Using a Scroll Saw

**BlackStar** · 10-31-2005, 01:47 PM

I've been wanting to do something to this computer for a while but I just couldn't think of a theme. Then I literally tripped over one as I navigated my 10 year old son's room. He has Lego pieces everywhere, especially the Bionicle kinds.

Bingo.

I also have been lurking on Sharky's for a while and never had anything to add to the conversations. I've been reading everyone's ideas and the How-to's to get ideas, so thanks to everyone for inspiring me!

This is the basic setup. Not too bad, but not exciting, either. This is WAY better than the old box and 14 inch monitor I've been nursing along for years. You can see the Bionicle logo on the screen that I used as the template.

The Case , if your interested, is from Extreme PC Gear and is absolutely perfect! I also define "perfect" to mean "really inexpensive and made of aluminum". See? Perfect!

I do not have a big selection of power tools, but I have been slowly collecting some. The scroll saw is great for tight curves and fancy designs, but I've only used it on softer woods. Metal, even aluminum, is quite different. The specs say to use a fine toothed blade and slow speed. I'd agree to that. I've chosen a spiral toothed blade so I don't have to worry about turning my work piece to avoid hitting the back of the saw. The saw can handle pretty big pieces, but the side panel is bigger. The spiral blade allows me to push and pull the work piece in any direction to follow the curve of my design.

(The design looks blurry because I drew it too big the first time and didn't bother to erase it completely.)

I drilled starter holes in each portion of the window that will be coming out so I can mount the blade. Unlike a jig saw, the scroll saw holds the blade at the top and bottom. I attach the blade at the bottom, push it through the hole in the work piece, then attach it to the top. These are "pin less" blades so they are held in place with a holding screw. Blades with pins form a "T" at the top and bottom and are just set in place. Tension on the blade keeps them from popping out.

You can see that the blade is thin enough to stay inside the drawn line itself. Even being very careful, I still managed to get some "waves" in my cut. The waves are still within the drawn lines themselves, so I feel pretty good. I'll have to file them out later. With more practice and more control, I expect to have very little filing to do on future projects.

How thin are those lines? Take a good, new Sharpie and draw a line without mashing the tip. Looks pretty thin, right? The blade with easily fit inside that line.

The secret seems to be: Don't push on the blade. With the blade moving slowly, you must feed the work piece slowly. With the blade moving fast, you must feed the work piece slowly. Got that? Any extra pressure on the blade causes it to flex and change the angle of your cut. Move the piece just a little, let the blade move back into position, then slowly move the piece some more. As I said, with more practice I'll be able to feed it a bit more constantly.

Blades break. That's just a fact of life for scroll saws. The trick is to break as few as possible. Again, pushing the work piece too fast doesn't make the cutting go faster, it just ruins the blade. I ended up breaking three blades on this project. One was definitely from pushing too hard.

I'm creating a lot of aluminum dust. I didn't think to take a picture of this, but my fingers are looking like the Tin Man from "The Wizard of OZ". Wiping off the saw not only keeps it cleaner but keeps that dust from scratching the panel (it's masked off, but still...)

And we're done. The edges of the cut are not sharp but will have to be filed to remove the cutting imperfections.

As I was cutting, I slowly increased the speed of the blade. While it did speed up the overall process, I found that a medium speed worked best.

Also, I found the frequency of my work bench. There's a specific speed at which the whole bench started rattling and jumping around, it was pretty funny!

(Yes, that's plastic packing tape. I ran out of masking tape. It still worked.)

Also, notice the guest appearance of my rotary tool!

Inside the case. Absolutely nothing beyond the LEDs on the motherboard. Still needs a bit of wire management, but I'll get to that later. Sorry for it being dark, but the flash was too much.

The panel in place. No Plexiglas yet. I'll get to that later as well.

So, is a scroll saw a good choice for cutting a window? Absolutely, especially if you have some tight curves and don't want to do lots of filing. The Bionicle logo was a good beginner design without being overly complex.

Is it worth buying one just for modding you PC? That's your call. If you have $100 to spend and don't already have a rotary tool, then you should probably get one of those. The scroll saw is big and definitely won't fit in a dorm room or small apartment.

**Kappa2001** · 10-31-2005, 02:21 PM

if the post has pictures i can't see them :s

**Tech-Daddy** · 10-31-2005, 02:26 PM

Your pics are not displaying at all, can you fix your post so that we can see what you are talking about?

**talldude** · 10-31-2005, 02:48 PM

i see the pics...pretty cool

**Kappa2001** · 10-31-2005, 04:50 PM

thx I4one for the advice.
BlackStar really nice job there. Well executed and really clean!

IMO this deserves to go to the how to guides for the tips included about using a scroll saw so i'm posting it there

**Tech-Daddy** · 10-31-2005, 06:15 PM

Ok... just so all of you Uber-Noobs know, I "do" have my profile set to display all images. It has never changed.

