finally done

[Wichman]

This project has been haunting me for months. 1/2" Baltic birch ply, some Olson #2 spirals (about 14) FD new spiral #0/2 about 36), pilot holes with a #65 bit, min-wax classic gray 271 stain, DecoArt craft twinkles crystal (clear)(for the highlights),four coats Minwax clear satin finish,  pattern by me (from a photo).

 

 

[FrankEV]

6 hours ago, Wichman said:

This project has been haunting me for months. 1/2" Baltic birch ply, some Olson #2 spirals (about 14) FD new spiral #0/2 about 36), pilot holes with a #65 bit, min-wax classic gray 271 stain, DecoArt craft twinkles crystal (clear)(for the highlights),four coats Minwax clear satin finish,  pattern by me (from a photo).

 

 

 

You did mean #2/0 blades, right?  

I can read the words, but can not really see the overall work in the pic.  What is it?  Can not see the crystals.  Maybe show a pic of the pattern.

Why was it so difficult to cut?  Why did you need so many blades?  

Half inch thick BB ply should not have been dificult to cut, but I suspect a piece of solid wood woud have been a better choice for a table top standup piece.

Just guessing, but it kinda sounds like your saw is not working correctly or you are not controling the workpiece properly.  

I think if you are looking for some help more info is needed. 

If you are looking for symphathy, you know where in the dictionary it can be found!

[daveww1]

nice job

[Wichman]

2 hours ago, FrankEV said:

You did mean #2/0 blades, right?  

I can read the words, but can not really see the overall work in the pic.  What is it?  Can not see the crystals.  Maybe show a pic of the pattern.

Why was it so difficult to cut?  Why did you need so many blades?  

Half inch thick BB ply should not have been dificult to cut, but I suspect a piece of solid wood woud have been a better choice for a table top standup piece.

Just guessing, but it kinda sounds like your saw is not working correctly or you are not controling the workpiece properly.  

I think if you are looking for some help more info is needed. 

If you are looking for symphathy, you know where in the dictionary it can be found!

Yes, I meant #2/0 blades. Here is a closer view of the wing.

I'm not sure why it was so hard to cut, this is my first real attempt to use spiral blades, and the blades kept breaking. I broke 6 blades (they would snap in my fingers) before I got them installed in the saw. I even went back to my old saw (Delta 2 speed with quick clamp) and broke just as many. The new saw ( Hegner 22") is better than the old saw about breaking standard blades.

[Roberta Moreton]

Did you try adjusting the tension at all?

[Wichman]

24 minutes ago, Roberta Moreton said:

Did you try adjusting the tension at all?

Yes, I did try adjusting the tension and it seemed to have no effect. Some blades would last pretty good, most failed after one or two cuts, six blades failed before they were installed.

[FrankEV]

36 minutes ago, Wichman said:

Yes, I meant #2/0 blades. Here is a closer view of the wing.

I'm not sure why it was so hard to cut, this is my first real attempt to use spiral blades, and the blades kept breaking. I broke 6 blades (they would snap in my fingers) before I got them installed in the saw. I even went back to my old saw (Delta 2 speed with quick clamp) and broke just as many. The new saw ( Hegner 22") is better than the old saw about breaking standard blades.

1. Could be a bad batch of blades.

2. I'm gusessing that definately the tension is MUCH to tight.  The blade should make a slight ping when plucked...it is not a banjo string.

3. You are pushing tooooooo hard with speed  probably way too fast.   Need to use a very light push to let the saw blade cut the work.  High speed overheats the blade and they break much to soon.  Thicker the wood the slower you need to move the piece.

4  You are trying to control the blade like a straight blade.  You can't!!!  Your hands must move the work to follow the line but in a more two axis like control.  Both hands must work together to move the work.  More like how you would trace something using a pencil and tracing paper, but using both hans.

5.  And, if you kink a 2/0 spiral while threading, it will likely break within one or two cutting thereafter.  ( I know, it happens to me too often...got to be very careful while threading the blade not to kink it.)  Again, the thicker the wood the more opportunity to kink the blade while threading.

Looking at the pic, I see the patten is not very intricate but it is somewhat repeitive.  Lots of fine lines making the cutting boring but, IMHO, rather simple. Should not be a dificult piece to cut without breaking many blades.

Your cutting of the lettering is real nice.  You probably did not use the spirals and had no problems cutting them.  Spirals do take a good amount of practice to get them to work for you.   

 

. 

[FrankEV]

10 minutes ago, Wichman said:

Yes, I did try adjusting the tension and it seemed to have no effect. Some blades would last pretty good, most failed after one or two cuts, six blades failed before they were installed.

As you know there are two tensioning devices.  The knob at the back and the tensioning lever just above the blade (at least this how my Pegas is).

With the tension knob set loose, if you clamp the blade top and botom and flip the lever, and then bring the tension up using the knob to where you just get that nice ping,  That is your preset.   Leave the knob alone from then on, but check it every now and then as they can chnge their position due to vibrations.    

After setting the tension, you must be careful to not over tighten the blade with the lever.  If it feels thike it is too tight when you go to flip thy lever over the blade may not be in the clamp correctly.  Clamping spiral blade in the clamp jaws is a little tricky because of the twist in the blade.  I try to feel for the flat spot as I clamp.  Not always easy to feel and you can catch the blade edge and when you flip the lever the tension may be toooo tight.  Another indication of not proper clamping is getting the 'hockeystick' bend in the end of the blade. Both of these happenings shortens the blade life considerably.

If you go back to my previous reply, I'm betting you re kinking the blade while threading.   

 

 

[Scrappile]

I haven't completely figured it out, but I do tend to break more spiral blades on my Hegner than my other saw. Not enough that I worry about it. 

I also had a gross of #3/0 FD-NS  blades that I fought and fought on both my saws because no matter what I did, I would get the "hockey puck" bend on one or both ends, when mounting the blades.  I started straightening the ends before mounting them, but I had never had to do that before.  I finally decided there was something wrong with the blades, and ordered a new bunch... I was right.. laying the new and old blades side by side, I could see a difference.  The old ones had more twists in the ends than the new ones..  The new one work like they should...  So the point is, some time you can get a bad batch of blades..

 

[Denny Knappen]

Very well done.  The closeup picture helps a lot.  If you want to stick with Spirals on a project like that, you might consider #0 or #1.

[WolfmoonCT]

I just got a new batch of blades for my Seyco..  Olson #2/0R.  I tried them in some 1/2 inch (2x1/4" stacked) ash, and the first two blades, I cannot get to cut straight, or without a lot of pressure.. I really hope it's only a couple, because I had ordered 18doz blades.. I would hate to have to replace them again..  I don't normally cut that thick, so I'm hoping when I use them in my normal 1/4" thick stock, they don't have an issue.