Speed

[Smitty]

Until I got the DW788 I had no control over the speed of the blade. I have only had the 788 for about 2 months, so I am still getting used to it. One question I would like to ask is about cutting speed. I have not changed it much, nor do I have a good feel for when fast is better than slow, etc. So many variables with species of wood, blade size and type and blade speed. So far I have just picked a speed about half way around the control dial where the saw sounded real smooth and have left i there.

What general guidelines are there for speed selection?

[dgman]

It’s real simple. I teach my students this. Start at a medium speed. For the DeWALT that would @ #4 on the speed dial. If you feel it’s going to slow, speed it up a little until the speed is comfortable. If you feel you can’t control the cut, slow it down until it’s comfortable. There is no set rule for saw speed. It’s what is comfortable for you

[Bill WIlson]

Just going to echo what Dan said.   Because of those variables you mention, plus the pattern itself, you could have a different comfort level from project to project.   Heck, I'll adjust the blade speed during a cut.  It's all about finding that sweet spot, where you feel you have the best control of the cut and are making decent progress.  It will vary from project to project, much less from scroller to scroller. 

[Hermit]

Ditto on the other responses. I also have the 788. Keep mine at 4-1/2 and never change the speed. 

[Smitty]

comfort. control.

Interesting concepts. Perhaps when I get a little better and stop screaming and shrieking while I cut I will fall into my zone.

So the short answer is that you people don't really know... hah.. just kidding. thanks. I have seen a lot of difference in my feeling of control of the cut when trying different blades. So I am going to assume that for each blade and each piece of wood I will find a speed where it feels right.

I am having a lot of fun with it. And I find this is all enhanced when I produce something that my wife likes. She has an idea sometimes that if I am not making something that she wants my time is not well spent. I will be secretly cutting another portrait of her soon. Then she will see how much I adore her. That'l teach her.

[Rockytime]

1 hour ago, Smitty said:

 Then she will see how much I adore her. That'l teach her.

See, you are up to speed already! Way to go.

[Pictures in wood]

Cut only as fast as you can control, and minimize burning!     ( slower is faster! )  I find time sitting behind my scroll  very relaxing! 

[Norm Fengstad]

I have the Dewalt 788 and cut most things on a lower speed especially in thin woods at the slowest

[danny]

I use a Hegner saw.  My go to blade is FDUR1.  Speed of around 3/4 on the dial is ideal for me.  Any slower

it seems I do not have as good control of the cutting.  Anyway....  Danny  :+}

[Scrappile]

That is probably about were I run when doing fret work.  I really never look at the dial to see where it is at.  I would have to bend over to do that.  I just run the speed where I feel comfortable.  I have some real "sweet" spots on my Hegner also.  I stay in those speed ranges.

[kmmcrafts]

All great answers.. These days after scrolling so much over the last 12+ years I don't change my speed very often.. I run my dewalt about on number 7 if it goes to 8. I don't pay much attention to the numbers anymore... like someone else said run it up till it seems to have the right feel.. Now.. cutting very thin wood.. I'll turn it way down.. I almost always am cutting 1/2" + thick wood.. whether that's stack cutting or a single piece.. 

If I'm cutting on the Hawk.. the saw stays at about just shy of full speed.. The cut on the Hawk isn't as aggressive as a DeWalt.. so I never really change the speed on it.. cuts so smooth on those that I could care less if it was Variable speed, LOL.. That's just me though  

[tgiro]

As important as the speed of the blade is the speed you feed the wood into the blade. I run my EX at about 75% - 90% most of the time, but for different woods and blades  I change how fast I push the wood into the blade.

If I'm cutting 1/4" BB with a 2/0 blade I can go pretty quick - But - when I'm using a 2/0 blade to separate 3/4" thick pieces for an intarsia project, I slow my feed and speed down quite a bit.

The reason you get so many different answers is that each person has a different comfort level. Once you find your comfort level, you'll be unique - just like the rest of us.

[Mort Tenon]

I began, as many here likely did, with a single speed saw. Nowadays, I rarely turn the speed down from max, but there are exceptions. As so many others have said, it's about how it feels as you cut, but I still believe that the speed of the blade is secondary to your rate of feed.

As you become more comfortable with your saw, you learn how to hold the wood to the blade and just let it cut, as is the case with any saw. Trying to force the piece into the blade too fast will result in burning, overcuts, etc. Control your feed rate; the speed of the blade will become irrelevant most of the time.

[JimErn]

30 minutes ago, Mort Tenon said:

 the speed of the blade is secondary to your rate of feed.

As you become more comfortable with your saw, you learn how to hold the wood to the blade and just let it cut, as is the case with any saw. Trying to force the piece into the blade too fast will result in burning, overcuts, etc. Control your feed rate; the speed of the blade will become irrelevant most of the time.

Along with Morts comments, I find that the faster the blade the less "fuzzies" you have to deal with on the back side.

[Sycamore67]

"I feel the need for speed!"   Top Gun

One just needs to experiment as there are many variables...wood, thickness, blade, feed rate, skill, pattern, etc.

 

 

[koehler788]

I change my speed constantly because of the way the wood and blades "Talks"  to me. I just bought my first pegas blades this week and I was cutting on some poplar.  With the older blades I was using a speed of 6 or 7 on my DeWalt type 1. New blades same wood,  speed of 2. When i turned it down, it cut just as fast and nice as ever.  Broke that blade after awhile and put an old blade back in. Speed back up to 6.5. Same wood again. Cutting across grain I will slow it down,  and with the grain I speed it up. 

In other words I guess.  It's variable

[new2woodwrk]

I've had my dewalt for a bout a year or so now and I have not moved it off of 5 except to try it out faster and slower.

I like the 5 speed because it just feels right for me and I can cut fairly accurately

[dashabox]

To add to this, I will vary the speed day to day, even on the same projects with the same species and thickness of wood.  Some days I just "Have it" and others I don't.  I'm sure if others find this as well but I do find that a faster speed on long radii is easier to control and provides a much smoother cut with less wandering off the line.

And with that I just broke my posting cherry on this site.  Great site btw with some really amazing artists here. 

 

EDIT: I see I actually posted once before 

Edited June 25, 2019 by dashabox

[crupiea]

I am a slow speed guy all the way. been scrolling for years and to be honest, when its going real fast, its scary. 

Use mine on the slowest possible speed but I also only cut 1/8" bb with 2/0 blades.   I will go a bit faster if its thicker but I would rather cut the finer stuff.