CUTTING SAFELY

I can 't overemphasize the importance of changing blades often. As soon as a blade starts to slow, burn the wood, loosen in the blade clamp, or wander, it is time to toss it out and bring in a new one. Blades are cheap and wood is not. Make sure you have enough blades on hand to complete your project so that you are not tempted to push through to the end with a dying blade. If you do a lot of scrolling, buy blades by the gross to save on cost.
Do not rush your project, and never force the wood into the blade. Rushing and forcing will cause the blade to wander, dull more quickly, and create uneven lines, therefore ruining your project. Forcing can also cause premature wear on your expensive scroll saw. Take your time and do it right. Always allow your saw to do the work, and ease the wood into the blade.
You can choose what speed to run the saw; I recommend setting it at just under half speed. Many people cut full tilt without an issue, but my preference is to cut slowly, simply following the pattern lines as I go until the work is done. The result is clean and visually pleasing. There is nothing worse than spending hours cutting a piece only to have a cutout get away from you due to a wandering and dull blade.

Even I sometimes make mistakes! Just take your time and do not rush—slow and steady makes the cut clean and accurate.

STACK CUTTING

Stack cutting lets you cut several pieces of a project—or multiple projects, like coasters—at one time. Essentially, you attach several blanks together and cut them as one unit. My favorite way to attach the blanks is with painter's tape, as shown here, but you can also do it with hot glue between the blanks or even nails. lf you use nails, cut and sand them flush to avoid scratching your table. 

Prep your pieces of wood. Here, l've used bamboo (top) and sassafras.

Attach the pattern to one piece like normal, then stack the two pieces and securely tape them together using painter's tape. You can do up to three pieces at a time as long as the stack doesn't get too thick—stay at or below 3/4" (19mm).

Scroll the stack just like normal.

You get two coasters for the price of one!