Tall Bandsaw Rollerboard

[John TenEyck]

I built a knockoff of John Lanciani's bandsaw tall feather board with spring loaded rollers, hence rollerboard. John was kind enough to send me some photos of his unit. I modified his design just a little bit, but the overall design is still John's and I take no credit for it. Here it is mounted to my Grizzly G0636X.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/FqMesqgkzULEC4r0Qs1gTDwKLO0Wgh-4-fqCSveolxO9CwI8Vm7hsCTqvegFlcuwATAbisVY-dqwT9WtCma00PK_3uS22UHnWkKAdN0tdjM8lpadqVi0kL6CLP0 2F8NP40e_iZYYUXnmudxbChKI7i3EQ7_xWLGb0szjAMO_pIj38 e3u4FLnU-pG7HWHV1psrv1PFXccXWUYaApiXasMFTHjXcmwdD7fVsTIiu10-vZlDX84cedD6zCT_nVjNKFgWgPJRJWWPYuF6KbSB44U4ubCbf_ cD0_5Tpa6WhnNFtnwu5ySMm0zF11AoJeqLxf0z6R44R9_OL3pt T5VJac76cxOJ_SJ0yoavJxIszb0xJAA7EF-XYIhfzyN0qMFaTwfT0Z1awKBb-z9rG_cvJAgsat3uRfPLVrb1KTAMexYkv6LINiu24uRSskeLQFs V8BWENmQLwEkp1PmSpURTiU2j8ldO3a52GzFB8TYzWoaGRx4bw loTDFt7R13ErLo4zJbz4C4NBJj2TCJvvulB-3LaFrRbSqiJmnQMQpVGyz7mDAxzic0_TCYDFoofwwd26TatmBp ceenJDaNnQfo4WJDKgI3L6nKhsGuSla-SFxpsylRQ7YGfDGTjbVpIAqqxtyzTrFuZsXliO9ysmkpG3kI6i dJrKzj77YltA=w471-h628-no

Looking at the business end of the rollerboard:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/zfc_TFpQyuWuUdfNTNeBWIDBWC2YnqxPgEN1rgAiCTAVBAhrPQ sqaCcvSoK1QkETJV81Mym7gNGp1X0_RYdeGhDg0cm0nnbluKAb lUZKYggrXYYTJDWtyoAoJ7GJrZKPWiccfgVeBSb8FybvOkT8oP bbxPOgHr3ZC96nAkVXb8mlUwQVKNGC_hYl-pcO7bX7vm_NgaQBPGyWwYVruykTuYF5oUhqhakETNuV7rSM9wb EoNzrQojuTthH7NBxdE4q6be8yPlB5SBJN7wRyaZc3F-FoHgHySkJmDpKx72J_bj2sBmw3O8FuZtYy2j9QTs7AmWBp4nig CIh7SG756M4WIXhuTSr8wobXV8FQ4mJs7pvgyA9zuWtrgb2XM9 F18gkiKyE2R0CrcWbWze1LA4nlRsHwaBghN5NnDG2c3BmQD-DtylRBb8p0oWiykkn_hOxWRJzUwEMJEb_o82YLqA2maKXEeynu 5QzIhlbFfIovzt2IGsDNBQgflEzjqQlTroxltvpyxjYbXXz3aq BuMOSfDGEWP-N-k2gPm240PuO0zD6QOWelpe6FINp2RCs_HypUw2rKFz2BeO-eQi2kELyWvAGDy1ULJ91K_RRBnAtxghYhbNI18X4qGVrIbW3aT U5IAFdeAgVkSRRnbPCW6bc8KEfTHPPl3jM_w=w838-h628-no

