Spiral blades and fuzzies

[Deanna]

I had started a thread not that long ago regarding spiral blades, and how I was starting to learn to use them, and how there not so bad.... and while that's true, I still find the fuzzies overwhelming

Well, I was reading on another forum to use a piece of poster board on the bottom of your project to help cut down on fuzzies . What a spectacular idea!!!! Of course, I had already started my second set of nativity scenes when I read that.... Can't wait to try it!

Anyway, thought I would post that suggestion here, should anyone be struggling with the fuzzies like I am.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Deanna

Thanks for posting your findings and you are a better person than I because I will never get the hang of those things. That suggestion with the backerboard is a good one for the use of flat blades as well. One other thing I read people doing and I am not one of them is taking a small pencil torch and burning the fuzzies off. Of course do not hold the flame too long in one place but from what I read it does work. I am from the old school and just use reverse tooth flat blades and sand the fuzzies off which are not too bad with the reverse blades. :)

[thebigv]

While I am new to scrolling and have only done a few smaller projects I really do enjoy it. I also am shocked to see that people do not like using spiral blades. Maybe because that is how I taught myself to cut but I would prefer a spiral blade on my scroll saw then anything else out there. I find it more precise and very east to follow lines and curves with. As said this maybe because I am a rookie and do not use the right teqnique with flat plades but I really like the spirals.

[pops-shop]

I used spirals until I learned how to cut using straight blades. Yes, they can be somewhat easy to use. Yes, they produce a lot of fuzzies. No, you can not cut sharp inside corners. No, the sides are not smooth as a babies bottom. The only time I will use spirals, now, is when the object piece is too large to turn on my saw.

Skip tooth reverse is about 99% of my use.

Great suggestion on the backer "board". I'll put that on my "what I learned today" list. Thanks.

[ndtroll]

I'll chime in with Fred.... I never use spirals unless the piece is too big to turn and there is absolutely no other way to make the cut.
I'm strictly a flat blade guy.... either Flying Dutchman 2 way cut or FD reverse cut.... size of those two will vary from 2/0 to 5 dependng on the project

[William Young]

Looks like we are all flat blade users here so far and for good reason. I hate to say it because some dedicated spiral blade users take offense but I still think it is true that spirals are for the ones that have never mastered flat blade use where the wood has to be spun around instead of moving it back and forth and side to side. . Some portrait cutters use spirals all the time but I have yet to see the same pattern portrait cut with spirals that has the quality of detail that the one cut with flats has.
I do use spirals whenever I have to due to size of piece I am cutting and the best ones I have used as far as tracking better and leaving the least fuzzies has been the Pegas spirals. For flat blades the best I have ever used and now use exclusively is the Modified Geometry Pegas blades which makes me think that their spirals are just twisted Modified Geometry flat blades which accounts for the better results I get with them.
There are three main blade groups . Pegas, Olson and Fd all made by three different manufacturers.
I always suggest trying some of each and then decide on which ones are best for your particular stye of cutting.
W.Y.

[uhmnl]

Is the Swiss company making their own spiral blades? Someone should contact them once. At least I know that some blade companies buy spirals from each other. There is a spiral blade with reverse teeth and does not leave any fuzz. There is now a complete new design spiral blade. It cuts slower but much easier to control than the regular spirals. They love them to cut portraits. People who never liked spirals really going for these once.
Mike

[William Young]

Pegas spirals are made for Grobet in USA in their Swiss manufacturing plant.
Here is a link that explains about the highest degree if integrety you will find anywhere form a company with an oustanding background in excellence.

http://www.grobetusa.com/index_file/aboutgrobet.html

And here is a PDF that states that they are made in Switzerland to the same high standards as their flat blades.

http://www.grobetusa.com/ProductDescriptions/PegasCatalog.pdf

It is little wonder that more and more scrollers are switching to Pegas blades because they have discovered like I have that they are better than anything else they have used.

I have tried all the so called new and improved ones by other manufacturers and none of them came close to the quality of Pegas blades. While one supplier keeps sounding like the new and improved soap commercials because the previous ones were not as good as the present ones and so on , It appears as if Grobet and Pegas had the know how to do it right the first time so no need for sales gimmicks..

Usual disclaimer.
I have absoloutly no connection with any manufacturing or distributing of Pegas blades. I simply use them because I have found out as others are continually finding out that they are the best they have ever used.
W.Y.

