Cutting Sharp Corners

Techniques

Cutting Sharp Corners

issues-ssw39-Corners-Lead_WEBPractice this basic technique to produce crisp sharp corners Step-by-step photos by Ben Fink and Scott Kriner

Cutting tight corners is an acquired skill and it intimidates many new scrollers.

Some scrollers turn in the waste area or approach the corner from multiple directions.

However, these techniques will not work with some designs.

With a little practice, you can master cutting sharp corners without cutting into the waste wood.

Warming Up Before Cutting Tip

When you first turn on your scroll saw, practice cutting stair steps or a city skyline in a piece of scrap wood. This gets you warmed up and ready to create crisp sharp corners.

 

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Square your blade.

It’s impossible to cut sharp corners if your saw table and blade are not perfectly square. Make a shallow cut in the thickest wood block that fits on your saw. Back the blade out of the cut and spin the block so the cut you just made is aligned with the back of the blade. If the cut doesn’t line up with the blade, adjust the tilt of the table by half the difference of the angle between the blade and the cut. Continue testing the angle until the blade and cut line up perfectly.