Les,
The length of most scroll saw blades is between 5” and 5.25”, so with most scroll saws the thickest piece you can cut is about 2.5”.
The smallest scroll saw blades can fit in a very small access hole—under 1/32” — but those blades have such tiny teeth that it isn’t practical to make long cuts in thick wood.
Larger scroll saw blades, (size 9 up to 13) with bigger teeth and bigger gullets between the teeth to carry away the sawdust, are readily available, and can fit in access holes of 1/16” or less. These are perfectly capable of working with the 1-1/2” thick stock (donated 2x4 pieces) used for the majority of the toy designs the club uses.
For internal cuts, such as windows in a toy car, the scroll saw is ideal. You have a clear view of the blade, cut line and pattern, as well as a blower removing sawdust from the area. Even small pieces are easily held flat on the table while being cut.
The alternatives are
1 ) using a handheld jig saw, and dealing with the problems of seeing the cut line in a small piece underneath the saw, and securing the wood so it can be cut.
The usual trick is to avoid these problems is to mount the jigsaw under a table ( like mounting a router in a router table) and using it with the blade exposed. These types of saws are sometimes called saber saws, since the blade is held at just one end, like a sword. In this way it simulates a scroll saw.
1A) A benchtop jig saw. Same name as the handheld tool. Different tool. Also a different tool than a scroll saw, but they look very much alike and can often do the same jobs. They may even be sold as scroll saws. They look very similar. It can be hard to tell the difference The big difference isc that the cutting action is different, which can make the cost less. Jig saws only cut on the down (pull) stroke, and gave a weaker blade return, often spring powered. Scroll saws have the blade under a higher tension and can cut equally well in either direction, although the blades are often designed to just cut in one direction
The blade length is similar to a scroll saw, but some of these jig saws use the longer coping saw blades, some use pin end blades, and some use scroll saw pinless blades natively, or with an adapter.
2 ) using a bandsaw, making the part in pieces and gluing those together.
3) using a hand powered coping saw or a larger ‘turning saw’. The coping saw is undoubtedly the least expensive way to go. Cheap ones are $10 or less. I’ve built one from scrap wood for pennies. The most expensive one I’ve seen pictured, made of titanium, is about $300, which is expensive, but still, half the price of a new Dewalt scroll saw.
The turning saw is not commonly sold in the US, Thomas Flynn makes them in England, but kits are available to build your own. Gramercy calls theirs a bow saw kit.
It uses a blade 12” long about the size of a coping saw blade, or it might use a section of 1/8” to 1/4’ bandsaw blade material. In the same category are the elaborate hand saws for cutting veneer for marquetry. They can cut thicker materials, too. They are very expensive.
4 ) using a router, and making multiple passes to get a deep cut. Usually you have the added time of making a fixture to hold the wood in place, and making a template to guide the router cut. By the way, a scroll saw is ideal for making such router templates. or
5 ) A CNC controlled cutter will work in the same manner as a router, but the bed works really well for holding the wood, and your design program replaces a physical template or guide.
A laser is not practical for cutting 1-1/2” thick stock at this time. The power required is still too expensive for most shops to afford. Cost, again, limits the use of a waterjet cutter.
If you have any questions about scroll saws, or want to try out one , or several, Gary Lucas has models from 4 different brands at his shop. The scroller group meets there monthly, and you can contact Gary about dropping by to use these at some more convenient time, as well.
But before you rush out to buy a scroll saw.
Gary has been considering opening his shop to CIWW members on a more frequent basis. I spoke last night with CIWW President Bill McCartney about getting an official endorsement of this as a CIWW program, and we expect it will be discussed ( and hopefully approved) at the July board meeting. If so, you ( and other CIWW members) will be able to use a scroll saw at a convenient time, without needing to buy one. There is already one at the McNeely shop, as well.
Hope this helps
Paul Jacobson