Breaking blades

[powertools]

I am very new to scroll sawing and was looking for new blades. I came across the P'egas ones but it said that they were optimized for metal but would cut wood and to be honest that put me off and I got some of the yellow ones from Hobbies and they have transformed my work.
If the P'egas are good on wood I may also give them a try next time.

 

[martinka]

I am very new to scroll sawing and was looking for new blades. I came across the P'egas ones but it said that they were optimized for metal but would cut wood and to be honest that put me off and I got some of the yellow ones from Hobbies and they have transformed my work.
If the P'egas are good on wood I may also give them a try next time.

Pegas make blades for wood or for metal, just make sure you get the right ones. I imagine the ones for metal would be OK for wood, but not so much the other way round, but I don't know for certain.

Martin.

edit: There's a list of Pegas blades here: http://www.classichandtools.com/acatalo ... lades.html UK site too, so you can order from there as well. I'll compare the Pegas and Olson PGT on Sunday if I get chance.

 

[martinka]

I just tried Olson #5 reverse skip and Pegas #5 plain on some 1" wood that I am finding very tough to cut, and I couldn't tell the difference between them. Both will cut it, and in experienced hands, probably much faster than I was cutting it. I'll probably go with the Pegas as they are cheaper, though I have still to try FD/Niqua.

Martin.

 

[Bryan Bennett]

Hi Martin I have a pattern that I have not cut out yet,Sue Mey the designer has stated to use a No 12 blade to cut out the sides of the box,which will be around the 1 inch to 1 1/2 inch.I bought some from Workshop Heaven No 12 SPR ref 90.444.they were £5.20 a doz plus p&p.It may be a case of a larger blade than a No 5.Sorry but we are in a area that I have not been yet.

Bryan

 

[martinka]

Hi Bryan, you're spot on. I found a larger blade, the one that was actually in the Jet when I bought it, so I popped it in the Hegner and it easily cut the wood I'd had trouble with. I think the answer was having a blade big enough that I wasn't scared to put some pressure behind the wood.

Martin.

 

[mac1012]

pegas blades sound interesting I usually use niqua I have tried the olsen blades the diamond ground ones are the dogs cahoneys but a tad expensive for me the normal olsen ones I find quite good too.

I ready for some new ones so I going to order some

as a rule of thumb you should use the smallest blade to get the finished required so you step up in size the thicker the wood right ? well yes and no if you haven't any tight turns in say 1" and half wood thickness then skys the limit but if you have then a thicker stronger blade is not going to get in as tight so it a matter of finding a happy medium by not going bigger than you need.

the dark arts of tensioning mmmm #-o

I think you can probably over think things some times as the old saying goes it not rocket science (not quite ) if the cut drifting and blade moving a lot when pressure applied to wood then..... more tension !

I put as much on as I can get away with I know by the feel of the tensioning lever when pushing it down its just practise really I never pluck for the sound like I said put some on if looks like blade moving a lot put some more on blade usually has about 1mm approx. side movement on correct tension.

mark

 

[martinka]

if looks like blade moving a lot put some more on blade usually has about 1mm approx. side movement on correct tension.

mark

Trouble is, that 1mm is rather like the middle C; how do you achieve that figure? How much back to front, or side to side, pressure do you apply to make the blade move 1mm? A little bit, a lot, or a middling amount? :mrgreen: As you have pointed out, the only real way to find the correct tension is by experience. Of course, the 1mm and middle C are good starting points.

 

[mac1012]

I never really put that much thinking time into blade tension to be honest.

I not knocking the middle c club its just something I have never done, the way your work cuts will tell you all you need to know about blade tensioning.

mark

 

[martinka]

I never really put that much thinking time into blade tension to be honest.

I not knocking the middle c club its just something I have never done, the way your work cuts will tell you all you need to know about blade tensioning.

mark

I'm in complete agreement, Mark. Although your work probably won't tell you until you have had a lot of experience, then eventually it will (hopefully) become second nature.

Martin.