Newbie to scrolling

[Bodrighy]

I have just acqured a scroll saw thanks to the generosity of a forum member. It is (in his words) just a chaiwanese one but hey, it cuts wood. I had a go when it arrived on a piece of 1" pine and it worked fine. I am hoping to use it in conjunction with my turning and will post anything I do for critique and advice. I haven't a cluwe what make it is as it doesn'y have a name on it, just a serial number.

Question, first of many probably, :lol: at present it takes pinned blades but looking at it I can't see any reasin why I can't drill a hole for a screw and use unpinned. I ask because i have been given a packet of unpinned blades (Flying Dutchman) which I understand are amongst the best.

pete

 

[StevieB]

Some pictures would help as some of the cheaper saws can be adapted to take pinless blades and some cannot. Pinless blades tend to be used for much finer cuts than pinned blades and FD are the brand of choice of many scrollers. A pinless blade is usually clamped in a block which sits above the point where the pin would sit on a pinned blade. You may have enough room tofit a block above this point, you may not depending on the saw. All blades are 5" long so this is the maximum distance between blocks.

Best of luck with it!

Steve

 

[Gill]

I hope you enjoy this new aspect of your woodwork, Pete. I've had a few ideas for integrating scrolled and turned work, but not being a turner has hampered any progress.

Like Steve says, without actually seeing the saw it's difficult to comment on how it might be adapted to take pinless blades. I have heard of some scrollers taking a pinless blade, drilling holes into it at the top and bottom, then passing veneer pins through so they can be retained in the clamps. It sounds a bit messy to me . Probably better to see how much you like scrolling and upgrade to a better quality machine later if you need to.

 

[Bodrighy]

I hope you enjoy this new aspect of your woodwork, Pete. I've had a few ideas for integrating scrolled and turned work, but not being a turner has hampered any progress.

Probably better to see how much you like scrolling and upgrade to a better quality machine later if you need to.

Care to share the ideas? I am always open to collaboration :lol:

I suspect that scrolling can become addictive just like turning. 8-[ This one wil do me to get going and get used to the feel of the thing. I have no doubt that I will end up cursing it's limitations but that's for the future. Once I can use this one to it's full extent then will be the time to convince myself I need something better. I'll see if I can get a picture up for you experts to advise on

Pete

 

[big soft moose]

Pete - welcome to the top of yet another slope

btw what happened to that delta you were going to get for 20 notes ?

 

[Gill]

Care to share the ideas? I am always open to collaboration...

Two ideas, really. The first is to make pen blanks using scrolled or inlaid sections of wood which, when turned, will produce pictures. The second is to inlay a picture into a piece of wood, sandwich it between two circular blanks, then turn a dish so the inlay is visible at the bottom when the inside of the dish is gouged out. It might even be possible to recess the inlay into one of the blanks using a router, but that's a bit ambitious for the time being .

I don't know how feasible either idea is, although I've seen pen blanks produced like this before. A couple of years ago I was invited to Paul's bash in Brum and it would have been nice to have discussed my thoughts with the turners, but unfortunately I wasn't able to attend. I did scroll a couple of small, simple, inlaid blanks for dishes in preparation though. If you're interested in seeing what you can do with them, I'll send them to you (if I can find them :roll: ) .

 

[big soft moose]

Gill

greggy did a nice one of your former idea for his entry into the turning comp - it had little fishes on it

i'm not sure that the later is feasible because most dish bottoms are, well, dished - therefore if you sandwich an insert between two blanks then turn a bowl you will wind up going through the insert which will only be visible as a line in the sides.

might be a better bet to turn a flat bottomed dish and then rout and insert the pattern after the turning

 

[Gill]

Hi BSM

I believe it might be more feasible than you realise :lol: !

It's a case of working out the technique, really. Don't forget, scrollers can cut inlays several centimetres thick. It's not as if we have to use 0.5mm thick marquetry veneers.

 

[Bodrighy]

Looking at that it is more of a platter with a flatter base. I think that it is worth a try if only to see how it turns out (sorry, pun not intended ) If was thick, and on a curve it might look a bit distorted, stretched around the curve.

Pete

 

[gasmansteve]

Hi Pete
I have a Scheppach decoflex scrollsaw and that can take pinless and also pin blades. I attach pinless type blades with two little clamps top and bottom which hold the blade in position with an allen key the whole blade plus clamps then fit into position through a top and bottom lug.Haven`t been using a scrollsaw for long so not sure if these are a universal clamp to fit all scrollsaws or just for mine. I can take a picture if it will help
Regards
Steve