spiral saw???

[underfoot]

At the risk of sounding like a dill :-
I've just spotted a "spiral saw" in aldi. $ 49
I've never heard of them before, it looks similar to a small trim router with a handle,variable speed (10k - 30k rpm) and comes complete with a whole bunch of unrecognisable attachments :rolleyes:
Help please, do I need one :?

[Bitslong]

I'm curious as well.

here is the product:
ALDI - special buys from thurs 31 dec - hurry, limited stocks in store (http://www.aldi.com.au/au/html/offers/2827_11396.htm)
http://www.aldi.com.au/au/media/offers/W53_Spiral-Saw_PD.jpg

[Bitslong]

Reminds me of an attachment I got for the dremel to cut plstic, perspex, thin wood etc.
I don't need one.
YouTube- Broadcast Yourself.

It's a silly vid btw, but you'll get the idea

[mjmjm]

Yeah I wondered too. Looked it up on Google and it's most often used to cut gyprock -- it has a depth set. Not sure I'd have much use for one tho.

[Howard Van Huis]

I have used one on drywall, and they are slick. The tip will pierce the drywall, and you can go around the edge of a door, a window, or an electrical box. There are several different style bits, They will go through sheeting for a window cutout with a spiral bit. I made a jig similar to a radial arm saw set-up, and used it to cut all my vinyl siding. There is a new base that turns it into a plunge router, i am told. If you do any cutting in 1/2 to 3/4 in. sheeting, it's worth having I think.

[Debbie_C]

I have just bought the spiral saw from Aldi for $29.99. It is just like a mini router & uses standard router tips. I'm using mine mainly to carve edges into home made plaques but it can be used in the same way that a router is used. Be aware though that it doesn't come with its own cutting bits but it does come with two collets. Even though, you can easily purchase the bits at your local hardware store. It has two sizes: 3.2mm & 6.4mm.
It also has a depth guide & circle cutting guide to allow perfect cutting of circles from 10cms up to 30cms. That I will also use when building my ferret hutches. The depth guide can be removed to fit a clear dust extractor as well. I intend to use mine well. With all of the tools & products I have bought from Aldi, I have never had a problem whatsoever with them. If you're the handyman type or you know someone who is into folkart etc. & want to make their own fancy-edged plaques, this unit will come in handy.
I have only a few uses for mine but it will come in handy if you are planning to renovate areas of your home. If you are going to cut a square hole to fit a new powerpoint, make sure that you take all of the precautions to prevent being electricuted. It really depends on what you were thinking about at the time you saw it on whether it will suit your needs. It does have quite alot of uses & is much cheaper than the larger routers.
Good Luck!!!:):roll::2tsup:

[Arron]

I bought one at Aldi today at Meadowbank. Reduced to $19.99 - which seems to be a fair price as its not a high quality tool.

As another poster has noted there is no bit included in the kit.

cheers
Arron

[Debbie_C]

Hi Arron,
You did well to get your spiral saw at a reduced price! I was just as surprised when I opened mine to see that there were no bits. the bits that you can use are a standard router bit. You can use 2 sizes: 3.2mm & 6.4mm. The brand I have just bought are called "TruaCut". You can get them from any hardware store but they may not be the same brand. The model Numbers of mine are: 3.2mm Straight Bit, used for cutting only, TM203.2 & I also have a "Classical" bit for making designs on plaques & frames etc., model TBC85.
You can buy many designs & the sizes used in this sporal saw are quite common. You will normally find them in the accessories sections near the drill bits or just ask a staff member. If you have any dramas getting hold of them, let me know. I know that Bunnings definately have them. I bought mine from Mitre 10 in Lithgow.
I called the after sales number on the box & that was where I found out about the bits. She said that you could probably get a collet to fit in between the ones that came with the unit but you wouldn't be able to go any larger than 6.4mm.
Good Luck!! If you have any other problems getting the bits, I'm sure I could arrange something for you from here in Lithgow. One thing we have alot of in the area is hardware stores!!!:2tsup::2tsup:

