Chrestensen Burghout Designs

"Creating Original Art Through Wood"

"Choosing a Saw"

by Toni Burghout

(Canadian Woodcrafters)

There are a several different styles and brands of scroll saws available to the hobbyist today. You don’t have to invest a fortune in a saw to produce beautiful work. Granted, the higher end saws are more expensive and some have “creature comfort features” you would not normally have on the more economical models, but there is no reason why you can’t start with the department store model.

Although we cover saw selection in more depth in our Beginners Course and our "Scrollsawing - The Basics" Home Study Course, there are a few basic features very important to consider prior to purchasing your first scroll saw.

Select a saw based on the blade system, the throat size, and whether or not the saw has variable speed abilities. Of course, for most of us, comparative pricing is also a factor to consider.

Blade Systems

My first saw was a hardware store brand, 16” pinned blade with variable speeds. It was solid and dependable. I fell in love with scrollsawing and spent many hours with this saw. Too many in fact. Since the saw had a pin ended blade system, blade changes were tedious and inside cuts took time. On some projects, I literally felt like most of my time was spent working the blade and not the pattern. When I wasn’t limited to which project I could do because of the blade system, I would shy away from challenging projects because of the time- consuming blade functions.

There are two blade systems for scroll saws – pin ended and plain ended.

Some of the lower end scroll saws, such as my first one, utilizes the pin ended blade system. The blades are held into place using a small horizontal pin on the blade holder. These blades are more rigid and are not recommended for tight corners. There is also less of a selection on the blade sizes and tooth configurations. This system will limit the complexity of your projects because the blade will not fit through small feed holes (pilot holes) required for some intricate detailed patterns.

That said, I recommend purchasing a scroll saw with the plain ended blade system. Remember however, not all saws are the equal in regards to the plain ended blade systems employed. Take the time to try the saw before you purchase it. Find out exactly how much work is necessary to change the blades and to access the pilot holes necessary for inside cuts.

Throat Depth or Size

The throat depth or size is the clearance you have from your installed blade to the body of your saw. Since this measurement represents the largest board you will be able to cut, front to back, it will dictate the size of project you are comfortably able to do on your saw.

Note: Although spiral blades may be used to provide flexibility in size of project regardless of throat size, I don't recommended that beginners use spiral blades.

Cutting Speeds

Another important feature to look for in your saw is whether it has preset speeds or allows the operator to choose from variable speeds.

As a beginner, you should work on accuracy and not speed. Having a saw which has variable speeds allows you to gradually increase your cutting speed as your accuracy increases.

The speed which you cut is a very personal choice. There are several factors to consider when determining your cutting speed including; skill level, focus and concentration, distractions, blade selection, type and thickness of wood and of course, the level of difficulty in the project.

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© 2005 - 2007 Sue Chrestensen and Toni Burghout