Art Bianconi
07-24-2009, 3:23 AM
Designing and building telescopes is one of my passions. Until now a good router and a circle cutter have been indispensable for cutting light baffles and structural bulkheads for optical tubes, some as large as 26" in diameter.
The router does a nice job and would still be needed for inside cuts but fixturing the materials to a sacrificial surface is awkward. (pink home foam insulating panels keep the bench top from getting gauged)
My acquisition of a new Gorilla 17" Band saw suggests that it might prove even better.
I've experimented with a right angle aluminum extrusion bolted perpendicular to the saw table.
I slotted the top plane of the extrusion so I can adjust the cut diameter by sliding a 1/4" hardened pin as much as 18" from the blade. It's apparent however, that a wider support plate and a flat surface is needed on the other side of the pin for large pieces.
The materials of choice are usually foam cored fiberglass and carbon fibered composites, tempered Masonite or thin plywood. It would be great if I could cut fragile, unbonded laminates like Formica which don't take kindly to jig saws, even when clamped down.
Has anyone used such a method? I'm sure there are better ideas than this for curring large circles.
Thanks!
Art
The router does a nice job and would still be needed for inside cuts but fixturing the materials to a sacrificial surface is awkward. (pink home foam insulating panels keep the bench top from getting gauged)
My acquisition of a new Gorilla 17" Band saw suggests that it might prove even better.
I've experimented with a right angle aluminum extrusion bolted perpendicular to the saw table.
I slotted the top plane of the extrusion so I can adjust the cut diameter by sliding a 1/4" hardened pin as much as 18" from the blade. It's apparent however, that a wider support plate and a flat surface is needed on the other side of the pin for large pieces.
The materials of choice are usually foam cored fiberglass and carbon fibered composites, tempered Masonite or thin plywood. It would be great if I could cut fragile, unbonded laminates like Formica which don't take kindly to jig saws, even when clamped down.
Has anyone used such a method? I'm sure there are better ideas than this for curring large circles.
Thanks!
Art