Technical, Techniques, Hints, and Tips > Engineering Techniques and Materials.

Scroll saw or band saw - which preferred for modelling?

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RipSlider:
Hello all.

A while ago, I got myself a scroll saw, one of those "bounces up and down" sort of fellas. Variable speed etc, but top speed is no actually very fast, and while I would rate it "quite good" the blades are a bit fragile, and the low top speed can make cutting a pain. On the up side, you can get those "cut in any direction" blades, which would seem quite useful, and you can un-attach the blade, push it through a hole in the wood, and then do internal cuts, which is most useful.


A read of this months Model Boats - I think in the "Tiffy's Workshop" section, extols the use of a small bandsaw instead. Benefits that I can see are that you can get decent L-N blades to make your chums jelous, and will last forever, the blade moves faster, and so is better at cutting and generally a bit neater, and the actual footprint of the machine will, I think, be smaller, as the scrollsaw does take up a lot of bench space.


Down side would seem to be that you can't use one for cutting internal holes, such as chopping out the middle of frames.


I don't have the bench space for both in my i'll-definately-finish-building-the-dratted-thing-soon workshop, and before I drill big holes in the bench to mount the scroll saw, I thought I would see what the community thinks. If there is a strong backing for a bandsaw, it seems a good time to swap them.

Any thoughts on either side, I would be most interested. Especially interested in people who have used both and have settled on a favourite.

Thanks

Steve

David_S:
I have both and use the bandsaw far more than the powered fretsaw/jigsaw.

RickF:
I've been thinking about a scroll saw for a while. As I'm a serial tool abuser, I don't like to pay too much for something I'll probably wreck. Can anybody recommend one that combines reasonable performance with a reasonable price?

Rick

RipSlider:
I have a draper model brought about 2-3 years ago. Don't have the model number, but they still sell it.

It's been left outside in the rain a few times, and dropped a number of times as well, and still works great. It's also been pressed into service cutting 2"x4" when I couldn't find my hand saws ( mrs Steve had "tided" the garage.... ) Only issue I had was that the rubber feet at the front had to b glued on, as they were a bit loose

It's still going strong, but the cuts are a little rough for model scale work - i.e becuase it;s slow and reciprocating, it leaves a fairly jagged edge.

I definately like my scroll saw, but just wondering if I could do better still using the same space.


Steve

RipSlider:
I was wondering about one of these?

Does this seem about right for modelling?

I think I can get a 20tpi blades for it.


http://www.screwfix.com/prods/56797/Power-Tools/Benchtop-Woodworking/Titan-SF8R-190mm-Band-Saw

Thanks

Steve

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