[AUSSIE]

The actual spiral saw bits look like an 1/8' drill bit to the untrained eye.You have to be carefull as they are brittle.I got mine from USA and I think they were a couple of bucks each

[Arron]

thanks Debbie and Aussie. I went to Bunnings today to see if I could buy a spiral saw bit, but no luck. Also went to Hare and Forbes, no luck their either. I do have lots of router bits, which do fit, but I do want to try the spiral saw bit in it.
Anyone know where to buy one in Sydney?

cheers
Arron

[AUSSIE]

Dremel have 3 types.So bunnies and Mitre 10 plus many other stores should have them.Like I said they look like 1/8" drill bits.,so read the packet on things that look like 1/8" drills

Dremel - Spiral Cutting Bits (http://www.dremeleurope.com/dremelocs-uk/Category.jsp?&ccat_id=508)

[Arron]

OK, thanks

Arron

[soundman]

So its a router then:rolleyes:

and you put spiral router bits in it.

in fact... not a saw at all.

cheers

[Debbie_C]

Hi Arron, Aussie & Soundman,
The spiral saw can be used as a saw if you wish to cut holes in walls etc. In fact, I used mine tonight to cut an entrance hole in a floor of MDF to fit a ramp in for my new ferret hutch. A word of warning though, be very careful if you haven't used one before. They can literally run away from you while in the timber, MDF etc. For starters, I had the speed at "3" & it was still quite quick. Had to make a couple of areas a little larger because it was quite crooked! Make sure that you have a good solid grip & drill a hole first. That makes it much easier to start off with the spiral saw & adjust the depth guide so that it only just goes through the material that you're cutting.
Arron, If you still can't get one, I would be happy to get it for you in Lithgow. Don't ask for a spiral saw bit. Ask for a router bit. I spoke to both Bunnings & Mitre 10 & they had absolutely no idea of what a spiral saw was. If you tell them that you are looking for a 3.2mm or 6.4mm router cutting or fancy bits, they will be able to get you to the right area. Don't forget, when you do finally get the bit, make sure that at least 1/8 " of the plain shaft is sticking out above the collet & nut.
Good Luck!!!

[Arron]

Soundman, it doesnt qualify as a router because it doesnt have the broad flat base - as is essential to get the accuracy out of a router. More like a giant dremel then a mini-router. Or like a laminate trimmer but with decent ergonomic handles.

Yes, I found the bits at Bunnings. $14 each seemed a bit steep - especially as that was for the 1/8 one, which would break pretty easy. I'll look for the 1/4 inch one.

Anyway, I gave it a test run yesterday using some router bits. I was quite impressed - the fittings have a junky quality about them but the machine itself is a solid thing, tough, and smooth running. I was thinking that at $20 they are a bargain as you could make specialised jigs and mount the device in them permanently. Each jig would cost just a few bits of mdf, a $20 device, and a router bit. I'm thinking jigs for common jobs like rounding over or dovetail grooves. I have a router table on which I can do things like that, as well as a heap of device-mounted fences etc, but the trouble is the setup time usually makes it not worth doing so I just do these things by hand. With a dedicated jig ready to go and the cutter living in it permanently, though, it might be different.

cheers
Arron

[soundman]

Yeh so its a router with a small base.

Bosch do a router a POF700(i think) that can be completlybremoved from its base..and other bases and fittings attached

The porter cable laminate trimmer used to have alternate bases available.

yep its a router.

If you are having a bit of a winge at the price of bits... check out the cost of spiral bits from any major manufacturer like CMT or the like.

Spiral router bits have been commonly available now for about 10 years.....

