cutting portraits with spiral blades

[scroller111]

Hello everyone,

I was going through the forum and didn't see any topics on this.

I cut out a I pic of Yoda for my nephew. I got the pattern off the internet from another pattern maker.

The problem is, I have never used a spiral blade before. I didn't realize how much fuzz and rough cuts are left behind afterwards.

Does anyone have a good solution to sand these without ruining the project?

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

 

[gator]

believe it or not i lay mine flat on the saw table and hit it with a orbital sander. and sometimes a small torch and burn them off.and some times a small file and knife and cut them off

[Clayton717]

I use a torch and lightly burn them off

[Travis]

Right now, you're left with sanding or burning like mentioned above.  I prefer sanding.

 

Future ones, you can put on a backer or cover the back with blue masking tape.  I also stack cut 1/8" BB Ply when cutting with spirals.  The top ones will be nice and clean.  The bottom will be a bit fuzzier.  You can also use the scroll reverse spirals, which help.  

 

Great cutting, BTW.  Patterns like that lend themselves well to spiral blades.

[heppnerguy]

I was on this thread a little while ago and for some reason i was unable to open your post picture nor could I post my reply, so I am going to retype it. I have found that the spiral blades do not give me the cleaner cut I am looking for so I opt to use a double tooth blade instead, Some people unjoy the spiral blades and do wonderful work with them. I also am not able to keep very good control with them. Everyone has a blade that works for them, personally, so if you likethe spiral blade, then I suggest you go for it. Travis made a good suggesting about stack cutting and I also do that when I cut with 1/8th inch wood. It not only helps with at cleaner cut but I find it makes the blade less agressive and eaier to control in very tight areas, where on slip could end up making the piece a scrap. I am glad you asked about it and we would be interested and knowing what you finally did with it.

   After being able to pull up your photo and seeing it, I have to add that you did a great job with the cutting. Cleaning up fuzzies is a regular part of scrolling

 

Dick

heppnerguy

[amazingkevin]

TRY A THICK ROLL ONE CLEAR IT HIDES A LOT OF SINS. :)SOMETIMES IT'S NOT HOW WELL YOU DO YOUR JOB IT'S HOW WELL YOU HIDE YOUR MISTAKES .more than once i did this and the results was way better than expected!

Edited January 16, 2014 by amazingkevin

[Ron Johnson]

Hi Thomas

 

Nice cutting of portrait. As mentioned above a small fine file will clean up nicely although time consuming. I personally use a double tooth blade or crown tooth for even finer cutting. Never have a concern with fuzz or rough cuts.

[spirithorse]

Gator briefly mentioned a small torch which is the method I use.

Just QUICKLY run the tip of the flame from a propane torch across the back side of the portrait and the

fuzzies burn off.

God Bless! Spirithorse

[Sparkey]

Nice job cutting. I am also one of the people that do a light sanding both sides and torch the back.

[browders]

Torching the back, that's a great idea. Of course if it were a project I had been working on with a spiral blade, I would torch the whole thing......That's assuming I had any fingers left to light the torch.

[Fish]

I just sand it when I'm done too.  Nice job on that one.

[Phantom Scroller]

I like the hand sanding method it therapeutic and you can put less pressure where you need it.

 

Roly 

[danny]

Well I NEVER had any Luck with Spirals, so just wrote them off and stayed with my FAVORITE BLADE  FD-UR #1.  Stack 1/8 four up or 1/4 two up or up to 3/4 soft wood like Pine, Popular....There is VERY, VERY little FUZZIES on the bottom layer Ever.  My 2 cents....  Danny  :+}

[scroller111]

Hello everyone,

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions.

I ended up running a torch lightly across the back to get rid of most of the fuzzies, I then used my orbital sander to smooth out the entire piece and an xacto blade and 4oo grit sand paper to get the rest of the fuzzies that were left behind.

 

Once again thanks for the help

 

Happy Scrolling

[WolfmoonCT]

I've tried the orbital on a piece that I saw had little fuzz..  ended up breaking off a piece.. Since then, if I need to get rid of any fuzzy, I hand sand with block..  220 grit.  Allows me to get just the right amount of pressure, so i don't break anything

[CHEF1943]

I only ever use spirals and use the sander and torch on the back of my work ,even used the touch all over and lightly sand it leaving part of the burning on pic looks good depending on pic (tried flat blades but they don't like me so I stay with spirels --------Brian

[Multifasited]

