How to cut things larger than my 20" saw??

[sambone]

Hi there, forum!
So I cut mostly wooden name signs (for nurseries, home decor etc), and I'll have people request lengths longer than my 20" saw can easily handle.  I can clunkily eek out maybe 24", but larger than that and I need to pull out my jig saw which can't be as precise and it's a big pain to lug out the saw horses.  I've noticed that some other folks are able to cut signs up to about 35" long with their 20" saws.  Does anyone know any tricks to help me cut out a sign that large?  I glue a printed out template to one face of the wood (on top of some masking tape I've laid out on the surface), so I would think it would be too tricky to try to line up another mirrored template to the back to be able to get in those hard-to-reach places... perhaps another template method?  I don't know--I'm lost!  So any help/advice/tips are appreciated!

Sam

[julief]

You will have to get some spiral blades.  They take a little practice but well worth the time. 

[Russ C]

Spiral Blades are the only way I know of and you are limited to the thickness of wood you can use. You can buy blades here  Mike's Workshop   

[Silver Sliver]

The obvious solution is to use spiral blades.  However, on one occasion, since I didn't have any spirals, I inserted the blade in backwards.  I only had a very few cuts, so I was able to finish the project.  Wouldn't have wanted to make this standard practice but it served in a pinch.

[EIEIO]

Spirals will help if the sign is wide but not high.

If it is big in both dimensions, or even if it's just wide, can you break the sign into several parts, scroll, then re-assemble them? Make a Segmentation (an Intarsia cut from a single blank piece), scroll the text, then reassemble the full sign on top of a backer.

[sambone]

Thanks so much, everyone!  I hadn't considered that!  With spiral blades, would I be able to cut through 3/4" pine, do you think?  What about 3/4" maple plywood?

[EIEIO]

Spirals seem tricky on that thick a blank, especially if it's tight turns in the characters. But nothing ventured, nothing gained. I like spirals for veining but find it hard to cut lines that are a little wider than the blade kerf - the second cut is not fully in the wood and it makes a rough edge. But if you can cut the characters with a single pass of the spiral, it could work.

[gramps]

i have never tried this, but it may be the answer your looking for. he does great work https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gp29ybCm5o

[sambone]

Aaa, that's an amazing idea, Gramps--thank you!  And thanks, EIEIO as well!

[dirtrider73068]

Late reply I know I have heard of twisting the blade to cut sideways but my question doing this your still kinda limited to throat of the saw when you make turns. Charles dearing is a avid spiral blade user its all he has ever used and will use though we did challange him to using a flat blade. You can almost double your size when using spirals but they do take time to get use, slower feed rate can't force them or they break, too much tention the break, too thick of wood they break.

I tried to use spirals and once I finally got one clamped with out twisting the end off, it was hard to get to get to cut straight they love to follow the grain this is where a slow feedrate comes in, let the blade cut don't really push in like with a flat blade. Dearing does have a scrollsaw show on youtube and at one time he talked about spiral blade use. He could be one to ask about this.

[Silver Sliver]

I watched a gentleman at the Florida State Fair cut large signs out of 1 inch cedar (actual thickness) using a #3 spiral.  His signs were 4 to 10 feet long.  He had to use an outfeed table.  I guess it is something you have to get used to: he was doing it so effortlessly.