My first scroll-saw. Now, what to do with it?

[nev]

I managed to glean an old saw from the boss, a Ferm FFZ-400N, hoping to dip my toe into the wonderful world of scrolling.

Having never seen one in the flesh let alone used one :shock: I thought I may try and document the journey here in the hope that I and others in a similar position can work from day 1.

I know its a basic saw, no variable speed etc but its probably similar to what most newcomers will start with so ...

First questions:

1. Blades*. Which, why and where from? (remember we're practicing)
The Ferm can take pinless 'with the supplied adaptor' but of course I do not have the adaptor. Is there a universal one that may fit?

2. Tension. When it comes to the blade, how tight is tight enough?

[youtube]FZwFP4xzEkk[/youtube]

3. Timber. For practice and getting used to the machine is mdf or cheap ply suitable? what thickness?

4. Pattern application. Which spray adhesive etc?

5. Should I have a zero tolerance insert to begin with?

*I have some blades which I believe are the correct size but are of course pinless.

Thank you in advance gents.

 

[nev]

and the first cut...

(homer) Don't try this at home folks, cutting one handed whilst holding the phone in the other is not good practice. (homer)

[youtube]1IQeHbuhiJs[/youtube]

 

[NazNomad]

Same as my first scroll saw.

Tip #1, take that clear blade guard off and throw it in a drawer.

 

[Claymore]

...........

 

[NazNomad]

I didn't notice the lack of blower. From experience, the rubber bulb under that plate is probably fubar. Does air puff out of the hole when you hold your finger on it (with the saw running)?

 

[AES]

@Nev. I hope the following helps:

Just as NazNomad says, get rid of that Perspex guide. It only gets in the way. Ditto if you have one of those hold-down thingies.

Your Qs:

1. Blades. Unless they are VERY coarse, or VERY fine, use what you've got for now. They'll be fine. As you say, you're "only" practicing right now, so internal cuts will come later. Even to start with, internal cuts with pinned blades are quite OK, the only difference will be as you start to improve, and want to do "better" inside cuts, pin less blades simply allow you to cut a smaller entry hole. Otherwise there's little real difference (IMHO).
As you progress, you can try Flying Dutchman blades (mail order from the US); you can try Hobbies own blades (which I believe are German made); you can get a German-made direct from Hegner, the scroll saw people; or, my own personal favourite, Pegas, Swiss made, which I believe in UK you can buy from Axi.
Also don't discount your local DIY Emporium for blades. I can't speak about the UK but here we have 2 big chains which sell German-made blades under the LUX Tools brand name, a brtand which I think is also available in UK. BTW, LUX do both pinned and pin less blades (if you don't find a suitable adaptor - I can't help with that 'cos I don't know your saw).

2. Blade tension: It sounded about right about 80% of the way through your 1st video clip. A high-ish "ping" sound is what you're after. The other guide is then blade shouldn't move fore and aft or L & R more than about one eight inch max.

3. Timber: MDF is lovely stuff to cut and an ideal cheap practice wood, BUT some people are allergic to the dust and though I'm not I still get a tickly nose after cutting it. So a mask is at least a sensible, if not VITAL precaution. Cheap ply is OK, as indeed is just about anything else you can lay your hands on (we bought a box of Clementines for Xmas and that wood - don't know what species, but a mixture of different thicknesses used) would have made an ideal no-cost practice medium. Also, to start with any old pine, hardboard, or just about anything else will do, but try to get different thicknesses (one sixteenth up to one inch plus) simply to get the feel of cutting shapes into different types and thicknesses of wood. They don't need to be big bits.

4. Pattern application. I use glue sticks. Only (slight) problem is getting the cut pattern off again (if that really matters on a practice piece). For "good" work I cover the wood with blue painter's masking tape first, then glue stick the pattern on, then probably (if a fiddly cut) cover the pattern with transparent sellotape. Make sure the parts of the pattern where you're going to cut are WELL glued down - rub hard all over with a soft before sellotaping.

5. Zero clearance: A big help when doing intricate cuts in thin stock (sixteenth and eighth), but to start off with don't bother.

Other: Sorry, I couldn't make you're video of the 1st cut work.

Try to visit some other (mainly US) sites, many of which have v good beginner's lessons and exercise patterns to down load.

I'll post some links in a 2nd post later on tonight.

Meantime, have fun, it's great. All the above are my own opinions/experience, and I stress that until I joined this Forum a few years back I knew absolutely NOTHING about scrolling.

HTH

AES

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Same as my first scroll saw.

Tip #1, take that clear blade guard off and throw it in a drawer.

I suspect that advice is apt for any power tool that comes with clear plastic blade guard.

 

[AES]

Nev: here's some useful links:

1. Cutting practice, videos and down load practice pattern: https://www.youtube.com/watch?annotatio ... gjeDBdGfZo

2. General patterns (some free): http://www.scrollsawartist.com/

3. Steve Good: (very good site): http://scrollsawworkshop.blogspot.ch/


4. A similar one to the above: http://www.scrollsawparadise.com/


5. "Scroll Saw School" (Steve Good again): http://www.stevedgood.com/school/sss.html

HTH

AES

 

[nev]

I didn't notice the lack of blower. From experience, the rubber bulb under that plate is probably fubar. Does air puff out of the hole when you hold your finger on it (with the saw running)?

