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Tutorial by Curtis Rist - in association with Amazon.com
Woodworking Tutorial: The Scroll Saw
Definition: A scroll saw is a hand or power saw with a narrow ribbonlike blade for cutting thin boards, veneers, or plates into ornamental scrollwork. It is especially used for cutting curves or irregular shapes.
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Cutting Curves
Bandsaws and jig saws can cut curves, but as power tools they're fearsome and often dangerous to use. The scroll saw, by comparison, is a domesticated beast. Its strandlike blade, which is just 3 to 5 inches long, moves between two parallel arms that pulsate rapidly up and down through a hole in the cutting table. So gentle is the motion, however, that if you accidentally touch the blade with your finger, it probably won't even make a cut.
For this reason, the scroll saw is a delight for the hobbyist. It is a favorite for turning out thin wood panels known as fretwork that can be used for boxes or wall decorations, and for creating fancy details for brackets and even the Victorian gingerbread trim used on porches. |
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 Clean, accurate cuts without the need for finishing. This is the perfect machine for tool and die making, model building, toy repairs, puzzle sawing, architectural work, antique restoration, etc. It operates problem-free, even when cutting acrylics, fiberglass, polystyrene foams, rubber, leather and cork.The unit offers a super cutting capacity (wood 1 1/2", plastics 1 3/16", non-ferrous metals 25/64") and yet runs with only a hum. The air blower with adjustable nozzle provides clear visibility of work piece and cutting line. The unit's machine base of cast iron offers the needed stability for vibration-free operation. The sturdy aluminum die-cast table tilts up to 45°, allowing a lot of special effects like incised lettering, sawing chamfers, inlays and marquetry. |
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 Dollar for dollar, the Multimax 14e remains one of the purest cutting machines available. Its 14" throat is ample for many classic scollsaw projects, and its thickness capacity of just under 2" easily handles even muitiple layers of the 1/2" and 3/4" material most commonly used for typical scrolling.
• All cast construction
• Single Speed Maintenance free sealed induction motor
• Easy blade change
• Highly precise
• Unsurpassed reliabilty |
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 The Hegner 18" Variable Speed saw is compact, quiet, precise and versatile, lets you cut almost any material and make a wide variety of projects.
Hegner scroll saws are known for easy blade installation, long blade life, superb cutting control, smooth and quiet operation, accurate sawing, smooth edges without sanding, and unsurpassed reliability.
The 18-V is Hegner's most popular model.
• Double Quicklock Tensioning System
• Electronic Variable Speed Induction Motor
• Highly Precise and Reliable
• 7 Year Manufacturer's Warranty against defects |
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 Shop Series present another great value for your home workshop - the 16 inch scroll saw. Variable speed and a 4/5" stroke ensure clean accurate cuts while the 0 to 45 degree bevelling table lets you make more specialized cuts, It is also equipped with a dust port and dust blower to keep the work area clean and safe.
• Lightweight and easy to transport
• Flexible dust blower
• Table bevels 0 to 45 degrees
Variable speed for precision cuts
• Flexible dust blower
• On board dust blower
• Flexible dust blower
• Dust port for dust extraction |
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• 20" variable speed scroll saw (400-1,750 rpm)
• Double parallel-link arm reduces vibration
• Tool-free blade clamps
• Front-located on/off switch
• Flexible dust blower
• Cast-iron table
• Includes saw, hex wrench, blades
• 29-1/2" x 19-1/2" x 12.1"
• Weighs 56 lbs
• 3-year warranty |
• Accessories for DeWalt DW788 20" Scroll Saw: |
• DeWalt DW7880 Scroll Saw Stand
• DeWalt DW7881 Scroll Saw Work Light
• Delta 40-620 3 Dozen Assorted Scroll Saw Blades
• Empire Manufacturing TSS-12D TopSaver Surface Protectant |
Choosing a Blade |
| Scroll saws can be fitted with an assortment of blades that can cut everything from hard acrylic to bathroom tiles with ease, making it a good all-purpose saw - as long as the job is a small one. Scroll saw blades come in a profusion of styles and teeth sizes, and choosing one for a job often comes down to a matter of taste.
See all scroll saw blades.
- In general, precision-ground teeth are harder than regular blades, and rarely break.
- Some blades cut only on the downstroke, but a reverse-toothed blade--the most popular choice for hobbyists--also has teeth that cut on the upstroke, making for a smoother cut.
- Each tooth on a crown-toothed blade cuts both on the upstroke and downstroke, making it ideal for plastics and veneers.
- Skip-toothed blades, as the name indicates, contain gaps that pull sawdust away so the blades can move without friction. This reduces the risk of leaving burn marks on the wood.
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 Cut a wide variety of materials with this 16-inch, 1.2 amp electronic variable-speed scroll saw. The parallel-arm mechanism provides efficiency and accuracy while the cast-iron base gives you stability and vibration-free cutting. You can change blades easily with the tool-free blade change system and quickly adjust blade tension with a handy lever. Your scroll saw purchase includes a saw blade and two hex wrenches.
• 1.2 amps; variable speed, 400 to 1,600 spm
• Bevel cut to 45 degree left and 15 degree right
• Tool-free blade change
• Cast-iron base
• One-year warranty |
| Curtis Rist, a writer for "This Old House" magazine, parks his power tool collection in New York's Hudson River Valley. |
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