As you can probably figure out, the rollers are mounted to pivot arms. Compression springs push the workpiece against the bandsaw fence. There are 10 rollers on my unit, probably don't need that many actually, and the overall height is about 13". Looking more closely at how the springs work:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/OvwqWFRvuknjeTnrRH0BotEkXQRRrThU110h2rz500JF2Yl3tk OJGVa9CC9bK9lVPlYbKu1uA3NhwVhIggoUKYk9ehPrNUzqjJrh KHKKg9jrsmzImrmSaCbAK8LTvgLiB6puOk1zquWjQpIJmTcBO1 IAyCHy58XmROKh-_WOdlMtUihPu7RT51uKkVZgrV6Y4lq5o1EmZ-uFCYgVbQtT3N_fbLN0ZHgRtWh27xed-9GLLys4cIojPBJGekshC_pyX_gQgsaWdVRfWoEmrSqyfEgjNCm 9Gm3rRCV9Eyo6pB0JatTPEGVdxWiD5h0Mo8bf7bClpLMgamrCi VdDNxl0jvF7DkSkH_Rwp37eA1g4iNfYdD1WO-wwvS_-Jv6Aob-Jd5oruOYEzlRUupNGuaD0PrU6Z4P_QHmZOfIP4HnzmExT2skFK M6HdG9IdY2eiMG4eRqdU57rlnIY8SUEugbClmOSFe6b8kbcpaR t1Ig_LfqogDBMhg6K677APIc-HVGK9UOcaytXBM6gf_a_e5KwnOci8VGRKzCnplJkuY6xpZEABS fzdic2fqAeEBXuKu4iXg6n-kV9DhaOkPkoCswv0_2vSDJ_eQPg75plLP71YPBQGtrIQvhpT86 WoDE_qaaR3UGSmQMZBHMGXPbB8qUhuLLVewvQQaf8Gw=w838-h628-no

The stock tall fence on my BS wasn't tall enough, and when I clamped a 12" tall piece of 3/4" plywood to it there was too much deflection from the springs pushing on it. That resulted in the veneer slice being wider at the top than bottom, so I built a new fence.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/peYO3ZpYuvAqIA2-wqUroAWEtEfF__nxsvyfebEfQezCplJuG4lnhkq5Id_xhCimi8 GUxbBzho9HDfWTNfhd6xiTFe6L7UnNdxG7EybNadEaicfAP62e 4c6xR6j1u1WgzkqEZyT9ZivnDnHAMl8jWOUWzJWipa4kDqvapm 2xGgEvsb5cDss25YcL3mNxsAekwOqmmupjOVkf_3BQk16DCsN3 jZcDCH28uat-n2vME5FoKYEX7JS9aHMkvWMA1qtb0cRKRP00GGQ4x4IXj8MqmX 0BlBdOzzg39VKYDnin_d0owDt7vTz5kcwiOXOMA-iIn6fzX0u-kPmYRW35unfCf7TVEChzyZTcimMJwYxx-apIGZwUchJvEc3vm-f38ABhwOdCiWlGQnOeC0pb3dnz2YPhQuOUl_WaFbnrLoN9dMrW VP9TwwPVoJroYY7tOSHa_CfpmNSAbB3N0TGUNQS0NqpTtROc2d 1MDDet21YhFdkQsAfTsfezCCA8GzIpueRBP_pdvv7KLDlj_iSe djgZbcR1-W9torNlpNkggFI_MOfnlUwVqp3W2qkibnpIiFGmsn8ob8qlTgt BnA2_lk4SjMLZVLyHdW4MtHmCrN02jiUT6XYhC33ej-k9rcbyOGrHmLO3yDpMT5uBay_7DnrVfvXd8LUn__p1xg=w838-h628-no


