Scroll Saw

[JBCustomPens]

Hey everyone,

Has anyone ever used a scroll saw without a pressure foot (the thing that comes down over your workpiece to help hold it down)?

Is that even safe?

 

[Scout52]

I threw mine away before I first plugged the saw in. Never had any problem.

 

[sgimbel]

Everybody that I know who scrolls has removed that piece. If the blade is in right side up (teeth down) and very little hand pressure and the wood stays put. It exposes your fingers to the blade but it's really hard to get a serious cut from a scroll saw. Just pay close attention to what your doing.

 

[tseger]

Everybody that I know who scrolls has removed that piece. If the blade is in right side up (teeth down) and very little hand pressure and the wood stays put. It exposes your fingers to the blade but it's really hard to get a serious cut from a scroll saw. Just pay close attention to what your doing.

my guess is that you were joking here. If not, you were kidding yourself.

 

[Dan26]

The foot was never installed on my saw. Never saw a need for the stupid thing from day one. I've ran my fingers into the blade several times, but never drew blood. Maybe I'm just lucky.

 

[seamus7227]

I have to agree with others, when i first started scrolling about 14 yrs ago, that was the first thing in my way, I got rid of it, and never looked back. Now just as soon as I click "post quick reply", I will go out into the shop and have an accident! I hope not, but you know how it goes. I use caution with every cut, but have never been cut. So use common sense and things you go well for ya. Try the scroll saw with that guard and try it without, you may find on your own, that its in the way. Just my .02

 

[Mapster]

It is more of a hazard than the actual cutting. I get my fingers millimeters from the blade and feel safer than when I had it on there. It gets in the way of your fingers and you can easily lose concentration thinking about your fingers hitting it. That is when the bad stuff happens. It also makes it easier to see where you are cutting.

 

[All Thumbs]

I have been scrolling for 20 years and never use the hold down. The only timeI cut myself the saw was off. The smallest thing I cut is a postage stamp puzzle with 32 interlocking peices.

 

[workinforwood]

I pretty much have to agree with everyone else too. One the old sears saw I have, the hold down is more like a sewing machine style, and because of that I was able to use it sometimes. With the G4 saw, the hold down is a huge piece of plastic. I have no idea how you are supposed to feed something under that. First thing I did is toss it. Can you really cut yourself that bad with a scrollsaw blade..well that must have to do with your interpretation of bad, but in my opinion, no you can not accidentally cut yourself very badly. I have cut myself a couple times, and certainly it's an owey, but I don't see how you are going to cut beyond a 1/6-1/8 inch into your finger without doing some serious pushing on the blade, and to cut a finger off is going to require you to sit there and hold your finger to the saw for a probably 30 seconds...that's a long time to endure the hacking pain of a scrollsaw. This is really the only tool with a safety feature I can think of, that I would consider more of a hinderance and danger with it on than off.

 

[snyiper]

Wow, who would have thought that a forum full of craftsmen would advocate removing a piece of safety gear? I am guilty as well but I have my foot on my scroll saws but yet the guard is off my table saw. I guess it is all in what you get comfortable with.

 

[rjwolfe3]

Mine never came with one, and I just bought the saw this year brand new, lol.

 

[jttheclockman]

I have 4 scrollsaws and all have the hold down foot removed. These are put on there to conform to the OSHA safety rules when selling a power tool which a scrollsaw is. They are a hinderance and of course the more experienced you get the faster you want to keep cuttting and if doing fret work it gets pretty tedious just threading the blade and adding the moving of this foot would make most people want to give up scrolling. Care as with any power tool is needed and as for getting cut badly that just not possible unless you are one who can not feel pain. Nicks yes we all get them from time to time.

This reminds me of a question that gets asked so many times in the scrolling forums.

 

[philb]

Never used one, and the saws were never sold with them. i have used them on old school saws, but saw them as an easier way to injury yourself than the blade itself!

Its going to be pretty hard to do any massive damage to yourself on a scrollsaw. The cuts do hurt, probably 1/8" into your thumb of similar, but there nothing compared to a bandsaw!! the only other thing to watch out for is if you break a blade, that the broke end doesn't pierce if your hand carries on over the top of it! You can get 2 or three punctures in the finger!!

PHIL