Scroll saw for segmenting?

[yaroslaw]

Hi!

I want to try some less basic segmenting, but I have no electric saw at my hand. I was thinking, if small scroll saw would be good for pen segmenting? They look better quality then small band saws, and take less space. And I have almost no space to buy normal size band saw (and not so much money).

So any thoughts on using scroll saw for pen segmenting - basic and advanced?

 

[RMayoIII]

I've never tried it but it should work. Might take a bit longer than using a bandsaw but the cut should be cleaner = less sanding

 

[Mack C.]

Here's a couple of Long Clicks scrollsawed by a friend of mine. He didn't feel they were worth the effort of turning them into pens. I did!:biggrin:

 

[skiprat]

I may be wrong, but I reckon a cheap bandsaw is better than a cheap scrollsaw. In the UK at least, the prices are very similar for both.
Out of those two tools, I'd get the bandsaw every time.
So many more uses.

When you get to serious skill level like Seamus or Jeff Powell with a scroll saw then you may prefer the scrollsaw.

I have a mid range scroll saw that struggles with a full size blank and is pretty much collecting dust.

 

[plantman]

I have used my scroll saws for inlaying items in my blanks quite often. I have made blanks like the ones Mack has above, and also added brass, copper, plastic, and, aluminum swirls to my blanks. I agree with skiprat, a table top bandsaw would be better, and more useful than a cheap scrollsaw. You will never be happy with a cheap scrollsaw. Jim S

 

[yaroslaw]

Tabletop bandsaws looks so clumsy, that I do not believe I can have straight cut on them. And money and space I have only for one instrument now... Scroll saws in same price range ($200) looks much more sturdy and stable. But I've just checked power rate and scroll saws are much less powerful...

 

[SteveG]

My view on this is to favor the low cost band saw over the low cost scroller. you can do a few things tune-up wise on the band saw and make it perform. There is not a corresponding "fix" for the low cost scroll saw. (You just have to throw it out the window and buy a good one!)

I suggest do not worry about the power consumption. Either machine is only running for brief periods during the work day, so the total power consumed is relatively small. And you would probably end up running a scroll saw for longer periods for the same work results anyhow.

Steve

 

[StephenM]

I'd vote for neither. I do all my segmenting with a disc sander and a hand miter saw.

 

[Nick]

Here's a couple of Long Clicks scrollsawed by a friend of mine. He didn't feel they were worth the effort of turning them into pens. I did!:biggrin:

Mack IMHO these look great excellent work, very well done by you and your friend.

 

[Gary Beasley]

Even a cheap scrollsaw will do a better job with a good blade. If you can get a Flying Dutchman blade you will know what I'm talking about.
That said you will have a very hard time doing a straight cut with a scroll saw so fitting segments together done on a scrollsaw would be an exercise in futility unless you are doing inlays and putting the cut pieces back together. It can be done, but it takes a high level of skill and equipment to do a good job.

 

[Dan26]

I've used my scroll saw for a few pens. Not always segmenting, though.

 

[Mr Vic]

Even a cheap scrollsaw will do a better job with a good blade. If you can get a Flying Dutchman blade you will know what I'm talking about.
That said you will have a very hard time doing a straight cut with a scroll saw so fitting segments together done on a scrollsaw would be an exercise in futility unless you are doing inlays and putting the cut pieces back together. It can be done, but it takes a high level of skill and equipment to do a good job.

+10...I have two scroll saws, table saw and a bndsaw...For Straight cuts the band saw and table saw stand well above a scroll saw...You just won't get a clean straight cut. They're designed for scrolling...