# Fitting new blades



## JimiJimi (2 Feb 2013)

Hi all

After all the excellent advice I received on buying a scroll saw (recommended: Hegner, Axminster), I was offered a Rexon SS16SA for the bargain price of £40, so I am learning the basics on that. I have run into a problem with changing the blades, however. How can I tell which way up the blade goes in? Also, the wood is jumping about like mad - whichever way up I put the blade in. Is there a reason for this?

Jimi.


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## Gary Morris (2 Feb 2013)

Hi Jimi
I'm like you, learning the basics, but I'm pretty sure the direction of the blades should 'point down' as this will push the work piece down onto the table. The cutting stroke is on the downward stroke. 
Not too sure why the piece is jumping about - I think this would occur mainly if the teeth are pointing up, pulling the work piece up.
Hope this helps Jimi - someone with experience is sure to post soon

Gary


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## Mike M (2 Feb 2013)

You need more tension, more speed. Do not push too hard into the blade or the blade will grab the wood.
Let the blade do the cutting and never be in a hurry.
FD Mike


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## JimiJimi (7 Feb 2013)

Thanks Mike - a combination of more tension and more speed sorted the problem out.

Gary- what you are saying makes perfect sense but the blade teeth are so tiny - it is tricky to decide which way they are pointing!

Jimi.


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## stevebuk (7 Feb 2013)

JimiJimi":8cc11m4n said:


> Thanks Mike - a combination of more tension and more speed sorted the problem out.
> 
> Gary- what you are saying makes perfect sense but the blade teeth are so tiny - it is tricky to decide which way they are pointing!
> 
> Jimi.



run your finger lightly up and down the blade, you will then find out which way the teeth are facing, you are probably pushing the wood to fast/hard into the blade, slow down the feed rate and make sure your blade is sharp also..


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## Gill (7 Feb 2013)

I'm surprised anyone would want to learn how to scroll using blades with teeth so fine that it is difficult to determine their direction! Use coarser blades.


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## boysie39 (7 Feb 2013)

I must say that when I started off a few months ago I was using Steve's method for finding top or bottom of my blades ,still do really ,  then I began using the Ultra Reverse from Mike's and they have a dimple on the top which makes it pretty easy to get them right way up . :roll: I still out of habit run my finger on the blade BEFORE I mount it in the saw :lol: force of habit I suppose .

Interesting what Gill said about using heavier blades ,I use No's 3-5 mostly on a few occasions I have used a No. 7 .I find it easier to manouver the thinner blades , I suppose with practice it becomes easier to use the heavier blades to do the work I am using the 3-5 for now .Something to strive for :lol: .


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## stevebuk (7 Feb 2013)

it depends on what you are cutting eugene, i cut a lot of 3/4 beech/oak and i use no 7 ultra reverse, but if i was cutting thinner stuff i would change my blade down according to that..


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## Wilder (7 Feb 2013)

Sorry, folks, but I cheat! I ordered reverse FD blades from Mike and found that I just couldn't see of feel what way up to put them.......... so I bought a magnifying glass! 

Stevebuk - interesting that you mentioned using No 7 on 3/4 inch oak. I have been having trouble using No. 5s, so I will give 7s a try.


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## stevebuk (7 Feb 2013)

Wilder":1ap91f7i said:


> Sorry, folks, but I cheat! I ordered reverse FD blades from Mike and found that I just couldn't see of feel what way up to put them.......... so I bought a magnifying glass!
> 
> Stevebuk - interesting that you mentioned using No 7 on 3/4 inch oak. I have been having trouble using No. 5s, so I will give 7s a try.




you could also try the #9 too, but you get less sharp turning area so just need to watch those inside cuts too..


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## Gill (7 Feb 2013)

The stroke length for the Rexon is only 19 mm so you will need all the help you can get in clearing sawdust when you cut 3/4" oak. If you're not already doing so, I suggest you use skip-tooth blades.


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## JimiJimi (12 Feb 2013)

Gill":1me9wpfo said:


> I'm surprised anyone would want to learn how to scroll using blades with teeth so fine that it is difficult to determine their direction! Use coarser blades.



Hi Gill

I was given a handful of blades when I bought the saw so I'm just using what I have got.

Jimi


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## Gill (12 Feb 2013)

Ah - I see  ! Generally speaking, it's a wise move to use scroll saw blades of which you know the provenance. Niqua, Flying Dutchman, Pegas, Olsen and Pebeco all tend to be brands you can trust and which will cut well. Blades from unknown manufacturers (often ones which retailers package with new saws) are noted for performing poorly.


