Scroll Saw

d_coombes · Post by **d_coombes** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 5:05 pm

I'm thinking about getting a scroll saw to cut perspex upto 1cm thick and also heavy styrene sheet.
Does anyone have any experience in this area?
I was thinking about the ryobi one...
http://www.popularmechanics.com/home_im ... page=3&c=y

Cheers
Dave

Woody · Post by **Woody** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 5:08 pm

I have had excellent work cutting sheet plastic with a bandsaw.

d_coombes · Post by **d_coombes** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 6:21 pm

Cool!! I think I'm gonna do it!!!
Dave

DasPhule · Post by **DasPhule** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 6:42 pm

I have that very saw, and I love it. It gums up with melted plexi when cutting, but thast may just be the blade I'm using. Cuts wood and Rendshape like buttah, though.

Erin
<*>

Andrew Gorman · Post by **Andrew Gorman** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 7:40 pm

I have a small Delta 9" bandsaw, which doos a great job on plastics, and can also cut a pretty tight radius. I'd worry that the scroll saw might not have enough power or stroke to cut through 1 cm plexiglas, but I'll defer to Erin- Ask the man who owns one! I like having the bandsaw around because I can cut 2X4s and other lumber with it when I have to.
Andrew

Woody · Post by **Woody** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 8:05 pm

I have a 105" blade Delta bandsaw in my wood shop but I bought a 9" strictly for model making. To avoid melting you need a coarse blade. I find a 6-T.P.I.(teeth per inch) blade does very well.

DasPhule · Post by **DasPhule** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 8:16 pm

Well, I HAD a Ryobi 10" bandsaw (I think it was 10") until some subhuman crackhead sumbeetch stole it from me, and it cut through most anything up to 2" thick. It didn't like pressure treated 2"X4"s, but white wood it buzzed right through it. It did well with 1/4" thick plexi, too. Move quick and plexi was not a problem. Sit still for a second or two and you had a mess, though!

The scroll saw is good for cutting complex cuts, but doesn't cut straight cuts worth a damn. If you're wanting to cut long straight cuts, get a table saw. If you wanna do sorta round cuts but need an all purpose saw, get a band saw. If you wanna cut out names and the likes, get the scroll saw. Right tool for the job and all. I love all my Ryobi tools, but be warned, they aren't meant to be used on a construction site and aren't the toughest tools out there. They're nice for hobbists, but you won't be chuckin them into the bed of the truck and then using them again, they'll bust with rough handling like that.

Since i have to buy another band saw, I'm gonna get the Delta next time. Better tools, made tougher, with more expansion options. Still, I love my Ryobi scroll saw, and wouldn't trade it for another brand at this point.

Erin
<*>

Woody · Post by **Woody** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 8:31 pm

I found this picture of how nicely a bandsaw cuts styrene.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/ ... 361289.jpg

big-dog · Post by **big-dog** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 9:09 am

I got a scroll saw from Harbor Freight, but haven't tried it yet, it was only sumink like 40 buckazoids, so you can't really go wrong.

d_coombes · Post by **d_coombes** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 10:52 am

hmmm.
You guys have almost convinced me that what I want is a bandsaw not a scroll saw...
Whatever I get needs to relatively small... I don't have a shop or a pick up to keep it in...
So coarse blades for acrylic sheet eh? I would have chosen a really fine blade... I seem to remember using blades at school that were round in cross section... like a rat tail file? but that was with a coping saw....

What I want it for is to build larger models and larger model components than I do right now.... my major limitations right now are the plastruct stand at my hobby store and my razor saw... so a bit limiting...

Dave

Andrew Gorman · Post by **Andrew Gorman** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 12:02 pm

Here's the Delta:
http://woodworker.com/cgi-bin/FULLPRES. ... go=1010264
It's small enough it could go under the bed when not in use. You can get a much smaller saw from Proxxon, but it is also much more expensive. I used the saw last night to cut a 1" section / slice out of a styrene parfait glass, and was glad I had this saw to do it with. Knocked it out in seconds.
Andrew

REL · Post by **REL** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 2:19 am

Andrew Gorman wrote:Here's the Delta:
http://woodworker.com/cgi-bin/FULLPRES. ... go=1010264
It's small enough it could go under the bed when not in use. You can get a much smaller saw from Proxxon, but it is also much more expensive. I used the saw last night to cut a 1" section / slice out of a styrene parfait glass, and was glad I had this saw to do it with. Knocked it out in seconds.
Andrew

I have that very same saw, it does excellent work on plexiglass. It hasn't given me any trouble over the last 6 years.

Scroll saw is very tight bends, or when you need to cut a section out of the middle of your project.

Table saws are good for cutting large peices of plexiglass into more managable sizes, or long straight peices.

If you're only going to get one though go with the bandsaw.