Cutting Baltic Berch

[kalipbean]

Hey all, Im about to cut my first piece using 1/8" Baltic Berch. The design im doing is attached below. The design calls out for a #2 blade or blade of choice. Anyone have any recommendations? There are a couple pieces Im worried about them breaking, should I stack cut with another piece of 1/8" to beef it up a bit? Does this design "need" a sprial blade or any thoughts?? Thanks

(Image removed by Administration. Copyrighted Material.)

[Dawie]

I would definately put another piece of wood under it to cut or if you want more of the same I would stack cut them. Start with the smaller inner pieces first, then go to the bigger once, found that this way works best for me.
Good luck. As to flat or spiral I think it's what you prefer, just remember the slit a spiral cuts is wider than a flat so if you use a #2 flat I would use a smaller spiral.
David

[julief]

I would beef it up with another piece of BB.  If you don't want more that one - try useing some cardstock.  It's just a little extra support.  I am not a big fan of spirals.  I use them for portraits only.  If it calls for a #2 - use a #2 or smaller.

[GrayBeard]

I just did a piece using a FD New Spiral 2/0 blade and was amazed at the width of the saw kerf!
(see post in Brag section)

If your piece has a lot of delicate areas I would advise going to the 2/0 spiral and definitely do those areas FIRST!

~~~GB~~~

[kalipbean]

GB. I actually have some FD spirals on their way as we speak from Mike. I ordered a couple different spiral types to see how they all work. Thanks for the input, will start cutting when the blades get here.

[julief]

Even I have to admit the FD-NS spirals are the best I have used.

[kalipbean]

I got the new #3 & #5 spirals so im gonna try those out tomorrow, wish me luck.

[kalipbean]

The spirals are working out great so far, a little awkward in the beginning until I got the hang of it. I used some of the new spirals and his regular, didnt notice a difference but then again it was my first time trying spirals.

[jimt2099]

Without seeing the pattern you are cutting it is difficult to make a good recommendation, but I use specific blades for specific style pattern cutting. For instance, for regular cutting such as a pattern with a lot of straight cuts, curved cuts that are fairly geometrical (i.e. the usual scroll type fretwork), I will use a # 2/0 or # 3 crown tooth blade from Olsen. For an animal portrait type pattern, such as my Leopard or two tigers pictures on my web site, (www.janddwoodcrafts.etsy.com), I use a # 2/0 spiral for all the small irregular cutouts, then switch to a # 2/0 or # 3 crowntooth for the other straighter or longer curving cuts. Of course you always want to make the intricate inner cuts first and work your way to the outer perimeter of the pattern. I use the spiral blade only where it is most expedient, such as the cuts that are totally impractical or impossible to cut with the crown tooth blade. Aything that requires any distance of straight or long curve cutting would require a non-spiral blade for best outcome.
The spiral blade takes a little practice to get used to so you may want to experiment on some scrap pieces before tackling your main pattern. Good luck and have a great time.

Jim T

[kalipbean]

I attached a picture of the pattern on the birch but apparently that is copyrighted even though it was a free patern from a magazine. It was just a lighthouse pattern, but i got that blades figured out. Thanks for posting.

[Russ C]

kalipbean, You posted a picture of the pattern at such a high resolution you might as well posted the pattern. Anyone could have downloaded that picture printed it and used it to cut. The pattern was copyrighted and it even said "for the personnel use of the buyer of this magazine". You purchased the right to use the pattern when you bought the magazine for your use. So it basically was not free and legally you can not give it away. So yes it was illegal to post that picture of that pattern and no it is not illegal to post a picture of your work. Steve and I don't make the rules we just have to enforce them.