Robi Scroll Saw

[Rockytime]

Anyone own one of these? I bought this saw many years age and only used it a couple of times. Today I was trying to fabricate a thin strip jig for my table saw. It requires two slots 1/4" by 5". Not owning a router I attempted to make the slots with the scroll saw unsuccessfully. Perhaps the wood is too thick or the blade is wrong. What ever the problem everything vibrated like crazy and the cutting was incredibly slow. Blade speed was about 500 strokes per minute. Perhaps that was too slow but I was a little gun shy to go faster. I scrapped the project. My mill is only 2000 rpm, too slow and I don't like sawdust around my metal machinery.

Anyone have success with the Ryobi Scroll Saw?

 

[Jolly Red]

I make slots with the same method you are using when I don't want to take the time to set up the router table. I have good luck doing it this way, and from your description and photos, i see three things that could be the problem.

The wood is well within the capacity of the saw, but the speed should be as fast as the saw will go. This will actually smooth out some of the vibration. Fast speed and a slow feed will get a lot smoother job than the slow speed cut.

Also, it looks as if the blade is touching the back of the slot in the hold down foot. This will cause the blade to heat up and possible break more quickly. It could also cause more vibration.

The last thing is that it looks like you are using a pin end blade, which don't work so good for me. I use the plain end blades, which seem to me to cut a lot better.

 

[Rockytime]

Thanks Jolly Red. I'll give your suggestions a try. I was afraid to go faster. Thought the saw would explode. I only had the pin type blade with a course tooth count. That will be remedied tomorrow. Also there is a micro space between the blade and foot but I suspect when the blade flexes it will touch. I'll also correct that. Thanks again.

 

[jttheclockman]

Hello Les

Not a big fan of that saw but a couple things that maybe of help. Those type saws are notorious for vibration. You need to secure the saw to a table that is heavy and sound. Many times people put rubber mats between the saw and the table to dampen the vibration.

The speed is way to slow. Top speed or close to it is recomended. Any scroll saw will cut slow. It is the nature of the tool. Scrolling is not for the impatient.

The blade is wrong for that thick piece of wood. You would prefer a skip tooth blade. I always like to use a double skip tooth blade. That is a blade with 2 teeth and skip a space and the next 2 teeth and so on. What this does is gets rid of the saw dust better which slows the cut down and burns the wood. I also like to use reverse tooth blades but in your case not necessary. What a reverse tooth blade will do is cut on the up stroke as well as the down stroke. This does 2 things. It helps eliminate the fuzzies on the bottom of the piece and also takes out some of the vibration and helps with the pushing of the piece. I would use no smaller than a #7 blade and first timer go with a #9 blade. No bigger.

I would not use that foot. Most scrollers take them off their saws as soon as they get them. They get in the way and also transfer vibration to the table top. You learn to hold the wood and control the piece with your hands. It becaomes a touch feel thing.

One last thing, I see the flex hose from the blower is broken off. If you fix that it will help blow the dust off your work piece which helps follow the line better.

Good luck. With some practice you will become a scroller and have another hobby or one that can enhance your pens.

 

[Rockytime]

Thanks for the tips John. Will head to Woodcraft soon. Also I dream of a Heagner. I tend to dream a lot.

 

[Rockytime]

Hello Les. <SNIP>Good luck. With some practice you will become a scroller and have another hobby or one that can enhance your pens.

Hi John. I did follow your advise and finished my thin strip jig. The Ryobi sort of did the job but it is a very unsatisfactory tool. May end up on the curb. You have a Hawk. I see a 220 VS on Craigs list for $300. I don't know the condition but seems like a good deal. My project turned out a little crude but will make the next one from aluminum. I did find a bunch of blades.

Thanks.

 

[jttheclockman]

Hello Les. <SNIP>Good luck. With some practice you will become a scroller and have another hobby or one that can enhance your pens.

Hi John. I did follow your advise and finished my thin strip jig. The Ryobi sort of did the job but it is a very unsatisfactory tool. May end up on the curb. You have a Hawk. I see a 220 VS on Craigs list for $300. I don't know the condition but seems like a good deal. My project turned out a little crude but will make the next one from aluminum. I did find a bunch of blades.

Thanks.

I actually own several saws. I have an 18" HegnerVS, Rbi 220VS, RBI226VS, and a Dewalt 788 VS

The Hawk220 is my go to workhorse but anyone of those saws gets a workout and all are highly recommended. They are not cheap. But I am a proficient scroller and that is my main hobby.

The 220 for that price would throw red flags up for me. I would have to put my hands on it and test run it before I bought it. Could be someone just looking to get rid of it and willing to take a loss. So it could be a deal of a life time.

The project you shown can be done with the scrollsaw because the cuts do not need to be dead accurate but a router would be another choice to make those slots. Anyway scrolling can be alot of fun. After I get my house sold I will be getting back in the shop and doing alot of scrolling to build inventory for my fall shows.

Another good saw is the Dewalt 788. I have shown here the capability to slice a quarter in half (lengthwise) using that saw. Try that with your Ryobi:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

 

[Rockytime]

I actually own several saws. I have an 18" HegnerVS, Rbi 220VS, RBI226VS, and a Dewalt 788 VS

The Hawk220 is my go to workhorse but anyone of those saws gets a workout and all are highly recommended. They are not cheap. But I am a proficient scroller and that is my main hobby.

The 220 for that price would throw red flags up for me. I would have to put my hands on it and test run it before I bought it. Could be someone just looking to get rid of it and willing to take a loss. So it could be a deal of a life time.

Another good saw is the Dewalt 788. I have shown here the capability to slice a quarter in half (lengthwise) using that saw. Try that with your Ryobi:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

Hahaha good one John. I won't live long enough to justify a good saw.

Thanks for the info.