Scroll saw blade life

[Apache_sim]

I know this is probably a " how long is a piece of string question" .
But: How long can I expect a blade to last?

I am primarily cutting hardwoods, oak, chestnut, sapelle, walnut etc.
Thickness about 12 to 25 mm.

Should I change the blade with each new project?

 

[Chippygeoff]

As Gill once explained on here some time ago. A blade will basically last about 20 minutes. A lot depends on what make of blades you are using. I find that Flying Dutchman blades last the longest. I to make everything in hardwoods. I have a batch of Hobbies Niqua blades I am waiting to use up. They are not very good. They are okay for a couple of minutes and then I can feel them struggling. I find when a blade starts to get blunt it is more difficult to stay on the line of the pattern, obviously is cuts slower as well. I cover the work piece with clear packing tape, this halps reduce a lot of friction, it cuts quicker and it also prevents burns.

 

[scrimper]

20 minutes ? :shock: I must be doing something wrong or right, my blades seem to last a hell of a lot longer than that, I suppose it depends on what one is cutting, in my case softwood or ply.

 

[martinka]

It seems strange that the Niqua blades aren't up to much from Hobbies when the FD blades are made by the same company. Are they likely to make good blades for FD and poor ones for Hobbies? It doesn't seem like it would be a good way to do business. Yet ChrisR buys Niqua blades from Hegner and has no complaints. Still, there's nothing to say they can't put a bad batch out now and then, anything is possible.

 

[ChrisR]

Yes I use (Niuua) blades mainly reverse tooth in No 3,5 and 7, accurate cut and good service life.

Apache-sim. You will soon get the feel of when the blade needs changing, by the amount of forward pressure you need to apply. With a new free cutting blade, you have less chance of making over cuts, than you are pushing against a blunt blade.

It is possible to get a bad batch of blades. I had a batch a few years ago, can’t remember the make, at first I thought it was me, I could not cut on a line to save my life.
Changed to a new batch of blades, all was well, tried the other batch again to make sure, before binning them. :x


Take care.

Chris R.

 

[powertools]

First thing to say is that I am probably the least experienced scroller on this forum judging by some of the work I have seen that some of the other members do.
I don't use enough blades to make any sense to order from the USA so I can't comment on their quality, I use the Yellow Niqua blades from Hobbies and find them to be good blades and Hobbies a good company to deal with.
Just my thoughts and not saying that any other opinion is wrong.

 

[Apache_sim]

All this is good to know, as a new scroller ( if that is the correct term) I am just getting the feel of things, I tried to use some very fine blades, yesterday ( 2/0 I think) from Axminster and within a few seconds the cut wass getting difficult.
At first I thought it was just me, but clearly, I need to change blades more frequently