First and Last Time

[Rockytime]

Spiral blades, never again. I cut the text with a #1 Pegas mg on 1/4" Oak. Then I thought, "Hey this might be the time to try a spiral blade." I have some #1 Pegas Spirals. It looks like a snake winding it's way along the side of the car. I'm gonna cut it again but never again with a spiral. I can live without them.

[kmmcrafts]

Spirals like to follow the softer grain in the wood.. and they take some getting use to.. To make it easier for getting a wider kerf ( veining ).. you can cut it with a flat blade and then come back and use a spiral to make the wider kerf.. The blade will follow the kerf of the flat blade fairly well when doing it that way.. Also will say that my opinion is that the Pegas spirals are a little harder to control than the FD spirals.. and the FD-NS are even easier yet to control.. Maybe because the FD-NS blades was always my go to blades for a long time.. I can cut with either but for me the FD ones are easier.. 

[Rockytime]

Don't have those but will order next time I need blades. Thanks for the tip!

[wombatie]

I'm with you Les, I hate spirals.

Marg

[lawson56]

I have tried them a few time, I will stick with my Flats.

[JimErn]

3 hours ago, lawson56 said:

I have tried them a few time, I will stick with my Flats.

ditto, too rough a cut too IMO, means more sanding, not something I want to do

[redwine]

I am looking at the cuts you made and not knowing how you have the project facing on the table, I am willing to bet that you are sawing from right to left or left to right. I am assuming that by the way the cut pattern is moving up and down. If that is what you are doing, turn the wood so that you can bring the wood toward you and that will make staying on the line much easier. That pattern has a lot of straight lines and a few curves. In fact before you give up on the spirals, take a piece of scrap 1/8th  inch or 1/4 inch, draw a bunch of straight lines and a few curves and try  bring the wood toward you and also try "pushing" it away from you. You will notice the difference right off! The same use of pulling the wood toward you also will work on gradually curves. I have not used any Pegus spirals so cannot comment on them but the FD NS work the best for myself, nothing larger than #1.

Erv

[crupiea]

I am right there with you.  I have tried and tried with the spirals and they just seems to chew the wood up and make a mess.

[kmmcrafts]

Erv makes a good point that I had slipped my mind on spirals.. I've used them so much over the years it just comes natural to me on how to cut best with them..

A scroll saw has a blade forward backward movement.. Cutting from the front or back makes the cutting go straighter than cutting sideways... That blade makes a forward movement on the down stroke.. So that said.. the design is to cut from the front of any scroll saw.. and this will be a more aggressive cut from the front too.. as that blade moves forward it's taking a bite out of the wood on each down stroke.. Cut from the back side the blade would cut less aggressive as on the down stroke it's moving away from the wood.. 

I agree with Erv... Get some scraps and see if you can get the hang of it a bit better.. Spiral blades sure do have their advantages and di-advantages too.. They are great for doing those thin lines ( veining ) 

[Rolf]

Erv made a good point ,I have always felt that the aggressive front back blade motion on some saws greatly impacts the spiral control when cutting sideways.

 

[Bill WIlson]

I've made this point number of times, regarding spirals.  They are well suited for some projects.  I personally don't believe that one with straight lines or smooth curves is one of them.  I can see the temptation to use a spiral for veining, but if you aren't used to them, I would suggest first cutting the line with a straight blade first, then following with a spiral to open it up.

The point about cutting sideways is a good one.  Even though a spiral is designed to cut 360 degrees, that doesn't mean it cuts equally well in all directions.  The saw and the wood both have something to do with that, as well.  When using spirals and wanting to maintain maximum control, especially over a long line, I always cut in the traditional direction, pushing the wood straight into the blade, from the front. 

Spirals do their best work on portraits, where there are many short, irregular lines.  If I'm cutting a portrait and there are any long, smooth lines, I'll substitute a flat blade to cut those.  That gives me the best results.  IMHO the '57 Fairlane pattern is not well suited for spiral blades.  I know guys who use a spiral for everything, even traditional fretwork, so it can be done.  However, my personal opinion is that spirals and straight blades aren't intended to be used interchangeably. 

[kmmcrafts]

I cut all the inside cuts of this entirely with a spiral blade..  Another thing that works for me is using smaller blades than I normally would use for the same project using a flat blade.. I do not use any larger spiral than a #1.. and my go to blade is the 0/2 or 1 using the FD-NS blade. the NS ( new spiral ) is easier to control than the others I've used.. over the years I've used Olsen and Pegas spirals.. I always go back to the NS.. but now with experience I can control any of the other brands as well.. I think for a beginner the NS is the way to go.. 