Um yeh... I'd still be a bit carefull trying to free hand with it though.

cheers

[Debbie_C]

Arron,
I paid a whopping $40 for each bit! the difference of living in the country i'd say. I might check out Bunnings at Bathurst next time & see if they have them any cheaper. For $14, you got a bargain.
Now I'm looking for some tips on using it. As I said it ran away with me the first time I used it & had to fix up some crooked cutting. I bought it because I am into folkart & like the beveled edges on plaques & frames and to cut holes into MDF flooring for our ferret hutches. I must admit, it was much easier than using a jigsaw but even at 3 on the speed control it was still hard to keep straight. Any tips on how to cut a more accurate hole or does it just take time & alot of practice?

[underfoot]

Um yeh... I'd still be a bit carefull trying to free hand with it though.
cheers
I posted some comments on the spiral saw up in "woodcarving/ sculpture"
(if I knew how to post the link, I would:-)
it's under "headsup new gadget" I use it freehand for wood sculpture (as I would a die grinder)
and, as with any fast, sharp, spinny thing, it requires some practice

[Arron]

Yeh so its a router with a small base.

Bosch do a router a POF700(i think) that can be completlybremoved from its base..and other bases and fittings attached

The porter cable laminate trimmer used to have alternate bases available.

yep its a router.

cheers

OK, call it a router if you want. You can put a drill bit in it and call it an electric drill if you want, but the point is it doesnt make a good router and I dont want anyone buying it as a router because they get that impression when they read this thread.

It isnt just that the base is narrow, it is also not stable, not gauranteed to be flat, and there is noting to gaurantee that it is aligned perpendicular to the axis of the tool. Further the base is irregular in shape, so it cant follow a template or even a straightedge, so if you buy it as a router you will get poor results and thus the tool is misrepresented.

What concerns me more is that if a person tries to use it freehand with a router bit - like a dremel on steroids - well it might be OK for Underfoot, but for most of us at 30000 revs in knotty timber is just plain dangerous.

Debbie,
the tool you have is OK for the ferret hutch job, but for edging plaques its really not what you are after. You'll get second rate jobs, or end up doing yourself an injury. Get yourself a proper router, and have a think about getting or making a router table. If budget is tight, Bunnings have a nice little 650 watt router for about $65. It has a three year warranty. I have one and its been good - I dont expect it to last a lifetime but it performs well. More importantly, it comes with the features you need to start getting good results - a wide stable base, a good-enough fence, a template guide, a plunge feature and soft start.

For bits, I would buy a relatively cheap set of carbide bits, as well as buying the bits you use most often in high quality versions. The reasoning behind this is that you use a few bits most of the time so they should be good ones, and the rest of the ones in the set you use rarely, or maybe never. In my case, it would be a high quality straight bit and a slot cutter. In your case probably a straight bit and a ogee, or whatever you use for your plaques.

Doing jobs like edging small objects is usually done on a router table. With the router held firmly upside down, and the workpiece sitting on a flat table, you eliminate the wobble, chipping and the burnt bits. Safety is enhanced too, you can even use various push stick arrangements to keep your fingers right away from the job. Routers are dangerous tools - I have read that they cause way more accidents then any other power tool (per hour of usage). I think it is their unpredictability, or really its the relationship between the cutter and the angle of the grain and the way it changes as you move the router around that is unpredictable.

Debbie, when you say 'Any tips on how to cut a more accurate hole or does it just take time & alot of practice', well I think you have to be aware that the tool was never designed for accurate cuts, so its not really going to change much no matter how much practice you have, and no-one else can do it better either. Its more a case of switching to the right tool for the job.

cheers
Arron

[underfoot]

What concerns me more is that if a person tries to use it freehand with a router bit - like a dremel on steroids - well it might be OK for Underfoot, but for most of us at 30000 revs in knotty timber is just plain dangerous.
Arron
:oo: aaargh....never freehand with a router bit.
good call Arron, I should have mentioned that I use it as I would a die grinder and use only (kutzall or carbrasive) carbide burrs,
and they still should be treated with a great deal of respect