[Servcman]

Jeff Zaffino had an article in one of the latest past creative woodworking magazines where he uses a small torch to quickly burn them off. I usually lay about 6 or 7 shop standard reg shop rags out flat lay the piece on it then sand with a mouse type sander. the stack of rags seems to support the finer cuts and still get good removal of fuzzies. One other thing is to make sure the blades are put in the correct direction. running them between 2 fingers lightly you will feel the cutting edge grab as you slide your fingers over it make sure this is orientated to the bottom so the fuzzies are on the back f the cutting.
dennis

[uhmnl]

With all the talk about fuzz using spiral blades, why not try the one with reverse teeth. More and more are starting to use spirals especially the new spirals. This has a lot to do with the patterns from Jeff Zaffino. They have no reverse teeth but because of the design, they leave less fuz. Remember the technology never stand still, this goes for blades also. They come up with new designs etc. There is talk that some company is coming out with a new flat blade. Can't wait to try that one.
Mike

[William Young]

We hear of new and improved so often but I have never found a spiral blade yet that doesn't produce fuzzies regardless of make or new and improved claims. I have tried every one of the so called new and improved ones made to date .
Hopefully someday it will happen but I think the design of them with being twisted and a wide kerf producing lots of sawdust is what is preventing a spiral blade to ever cut as smooth on the bottom side as a reverse flat blade will.
W.Y.

[uhmnl]

Bill,

I see you are back again.
All spirals even the "new and improved", (never heard of that before), leave fuzz.
Look at my post and you will see that I am talking about spirals with reverse teeth. Did you ever try them?

Mike

[Smitty]

I have used the spiral reverse to cut a few of Jeff`s patterns. I only stack cut 3 pieces of 1/8 and found that all I did was move the fuzzies from the back to the front which made it impossible to burn them off without damaging the piece.

[William Young]

Yes Mike

I am talking about spirals with reverse teeth. Did you ever try them?


I have tried all of the so called new and improved ones including the ones with reverse teeth. The differnece is hardly noticeable but then I didn't use a magnifying glass to determine if there was indeed some difference..
W.Y.

[uhmnl]

You just don't like spiral blades. Period. You have told us that a thousand times. I don't know what you mean by new and improved? The new spiral blades I sell have a different tooth design, nobody ever mentioned that they don't leave fuzz.
Mike

[William Young]

I love the brand of spirals I am now using.
You are partially right but only that I used to ***just don't like spiral blades***
With the discovery of the ones that I am using now I actually enjoy using them for some projects because they are the only ones I have found that don't wander all over the place between hard/soft pattern grains when cuting hardwoods..
If anyone wants any further information on this feel free to PM me . No use trying to explain it here while someone wants to nit pick with me.
I'm though with this particular discussion on site here.
W.Y.

[jeffz]

I will take the exact opposite stance as William and say I absolutley love spirals (and not because I can't cut with a straight blade I started with straight blades and while I admit to being very rusty with them I can still spin the wood when I have to)

As someone who designs patterns to be cut with a spiral, I have seen (and cut myself) several patterns cut with both types of blades and I personally prefer the look of the spiral.

Do they take adjusting to YES, is it a totally different technique used to cut with a spiral YES... Are you wrong for liking them ABSOLUTELY NOT. This type of discussion was prevelant when spirals were introduced. They have died down a bit, and it has been awhile since I have seen a discussion like this one and it saddens me... to see any scroller "put down" "looked down upon" or otherwise chastised for their choice of blades, type of saw choice of designer etc.

We all have a blade we enjoy cutting with, we all have a manufacturer we prefer its just that a preference, just like with saws, designers, types of projects etc... That is one of the things that makes scrolling in general great there are no rules (well except that you use a scroll saw)

If you like to cut with spirals good for you keep at it... If you prefer flat blades also good for you keep at it as well.

We should spend more time building each other up rather than looking down our noses at people who do things differently

Just my 2 cents
Jeff Zaffino

[Deanna]

Ya.... what he said!

Just a reminder that this post originally started with a "cure" for the fuzzies! Jeff, have you tried using the backer board trick?

Deanna

[jeffz]

Deanna~

I have not tried the posterboard trick, however it does make sense in theory at least. My guess is that it would have to be pretty stout to keep fuzz from developing on bottom.

If any of you have actually tried this idea, I (and others I am sure) would love to hear whether or not it actually works and how well.

[C Jevnikar]

Howdy :) My scrollsawing knowledge is limited, but using an RBI Hawk220 variable speed scrollsaw, I have discovered that "fuzzies" depend not only on blade style, but also saw speed and wood type. It also takes practice and time to produce great projects. Don't rush yourself or the machine! Just my two cents worth. woodchux