{"id":8670,"date":"2022-11-26T09:42:26","date_gmt":"2022-11-26T14:42:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bob-easton.com\/blog\/?p=8670"},"modified":"2024-09-14T13:53:47","modified_gmt":"2024-09-14T17:53:47","slug":"new-frame-saw-scroll-saw","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bob-easton.com\/blog\/new-frame-saw-scroll-saw\/","title":{"rendered":"New Frame Saw \/ Scroll Saw"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It’s smoother, more accurate, quieter, and doesn’t scare the children.<\/p>\n\n\n

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My previous scroll saw<\/a> was an attachment for my treadle powered lathe. It was built from a postage stamp sized drawing by Roy Underhill. While it served well for years, it is a clanky, rickety, wobbly, insanely noisy collection of loose parts pretending to almost work as a saw. Accuracy is subjective. Yet, I cut many wood carving projects with it and was satisfied until arriving at a new project that wants several parts thicker than the saw could handle; basswood parts that are 3 inches thick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This new saw, also treadle operated, is a simple frame saw that has the frame moving in a vertical plane, riding very smoothly on drawer slides.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The support frame is simply an unfinished flat assembly of construction grade 2 x 4 lumber, joined by half-laps. It clamps to the front face of my workbench. Drop a rope from the bottom of the moving frame, loop it around a hinged treadle, and we have the motive power that pulls against the spring at the top of the support frame. That spring is only a couple of strips of quarter inch thick lattice, and more rope. Functional, not pretty.  It has the added benefit of storing away in minimal space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the table that supports the workpiece, I use my woodcarving bench-on-bench sitting behind the frame. Clamped to the bench is a piece of cabinet shelving with a hole drilled for the blade. Simple, and as with the other parts, easily stored in minimal space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The saw frame itself is poplar, using bridle joinery. Most important are the blade holding pins and blade. These are parts from the Tools For Working Wood 12″ bow saw<\/a>. I’ve used them before for a wonderful turning saw and for that earlier scroll saw. I cannot say enough good about them. The bottom pin has its flange trapped by a wood block screwed to the bottom of the frame. The top pin is adjustable thanks to being pinned inside a lamp pipe which can move inside that upper block. Tensioning is via a slightly bent cross bar. A variety of blades from TFWW<\/a> offer a good range of cutting options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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top blade holder<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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top holder details<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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bottom blade holder<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n
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So, how well does it work? Two answers. The next photo shows the parts of a new carving project, all but one cut with this saw. They are 2 and 3 inches thick, with the longest being 21 inches long. The video shows a comparison between the old saw and the new. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What I haven’t shown you are the smiles that come along with using the new one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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