What I am thinking is that the URL to the pics is getting caught by the filter here at my work. If I go home and check this thread @ home and it displays, then it is the security on my network here @ my job. Especially if I hook up my laptop @ home and browse out here to this thread, and it displays @ home but not @ work on the same machine.

So... that said, KMA! I *still* cannot see the pics!

**Kappa2001** · 11-01-2005, 07:11 AM

Originally Posted by Tech-Daddy

Ok... just so all of you Uber-Noobs know, I "do" have my profile set to display all images. It has never changed.

What I am thinking is that the URL to the pics is getting caught by the filter here at my work. If I go home and check this thread @ home and it displays, then it is the security on my network here @ my job. Especially if I hook up my laptop @ home and browse out here to this thread, and it displays @ home but not @ work on the same machine.

So... that said, KMA! I *still* cannot see the pics!

that quote method that I4one said worked just fine. The pictures won't display normally even if you've set your usercp

**BlackStar** · 11-01-2005, 12:40 PM

Sorry if you're having trouble with the pictures. I wasn't too happy when setting up an account at freewebs.com anyway, so I've switched to photobucket.com. Perhaps that will be better? Or did I just make things worse?

And thanks for the comments!

**TAZTG** · 11-01-2005, 04:28 PM

Enough about the PICS.. BlackStar moved them and they work just fine.

I like to stay on topic and mention that your cut turned out great. With the case being Alum. it makes it easier to cut. Could you imaging a Steel Side Panel, you probably would have broke 10 blades. LOL
Thats a nice design very different. Any chance of adding a Cold Cathode to the inside to show off the new Window?? Keep us posted on your progress and Sorry for my fellow Sharky Posters spamming back and forth. They should know better then that.

**Tech-Daddy** · 11-01-2005, 04:36 PM

Excellent pics (2 day I can see them, thank you very much!), and excellent guide!

I've been looking at one of those tools for quite awhile, I think you hve now given me a very compelling reason to Borg one of those into my garage!

**I4one** · 11-01-2005, 04:49 PM

ah....sweet cuts

nice work - and sexy design (or ying yang

)

Anywho - photobucket is the way to go with the pics *sharky redemption* takes the hit for offering a work-around

-- but i had assumed , like a bozo, that this thread was about a Hand-Held scroll saw (ie; Jigsaw) -- and there you have it

nice work !

if it were steel - a Bandsaw for sure (decent) - would slice right through that puppy

**phelan1777** · 11-01-2005, 10:43 PM

Nice work, thats your sons computer? I am sure he will appreciate it.

**Tech-Daddy** · 11-02-2005, 02:17 AM

I am contemplating a Bionicles mod for my son on one of my future rigs, we'll see how that pans out. Nice job on the logo! My sone *will* freak if he sees this case (there is no "might" on this...

)

thunbs up mate! Good job!

**BlackStar** · 11-02-2005, 10:15 AM

It's not completely his. That's our primary gaming PC and my toy for trying different OS's and other stuff. There's an identical PC that is used mostly for school work, book keeping, and projects that require a more ... stable environment. I've found that having 2 computers is better for my family than just one. So instead of building one super-fast ultra PC, I settle for 2 with more moderate components. If I blow up the one, I don't have to worry about the Quicken files or digital pictures. And with 2 kids, they can both play at the same time.

So, yes I have another case to work on. That will be more "girly" for my daughter. Perhaps a large flower with different colored petals...

Tech-Daddy, what have you been thinking about for Bionicle themed components? I've thought about adding a "liquid protodermis" tubing system but my "perfect" case isn't exactly designed for water cooling. I've been thinking up items for each Toa, but I'm afraid the case would become too confusing with all the different colors.

But yes, more lights! More stuff!

Aaahhh! What have you guys done to me!!??!!

**Tech-Daddy** · 11-02-2005, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by BlackStar

Tech-Daddy, what have you been thinking about for Bionicle themed components? I've thought about adding a "liquid protodermis" tubing system but my "perfect" case isn't exactly designed for water cooling. I've been thinking up items for each Toa, but I'm afraid the case would become too confusing with all the different colors.

The liquid proto sound like a great idea and a logical extension.
My take was going to be using Biolicle parts and using a special case I Have at the house that has removable front bezels. I was thinking of a jet black case, and custom crafting Toa masks as bezels, and pushing the power/HD activity light out via acrylic molded into the eye sockets.

Internally, supports and structures woulf be Bionicle based, not sure how I would incorporate the various parts for frame work, have a few ideas to work with though to keep it in the theme...

Originally Posted by BlackStar

Aaahhh! What have you guys done to me!!??!!

"We have done nothing more than awaken the modder in you... it is up to *you* to direct this power wisely, my son... "

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