Spirals are Unique ,they are aways cutting on 3 sides ,or a three sided circle at all times ,depending on pressure applied to those 3 sides is the cutting action ,all related to control of direction of pressure exerted .the wear of the blade is on the most used pressure point ,so least used portion is more agressive .they also have no back bone or strong side like straight blade ,making them flex the same in all direction ,adaquate tention is manditory on spirals ,they also have to exhaust saw dust from all three sides at all times . Speed of saw ,speed of feed ,direction of secondard pressure (leaning the cut)if you will directly effect cuts ,I love them and use them a lot ,I use as much tension as I can (feel) I lube them ,I steer the work to them only as fast as it can exhaust the saw dust .I change blades when cutting edge in one direction really slows ,but other 3 sides are still agressive . Because that is the side I use the most ,and as I back off the sharper side starts grabbing in a direction I don't want to go ,Best way to view it ,you have teeth on Four sides  of a straight blade ,what will you do different to control it . Thats what you have only it's round and not like a + . The   Worst fuzzies are caused by too much pressure causing blade bow ,which changes the cut angle of the blade at the cut ,There is no drift angle .no built in kerf pull ,to help you or hurt you ,you are the only controlling force ,feed rate speed and pressure ,or as John Wayne said" Windage and elevation" suggestion: take some scrap cut to the center w/ a spiral  stop slowly gently move the scrap to the blade and watch how it reacts stop start in a different direction watch how it reacts ,do this in 8 different directions or angles  ,including straight back ,now start in a new area of the scrap and use what you observed to control you cutting a design .The blade ,which ever kind or size is the boss ,you are just feeding it in the direction you want it to go,But it's still the boss ,and you steer to it's abilities and limitations. Just trying to explain what it took me years to realize .Putting in to words is even harder .Sorry to rant ,I get carried away !   

[LarryEA]

" Whew "
Carl, That is all good information and should be written up somewhere for reference.

I still may never use one ...

Larry

Edited February 5, 2014 by LarryEA

[sullyscroller]

Spirals suck big time but are about the only thing you can use on large pieces. I have to think long and hard on a piece if it's to large to spin on the saw as to whether or not to do it because of the spirals and fuzzies. You can get used to them over time but the fuzzies are part of cutting with spirals. When needed i use a torch and orbital sander. Try useing FDUR's next time, i use #5's on 95 % of my portraits and spend maybe 10 seconds with a orbital on the back when i'm done. The front just needs a couple of seconds.

 

sully

Edited February 5, 2014 by sullyscroller

[Multifasited]

Some swear by , more it seems swear at spirals .I have close kin that HATE and refuse to eat tomatoes ,BUT they eat ketchup at every meal ,by the bottle full.

I don't understand it ,but ,that's just the way it is ,I not selling anything ,only trying to help those who want it ,and not change or make light of  anybodies personal firm beliefs .

Sorry if I p.o.ed any body ! Life's too short !

[LarryEA]

Carl, if anyone got PO'd, they woke up that way.

Your comment on "swear by or at". I just don't want to adjust to using a spiral.

Until I have to, I'll stick with my #'2,3,5

Your post here at 10:27pm is well written and educational on using a spiral blade.

Roly likes it...nothing else required.

PS: If you find another subject to rant on...PLEASE do !!!

 

Larry

[sullyscroller]

Rick Gray at the old free4all loved them, use to ecourage everyone to come to the "dark side". Like i said i use them but only when i have no choice and then i want to bang my head into a wall when i'm done.. Don't know about others but my feelings ain't hurt and i ain't PO'd. hehehehe Hey they beat the heck outta a cheap skip blade.

 

sully

[Doug]

Gotta find what works for you and what you love - main thing is to do what makes your scrolling enjoyable and fun.  I do mostly 3/4 to 5/4 wood and most is word art and a few other things.  I primarily use 2/0 and # 1 spirals and may want a larger vein on something and go to # 3 or # 5 on rare ocassions.  I tried non spirals and on the thickness of the wood could never get as smooth a corner or do an O or S as well as with a spiral.  Me, I love my spirals and respect and admire those who can make non spirals do the job in thick wood - that is beyond my skill level and I am now so comfortable with spirals if I ever did thinner wood I would panic if not using a spiral.  Thanks to Carl for his assist on spiral technique.  As he said it is difficult to describe and just an art acquired through repetitive use.

[Lucky2]

I despise using spiral blades, and I use them only if there is absolutely no other option. The way I clean up the fuzzies is with an orbital sander, or, if it's real delicate I use my detail sander. I do mostly fret work, a lot of it is quite delicate, but, I have never had a piece break because of sanding it. As for using a flame or torch to clean up the fuzzies, I hope your doing it outdoors just to be safe. This is only my opinion, but, I don't think that wood and flames mix, Baltic Birch catches fire very quickly.

Carl, personally, I didn't or don't see any reason for you to apologize, I read what you've posted a couple of times, and I thought they were quite informative. As for spiral blades, I've cussed enough about them that I never have to cuss again.

Len

[heppnerguy]

Carl,

    I believe that everyone including myself, only wish to thank you for all the good imput to the usage of the spiral blades. every blade is probably some persons choice of blade. I personally do not like the spiral blade but I made and cut a pattern the other day that needed thicker lines to show it off correctly when it was finished and I opted for the spiral, I did what I wanted it to do and I was happy with the end product. I will re-read your post and take a lesson from it. Glad you  took the time to make your short tutorial, I know a lot will find it very helpful

 

Dick

heppenrguy

 

Some swear by , more it seems swear at spirals .I have close kin that HATE and refuse to eat tomatoes ,BUT they eat ketchup at every meal ,by the bottle full.

I don't understand it ,but ,that's just the way it is ,I not selling anything ,only trying to help those who want it ,and not change or make light of  anybodies personal firm beliefs .

Sorry if I p.o.ed any body ! Life's too short !