What Kind of Blade Is Needed for a Craftsman Scroll Saw?

Craftsman Scroll Saw

• The Craftsman scroll saw is a table or bench-top model, but it has mounting holes in its base so that it can be securely mounted, if desired. The 16-inch arm to which the blade is attached allows you to work with larger material than with saws that have shorter arms. The blade is small and narrow to allow ease of making intricate curved cuts in material. The saw worktable can be tilted to make diagonal cuts.

Blade Specifications

• The five-inch-long blade has pins on either end to hold it in the saw blade holders securely. Craftsman scroll saw blades are designed to operate at between 400 rpm and 1600 rpm. The stroke of the up and down movement of the blade is 3/4 inch. When adjusted to 90 degrees, the blade can be used to cut material up to two inches thick. The thickness goes down to one inch when the blade is used to cut at a 45 degree angle. Sears sells an assortment of blades in one package that should take care most of your cutting needs. The part number for this item is 26889.

Blade Replacement

• One of the keys to making a successful cut is having the correct tension on the blade. Before the blade is removed, the tension must be removed from the blade by turning the tension knob on top of the saw in a counter-clockwise direction. Once this is done, the pins in the top and bottom of the blade can be unhooked from the holders and removed through the hole in the saw tabletop. Installation is in the reverse order of removal.

Conversion Kit

• The Craftsman scroll saw comes from the factory with the ability to use pin-end blades only, but many replacement blades are available for saws that use plain-end blades. While pin-end blades are thicker and can be used when cutting sturdy material, sometimes you may want to use thinner plain-end blades for more delicate cuts. Sears sells a conversion kit that can be installed on your Craftsman scroll saw that gives it the ability to use plain-end blades as well.