Spiral Blade Question

[oldhudson]

I've never tried a spiral blade and I'm going to be placing an order, so I thought I'd try them out. I work about half the time with hardwood 1/4" or less and the other half with pw. I generally prefer Olson. Do I want the want the flat end spiral or regular spiral?

 

Thanks for reading.

[Multifasited]

Flat tips ! being they are truely spirals they are not completely flat but much better !

[LarryEA]

Berry, I tried a spiral and quit imediately. Now, I going to give them another chance.

As to your question, I thought a spiral was 'just a spiral.' The only difference is some

are poorly made. So I will follow and see other replies.

[Multifasited]

Larry, mike has flat tip spirals ,but like I said above they are not perfectly flat like a standard blade ,at least mine were not . You will love them if you start slow ,get your control and sneek up on the speed ,you can NOT force a spiral and expect it to cut straight ,it's round and flexs more in all directions equally always cutting 3 sides at once !

[amazingkevin]

Good advice Carl! If you don't get flat ends your will have the blade walking  out of the clamps before you can tighten them.

[JustLarry]

FD New Spiral is what I use.  Just flatten the almost flat ends out before install.   Just like riding a bicycle. - Slow when you start to learn then pick up speed as you get better. 

 

Larry

[heppnerguy]

I am not a spiral fan, myself but I used it today on something I am making and found i was able to achieve what I was after wit it better and easier than I have in previous encounters with it. I just MIGHT consider giving them another chance, down the road.

 

Dick

heppnerguy

[scrimper]

I tried using spiral blades once and found them impossible to control, they may have a use but they are IMHO useless for detailed work.

[ike]

I TRIED SPIRALS A COUPLE OF TIMES WITH NO LUCK

[Scrolling Steve]

Just keep working at it.........I am finding they can be very helpful on certain projects!

[Scrappile]

When I tried them I only bought a couple dozen because i wasn't sure I'd like them.  They surprised me and after the first try they just seemed much easier for me to use.  To my mind it just makes more sence to gently move the board the direction you want to cut as as opposed to moving the board around and around to follow the line.  But what works best for one doesn't always work best for another.  To me they a worth giving a try, but if you just cannot get comfortable with them, I certainly would not force it.  I have no idea how they work on thicker stock that you would use for word art and such.

[Bendita]

I use spirals #3 and #1 99% all of the time I will use a straight if I have a long straight line to cut like the outside of a portrait but other than that its spirals I do prefer the flat end spirals over the others though they are generally a bit more money but worth it in the end.

.../Hans

[Doug]

I use spirals #3 and #1 99% all of the time I will use a straight if I have a long straight line to cut like the outside of a portrait but other than that its spirals I do prefer the flat end spirals over the others though they are generally a bit more money but worth it in the end.

.../Hans

Hans

 

With all of your fine detail work, I would have guessed 2/0 spirals would have been one of your main blades.  I also use spirals almost exclusively with my main blades being # 1 and 2/0 and occasionally a # 3.

[Multifasited]

I think I have seen so very detailed ,beaitiful works done with spirals .The teeth are rotated and the gullet is comprimised or diminished ,so you are actually only using the tips of the teeth and the dust is much finer and if not cleared completely you have a very thin round rasp instead of a saw blade ,then the fun begins . yes! they are unforgiveing if forced ,you are the controler of the speeds and the force !

[Sparkey]

Spiral blades are all I use. I have a few sizes but like the new FD 3/0 spiral best. For me they are easy to control and easy to cut straight lines with. I can actually cut a straight line better with a spiral than a flat blade. Like others said let the blade do the work and don't force it. I cut three 1/4" pieces plywood stacked and 3/8" hardwood for my crosses and the 3/0's do a fine job. Good luck and I hope you like them.