and trying different methods can help you figure out which is the reason for your troubles.

-- http://wddsrfinewoodworks.blogspot.com/

Check out Steve Good’s blog. He has a video on it plus instructions with a pattern. Also Diana Thompson has information on her site regarding compound cutting as she does alot of it.
Rick

-- Rick - DeWalt 788 - www.thescrollerandtoler.com

Like Rick suggested, Steve Good also has a clamping jig to hold the wood http://stevedgo.ipower.com/cat/?page_id=170 I cut up old playing cards into small strips and wedge them into the saw kerfs after making the first cuts to help the parts from pinching back together before wrapping with packing tape.
Mike

-- Mike

Check this jig out.. Reviewed by Steve Good

Available at: BigFoot Products Press-N-Grip

Masking tape works well enough on most compound cuts, but Steve Good does have some good jig ideas too. You are cutting in quite thick material and the while the lower end scroll saws have 2” capacity in height, they are usually underpowered for such thick cuts, even in Pine. Thicker blades like a #7 or higher are best with the thick stuff and slower speeds help if you have variable speed control. I would also suggest you buy a scrollsaw basics book if you don’t have one already. Happy scrolling!

-- Mike, American in Norway

Thanks Stefang. Because I don’t do much compound cutting, I did not even take into account the thick wood usually associated with it.

Here, Olson also sells some blades (pinless only) specifically made for thick wood. I have tried them. I keep a dozen on hand just in case. They do a very good job. However, like Stefang said, you need variable speed.
I tried these on one of my saws without variable speed and it eat the teeth off of them before I got in inch into one inch thick wood.
Thick wood just build heat to quick on thin scroll saw blades, especially these. The gullet comes out to a very thin point. This aids in clearing sawdust from the cut, something that is a problem in thicker woods.
You need variable speed. Slow the speed down and play with it until you find a happy medium on the cut rate and feed rate without quickly frying the blades. When I use these, I use them on my Delta with the variable speed knob only about half way up.

-- http://wddsrfinewoodworks.blogspot.com/