You just install them as a regular blade.

Depending on the type of spiral it is you may have to take a couple pairs of pliers and straighten the ends to make them flat then install them in your clamps.

Mick

It is my understanding that the Flying Dutchman has spiral blades without the twisted ends.  Sure makes it easier.  You might want to check him out at www.mikesworkshop.com

i have heard there is a new spiral available from Mikes Work Shop that does not have the swisted ends, i have never used them, but heard they work really good, i am not a user of spirals for that very reason, the pain they are to straighten and then get set correctly in the blade clamps, ask mike to send you some samples he is a great guy and very knowledgeable of the flying dutchmen blades.

 

al toni and baby scroller

Your question is quite open-ended... How to install the spiral blade...

 

First of all, up vs down:  hold one end of the blade in one hand and run your finger(s) up and down the spiral blade... in one direction it is somewhat smooth cuz you're going with the teeth and the other direction is not smooth cuz you're going against the teeth... like all scrollsaw blades, it is correctly installed with the teeth pointing down... so the 'up' end is the beginning of the 'smooth' direction.

 

Second... these blades were designed by the devil and thus are twisted so that when held by the upper blade holder, the blade just willnot/cannot be held by the lower blade holder cuz it is twisted 90 degrees to what you need.  That's why you need two pliers at the table.  Hold the blade about an inch from the end and use the other pliers to untwist the end of the blade.  It's a little 'hit and miss' so you might have to fine tune it.  As others have said, an alternative is to buy spirals with flat ends... I'm only aware of Flying Dutchman making these. (BTW, other folks have attributed the design of spiral blades to the Forces of the Dark Side ala Star Wars... but it's essentially the same thing.)

 

Spence

Dennis, That is what I thought until I tried that. Did not work. The top and the bottom arenot getting tight, either one is coming out of the place where it is suppose to be. There I figure there is something different about the end of this blade.

I use spiral blades almost exclusively and just insert them like a regular blade the ends flatten out when you tighten the clamps anyway.  Just make sure that you follow SawTooth's instructions for right side up.

I am sure that I don't have as much experience as most of you, I use spirals almost exclusively even with the problem of inserting them into the blade holders.  I secure the bottom of the blade first since it's the most difficult,  Then I feed it up through the workpiece.  Next, the top...and while this can be a bit tricky, with a bit of practice you'll soon get the hang of it.  The blade can be turned/twisted with the fingertips alone--you don't need the pliers to turn it--just enough to align it so that it inserts into the top blade holder as if it were any other flat blade.  I know many of you will say it can't be done that way, but I have had plenty of practice with this method.  It does work.

I used to have problems with spiral blades on my Delta saw and it was because after you clamp the bottom of the blade, the top of the blade most always is perpendicular to the clamp. That is what creates problems. With the new flat end blades, you don't have that. My new DeWalt is the screw type clamp & it will break it right off, if you tighten it too much.Try not to tighted it too much. Just trial & error is how I learned. I do get a lot of good advice here though, it's great.   Good sawing.    Goofytoo

Olson now has spiral blades with the flat ends

 

Mike

I use only spiral blades and have no truble with them at all. I use an Excalibur saw and the blade clamp in just fine. I clamp the top first to get the right depth and then the bottom. When I change holes in my work I unclamp the top move to a new hole and reclamp the top, really easy, no blade straightening and I break very few from over tightening.

Mamabogie