Tensioning scrollsaw blades!

[lastminute]

Our school is fitted with Hegners...being new to scrollsaws, how will I know when the tension is correct...musical notes has been mentioned!!...also what is the best type of blade (No.) to use... mostly mdf is used and also some ply.
Thanks for any help.

Gerry

 

[TRUSTINGGIBBSIE]

Steve Good has a piece of software that tells you. http://www.scrollsawworkshop.blogspot.com.au/

Noel

 

[Mike M]

The blade should not move sideways more than 1/8", don't know what that is in mm. However that is almost too much.
I have a Hegner and when I tightened the tension handel I can feel when I don't have enough. When it goes very easy, I need more tension. You also need good speed and a low feed rate.
FD Mike

 

[chrispuzzle]

The blade should not move sideways more than 1/8", don't know what that is in mm. However that is almost too much.
I have a Hegner and when I tightened the tension handel I can feel when I don't have enough. When it goes very easy, I need more tension. You also need good speed and a low feed rate.
FD Mike

It's about 3mm.

I find it depends on the thickness of the blade. If I am using one of Mike's superior puzzle blades I want it to flex a bit more than if I've got a thick heavy blade in there. But all blades must flex a little bit or they are likely to break as you put pressure on them while turning the workpiece to cut a curve.

The "musical note" should be a clear ringing tone. I use the same type of blade most of the time, and having found my preferred tension, I have marked the tensioning knob so I can go straight to it every time.

 

[TRUSTINGGIBBSIE]

The type and size of the blade depends on a number of factors. Blades are numbered by size - #2/0 being basically the smallest and it goes up to (I think) #12. A rule of thumb supposedly says that there should be at least 3 teeth in the workpiece at one time. It also depends on how intricate the project is. Bigger blades will not turn as sharp as the smaller ones. For 6mm timber, and for jobs that are reasonably intricate I would not use a blade bigger than #2. And, personally, I find that Olsons turn a lot better than the others. For very intricate work I quite often use a #2/0. Also, reverse blades leave a lot less "fuzz" under the workpiece. REverse blades have teeth facing upwards at the botton, so that all teeth are going into the timber. In normal blades all the teeth face downwards and as they exit the timber on the bottom they leave the "fuzz". Reverse blades also do less damage to the underside of the timber.

Hope you can understand my ramblings! lolol.

Noel