- published: 19 Sep 2013
- views: 135877
A scroll saw is a small electric or pedal-operated saw that is useful for cutting intricate curves in cases where a jigsaw or coping saw is not appropriate. It is capable of creating curves with edges. It is somewhat similar to a band saw, but unlike band saws, in which the saw blade is a continuous loop, scroll saws use saw blades similar to those of coping saws and operate through a quick reciprocating up and down motion.
A scroll saw has two main advantages when compared to a band saw. The first is that the blade can be removed and placed in situ through a pre-drilled starting hole. This feature allows interior cutouts to be made without creating an entry slot for the blade through the edge of the workpiece. Second, a scroll saw can cut significantly more intricate curves.
Many different brands of scroll saws are on the market today. Notable ones include Excalibur (made in Taiwan), RBI (made in the USA), Hegner (made in Germany), Eclipse (made in the USA), and DeWalt (originally made in Canada, but now made in Taiwan). There are also a number of less expensive scroll saws manufactured in Asia, including those from Delta, Dremel (Bosch), Craftsman, Ryobi, and others.