Set-Up – Checking the Saw Table for Square
After you’ve unpacked your saw, the first thing to check is whether the saw table is square to the blade. Install a blade and use a square to position the table, then lock the setting with the wing knob. Take the opportunity to adjust the cursor on the quadrant scale to zero. Although this isn’t a high-precision arrangement, using this scale can help you make an approximate return to zero if you angle the table. Another way to check for square is make a kerf on a 1 3/4" thick scrap about 1/2" deep into it. Back the scrap out of the kerf, rotate it, and position it behind the blade. If the kerf on the scrap lines up with the blade, the table is set square.
Photo 1 – Set the square on the saw table against a tensioned blade. The table is out of square.
Photo 2- Table set square to the blade.
Photo 3 – Make a saw kerf, and if the kerf slips easily into the back side of the blade, the table is square.
Guidelines for Selecting the Right Blade
The scroll saw can be used to cut wood, thin soft metals, plastic, bone or vegetable ivory (tagua). This saw accepts both plain and pin-end blades. In this section, we’ll give you some guidelines for matching the blade to the application.
As a general guideline, choose larger blades (higher numbers) as the thickness or hardness of the material increases, and vice versa. The blade numbers range from #2/0 to #9. For general cutting, this table covers the stock thickness and suggested size.
| Thickness | Size |
| 1/4" or thinner | #2/0 - #1 |
| 1/4" - 1/2" | #1 - #2 |
| 1/2" - 3/4" | #3 - #4 |
| 3/4" - 1" | #4 - #7 |
The configuration of some common blades is summarized below.
| Type | Characteristics |
| Regular-Tooth | Evenly spaced teeth for general cutting. |
| Skip-Tooth | Open space between teeth for slightly rough but faster cuts. |
| Double-Tooth | Similar to skip-tooth but smoother and slower. |
| Reverse-Tooth | Produce a cleaner-bottom cut. |
| Spiral | Permit rotating the work to cut in a different direction. Useful when throat depth is a limitation. |
Learn More About the Rikon 16" Variable-Speed Scroll Saw
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