What a scroll saw does
The blade is about 5 in long and held taut between two arms. A motor drives it up and down; the teeth point down toward the table, so it cuts on the downstroke. DEWALT's manual puts it plainly: scroll saws cut on the downstroke, so the teeth must face forward and down. Because the blade is narrow and moves straight up and down rather than running around wheels, the work can be turned in tight curves; and because the blade can be freed at one end and threaded through a drilled hole, the saw can cut an opening inside a board without a cut in from the edge. That is what separates it from a band saw, whose blade is a closed loop. WEN calls its saw basically a curve-cutting machine that can also make straight and bevel cuts.
Two scroll saws by their makers' figures
| Specification | DEWALT DW788 | WEN 3921 |
|---|---|---|
| Sold as | 20 in | 16 in |
| Throat | Not stated in the manual | 16 in |
| Stroke | Not stated in the manual | 9/16 in |
| Speed | 400 to 1,750 strokes per minute | 550 to 1600 SPM |
| Maximum thickness | 2 in | 2 in at 90° |
| Table tilt | 45° left and right, detent at 0° | 0° to 45° left |
| Blades | 5 in plain-end only | 5 in pinned and pinless |
| Chip clearing | Adjustable air hose | Dust blower, plus a dust port for a hose or vacuum |
| Hold-down | Material hold-down, never removed | Blade guard foot |
Each figure is the maker's own. On the WEN the size it is sold as and the throat are both 16 in; the DW788 manual gives the size but not the throat.
Equipment notePaid link
Scroll saw
DEWALT DW788
The DEWALT saw in the table above: sold as a 20 in saw, 400 to 1,750 strokes per minute, plain-end blades only.
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Throat, stroke and capacity
- Throat. The distance from the blade back to the arm's support limits how far into a wide panel the blade can reach. WEN gives 16 in for its saw.
- Stroke. How far the blade travels up and down each time: 9/16 in on the WEN. The DW788 manual does not state its stroke.
- Thickness capacity. Both manuals give 2 in. DEWALT says not to cut material thicker than that; WEN says the best results come in wood 1 in thick or less and to feed thicker wood slowly without bending or twisting the blade.
- Table tilt. For bevel cuts the table tilts — both ways on the DW788, to the left only on the WEN. On both the hold-down or guard foot is re-set parallel to the tilted table.
Speed is strokes per minute
A scroll saw's speed is counted in strokes per minute (SPM), not in the blade speed of a band saw or the rpm of a router. The DW788 runs from 400 to 1,750 strokes per minute; its knob is numbered 1 to 8, and DEWALT says those numbers are speed ranges, not speeds. The WEN runs from 550 to 1600 SPM. DEWALT recommends slower speeds for metals, plastics, harder woods and very thin materials. WEN's blade table suggests 500 to 1200 SPM for 10 to 15 TPI blades and 800 to 1700 SPM for 15 to 28 TPI blades; the upper figure is above the WEN saw's own 1600 SPM, so read it as a general table and use the saw's range.
Blades and their ends
Scroll saw blades are 5 in long on both saws here. What differs is the end. Plain-end (pinless) blades are clamped by a thumbscrew or holder; pinned blades have a small cross pin at each end that hooks into the holder. Which a saw takes is machine-specific: the DW788 manual says to use only 5 in plain-end blades; the WEN takes both, with a different holder for each. WEN says pinned blades are thicker for stability and faster to fit. The cost is the starter hole: on Olson's chart every pin-end blade needs a 3/16 in pilot hole, while its plain-end skip-tooth blades need 1/32 to 5/64 in. Olson notes that its pin-end blades are for machines that require them.
| Style | What Olson says it does |
|---|---|
| Skip tooth | Fast cuts with a smooth finish and good chip clearance |
| Double tooth | Two teeth together then a space; cuts fast with clean edges in wood and plastic |
| Reverse tooth | Skip teeth with reverse teeth that cut on the upstroke to stop tear-out on the underside; best with 1 to 2 reverse teeth above the table on the upstroke |
| Crown tooth | Cuts on both strokes; can be turned over when worn |
| Spiral | Cuts in all directions without turning the work; one of its uses is bevel-cut letters |
Olson numbers its blades from 3/0 upward and advises lower numbers for thinner stock and tighter radii, higher numbers for thicker stock and more general cuts. Its finest double-tooth blades are listed for veining, line art and marquetry. WEN advises the narrowest blades for intricate curves, wider blades for straight and large curves, and very fine, narrow blades in wood 1/4 in thick or less.
