Choosing a Scroll Saw Blade
- 1). Determine whether your scroll saw uses pin-end blades or plain-end blades. Pin-end blades are easier to change, but there is a much wider selection of plain-end blades available. According to eReplacement Parts, each type of scroll saw is built to accept only one of these types of blades, so make sure you choose the type of blade that will fit your saw.
- 2). Consider the material that you will be cutting. The type of material and its thickness will factor into choosing a scroll saw blade. Special blades are needed for cutting metal and plastic, while standard blades are made for cutting wood. Thicker materials will require fewer teeth per inch, while thin materials need a finer blade with more teeth.
- 3). Take your skill level into account. Blades with more teeth per inch are easier to control for beginners. Thicker blades are less likely to break when tension is placed on them, so they are also recommended for less experienced scroll saw users.
- 4). Research the different tooth designs available. Skip-tooth blades will cut more quickly, while regular-tooth blades will cut material the slowest. Spiral-blade designs cut in any direction and will allow you to change cutting direction without rotating the material. These are the only types of blades that can cut pieces of material too large to turn on a scroll saw.
- 5). Choose a scroll saw blade that balances all of these factors. You may have to try a number of blades with different characteristics before you find one that suits your needs.