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## Carter Johnson (12 Feb 2013)

Here's why a person uses very, very thin blades. This stamp is cut with 8/0 jewelers' blades. This, I think, is the smallest-sized stamp issued in the U.S. I carry a couple of these puzzles in my pocket at all times and give them out wherever I want to be remembered.

Carter


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## boysie39 (13 Feb 2013)

Carter , that is so fantastic . Others may have but I have never seen anything like that albeit in a short scrolling career but in a pretty long lifetime .

What scroll saw, timber?? if any and most of all what magnification . I am going to Google you ,

Thank you so much for showing .


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## Gill (13 Feb 2013)

Carter's jigsaws are magnificent. I wish we could buy such cheap postage stamps in the UK. I'd love to hear suggestions for what we might use as an affordable alternative.


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## marcros (13 Feb 2013)

what about used stamps- particularly commemorative ones? or look on ebay for some green shield/co-op etc stamps. They will have no value anymore, so for the price of a stamp you could probably get an envelope full. even if you needed half a dozen to make up the size it would be worthwhile.

could the post office print you one of the new style ones with a value of a penny?


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## RoyB (13 Feb 2013)

Hi Gill. I have been making the small jigsaws for a while and initially I bought a pack of old stamps from WHSmith but now use photos that I miniaturise. I can't for some reason (probably operative error  ) post photos but I can send an email with some examples if that would help. Carter was a great help advising how to make the puzzles and he very kindly sent one of his postage stamp puzzles over.
Roy


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## stevebuk (13 Feb 2013)

RoyB":198d9pwx said:


> Hi Gill. I have been making the small jigsaws for a while and initially I bought a pack of old stamps from WHSmith but now use photos that I miniaturise. I can't for some reason (probably operative error  ) post photos but I can send an email with some examples if that would help. Carter was a great help advising how to make the puzzles and he very kindly sent one of his postage stamp puzzles over.
> Roy




if you email them to me Roy i will put them on here for you..


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## Gary Morris (13 Feb 2013)

Lovely jigsaw Carter, what are the dimensions, it looks quite tiny?
Can you still buy low value stamps? I know you used to be able to, they were used to make up postage to a certain value. I still have some 1p ones somewhere.

Gary


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## Gill (13 Feb 2013)

There don't seem to be any cheap stamps which are decorative, unfortunately. Penny stamps just have a picture of the Queen's head. The latest set of stamps would be nice to use but at 60p each, they're too expensive. I have thought of copying and printing them out but I'm not sure what the quality would be like. Moreover, it rather defeats the purpose of the exercise which is to make a miniature jigsaw from a common artifact in the style of Carter.


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## Carter Johnson (13 Feb 2013)

With apologies to Jimi for inadvertently changing the subject of this thread, let me try to answer the questions you kind folks have posed.

I have an ordinary DeWalt scroll saw and, as I said, the blades are jewelers' blades. It's hard to tell which way the teeth point until I put the blade in the saw and tighten the tension. Even so, I break two blades for every one I can get to last five or six stamps. I'd be willing to bet I've cut 2000 or more of these bird 1-cent stamps. They went out of print three or four years ago and I've been paying increasingly higher prices over the internet from collectors.

The stamp is one inch tall (25 mm) and 13/16" or 23 mm wide. The wood I prefer is 5-ply, 1/4" poplar, though any 1/4" wood will work.

Here is an amateurish video (I made a few years ago of my fingers cutting one of these, along with my voice describing what I'm doing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88botpX0aSI 

If you have further questions you want to ask directly, feel free to email me at [email protected].

Hope this helps. ..... Carter


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## bassethound (13 Feb 2013)

Very much enjoyed looking at that video, Thank you for that it was incredible as far as i am concerned, those blades you are using seem very tiny to me, oh well we can all dream to do that sort of thing and thanks again for posting the video!
:| 

Regards Ted...


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## Gary Morris (13 Feb 2013)

Excellent video, the pieces are so small! I'd like to have a try after I get some practice under my belt, using the picture postage stamps we get over here. I was thinking... When you buy a new packet of blades (I haven't yet as I got some with my saw) should they not be all packeted the same way up? Then all you would have to do is find out the saw direction on the one and then mark the packet. I suppose it depends on how there produced.

Gary


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## Lee J (26 Feb 2013)

don't forget it is illegal to deface the Queens head! Sawing her up will get you locked in the tower.


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## Gill (26 Feb 2013)

No it wouldn't. It's not illegal.


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