Recommended Scroll Saw Blades for Intricate Work

Scroll saw blades have various tooth patterns to allow for intricate detail work.saw blade image by laviniaparscuta from Fotolia.com

Scroll saws allow wood workers to create curved and flowing pieces of art from a single piece of wood. The operator can turn the wood while the saw blade is running. By turning the wood around the blade of the scroll saw, the operator can cut in many more directions than other saws allow. Skilled woodworkers have found ways to create detailed pieces of woodwork using the scroll saw. To complete these pieces, scroll saw blades have special sawtooth patterns.

Reverse Tooth Blades

The teeth of the 5-inch reverse tooth blade allow the blade to cut the wood while the blade is moving in either direction. This action provides for smoother and longer cuts and a greater precision to where the cuts are made. The teeth are spaced in a way that prevents the blade from burning the wood and helps to move wood chips out of the path of the blade. This type of blade can easily be used for straight or curved cutting patterns.

Spiral tooth scroll saw blades are twisted so the cutting teeth of the blade appear on every side of the blade. This allows the blade to cut in every direction while in contact with the wood. The 360-degree cutting radius means the operator doesn't need to turn the wood. The spiral tooth scroll saw is used primarily for scroll or fret work. It can also be used to cut bevels in the wood. The thickness of the wood determines the results with this blade.

The crown tooth blade gets its name from the way the teeth on the blade are arranged: they look like the sides of a crown. However, this blade is hardly for looks. The configuration of the blade teeth allows the blade to cut the wood on both the up and the down strokes of the blade. Patience is required when using this type of blade because it does cut slower, but the slower speed provides the operator more control over the wood. The finished cut is smooth and clean and the edges are free of splinters. This scroll saw blade is ideal for precision work such as scroll detailing.