Scrollsaw Workshop Community -Please register to enable posting.
General Category => General Scroll Saw Talk => Topic started by: malc on December 08, 2011, 04:58:05 pm
-
I have been using Olson and FD reverse blades 5 (can't find the hash key), Is there still a place for standard cut blades plus how easy to use are spiral blades?
Malc
-
If by standard cut blades, you mean ones that don't have reverse teeth, like a skip tooth, then yes. There are still uses for them. Skip tooth blades have larger gaps between the teeth, which allows better chip clearance. These work well for compound cutting where the material is thicker. Reverse tooth blades tend to pack the sawdust in the kerf and build up heat. This slows the cutting process and dulls the blades faster. That's one application for non-reverse tooth blades, anyway. I'm sure there are more.
I don't use spirals often. They do have a learning curve and take some getting used to, especially if you are used to straight blades. Newer designs seem to be easier to use than old ones. I think the new style Flying Dutchman are a big improvement in ease of use.
-
Spiral blades are not for the faint of heart...They do take time to learn and if you are used to flat blades they will give you problems.
Get a dozen, take some scrap and work with them on a simple pattern until you learn how they react.
Fast Saw, Full Tension and SLOOOOOW Feed. Do NOT try to push the wood into them...Guide it!
Once learned they are a portrait cutter's best friend.
~~~GB~~~
-
I only use spiral blades. Somday I might experiment with a flat blade when I want to try some compound cutting.
-
I use only standard blades. Reverse tooth blades do not cut thicker material well for me. I do not do fret work. I do stack cutting of three pieces 3/8" thick each while doing intarsia or1"-2" while making toys. I find that spiral blades leave a rough finish on the cut ( on the thicker materials I use) that require sanding. The cut surface with standard blades would be degraded with any sanding on them.
-
The home store standard blades are great for making hooks from them - I hang my wood on there to drip oil ;D
Spiral blades are bitches. I don't like them, it's hard to get a straight clean cut with those. And they produce more dust. much more dust.
-
my dad is just learning how to cut and he likes the Spiral blades but i haad to take them a way from him i have 2 rbi saws and the one he used has a big hole in the table from him pushing to hard and cut my table all up it is a mess now so look out and go slow let the blade cut and enjoy the fun of cuting anouther point about them are they are so big around yo can not put the detail in to the pice as good as you can with flat blades try them out and let us no how you like them i use them sum times win the pice is to big to turn and i use the 2/0 or the smallist i can get but they sure dont leave a clean cut and in fret work is impossable to sand where i use them
-
Points Joey! It's like Football - you've got to make your "." :D
But yes, the zero-inset needs to be replaced even more often.