It clamps both to the stock low fence as well as the table and is very rigid.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/OrYvAj6kJwyb8T6pJugay_8ze0DZxaeAvvf3J7OQa5zyTotJnR kJS1updIYv198mDOMZtDQ5tkssyS6vGZ_NovicWM_6CAahE0gp eMbnPTk9-FsQ6p8sTKZrXp77HWf7R9pnWX6lxXiwZaBOueZAoDgI2WVqQxR xSH1VUAKdM_-ugQG9jAO8FDqNb2p6V9-BImxJ560YPApS025r7a0gVvI9nmNDrIc2VUV3QNkPFWY29tbPr gfKwDQiGt1b6rp761sPt5oysCQ0-HV21c0KhGdwRrulWQr9GzKeTEQvEC4QXCr3MaojqdwU2YmqrzQ IgIS47cY--QpCNP5NEcz6eiKlJuI3gICPCOiHIC-hVSNmpUydgMZrbeuPnvVZY85TsN6ldVCNqLUhLe5r8sLQozrpb n5OUPXIY_Q7fHTBB0hITok7D1vMtXVO1-19F6NgGZ7cgHdl5v4cVChjpdPhrLbV6WQ2iEin0kHTKKkt-cozmEmkGN6WOTV2YNGTsrZiD9sYV_c7yXx2VcjDTg966txRxp8 of6ylkobjGCEgb75NiREDvai3R6BdUq8x1wBwypa3luA-bJMEXMuxKzFfisaFuphvtxQrqn_xRjHQUt3P59hY4a4d8-Q-XzOu7UizWibAf5htLDn3eOSLtF2Tr44H2k4-gVDZUw=w838-h628-no

The rollerboard assembly moves laterally on runners mounted to a base plate that moves front to back in the miter slot. The base plate is clamped to the table and the rollerboard assembly is clamped to the base plate with the star wheels.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/NbDqShwApgy_MF1a7QcfQ-Db_R8-BeAwHdYThG_PKUkFEEQqv_-3QWIPwBUi-hi5TIHCrXjli-Tn1-bhA5PrXUPMlqsDffNelvZrSMH6vUvIQ4ph3jnwnP9_9poEBQIv HDjjMszSlRMlymyosYWdzvRNOtyA9hVp34-F9oCewNcR22jh6uMpWMzsnWFSWz2JgdtBA0j6TpuwtSbsTH06h EzUvO5zRn4Z7CQWevT07TCEauYaVG5stEVj7p2d8-ZHnM2qsJdwvzt92OYho3lmQXupZEVlm8PMIZAzuXiHDR6Cv5fM _9o8yoQ90AQjf66EPLpWUR6dJLk-RMvDgCiGDAp1lLqZMHDdtbJDqPVxaBtPsyM6R5Zwdph_pKGm71 rEydQ2b0awP8n6x6ix4PrNlcxASp0VeOxerGNDha0AB1ocTOEi wFxkam001DAcb86Q3CkB-avUQGyza24Y804jmqzz-gjXcHRYceYwQROz70jCwiEJdBGiUn8KYbZBWO35sXgTFIcdfPf qTSa9rJh20pgRIZrDyC34ktEqV7_t-x2H-9SH4FdTEEWu4NODXbxNyTouRvdREcdi6MwQlhevvmjeLTIoOZG LOgE6Rn3DxIMQtp8JIQN57K4ZClbxmcATvA4lyX9pChzRiglA5 iUw93GJZ_kuizNoUg=w838-h628-no

If you look at the first photo you can see that the blade is completely shrouded by the fixed fence and the rollerboard. This saw has always scared the bejeebers out of me when I'm sawing wide veneer. No more.

To use the rollerboard you set the stock against the tall fence and push the rollerboard against it. Then I remove the stock and advance the rollerboard about 1/8" and tighten the star wheels. This gives sufficient force to hold the stock tightly against the tall fence but not so much to cause deflection in it. I cut this 10" wide board into slices about 0.095" thick and they are very, very consistent in thickness.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/TzTCu2MHgl8P1xpDBkUY0Fgb8KHDoIgmakRsUR7XDEJpdDFi1y _LLAULFawmPfOgj5XPyJHtUkv7J5loh5QCAxlsLRfK5qvIQIXt 1qwesYkxNXK72_pOFawz51tY8CWEipzZjmo4nFDfP3vJRunzhH DVPq4eDWEhSLXhzzybyYz5MH7iOLgg6WzG_-UcZam0HuVop-SsmguiHEZasFvdHdCS0AioW3BT6GwzOZ8zdyIIJFI_1-WOqypWZ5j9IDCK7rsIcdJZhtwvgjCtak3tUyt5AOopgXjzUzwj 7t7u1qOimxS0_RoOvpbprO3iUrFTaAUkXvGfqpoab0A33iRGVa TuvywLj4JWb2w031vK9eCvldVy-9_3MXnckiBIOrRNYgBGxxepHl0M_9PXPPnfYa0iP_7gXNCTV_c Edy4tnKwhnMxR7JKGMuXNL4kF3nOmtvaxdSxqYwT4-te5CJWYeTomhj2pnkg9uBjR0Ac6QhGbjXZcmqtfogIXsd2rVDE sAf3kAkQkjbbEzvHQgiRu7boc0MjzTB4ZYz6q8X7c7RkjCXsNs 3oERyhgONIAIJdw0QCShsETTvzYr0dVGQQXASsWiVXBPWkRyB0 rIEXGLUdA3vUoR-GWAcbUlUFmnVqeZF4xQSmUhBAfjbq6kae-8DU7g4Y1rD0azg=w838-h628-no

