Do you look straight on at the blade?

[xocd]

I am finding that I have an easier time of telling whether the blade is on the line of my pattern by looking at the point where the blade meets the pattern slightly sidewise.  If I look at the blade straight I'm less accurate.  What's your experience?

 

Thanks,

xocd

[Joe W.]

Yes for me also.  I tend to lean a little to the side depending on which side of the pattern line I'm cutting on.

[dgman]

I look at it straight on. As a scroll saw instructor, I teach my students to split the line. That is, as best as possible, cut down the center of the line. 

[OCtoolguy]

1 hour ago, dgman said:

I look at it straight on. As a scroll saw instructor, I teach my students to split the line. That is, as best as possible, cut down the center of the line. 

Me too Dan. Having the pattern lines in red helps a lot too.

[xocd]

43 minutes ago, OCtoolguy said:

Me too Dan. Having the pattern lines in red helps a lot too.

I’ll have to experiment with that. It’ll have to be gray for starters as I don’t have a color printer. 
 

I aim to split the line, but with a 2/0 blade and a black pattern, it’s hard for me to see if I am on the line when I look at the blade straight on. 
 

xocd

[dgman]

8 minutes ago, xocd said:

I’ll have to experiment with that. It’ll have to be gray for starters as I don’t have a color printer. 
 

I aim to split the line, but with a 2/0 blade and a black pattern, it’s hard for me to see if I am on the line when I look at the blade straight on. 
 

xocd

What I used to do is have a light to the right side of the saw. This would cast a shadow of the blade. The shadow would originate right on the pattern line so it was easy to follow the line. I still use the side light but also use a magnifying light above the pattern. I don’t rely on the shadow anymore but still use the light as my eyesight isn’t what it used to be.

[John B]

Old habits die hard. I tend to cut on the waste side of the line, with the exception of internal cuts in puzzles, then I just roughly follow the line.
I tend to convert most of my patterns to red line or a pale blue. Makes things easier IMHO.

[TAIrving]

i look straight on at the line and try to divide it.  It is better for me if I sit up straighter and look more down at it.  

[kmmcrafts]

I look cross eyed at it and then have that facial expression that I give my kids when they're about to do something they not supposed to  

No on a more serious note, I look straight onto it and also am a line splitter. I'm not sure what made me a line splitter because I cut on the waste side for a lot of years.. then all of a sudden I became a line splitter. Also like the red lines but last year I got the bright idea to get a new laser printer and for some dumb reason ( not even drunk ) and I bought a black and white printer.. every time I print a pattern I say DUH to myself,  

[barb.j.enders]

I try to keep the pattern on the left side of the blade, so cutting in the waste or just on the outside of the line.

[FrankEV]

Intersting comments and answers.  However, there are variables that have not been addressed in many of the aswers.

Mainly:  How thick/wide is the printed line in your pattern. 

When printing a pattern from an image file (.jpg,, .png), you are at the mercy of the pattern maker,  Most black line patterns I have seen have fairly thick/wide lines, often almost a 1/16 of an inch.  For those who split the line, wide lines make that possible.  Even those who may be caple of producing the pattern in red lines may also retain very thick/wide lines for that reason. 

Then there are scrollers like me, who can convert a black line pattern to Red line pattern (using Inkscape or other softrware and a color printer), and also change the line work thickness/width. 

I personally make my red lines very narrow/thin, probably less than 1/64" (.005 in Inkscape).   I suspect those who prefer to cut on the waste side of the line (like me)  also prefer to work with very narrow/thin lines.    In actuality, under the mag lamp, my cut may wobble from being on the line to along either side of the line,  Hover, when looked at without magnification the lines look smooth. 

There is also something else to be said about cutting along the waste side of a line, as the adage gos, :You can always take more material away but you can't add any back.

 

 

 

[xocd]

12 hours ago, dgman said:

What I used to do is have a light to the right side of the saw. This would cast a shadow of the blade. The shadow would originate right on the pattern line so it was easy to follow the line. 

I plan to try this.  Thanks!

 

xocd

[Joe W.]

7 hours ago, FrankEV said:

There is also something else to be said about cutting along the waste side of a line, as the adage gos, :You can always take more material away but you can't add any back.

 

Roger that!  And for me - especially when it comes to letters and numbers! 
Oh, and when possible, I try to make it a habit to cut out the hardest areas first; that way if I mess it up cutting it will happen early in the process and I won't be as mad at myself.

[John B]

23 hours ago, Joe W. said:

Roger that!  And for me - especially when it comes to letters and numbers! 
Oh, and when possible, I try to make it a habit to cut out the hardest areas first; that way if I mess it up cutting it will happen early in the process and I won't be as mad at myself.

I too try and cut the most delicate first. Usually from the centre out. I have been caught a few times with a great cutting, just about finished and OOPS! a delicate piece breaks