CHOOSING SCROLL SAW BLADES

There are many kinds and sizes of blades, the beginning scroller could very easily get very confused in choosing the right blade for the right job. There are two major kinds of blades, plain end or pin end types. Plain-end blades are five inches long and will fit most scroll saws.

IMPORTANT: Remember the teeth must always point down. Be sure to check this when installing the blade.

The major seven types of blades are:

1. Standard Tooth Blades

The teeth are all the same size and distance apart on standard tooth blades. There are two major kinds: wood blades and metal blades. The wood blades have larger teeth and more space between the teeth. They are designed to clear the sawdust as you cut.

2. Skip-tooth Blades

These blades are similar to the standard tooth blades, but every other tooth is missing. The space (gullet) between teeth is much wider and keeps the blade cooler. They are especially good for beginning scrollers.

3. Double-tooth Blades

This blade is a skip-tooth blade with a large space between sets of two teeth. These blades cut slightly slower but leave a very smooth cut.

4. Reverse Skip-tooth Blades

This blade is exactly like the regular skip- tooth blade, except the last few bottom teeth point upward. This is great for preventing tear- out or splintering on the bottom of the cut and for use with plywood.

When using a reverse skip-tooth blade you must set the blade in the clamps so that only two or three teeth are pointing up above the table top when the saw arm is in its highest position. You may have to trim a little from the bottom of the blade to accomplish this.

5. Precision-ground Blades

These blades are actually a skip-tooth blade with small teeth that have been ground to shape rather than simply filed. These blades are much sharper, cut in a straight line and leave a very smooth surface.

6. Spiral Blades

These blades are simply a group of blades twisted together so there are teeth all the way around. You can cut in all directions without turning the wood. There are a few applications for this kind of blade, but they leave a very rough, wide surface, cannot make a tight or sharp corner and have a tendency to stretch as you use them.

7. Crown-tooth Blades

This is a totally new design in scroll saw blades. The teeth are shaped like a crown with a space between each crown. The nice part is that the blade can be put in either way, so there is no upside down with these blades. I find they cut a little slower than a regular blade, but they are good for cutting plastic.

When the blade dulls you can reverse ends and have a sharp blade again.