HOW TO USE a JEWELRY SAW

Intro: HOW TO USE a JEWELRY SAW

This is how to use a jewelry saw. Off course you can just go ahead and use it randomly, but with just these few tips, everything will be way easier.

STEP 1: WHAT YOU NEED

You need:

-a jewelry saw blade,

-blades, wax,

-a piece of wood (cut as in the photo),

-a good clamp.

STEP 2: CHOOSE THE BLADE

There is many chart online for how to choose your blade depending on what you are cutting. But in general as hard as your material is, as thiner the teeth of the blade should be. For metal at list two to three teeth for as thick the sheet you need to cut is. Thiner blades can be more precise, but they also break way more easily.

STEP 3: BLADE DIRECTION

With your finger feel the blade direction. You have to place it in your saw, so that it will cut by pulling, not pushing.

STEP 4: PLACE THE BLADE

Place one end of the blade in the part more near the handle. Screw it tight.

STEP 5: THE OTHER EDGE OF THE BLADE

The other edge of the blade should not quite arrive to the other side of the saw. It should miss few millimeters.

STEP 6: PUSH AND PLACE BLADE

Push the saw against something, holding it from the handle, so that the blade will reach the other edge.

Close it really tight.

STEP 7: FEEL THE BLADE

The blade now should be really tight, and make a nice sharp sound.

STEP 8: WAX THE BLADE

Wax the behind side of the blade (not the front part with the teeth).

If you never did it before, you should give it a try: it really make a difference when cutting metal.

It make the blade get less stocked, and make it move easier and smoother.

STEP 9: CLAMP THE WOOD

Clamp the wood very firmly on a table. I did my piece with a scrap piece of wood and a jig saw.

STEP 10: CUT

Place yourself in front of the piece to cut. Don't push too much the saw, or the blade will easily break.

Keep the saw in the middle of the wood hole, moving the piece you have to cut with your other hand.

WEAR GLOVES ON THE HAND THAT HOLD THE PIECE TO CUT, THE BLADES ARE REALLY SHARP, AND EASILY CUT TROUGH YOUR FINGERS.

STEP 11: IF YOU NEED TO CUT AN INSIDE PART

If you need to cut something in the inside part of a piece of metal, just punch a little hole where you need to cut, insert the blade in the hole, and do the previous step of how to place the blade and cut.

Comments

[sanjay117]

Good post.
Hopefully you have all read a great article in popular mechanics(very old) by Mr. W.E. Burton on juse of ewlery saw!

[cjf]

Great, thank you! It would be perfect with one of the charts you mentioned included- one-stop shopping and all.

[nik9801]

Great instruction! Can you explain how to use a tracing paper while sawing? I'm reading a book where the author is teaching how to saw through tracing paper but I can't get it how she made the paper not to move back and forth while sawing. Should it be secured with something?

[TriacNT]

With any kind of paper or card, you can use spray adhesive: It's easier to remove the paper than rubber cement, and won't get brittle and fall off if you have to put the project aside for a day or two. I discovered this while using a scroll saw, and found the adhesive's residue is much easier to remove.

[marcellahella]

I don't know about cutting tracing paper…sorry I can't help. Anyways, just about curiosity, what is the purpose?

[cirious]

You can draw your design on the tracing paper (or any paper, really) and then attach it to the metal with rubber cement or a glue stick to keep it in place while you saw through both it and the metal at the same time. That way, you don't have to draw on the metal -- which sometimes, can be problematic.

[LaurenR43]

glue the full piece of paper onto the metal. I have not tried rubber cement. We used a glue stick in the class I took, but I like the rubber cement idea.

[davenbill]

attach the paper [not necessarily tracing paper] to the metal sheet with rubber cement; you can then cut out your design without the paper moving.

[nolose]

Muy buena explicación no sabia poner bien la cera,gracias!

[marcellahella]

gracias!

[DM5k]

never forget to let the blade do the work, in high school jewelry class, i saw a girl cut through half of her finger because the blade wasn't tight enough, and i saw a boy pierce the blade straight through his finger, for the same reason. don't push it, guide it.

[nik9801]

davenbill thanks so much for the idea!

[Woodworker_17]

I agree with the saw safety, I was using a hand wood saw and got a nasty cut from the blade because it slipped out of the workpiece.

[debschlouch]

Awesome, thanks for the detailed instructions. I will refer to when I use my saw again as I use it infrequently!

[Mindmapper1]

hi this a good basic introduction. Two things: it's jewellery and the blade selection it is normal to have fine teeth for thin metal I was always taught that there should be at least two teeth for the thickness.

[marcellahella]

Yes, I have to correct that, I meant material, not metal. I also cut bones and really hard wood, so that was just a really general tips. I'll add your too.

Thanks.