# What am I doing wrong?



## lumberjoe (Mar 30, 2012)

So I've had a scroll saw for about 8 months and I finally decided to give it a shot tonight. No matter what I do, I cannot follow a line. It seems when I put pressure on the blade, it wanders. I've tried speed, more tension (bad idea) less tension (bad idea) and different blades. I practiced on a piece of cherry - about 3/8 thick with a No2 Olson plain end blade.

Any good places to look for the basics? I'd really like to start scrolling as I have a few projects in mind that would benefit from some fretwork


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## b2rtch (Jan 20, 2010)

I never used a scroll saw in my life, did you check YouTube or other videos?

https://www.google.com/#bav=on.2,or.r_cp.r_qf.&fp=9e2c13b57a36ff47&q=how+to+use+scroll+saw+video


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## Handtooler (Jul 24, 2012)

ASK LJ Sheila Landry! She's the real McCoy. Go to blogs or Jocks, find her and drop her a PM. She'll be glad to stop her busy chores of the day of painting, pattern making and scrolling solve your problem. Keep us advised, Please.


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## CFrye (May 13, 2013)

I'm no expert either. Here are a few who are…
Sheila Landry (Scrollgirl) did a LJ series of classes here. 
Steve Good explains cutting a straight line on a scrollsaw here.
Helped me understand. 
As with anything it takes practice. Your first inlay cutting board wasn't perfect…keep trying!


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## americancanuck (Apr 4, 2011)

Go to the classes section here on lumber jocks and find Sheila Landrys series on scroll sawing. It was invaluable to me when I started and I still go back and look at it all the time.


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## Handtooler (Jul 24, 2012)

Candy, Thanks for Steve Good's video It's invaluable knowedge


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

Since no one has mentioned "feed rate", I will. Scroll saws are small scale cutters and NOT like BSs and TSs. You need to slow down… a lot. Also note that some woods with coarse grain will cause the blade to jump/follow the grain. Just my 2-cents…


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## scrollsaw (Nov 6, 2007)

Make sure your blade is not loose and take your time.The more you scroll the better you will get


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## kepy (Mar 5, 2012)

You might want to try a softer wood to get you started. The main thing is to let the saw do the work without forcing. A little larger blade for beginning might also help (maybe a #5 or 7).


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## lumberjoe (Mar 30, 2012)

Thanks guys. Candy, that's what I was looking for.

Mike, you are correct. I think my major problem problem is balancing stroke speed and feed rate. I need to find a good combo that works. If I feed slow I find I have to use more pressure than I like and the blade really wanders/deflects. Too fast of a feed and the tracking is waaaay off.

From my experience with other tools (routers, bandsaws, jigsaws), the results I was getting indicated a major tool setup issue since no matter what I did I could not get a proper cut. After looking at some of the stuff mentioned here, technique plays a very large role.


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## distrbd (Sep 14, 2011)

I am a total newbie with a scroll saw(and woodworking in general).For me ,in order to cut straight ,I always sit to the right of the blade and feed the piece I'm cutting towards the left(slightly) and forward.
Another tip I learned from an old timer is: it is alright to go back and forth ever so slightly ,to cut on the line.

I hope this helped,there's a great scroll saw you can check out,great members and lots and lots of info:
http://www.scrollsawer.com/forum/


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## RolfBe (Jun 7, 2013)

I have been scrolling for about 8+ years and have learned a few thing in that time. 
First all blades tend to cut to one side (with a few exceptions) that is because of how they are manufactured. There is a burr that will cause them to cut to your right as you face the saw. You learn to compensate for that.
The main thing is to use quality blades Olson, Flying Dutchman, Pegas to name a few. The next thing is blade tension. Judy Gale Roberts had a great audio file on her site that gives you an idea on how the blade should sound. Another thing is to look where you are going not where you have been like when you drive. 
Once you remove the pattern no one will know that you wandered off the line.


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## DKV (Jul 18, 2011)

Lumberjoe, is your problem completely solved. Any revelations you care to share? Thanks,


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## lanwater (May 14, 2010)

lumberjoe, I have mine for 3 over 3 years and I only used it a handful of time.
I cant cut strait or make an angle. I am also rushing.


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## lumberjoe (Mar 30, 2012)

Yeah. 1 word - DRIFT. I'm able to do some pretty acceptable scrolling now that I figured out the drift angle of my saw. That was the biggest thing setting me back. it gets tricky when the piece changes directions. I have to remember what side of the line/pattern to keep the blade on so I am working against the drift instead of letting it wander.

I'm not sure if this is normal, but instead of trying to fight with it, I made friends with it. Also playing with FPM and feed rate was a big help. I tend to speed things up (both) when doing long sweeping curves or straight portions, then slow things down when it's about to get intricate - not unlike driving a high performance vehicle at it's edge.


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## DKV (Jul 18, 2011)

Thanks lumberjoe. Every little bit of feedback helps.


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## wbrisett (Dec 21, 2011)

lumberjoe: I love scrolling. While I can appreciate all the tools in my shop (saws, routers, jointers, planer)... nothing is more relaxing than sitting down and doing some scroll saw project. I've been doing it for nearly 10 years now. While you can't use spiral blades on everything, I tend to use spiral blades on about 90% of the projects I do…even when the recommend some other blade. I find it's easier to control the cut and and follow the line. 

I'll tell you what I tell my daughter. Don't force it. Let the wood and blade do the work. you're just there to guide the pieces. As somebody else mentioned, a scroll saw isn't a bandsaw. You're not going to get bonus points for making it cut in some way it doesn't want to cut (like I've done on a band saw). 

Best of luck with your project!


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

I have been doing a lot of scroll sawing the past six years. Double bevel inlay and toy making, mostly. This is cutting 3/4" solid wood. I do not cut plywood nor do I do fretwork. Scroll saw blades cut across the grain a lot easier than with the grain so the feed rate drops a lot when going with the grain. Large grain wood like fir or pine are a problem because the blade will want to follow the grain. Other issues with blade wondering are, blade tension, feed rate,wood thickness, side pressure on the blade while cutting and your position while cutting. (I sit directly in front of the saw).


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