Instruction manual

12
Fret Cutting
Fret or inside cutting is an operation that can only be performed on a scroll saw. Fret cutting involves drilling a small
guide or pilot hole through the interior of your pattern on the workpiece, then disconnecting one end of the blade
which is fit through the guide hole and re-connected; essentially using this guide hole as the starting point to cut
out the piece from within. A typical example of fret cutting would be removing the center portion of lettering. (See
Fig. 9)
The EX-21 is a great tool for fret cutting because unlike most scroll saws it
allows you to raise the upper arm with the blade attached, line up the guide
hole in your workpiece with the hole in the table and then lower the arm
while guiding the blade through the hole from above (see step by step
instructions below). This can be a very useful time saving feature, particular-
ly for intricate or complex fret designs that can involve dozens or even hun-
dreds of holes.
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
1. With the saw turned off and unplugged, install the appropriate blade for
the type of material to be cut and the type of cut to be made (Refer to the
section “Choosing and Installing a Saw Blade” on page 9).
2. Adjust the workpiece hold-down and the blower nozzle to your liking.
3. Turn on the saw and set the speed controller to the desired blade
speed.
4. With your fingers holding the piece firm to the table, and using your
thumbs for directional control, (See Fig #7 & 8) feed the workpiece
into the blade using steady, even pressure.
5. Make sure that the blade is cutting on the waste side of your refer-
ence line and adjust feed direction slighty as needed to compensate
for blade drift.
Cutting Tips: To stay in control on tight curve cuts, slow down your
feed rate as needed to allow the blade teeth time to make the cut.
Avoid coming to a complete stop whenever possible as this can
leave burn marks on the workpiece and also makes it more difficult
to get the piece re-started and moving through the cut again. Avoid
forcing through a curve cut as this can cause the blade to twist and
cut off-track or may even cause the blade to break.
1. With the saw turned off and unplugged, install the appropriate blade
for the type of material to be cut and the type of cut to be made
(Refer to the section “Choosing and Installing a Saw Blade” on page
9 of this manual).
2. With your pattern or design transferred onto the workpiece, drill a
guide hole in the inside waste portion of the workpiece. (See Fig. 10)
Make sure that the hole is large enough for the blade to fit through.
Helpful hints on drilling guide holes: If multiple fret cuts are required
on the same workpiece, drill all of your required guide holes before
taking the workpiece to the scroll saw. This will keep you from going
back and forth from the saw to the drill press.
To prolong blade life by limiting unnecessary cutting, drill your guide
holes as close as possible to your reference lines. (See Fig. 11)
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
A
Fig. 9
remove portion
Straight Cuts
Curved Cuts