No puffing so I will investigate in the morning.

 

[NazNomad]

Take out the two screws that hold the plastic plate to the top of the saw. There should be a rubber (for want of a better description) 'ballbag' under it.

Best guess, it's either split thought age, or missing. If it's split, don't bother trying to repair it - been there, done that. Also, don't order a replacement from anywhere, they seem to have changed the shape of the ballbag slightly and they don't work - also been there, done that.

Best thing is to get a cheap aquarium pump and rig up a pipe to blow the dust away.

As I recall, the pipe was held in a metal p-clip by the left-hand bolt that's fixing the plastic guard in place. I can't see that on your saw either. Page 4 of the manual here ... https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j ... qpobUvb5gg

best thing is try and rig up a flexible coolant pipe like this ...

https://www.proto-pic.co.uk/flexible-co ... ft-12.html

... that way, you can get it blowing exactly where you need it with ease.

 

[NazNomad]

Also, bolt the saw to a bench if you can. It'll vastly improve the 'handling'.

I always saw that a cheap saw bolted to a heavy bench will perform as well as an expensive saw that's allowed to leap around of its own accord.

Some of the stuff I made with my Ferm saw.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rh4XZ27_JFg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2PEstxRU1k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-N72MTHQNg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_UofNsDnfI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sly-uP8q6ns

 

[AES]

@ Nev:

+1 (& + another 1!) for NazNomad's advice about an aquarium pump, (pet shop) + the flex coolant pipe (Arc Eurotrade amongst others). Cheap and works VERY well (another tip I got from this Forum). BTW, I've even added another such set up to my band saw for small work/tight curve cutting (quarter inch blade).

And if you wish, send me a PM with your private E-mail and I'll send you a couple of .pdf,s with a "No Fail Blade Selection Chart" (from a US Scroll Sawing mag), and a series of detailed tech sheets from Pegas covering blade thicknesses, widths, entry hole sizes, and TPI,s etc, for both pinned and pinless, covering both their wood and metal (jeweller's) blades. For Pegas' own blades (of course) but seems to be pretty much applicable to other brands too.

As said, I don't know your saw but I bought a set of Axi's pinned/pinless adaptor for my old Einhel saw (now passed on, almost useless thing!). Adaptor didn't work so it's hanging around here idle. Include your full address in the above PM and I'll send you the Axi adaptor - it MAY fit your saw.

AES

 

[nev]

Inspected my 'ballbag' today and as expected it has expired due to age and non use
Next stop is the aquarium shop up the road for a pump et al.

Ordered a handful of Pegas blades from Axminster so I can eliminate blade quality from my list of things to blame when I can't follow a line.

So now we await the postman.

 

[NazNomad]

Inspected my 'ballbag' today and as expected it has expired due to age and non use

:lol: :lol:

 

[AES]

Obviously your "ballbag" needs more use nev! But what you think the postman can do about it I'm not quite clear

AES

A serious P.S: I had a similar set up on my Einhell saw. I had it from new and it NEVER worked properly and gave up completely soon afterwards. Useless idea - maybe OK if the correct material was used, but in practice, useless IMO.

AES

 

[donwatson]

I met the same problem with my Parkside and it was cured by Claymore sending me a good 'bawbag'.
If anyone wants the flexi hose I have one that Claymore also sent. (somewhere, I should find it). lol

take care
Don W

 

[nev]

Lesson 1* - Make sure your glue stick sticks!
If yer pattern's flapping about you can't follow the line :roll:

Lesson 2** - You need an air supply or you chance hyperventilating

Anxious to see if my new Pegas blades were any different to the ones that were with the machine (I'm impatient me ) I grabbed some glue sticks from the local cheap shop, printed off some test patterns (Thanks AES) and headed to the garage.
Dug out some old oak cabinet door pieces from the kindling bin and applied said pattern to wood*. I also covered it in clear packing tape. This worked fine for the heart and star pattern cuts but not so well for the snowflake which has lots of smaller 'fingers'. The pattern just started peeling up, so rather than risk losing a finger trying to hold down the paper I gave up on the snowflake for now, till I get some decent sticky stuff.

**I have my hoses/nozzles for the new blower but am still waiting for the pump and have discovered that sawdust build up is immediate and right in front of the blade so without a puffer you stand there chuffing away like Ivor the Engine on speed!

And yes, as expected the Pegas blades are superior to the unknowns I already have. Primarily they don't twist in use as the others did no matter how tight I had them.

Todays test bits..
I seem to be OK on the straight lines, not so much on the circles. Yet

 

[AES]

Well done nev. If those are really your first efforts then you clearly have an illustrious "career" in front of you!

Yup, agreed, "stickless" glue sticks are about as useful as worn out "ballbags" DAMHIKT!

And Yes, you'll find your aquarium pump will do a lot to reduce the risk of death by asphyixiation!!!

Glad you like the Pegas blades.

AES

 

[loftyhermes]

When the blower packed up I got a dogs squeaky rugby ball toy, took the squeak out and pushed the pipe in and glued it under the bottom arm.
happy scrolling
Steve

 

[NazNomad]

When the blower packed up I got a dogs squeaky rugby ball toy, took the squeak out and pushed the pipe in and glued it under the bottom arm.
happy scrolling
Steve

Should have left the squeaker in, that would have been hilarious. :-D