Spiral Blade's

[jcwoodworker]

Can someone help me I have been Scrolling for years and use flat blade's. I now have a project that is to long to use a flat blade so i am trying a spiral blade and I untwist the ends to get them in the blade holders is this right??? it is breaking the blade to soon after i get started cutting. Thanks for helping me understand these blades.  (Mark)

[SCROLLERNATION]

17 minutes ago, jcwoodworker said:

Can someone help me I have been Scrolling for years and use flat blade's. I now have a project that is to long to use a flat blade so i am trying a spiral blade and I untwist the ends to get them in the blade holders is this right??? it is breaking the blade to soon after i get started cutting. Thanks for helping me understand these blades.  (Mark)

Try using duckbill pliers.  Instead of untwisting them simply just squeeze them flat.  Try to keep the ends the same so they mount correctly.  There are flattened end spiral blades you can purchase as well.  

[kmmcrafts]

The flat end spirals are still twisted some but not as tight of  a twist. I use two pair of needle nose pliers and use one pair to hold it close to the teeth and use the other to unwind the ends.. I've not had any issues with them breaking.. but it might depend on the brand of blade.. I find that some brands are more brittle than others.. My go to spiral has always been Flying Dutchman New Spiral. Olsen ones are decent too. Pegas are good but they seem to run a size or half size smaller than the others.. ( ie a 2/0 blade in a Pegas is more like a 3/0. and also spiral blades do break and wear out faster than a regular blade.. and are fussy with tension. I tend to use slightly less tension of them than a flat blade. 

[FrankEV]

I've been using Spirals almost exclusively for a while now.  They do take some getting used too, even before cutting with them.

First, I do not try to flatten the ends.  I mount the top with very light presure on the thumb screws.  Then install the bottom sort of twisting the blade between my fingers until the tumb screw closes up on the blade smoothly and then tighten snugly.  Then after threading the blade through the hole in the board, I slip the top of the blade into the clamp, again twisting the blade slightly so the clamp grips flat and then just tighten snug but do not over tighten.  Minimum end bending occurs this way minimizing the "hockey stick" blade end syndrome. 

Between the tension knob and the lever tensioning device, the tension should not be TOOOO tight.   An easy lever flip and a sligt ping of the blade when plucked is all you need.    

Also, you should slow down your speed control.  Let the blade do the cutting and DO NOT PUSH too hard.  

All of the above will minimize blade breakage.  I'm getting many more cuts out of my #2/0 spiral blades then I used to.  I break more because they get kinked when threading then because of over tensioning.  When threading thick boards, use a pair of needle nose plyers to grip the blade and pull straight up while lowering the board to the table to prevent kinking.

When following a line with a spiral, you need to practice your hand -eye control so the blade follows the line your eyes look at.  DO NOT LOOK at adjacent lines because the blade will go where you look.,  It is more like "willing" the blade to follow along the line then actually trying to make it follow the line.  Use both hands all the time like you were moving a puck on a Wee-Gee board.   I Like thin red cut lines and tend to cut on the waste side of the line where possible.  As we all know, you can alwasys trim as needed but can not put material back. 

Hope some of these tricks help. 

.

Edited July 27, 2021 by FrankEV

[TAIrving]

16 hours ago, FrankEV said:

I've been using Spirals almost exclusively for a while now.  They do take some getting used too, even before cutting with them.

First, I do not try to flatten the ends.  I mount the top with very light presure on the thumb screws.  Then install the bottom sort of twisting the blade between my fingers until the tumb screw closes up on the blade smoothly and then tighten snugly.  Then after threading the blade through the hole in the board, I slip the top of the blade into the clamp, again twisting the blade slightly so the clamp grips flat and then just tighten snug but do not over tighten.  Minimum end bending occurs this way minimizing the "hockey stick" blade end syndrome. 

Between the tension knob and the lever tensioning device, the tension should not be TOOOO tight.   An easy lever flip and a sligt ping of the blade when plucked is all you need.    

Also, you should slow down your speed control.  Let the blade do the cutting and DO NOT PUSH too hard.  

All of the above will minimize blade breakage.  I'm getting many more cuts out of my #2/0 spiral blades then I used to.  I break more because they get kinked when threading then because of over tensioning.  When threading thick boards, use a pair of needle nose plyers to grip the blade and pull straight up while lowering the board to the table to prevent kinking.

When following a line with a spiral, you need to practice your hand -eye control so the blade follows the line your eyes look at.  DO NOT LOOK at adjacent lines because the blade will go where you look.,  It is more like "willing" the blade to follow along the line then actually trying to make it follow the line.  Use both hands all the time like you were moving a puck on a Wee-Gee board.   I Like thin red cut lines and tend to cut on the waste side of the line where possible.  As we all know, you can alwasys trim as needed but can not put material back. 

Hope some of these tricks help. 

.

And that is why I stick to flat blades.