I don't use spirals very often.. and if you look close you probably can figure out what my first few cuts on this Ford were.. LOL

 

 

[Scrappile]

I use spirals a lot and am very comfortable with them, but if I was trying them to learn how to use them, that certainly ts not a pattern I would want to learn on.... That l big cat picture you posted recently would be a better one for spirals, I would think.

[CharleyL]

Only when I need to clear out very small areas, will I use the spiral blades. Everything else gets flat blades. 

Charley

[flarud]

9 hours ago, kmmcrafts said:

I cut all the inside cuts of this entirely with a spiral blade..  Another thing that works for me is using smaller blades than I normally would use for the same project using a flat blade.. I do not use any larger spiral than a #1.. and my go to blade is the 0/2 or 1 using the FD-NS blade. the NS ( new spiral ) is easier to control than the others I've used.. over the years I've used Olsen and Pegas spirals.. I always go back to the NS.. but now with experience I can control any of the other brands as well.. I think for a beginner the NS is the way to go.. 

I don't use spirals very often.. and if you look close you probably can figure out what my first few cuts on this Ford were.. LOL

 

 

I can't do spirals either.  But I will try the method listed above.  Where do you buy your FD NS blade from?

[OCtoolguy]

21 minutes ago, flarud said:

I can't do spirals either.  But I will try the method listed above.  Where do you buy your FD NS blade from?

Mike's Workshop or Wooden Teddy Bear both carry them. I think they are the only sources for Flying Dutchman. But, Niqua is the same blade if you want to shop around.

 

[Scrappile]

You can purchase them from Wooden Teddy Bear or Mike's workshop, both places are owned by the same person.  And of coarse Amazon has their nose in there.

[dgman]

If you order online from Mikes workshop you get free shipping for blades only. You won’t get free shipping if you order from Wooden Teddy Bear even though they are the same Co.

[Norm Fengstad]

thanks for the info on spirals, I have several frustrating portraits destined for the fire place But have gotten much better with practice. I was going to buy some pegas ones but now I won't bother, I bought from Mike's and from Garnet Hall Intarsia. the blades are probably Niqua. prices are similar, Garnets was 36.50 Canadian dollars  for a gross so u.S  would be much less and no tax his shipping has been the best.

[flarud]

Thanks for the blade info guys. 

[Woodrush]

On 8/29/2019 at 8:41 PM, Rockytime said:

Spiral blades, never again. I cut the text with a #1 Pegas mg on 1/4" Oak. Then I thought, "Hey this might be the time to try a spiral blade." I have some #1 Pegas Spirals. It looks like a snake winding it's way along the side of the car. I'm gonna cut it again but never again with a spiral. I can live without them.

Not a fan either

[OCtoolguy]

I realized or thought I did, that the spiral blades would allow you to cut from all directions without having to spin your wood. BUT now I find out that you still have to watch what direction you push/pull your work through the blade. I think I'll just stick with my goto flat blades and leave the spirals for those who like them.

 

[Bill WIlson]

I gotta say that I'm a little surprised and even disappointed that so many scrollers have given up on spirals or maybe never gave them a try.  I admit, my first experience with them was about as disastrous as I could imagine and I almost gave up on them for good as well.  However, after trying a different brand/batch/type, I've had much better luck with them.  I realize they aren't for everyone or everything and they do take some getting used to, but don't be too hasty to write them off. 

[Scrappile]

This has been discussed as many times as whether to use blue tape or not..... I have finally come to the point,,, I don't care one way or the other, how people do things, it is if they are enjoying what they are doing that is important.  And it is pretty much the same as it has always been, the same ones do it one way and the same ones do it another..... I do have one change in my methods that I will admit.  I am top feeding on a lot of things now.... maybe not the same way most top feed, but I am doing it.  Moved to some bigger patterns so I have had to,,,,, it's not so bad...

[OCtoolguy]

39 minutes ago, Bill WIlson said:

I gotta say that I'm a little surprised and even disappointed that so many scrollers have given up on spirals or maybe never gave them a try.  I admit, my first experience with them was about as disastrous as I could imagine and I almost gave up on them for good as well.  However, after trying a different brand/batch/type, I've had much better luck with them.  I realize they aren't for everyone or everything and they do take some getting used to, but don't be too hasty to write them off. 

Bill, just out of curiosity, what brand, size, type are you using that you are happy with? Or is that a question without an answer?