Am I going too fast for you ?

[Niimus]

So now I've set-up the Excalibur ex30 I got yesterday and started some cuts.

Now I'm getting to grips with the rather fiddly blade insertion and already broken a couple of blades (good job I had the forethought to buy 200-250 blades )
Now I have a speed control which goes from 400 to 1550 pm.
I'm using a Pegas No. 3 skip blade on 8mm ply (the ply the scroll saw was mounted on when it arrived).
I have scoured the web and cannot find any reference to the best speed to use, other than slow or fast.

What speed should I be using ? - given that any speed is just a 'guess' as the speed control has no markings, but with some idea of the speed to use I can at least get an approximation.
Should I be using 400 or 1550 or somewhere in-between ?

Many thanks,
Martin

 

[jonluv]

Use the speed the saw is happy with --- 8mm ply I would go about half way-- I usually cut 25 mm plus and like a high speed sometimes up to 1750, just depends on the wood being cut.
The saw will tell you what it likes
Good cutting
John

 

[Aggrajag]

I'd also say use the speed YOU are happy with. If you can't do tight turns without it running away from you then slow it down.

 

[Claymore]

..........

 

[Plasticdogz]

Completely new to this myself but have found scrolling to be a bit like welding you find your own speed the more you do

 

[nadnerb]

if you find the blade is running off the line at fast speeds then slow down, as the other contributors said, the speed you are comfortable working at is thew correct speed
Regards
Brendan