scroll saw for metal

monk

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Below you'll find a video I did a few years ago - move to minute 2:50 - you will see, how to start the cut with a bench jeweler saw. The blade I use there is about 0.25 mm witdh. Start slowly, don't hurry and feel the tool and what it needs and use the hole length of the blade - practice a lot and you'll be faster and faster.
[video]https://youtu.be/wf6IFKSFefk[/video]
mario: it's been a long time since we have heard from you. thanks for sharing your video. a very good one, i might add. i loved the little violin you showed. your video showed a valuable lesson on soldering. one can see the very slow application of heat. many apply too much, too fast. thus going to a disaster. thanks again, mario.
 

Mario Sarto

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Monk - thank you viewing it. It's old, but for some purposes like this it is still good. To see someone doing something helps me quite more than read about it only.
 

Steve L S

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Several years ago I needed to speed up my method for cutting intricate shapes out of non ferrous sheet metal and stumbled upon Frank Pozsgai and Mark Downings book "Scroll sawing in metal- patterns and techniques" http://www.skillspublish.com.au/BK10-98.htm. They discovered that sandwiching the sheet between one or two layers of ply, strapping it up with packing tape, which strangely acts as a lubricant, speeds up cutting and improves accuracy when using a variable speed electric powered scroll saw. They have good tips on blade selection and surprisingly I have found their tip on using skip tooth blades work well for me.
Regards
Steve from Sydney Australia
 

monk

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Monk - thank you viewing it. It's old, but for some purposes like this it is still good. To see someone doing something helps me quite more than read about it only.

mario: you're certainly correct. someone asked the other day if an older dvd had valid information. i responded by saying, " if it was good then, it's good now". your video is proof of that. thanks again for that. i'm like you-- i can learn more by observing a person that knows good technique, as opposed to reading about it. thanks again for that
 
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monk

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Several years ago I needed to speed up my method for cutting intricate shapes out of non ferrous sheet metal and stumbled upon Frank Pozsgai and Mark Downings book "Scroll sawing in metal- patterns and techniques" http://www.skillspublish.com.au/BK10-98.htm. They discovered that sandwiching the sheet between one or two layers of ply, strapping it up with packing tape, which strangely acts as a lubricant, speeds up cutting and improves accuracy when using a variable speed electric powered scroll saw. They have good tips on blade selection and surprisingly I have found their tip on using skip tooth blades work well for me.
Regards
Steve from Sydney Australia

i've done the "stacking" way before. i would have guessed the "skipped tooth" blade would immediately go dull. thanks for the tip.
 

monk

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this little gem arrived friday. i t has many similarities to the proxxon saw that i returned. the actual low speed on this is 600 spm. monday i'm going to swap"pots" in the unit. if i can get the spm significantly reduced, all will be good. will let you know what happens.
 

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dogcatcher

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I think I would try a router controller before swapping the "pots" out. I have several small sewing machine motors running a couple of jigs I use and the router controller works fine on them. Another option might be the Foredom desktop speed controller, a little higher priced but more reliable. No router controller, if you have the foot pedal for a Foredom, same as the Foredom desktop controller, just use your foot for speed control instead of the knob on the desktop version.
 

atexascowboy2011

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Hey Mario !

Excellent video !
BUT !!! Where is part two, etc. ?
Also, what brand/type of flux ? It appears to be a liquid hard solder flux and all I have ever seen for hard over here is paste.
Looking forward to more tutorials.
Jeff
 

atexascowboy2011

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For 20 years I also searched for the Holy Grail of scroll saws for my spurs.
Now, I am comfortable with piercing and filagreeing (3/16" steel) with Lee's titanium jeweler's saw frame.
Just keep the blade really lubed well and FOCUS on your cut !
It only takes one moment of inattention to tweak a blade and break it. I have used as many as a gross (144) of blades to do a pair of spurs, but the extra time and work pays off .
 

atexascowboy2011

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Thanks Dan!
I thought I searched Mario's site really well, but apparently overlooked the subsequent videos.
 

monk

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I think I would try a router controller before swapping the "pots" out. I have several small sewing machine motors running a couple of jigs I use and the router controller works fine on them. Another option might be the Foredom desktop speed controller, a little higher priced but more reliable. No router controller, if you have the foot pedal for a Foredom, same as the Foredom desktop controller, just use your foot for speed control instead of the knob on the desktop version.

brilliant ! i have 2 of those layin around just looking for some love ! i think i'll try this before my engineer pal tears the saw apart. it's his "calling" to create complicated solutions for simple problems !thanks for the tip.
 

monk

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For 20 years I also searched for the Holy Grail of scroll saws for my spurs.
Now, I am comfortable with piercing and filagreeing (3/16" steel) with Lee's titanium jeweler's saw frame.
Just keep the blade really lubed well and FOCUS on your cut !
It only takes one moment of inattention to tweak a blade and break it. I have used as many as a gross (144) of blades to do a pair of spurs, but the extra time and work pays off .

egads! i aint broke a gross of them in all the years iv'e been using the saws ! i went thru blades like crazy when first learning, though. i bought the knew concept saw several months ago. i've dulled a couple of blades, but have yet to snap one. then again, i'm not cutting steel such as you do.
 
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Lonestarr

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Monk I have been thru this my entire career, blade speed on either a bandsaw or scroll saw is a killer for blade life when cutting metal.....If you try to slow the scroll saw down with a speed control you will lose torque and stall the motor. The scroll drive system has to have some sort of gear reduction or or belt and sheave reduction to allow the motor to run fast and develop needed horse power.....A good example is modern drill motors, the bit may be barely turning but the motor is spooling up....You probably all ready know this, so I am just passing a comment.....I have a Dewalt and never been happy with the way it cuts silver, seems like slow blade speed makes it hard to control the cut....To be fair to the Dewalt I have not investigated all the different blades available today.....I find the scroll saws a little light duty for what I do in general....

Bob
 

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