Suggested Saw Blade Sizes
MATERIAL: 1/16IN -1/8IN. PLYWOOD OR VENEERS:
#2/0 - #1 - Sizes you would consider for this material.
A regular tooth blade would give you the most control. Best for a beginner. An old hand at scrolling could use a Precision Skip style of blade. The double tooth and the Full Reverse would fall in between. A reverse tooth would give a smooth bottom cut.
Or if you stack this material you could go to a bigger blade.
MATERIAL 1/8IN. - 1/4IN.
#1 - #3 - Softer woods and plywood's use the #1, harder woods a #3.
MATERIAL 3/8IN. - 1/2IN.
#3 - #5 - Softer woods and plywood use the #3, harder woods the #5.
I have used a #3 precision skip blades to cut 3/4in. Cedar with good results. They cut slower than a #7 would but you have a finer kerf and a better fit when doing Intarsia for example.
MATERIAL 3/4IN. - 1IN.
#7 - #9 - Softer woods and plywoods the #7. Thicker and hard woods the #9.
A skip tooth #7 will handle 3/4in. hardwoods. A #9 regular tooth will give good control in 3/4in. material. So as you can see size and tooth configuration effects how thick of material a blade will handle.
MATERIAL 1IN. - 1 1/2IN.
#9 - #12
PLASTIC and CORIAN
Plastic - I have found skip tooth blades too aggressive for cutting plastic. I like a double tooth blade for plastic.
#1 - #3 for 1/16 - 3/16in.
#3 - #5 for 1/4 - 3/8in.
Corian - I like the skip tooth blades for Corian.
#3 - #5 for 1/4 - 3/8in.
#5 - #7 for 3/8in. - 3/4in.
METAL
Metal cutting blades are made from a harder material and have more teeth per inch. These blades will cut Brass, copper, aluminum, thin steel and coins.
Very thin metal: #1 - #3
20-24 gauge brass, copper: #3 - #5
Thicker metal up to 1/16in: #7
A #1 is a good blade for scrolling coins. You can also scroll coins with a regular tooth blade, for example. A #2/0 regular tooth blade will scroll coins. The regular tooth blade will break sooner though.
SPIRAL BLADES
These blades will cut any direction. No need to turn the wood just move it in the direction you want to cut. The only blade that will cut wood too large to turn on a scroll saw, like slabs and large burls. Click here to view the SawBird Scroll Saw Blades > |