would this be true - Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts Message Board

stevebuk · 12-24-2006, 09:58 PM

i was at work today, and got talking to a customer who said that if i buy a scrollsaw, in order to get acuracy i should really buy a round 360deg blade, it has teeth all the way around it, is there such a thing, has anyone used it.
steveb

edit:
sorry, this probably in the wrong section, please move it if it is.

NC Scroller · 12-24-2006, 10:13 PM

Steve, I think they are referring to a Spiral tooth blade. Like the name sounds the teeth are in spirals around the blade. I know a lot of folks who do potraits use them. I have been scrolling about 4 years now and have yet to get the hang of using them. Just give me the old fashion blades with the teeth facing forward......

Scott

Carter Johnson · 12-24-2006, 10:15 PM

Steve, "round" or "spiral" blades are found most everywhere blades are sold. I think they come only in plain end, not with pin ends. With them, you can cut without turning the wood, BUT you sacrifice tightness and fineness of the cut and, in my opinion, some accuracy.

Carter

stevebuk · 12-24-2006, 11:10 PM

thanks guys, funny that, i have just come across a site advertising these blades, i will probably try them at some point.

Steviegwood · 12-24-2006, 11:40 PM

Hi Steve, there are a lot of people on here that use the spiral blades with great success. I do suggest that you try them and form your own opinions. As for me I could not control my cuts and the cuts were not smooth enough. Just my two cents worth. Steve

William Young (SE BC) · 12-25-2006, 02:13 AM

Steve.
I think you will find that well over 90% of scrollers use flat blades for the reasons already stated . Regardless of make you will get a smoother cut and more accuracy following lines , a narrow kerf line which translates into less sawdust and faster smoother cutting with flat blades when compared to spirals. Not many use spirals for solid wood. Mostly just for plywood where any style of blade tracks better than with solid woods.
They do have their place especially for ones that started with them and stayed with them but if you take the time to learn how to use flat blades I bet you will never go back to spirals unless you occasionaly need to. There are some cases where I need to use a spiral blade but very sedom so I keep a few on hand just for that.
W.Y.

stevebuk · 12-26-2006, 12:01 AM

hmm interesting comments there guys, thank you. I am just a bit worried about turning the wood without breaking the blade, and i am not sure how tight a turn one can make with them.
Only time will tell, i guess..

CanadianScroller · 12-26-2006, 05:37 AM

I am sure that you will break many blades as you learn to saw.
I still break the odd one.
Depending on the size the the blade you can do some very tight turns.
There are other was to make sharp inside corners without turning a blade too.

The cutting techniques for spiral and flat blades are completely different and I think all scrollers should master both. There are somethings that can only be done with a flat blade and some that can only be done with a spiral.
The question is, how often will you do them.
Some portrait scrollers use spiral blades exclusively, but anyone who compound cuts or does inlay work will find the flat blades are the only way to go.

I have yet to see spiral blades with pin ends...that may just be that I have not seen them but I don't think they are manufactured like that.
Blades are the most inexpesive part of scrolling. And scroll saw blades are by far the cheapest of all saw blades so there are no excuses for not having lots of them around.

Try as many blades as you can on all sorts of materials. If you are cutting something in particular and would like a suggestion, just ask, You are sure to get lots of replies. There are as many answers as there are members.

Keep asking questions and you will learn enough to put us all in our place in no time.

Rolf · 12-26-2006, 01:37 PM

There actually were some true round blades (not spirals) they looked like small round files. They had a very large kerf which looked great on the right project I still have a few. To my understanding they are no longer made.

Carter Johnson · 12-26-2006, 01:55 PM

Steve, in my opinion, the essential skills in good scrollsawing is the ability to turn a regular blade without exceeding the desired cut and without breaking the blade. The former is a much harder problem to solve than the latter. Don't worry about breaking blades. That problem, if there is one at all, will go away quickly with practice.

Carter