clamps keep slipping

[evanso82]

Hi,
Ive just started to use my scroll saw again after not using it for most of the summer, and I think I realise why I stopped. The blades keeping coming out of the clamps, I was cutting some 25mm oak using a #5 blade I must of used 8 blades making about 5 little cuts. I have got a jet jss 16, is there anything I can do to stop it happening, I have tried sanding the clamps but that did t seem to help. Has anyone got any ideas before things get thrown across my garage, again.

Thanks
Mark

 

[Claymore]

How do the clamps tighten Mark? do you use an allen key or thumbscrews?
Brian

 

[evanso82]

Ive replaced the allen keys with thumbscrews

 

[AES]

@evanso82:

Are you sure that your thumbscrews are going fully home (flat against the blade end)? And is the business end of each thumbscrew completely flat (e.g. no burrs or bits of muck on the ends)? And are the blade ends at all oily? And are the other side of the clamps (what the blade sits against when it's clamped by the thumbscrews) also flat and muck free?

If those suggestions don't help then I think I'll come and help you throw your machine!

AES

 

[NazNomad]

AES, the screws don't contact the blade, they just squeeze the blade holder together. I've seen a modification that involves cutting the blade holder but I can remember where it was on here.

Edit: found it ... scroll-saw-and-long-stock-t30821-15.html

 

[evanso82]

Thanks for the advise AES, ill give that a good if not ill try doing the modification to the clamps, it looks a good idea.

 

[AES]

Ah, OK NazNomad. I'm not familiar with that blade clamping system, sorry. Thanks for the link. My suggestions obviously do not apply, I'll keep my mouth shut!

AES

 

[novocaine]

I'd be surprised if you are getting enough pressure from a thumbscrew to hold the blade tight (as your link shows, you have to compress the clamp), try going back to allen keys first to see if that helps. if it does then consider bigger thumb screws, I made my own but still need to use an extension to get the lower clamp tight.

 

[evanso82]

This is what i use to tighten up the top clamp, and the picture is the bottom clamp. am not sure i can get them much tighter than i do already

http://www.wdsltd.co.uk/product/3606/cl ... y-wds-8189

 

[Claymore]

Mark I have used the same levers as you mention on my scroll saw and found them to be excellent at gripping so maybe there is another problem? can't think of any others and the guys above have mentioned the usual fix for it.
Have you tried different sized blades like a 3 and 7 etc?

Brian

 

[evanso82]

Not tried it with anpther blade, ill have to have a play tomorrow night, off to play football now, its annyoing its always done it say once an hour but it was every 10 second the other night so it was really annoying

 

[evanso82]

Update, i sanded the end of the blade and inside the clamps and it worked fine for the 10 minutes I had to play around, I dont know what else I did differently so touch wood it carries on been ok, thanks for all the advise guys

 

[Claymore]

fingers crossed your sorted now Mark......there's not much these guys on here don't know about scroll saws and if they don't they will always try and help get people sorted
Have fun
Brian

 

[NazNomad]

Also, if the blades are new, I've read that degreasing them might help.