Blades wear quickly. WEN says scroll saw blades generally stay sharp for 1/2 hour to 2 hours of cutting, depending on the cut and the wood, and that a beginner should expect some breakages while learning.
Blower and dust collection are different things
Both saws here blow air at the blade. DEWALT's air hose is there to keep the work area free from dust and debris and should blow sawdust away from the operator; WEN's dust blower is aimed at both the blade and the work. A blower moves dust; it does not collect it. Collection needs a port and something to pull air through it: the WEN has a dust port, 1.21 in inside diameter, for a hose or vacuum accessory that is not provided, and the DW788 manual describes no port. Both manuals call for a dust mask, and DEWALT warns that some sawing dust, such as from chemically treated lumber, contains harmful chemicals. Collectors themselves are covered in the dust collector guide.
Rules the manuals share
- Secure the saw to a bench or stand; DEWALT adds that the bench or stand should be secured to the floor.
- Unplug the saw before changing a blade or making adjustments.
- Fit the blade with the teeth pointing down, and set its tension before starting.
- Set the hold-down or guard foot to the work; DEWALT says never to remove its hold-down, which is also a barrier between fingers and blade.
- Hold the work firmly on the table and feed it only as fast as the saw cuts; never reach under the table while the saw runs.
- Switch off and wait for the blade to stop before removing scraps or jammed pieces.
Safety— Hands and small pieces
WEN warns not to cut a piece too small to hold safely and not to place your fingers where a slip or a shift of the work would carry them into the blade. Round and irregular pieces can roll or pinch the blade. General shop rules are in woodworking safety rules and protective equipment in woodworking safety equipment.
Before using a scroll saw
- Saw bolted or clamped to a bench or stand
- Blade of the end type the saw takes, teeth pointing down
- Tension set; saw unplugged while fitting
- Hold-down or guard foot resting on the work
- Blower aimed at the line; dust port connected, if fitted
- Speed chosen for the material
Where to go next
- Using the saw: how to use a scroll saw, from fitting a blade to inside cuts.
- Projects: scroll saw projects for beginners and scroll saw projects with fretwork and a stacked-ring box, and intarsia, pictures built from shaped, fitted pieces cut on the same saw.
- Choosing a saw: how to choose a scroll saw.
- Other saws: the band saw guide for thicker curves and resawing, the coping saw guide for curves by hand, and the saw guide for the whole family.
Sources
Every speed, capacity, tilt and blade figure is the named maker's for its own saw or blade, and the two saws differ; none is given as a rule. The DW788 manual does not state a throat or stroke, so none is given for it. Blade figures are Olson's for its own blades. No saw was tested.
- 1.
DW788 20" (508 mm) Heavy Duty Variable Speed Scroll Saw instruction manual. DEWALT.
Used for: The DW788, sold as a 20 in saw: 400 to 1,750 strokes per minute on a knob whose numbers 1 to 8 are speed ranges, slower speeds for metals, plastics, harder woods and very thin materials; a 2 in maximum thickness; a table that bevels 45° left and right with a detent at 0°; 5 in plain-end blades only, teeth facing forward and down because scroll saws cut on the downstroke; tension set by a lever and varying with blade size; a material hold-down that must contact the work and is never removed; an adjustable air hose that blows sawdust away from the operator; three mounting holes and the saw secured to a bench or stand.
- 2.
3921 16" Variable Speed Scroll Saw operator's manual. WEN Products.
Used for: The 3921: a 16 in throat, a 9/16 in stroke, 550 to 1600 SPM, 2 in at 90°, a table that tilts 0° to 45° left, 5 in pinned and pinless blades with two styles of holder, a blade guard foot, a dust blower aimed at the blade and work, a dust port of 1.21 in inside diameter for a hose or vacuum not provided, 27.5 lb; best results in wood 1 in thick or less; a blade table of 500 to 1200 SPM for 10 to 15 TPI and 800 to 1700 SPM for 15 to 28 TPI; narrow blades for intricate curves and wider ones for straight and large curves; blades that generally stay sharp for 1/2 hour to 2 hours of cutting.
- 3.
Scroll Saw Blade Selection Chart. Olson Saw Company, 2020.
Used for: Blades by universal number, width, thickness, teeth per inch, tooth style and pilot hole — skip, double, reverse, crown, spiral and pin-end; lower numbers for thinner stock and tighter radii, higher for thicker stock and general cuts; spiral blades cutting in all directions; pin-end blades for machines that require them, each with a 3/16 in pilot hole; a blade for veining, line art and marquetry.
About this guide
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