Basic Scroll Saw Operations - Dremel 1680 Owner's Manual

Basic Scroll Saw Operations

Follow these instructions for operating your Scroll Saw to
get the best results and to minimize the likelihood of per-
sonal injury.
ALWAYS OBSERVE THE SAFETY PRE-
WARNING
!
CAUTIONS HERE AND ON PAGES 2, 3, 4,
AND 5.
1. Protection: Eyes, Hands, Face, Ears and Body
TO AVOID BEING PULLED INTO THE
WARNING
!
BLADE—
DO NOT WEAR: Loose Fitting Gloves
Necktie
Loose Clothing
Jewelry
DO: TIE BACK LONG HAIR
ROLL LONG SLEEVES ABOVE
ELBOWS
• The saw does not cut wood by itself. You allow the saw
to cut wood by guiding the wood into the blade as it
moves.
• The blade teeth cut ONLY on the down stroke.
• The drop foot should always be lowered until it just rests
on top of the workpiece.
• You must feed the wood into the blade slowly because
the teeth of the blade are very small and they can only
remove wood when they are on the down stroke. The
blade will flex backwards when applying feed pressure.
Too much feed pressure will cause blade breakage.
• There is a learning curve for each person who wants to
use this saw. During that period of time it is expected that
some blades will break until you learn how to use the saw
and receive the greatest benefit from the blades.
• Best results are achieved when cutting wood less than
one inch thick.
• When cutting wood thicker than one inch the user must
feed the wood very slowly into the blade, increase blade
tension and take extra care not to bend or twist the blade
while cutting in order to maximize blade life.
• Teeth on Scroll Saw blades wear out and as such must be
replaced frequently for best cutting results. Scroll Saw
blades generally stay sharp for 1/2 hour to 2 hours of cut-
ting.
• To get accurate cuts be prepared to compensate for the
blade's tendency to follow the wood grain as you are cut-
ting.
• When choosing a blade to use with your Scroll Saw
consider the following carefully:
• Choose a blade that allows at least three (3) teeth to be in
contact with the workpiece at all times.
• Very fine, narrow blades should be used to scroll cut in thin
wood (1/4 inch thick or less).
• To cut thicker wood, use wider blades with fewer teeth per
inch.
• Most blade packages state the size or thickness of wood
which that blade is intended to cut, and the radius (size of
curve) which can be cut with that blade.
• Wider blades can't cut curves as tight or small as thin-
ner blades.
• This saw uses 5 inch long, Pin or Plain-End type blades
only (See Accessories on page 18).
• Blades wear faster when (1) cutting plywood, which is
very abrasive, (2) when sawing wood which is thicker
than the 3/4 inch blade stroke, and (3) when sawing
hardwood, or when side pressure is placed on the
blade.
11.