Phil Thien
07-13-2009, 10:30 PM
If you've ever been inclined to use wood guide blocks in your bandsaw (as opposed to steel or Cool Blocks), you probably found (like me) that the screw that secures them likes to make craters in the wood. When you need to adjust the blocks (due to wear), the screw wants to find the crater again. Some blocks (that have a square cross-section) can be rotated. But still a PITA.
I had been using steel blocks on my little BS150LS (10") bandsaw. They work well, but are difficult to adjust because they want to move when you tighten the screw.
I also wanted a block I could run right up to the blade, contacting the blade when need be. So I decided to try wood blocks again and ordered some lignum vitae from a guy on eBay, machined-up some 1/4" x 15/64" x 1-1/2" blocks, and then made some small U-shaped brass "pressure pads" using .015" x .25" brass I purchased at the hardware store.
So now the screws push the brass, and the brass pushes the wood. No craters, no wiggling when tightening the screws, works great. The U-shape of the brass keeps it in place as I slide the wood blocks in/out.
BTW, that blade in my saw is a MK Morse .025" bimetal (3-TPI hook). I squished the kerf in a metal working vise, and the resulting kerf is the same as a Blade Runner/WoodSlicer, with a finish almost as good. The benefit: I can resaw exotics all day long, and it cuts through 4" cocobolo like a hot knife through butter (feeding about an inch a second) with no drift/wander. I still love my Blade Runners, but I don't think they'd endue the colobolo/wenge, etc., that I've been using lately.
I'm also including a pic of my fence, which is basically just an "L" (w/ corner block for support) and two t-bolts that go through my table. Doesn't budge while I'm using it, great for sawing for the small boxes I make.
I had been using steel blocks on my little BS150LS (10") bandsaw. They work well, but are difficult to adjust because they want to move when you tighten the screw.
I also wanted a block I could run right up to the blade, contacting the blade when need be. So I decided to try wood blocks again and ordered some lignum vitae from a guy on eBay, machined-up some 1/4" x 15/64" x 1-1/2" blocks, and then made some small U-shaped brass "pressure pads" using .015" x .25" brass I purchased at the hardware store.
So now the screws push the brass, and the brass pushes the wood. No craters, no wiggling when tightening the screws, works great. The U-shape of the brass keeps it in place as I slide the wood blocks in/out.
BTW, that blade in my saw is a MK Morse .025" bimetal (3-TPI hook). I squished the kerf in a metal working vise, and the resulting kerf is the same as a Blade Runner/WoodSlicer, with a finish almost as good. The benefit: I can resaw exotics all day long, and it cuts through 4" cocobolo like a hot knife through butter (feeding about an inch a second) with no drift/wander. I still love my Blade Runners, but I don't think they'd endue the colobolo/wenge, etc., that I've been using lately.
I'm also including a pic of my fence, which is basically just an "L" (w/ corner block for support) and two t-bolts that go through my table. Doesn't budge while I'm using it, great for sawing for the small boxes I make.