scrollsaw problem

[Harry Goodwin]

tiny blade
I have been scrolling small crosses for a while and never had difficulty till this week. Mike in SD sent me some sample blades to try and get rid of the desire to raise up and make me jumpy. He sent me a 7 that worked fine in my dewalt yellow saw but the 3 he sent would not even start to tighten in the clamps. I called him and he said no one has trouble with the dewalt that way. Anyone have any ideas beside cleaning the clamps. It's not slippage it's not even getting close to holding them. Anyone have any ideas. My delta saw held them fine. Any ideas. Harry

[Paul Stroik]

Harry - Sent you a PM.

[John Appleseed]

Harry, I have a Dewalt scroll saw and have been using Mike's blades for quite some time now and haven't had a problem.....

[John Terefenko]

The Flying Dutchman blades are some of the finest blades out there. I can attest to that. So it has to be a saw problem. Two things can be happening. You say it is not slippage so we will go another route. As you know when inserting the blade the blade has to sit all the way to the back of the clamp. There is a ridge or notch that the blade sits against. The next thing is the allen screw on the opposite side must be flush with the side of the clamp. This goes for both top and bottom. On the thumb screw end there should be a piece that spins freely. If your thumbscrew is missing this piece then the thread part is the only thing trying to hold the blade and it is too small. If this is the case then you need to order new ones. Order extras. It would work on a #7 blade because it is wider than a #3. The last thing to check is the clamp itself. At one time there was a run on those saws that the clamps were breaking. Check this with a flashlight shining behind the clamp when tightened. I am betting the thumscrew lost the end piece.

[Don Henthorn Smithville, TX]

by the setscrew on the left side of the holder opposite the thumb screw not protruding into the space between the clamp jaws. It must stick out into that space enough that the thumb screw has something to pin the blade end against. The jaws themselves are too soft. Try turning the set screw (I think it is an allen head screw) enough to get the blade centered between the jaws and your problem should be solved. Hope I have explained it well enough.

[Paul Douglass]

Boy, I love this forum. In this little thread alone I have learned things I didn't know. I have the DeWalt scroll saw and the only thing I could see to improve it would be to have the knobs on the screws that hold the blade a little larger. I have old stiff fingers and sometimes it is hard for me to hold on to those to loosen and tighten. Any idea where a person could get the screws with larger knobs. I've thought of making some knobs that I could epoxy on over the existing knobs. The only thing that stops me is the concern that with larger knobs I might tighten too much and strip the threads in that aluminum head.

[Steve Hayes]

I've had the Dewalt for a couple of months. Great saw, just needed to clean up the area where the blade is inserted, the blade screw clamp and the ends of the blades, cured any kind of blade slippage. I've been using Mikes FD blades with no problems. The puzzle blade is fantastic. I've tried the Pegas blades and they do take some getting use to. One suggestion get the Jim Dandy arm holder. This will hold the upper arm up while changing a blade or threading your work. Great addition for only $20.00 bucks.

[Harry Goodwin]

Thanks the alan screw fixed it. I don't have any thing on the end of the screw side except the flat turning knob but it works great. Really appreciate your help plus mikes blades. Harry