Used blades - is there a use for them?

[martinka]

I have a scrollsaw but I'm not a scroller so forgive me if my idea is stupid.

As the top half of the blade is not used could you not clamp a piece of wood to the base so in effect your raising the the scroll table, by cutting on the 'elevated' table you would use the portion of the blade that is still presumably sharp.

Baldhead

Baidhead.

That is not a stupid idea, I have done this a number of times, the only thing you have to remember is that there is less room between the table and the top arm of the saw, at best you can get your knuckles whacked,or your fingers jammed between the work piece and the top arm, having said that the same thing can happen if you are cutting thick stock.


I have often thought it would be a good move if a scroll saw manufacturer made a saw with a table that could be raised, therefore making better use of the blade. But I suspect the engineering cost would put it above any affordable price point for most users. :shock:

Take care.

Chris R.

I use an auxillary BB ply table that is 8mm thick. As I use the short stroke on the Hegner, I can remove the auxillary table and have what is basically a new blade, as long as whatever I am cutting isn't thicker than 8mm. The difficult part is remembering which used blades are which size.

 

[Philip n]

The Proxxon DS115/E saw has a height adjustable head/upper blade holder that allows the user to get maximum use from the blade. Japanese scroll saws use a similar design, but I'm surprised that no more advanced machines than the Proxxon have adopted the feature in this part of the world.

 

[toesy]

Chris R.[/quote]

I use an auxillary BB ply table that is 8mm thick. As I use the short stroke on the Hegner, I can remove the auxillary table and have what is basically a new blade, as long as whatever I am cutting isn't thicker than 8mm. The difficult part is remembering which used blades are which size. [/quote]

Chris R - you sir are a GENIUS, thank you !

 

[woodndrum]

. . The difficult part is remembering which used blades are which size. /quote]
I keep a piece of 45 x10 x 150mm cherry with six 4mm rare earth magnets glued in flush to the surface. In front of that row there is a strip of masking tape, on which I can scribble the blade size. Helps keep the best, part used blades to hand when cutting a large or complex piece.

Not quite relevant to th op, but might help someone!

 

[toesy]

Woodndrum - that's also brilliant, off to order some magnets..

Many thanks

 

[scrimper]

Not a scroller myself but assuming I could avoid breaking the blades on a regular basis it would grieve me to throw away a blade that had 70 % of it's teeth unused.

Being a scrimper I do agree but you do have to take into account the fact that the blades only cost around 10 to 15 pence each and in fairness the blades do still cut although not as well or as efficiently as when new. Many of the posters on here do some really top quality work, streets ahead of my modest offerings and having a really sharp blade ensures them top results. I find that I tend to use my blades for a lot longer than many on here, I find they are fine for general purpose work even when a little worn out. If I am doing something more intricate I will use a new blade.

What is more of a waste is those so-called hardened teeth tenon or handsaws that you have to throw the whole thing away when blunt as they can't be sharpened! At least with a fretsaw you are only chucking a thin blade away rather than the whole tool!