Ok, I'm ready to give it a try. I have about 20 more pieces to cut that are just about the same.

The wood is 1/4" Oak and I have been using a 2R blade. The patterns are put on using blue tape and spray glue. 

Will I need to go up a size in blade? And I'm thinking about using packing tape or a little hot glue in the waste area to hold them (2 blanks) together. Any help would be welcome.

Thanks

---

Harry Brink
Bulldog Woodworking
Montana

The way I do stack cutting is to stack the wood and then put the tap on and wrap it on the bottom about a inch or 2. I do it both ways then That holds it together. I have also found that glue sticks work great forputting down the pattern it is less messy then spray glue. I hope you understand what I am talking about.

 

Tom

The only stack cutting I do is for inlays. So, only two layers of 1/8 or 1/4. The 2R works for me.

I cover the pattern side with blue tape, then spray adhesive to hold the pattern on the tape. No mess in removing the pattern from the cut out pieces. Just pull off the tape.

To hold the stack together, I use clear packing tape. BTW, and as an aside, by accident I found that when cutting plastics or acrylics, packing tape keeps the blade cool and the material doesn't melt and weld it's self back together behind the blade.

---

Gene
'The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.' G. K. Chesterton

Same as Gene, the packing tape acts as a lubricant which cuts down on the friction which causes heat plus your blade will last longer. I did find that the thin cheaper packing tape doesn't work as well as the thicker stuff. Spend the extra money and get the heaver tape. A lot of tape manufactures call their tape heavy duty but in reality some are not heavy duty at all, go by the MIL thickness.

Gene Howe said:

The only stack cutting I do is for inlays. So, only two layers of 1/8 or 1/4. The 2R works for me.

I cover the pattern side with blue tape, then spray adhesive to hold the pattern on the tape. No mess in removing the pattern from the cut out pieces. Just pull off the tape.

To hold the stack together, I use clear packing tape. BTW, and as an aside, by accident I found that when cutting plastics or acrylics, packing tape keeps the blade cool and the material doesn't melt and weld it's self back together behind the blade.

---

Gene
'The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.' G. K. Chesterton

Personally, I use the glue gun to keep pieces together.  The bottom layer is just a shade larger than the top layer.  I glue all the way around so nothing will move.  For a blade, I prefer Flying Dutchman 3UR.  This takes care of the "fuzzies" on every layer.  Another must is that your blade must be square with the table both left and right AND fore and aft in order to get proper cuts.

Just my 2% of a buck, folks

---

Fred
aka Pop's Shop
www.pops-shop.com
EX-21 (Presently on the floor. Using my 6-year old 788 ! ! ! ! !
'Soooooo many patterns - sooooo little time'

For stack cutting duplicates, square is definitely a must. However, a 5* tilt for cutting an inlay makes it fit better. 

Fred Wilson said:

Personally, I use the glue gun to keep pieces together.  The bottom layer is just a shade larger than the top layer.  I glue all the way around so nothing will move.  For a blade, I prefer Flying Dutchman 3UR.  This takes care of the "fuzzies" on every layer.  Another must is that your blade must be square with the table both left and right AND fore and aft in order to get proper cuts.

Just my 2% of a buck, folks

---

Fred
aka Pop's Shop
www.pops-shop.com
EX-21 (Presently on the floor. Using my 6-year old 788 ! ! ! ! !
'Soooooo many patterns - sooooo little time'

Gene, I agree on the tilt for inlay.  I do several projects that use that skill.  I also play with different tilts for 3/4" material to determine proudness of the piece.

---

Fred
aka Pop's Shop
www.pops-shop.com
EX-21 (Presently on the floor. Using my 6-year old 788 ! ! ! ! !
'Soooooo many patterns - sooooo little time'

Thanks for all the info. I'll be working on them again this weekend so I'll give it a try.

---

Harry Brink
Bulldog Woodworking
Montana

i never tape my stacks together.  Nothing against it. I normally add several tacks around the perimeter.  solid woods not as easy then I use tacks still but might add some tape.  As far as blade size I use a number 3-5 when stack cutting depending on the number of layers or the detail inside.  If its hi detail stay small and only do 3 layers.  If its not I have cut up to 5 layers of 1/4 inch easily. 

I finally had the time to try this out today. I got brave and taped two 1/4" pieces together and wrapped with blue tape. Used a #5R blade and by golly it worked nice! The added thickness slowed my cut down so that I could control it better and they came out real nice!

It'll sure save time when making duplicate pieces!

Again, thanks.

---

Harry Brink
Bulldog Woodworking
Montana

Stack cutting sure does speed up production, most of my ornaments and fretwork projects are stack cut. Make sure your blade is square to the table too. 

---

Greg
Scroll Saw forum host

http://www.thesawdustfactoryga.com/

Greg - perpendicular left to right AND front to back (which most forget about).

---

Fred
aka Pop's Shop
www.pops-shop.com
EX-21 (Presently on the floor. Using my 6-year old 788 ! ! ! ! !
'Soooooo many patterns - sooooo little time'

You know Fred since I got the saw I'm using now in '08 i have never checked the front to back. Hmmm now that it's broke in I might should check it

Fred Wilson said:

Greg - perpendicular left to right AND front to back (which most forget about).

---

Fred
aka Pop's Shop
www.pops-shop.com
EX-21 (Presently on the floor. Using my 6-year old 788 ! ! ! ! !
'Soooooo many patterns - sooooo little time'

After writing that last post, I thought it might be a good idea to re-check MY saw.  I completely reset my saw a couple of months ago and ALL was perpendicular.  To my amazement, the front to back on my 788 is almost 3/16" off from top to bottom.  YIKES - Now what has gone wrong.  Had noticed some strange cuts lately but didn't even dawn on me that it was THAT adjustment.

---

Fred
aka Pop's Shop
www.pops-shop.com
EX-21 (Presently on the floor. Using my 6-year old 788 ! ! ! ! !
'Soooooo many patterns - sooooo little time'