# Straight lines



## cherrytwin (7 Sep 2008)

hello everybody! 

how do you create straight lines when using a scroll saw, everytime i use it it jumps and the line doesn't come out straight 

(I have the Power craft scroll saw 90 W - Model MQ50 11B) 

Can anyone tell me why this is happening and how this can be fixed?


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## Gill (7 Sep 2008)

Hiya, cherrytwin - welcome to the forum  .

The concise answer to your question is... practise! Scroll saws are great for cutting curves but harder to use for cutting straight lines. For that you really need a band saw or a table saw, although neither of these can really deal with straight line piercing cuts.

The problem is that scroll saw blades are too thin to offer support to wood as it passes through - indeed, if the scroller applies even a little sideways pressure the blade can flex. Moreover, blades are made by stamping them out of metal and this invariably leads to a tendency for all scroll saw blades to have a bias towards the right. If you feed a piece of material into your saw, the blade will naturally wander off-line towards the right. Some blade manufacturers (such as Olsen) have sought to minimise this effect by offering 'precision ground blades' but most scrollers still detect some residual bias and the blades are quite pricey.

You can cut a straight line with a scroll saw but it takes practise. Since you're not intending to turn a curve, it's a good idea to use a large a blade as possible, such as a #12.

Gill


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## chrispuzzle (7 Sep 2008)

Hey cherrytwin -

When I need to cut a straight line I make some practise cuts on scrap wood first to establish the angle I need to feed the wood in order to compensate for the bias of that particular blade. Sometimes it can be as much as 20 degrees off centre.

It never works perfectly! But that's what sandpaper is for...


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## cherrytwin (9 Sep 2008)

Thank you very much that really helped me!!  :wink:


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## Red Gum (19 Oct 2008)

Have you tried trimming the back of the blade with a diamond file or small oil stone to take off the burr left over from manufacture. This also assists when tuning tight curves because the is no sharp edge to catch. The burr causes the blade to move off line.

It is quite easy to do this with the saw running just hold the stone at 45 degrees on each side of the back of the blade. The de burring needs to be done to the full length of the blade. It is quite safe to do.


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