Scrolling 21mm American White Oak - Help!

[Aggrajag]

I'm no wood expert but I assume this post will apply to other hardwoods and oaks but I had two long planks of American White Oak from Arnold Lavers that I fancied using for three name-plaque/ornament/stands someone had asked me for and I thought it would contrast nicely, once waxed, against a simple light coloured plywood backing. Anyway I digress...

I have had an absolute nightmare cutting these, I guess I'm too used to pine and plywood but what the heck?

So to re-iterate, 21mm American White Oak, I tried Pegas Skip #7, Olson Mach #9, Olson Skip #9 and settled eventually using Olson PGT Double Reverse #9 as the best of a bad lot. I was tempted to try #12 but the various #12s I have all looked huge and didn't seem as though they'd be capable of the semi-detail I wanted.

The blades bend, wander, won't turn, then rapidly catch up on a slow turn (causing an angle rather than a curve,) they look great eventually at the face side but the bottom side the blade is well off the pattern (not critical but it'd look nicer.)

Even cutting a perfectly straight line, which can look great at the top, it drifts off on the underside with zero sideways pressure whatsoever. So what the heck am I doing wrong? I kept tightening the tension and it's not seemingly made a difference.

Here's one, waxed but not glued as I want to lower the middle layer first to hide the lights a little. To be fair on myself the picture doesn't do it justice but considering the EXCESSIVE amount of time I've spent on these it blummin' should look good!

 

[Claymore]

When you press on the side of the blade with your finger how much does it bend? I use Oak for most of my Intarsias usually around 1" thick but sometimes 1 1/2" and always use Pegas skip no5 blades...... i do have to go VERY slowly and put very little sideways pressure so the blade is basically skimming the surface and you gradually get used to the cutting speed. I tension mine so if you press on the side of the blade with your finger it only moves 2mm so pretty tight.
Must say though the one you have finished look superb. The worst thick wood i have found to use is Beech and Teak which blunts the blades very quickly.

Hope it helps
Cheers
Brian
ps wish we had Lavers up here I used to shop there when i lived in Yorkshire.

 

[Aggrajag]

Thanks Brian. I'm very surprised you're using a #5 but I'm going to give it a go because I feel it can't be worse. I'm onto another job or 3 at the moment but I'll go back and play with the offcuts from those 3 name stands.

I do have issues with the tension as the blades always come out of the bottom clamp and then bend into a useless Z shape when the machine comes back down. However I've removed the grubs and thumbscrews and cleaned them with alcohol so I'll see if that helps.

The wood wasn't cheap, I got 2 planks from Lavers, one was 3 metres, the other about 2 metres, no prices on the shelves anywhere so I thought I'd take a punt and nearly died when she said £44 which included a discount for a damaged end.