Best of all, there is absolutely no skill involved other than to use a constant feed rate. The rollerboard holds the stock tight to the tall fence, requiring no thought or attention from the user.

Hats off to John Lanciani's design, and his willingness to share it with me. I can now cut veneer more consistently with less effort and much higher safety. If you slice much veneer you might want to build one for yourself. With just a little prodding I could provide a SketchUp model and hardware parts list.

John

[Matt Day]

Sketchup! Sketchup! Sketchup!

Is that enough prodding?

[John K Jordan]

Thanks for posting this. I'm saving your pictures and notes along with Lanciani's for when I build one. I love the design.

There is some discussion and pictures of his here: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?178546-Veneering-Resawing-questions
I think there is more elsewhere since I've saved some additional photos but I can't find a link at the moment.

JKJ

[Brian Holcombe]

Awesome, thanks for sharing John!

[Jacques Gagnon]

Very nice work John (and John); you're on a roll!!!

[Bill Adamsen]

Very nice John (and John)!

I made a functionally similar tool earlier this year but I like what you’ve done better in some ways. More points of contact, better individual pressure control, easier adjust. One thought is to have an increment assist for veneer thickness plus kerf to be able to quickly adjust the rollers.

http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?255853-Bandsaw-Feed-Assist

[David Eisenhauer]

Outstanding ideas from both inventors. Looks like it would be difficult to mess up a resaw using this method.

[Alan Lightstone]

Additional kudos to John, as he sent me pictures as well a while ago, and I built a similar unit. It works great.

Instead of making mine attach to the miter slot, I drilled holes for two powerful Magswitch magnets, and that keeps it in place without clamping.

I've sold my bandsaw, so no pictures of it in use, but it works great. Thanks again, John.

Here's a couple of pictures I took a while ago of it.
375712
375713
375714
375715

I call mine a resaw jig, fwiw.

[John TenEyck]

Bill, your design is outstanding. I thought about how to convert John's design to use tension springs in order to get longer travel at constant force. It looks like you've done it. It could be done with compression springs, too, with longer springs. I was all set to do that until I used the unit as I showed it and found that it works really well as long as I reposition it after each slice. But there's no doubt springs with longer travel would reduce how often you'd have to index the unit, regardless of which spring type is used.

Your idea about "automatic" indexing is good. I'll have to give some thought on how that can be easily accomplished. I had thought about making my unit advance using a captured nut and machine screw handle, but decided to try the manual approach first. I have to say, it's so easy to adjust that there's not a lot of time to be saved by adding that feature. Changing to Bessey Toggle clamps might offer the biggest time savings with the unit I now have.

Thanks very much.

John

[John TenEyck]

Alan, that looks just about John's original concept. The "improvement" I made to the design was to get rid of the need for both compression and tension springs. By running the threaded rod through the pivot arm and screwing it into the T-nut the pivot arm is held in constant position, and deflects only when the work piece pushes against the wheel. It's still adjustable by screwing the threaded rod in/out, but that only needs to be done once during set up if you index the unit after each cut as I do with the cross slide base and you, I assume, did with the Mag Switches. That is a very clever idea, for sure. Thanks very much.

John

[Alan Lightstone]

Alan, that looks just about John's original concept. The "improvement" I made to the design was to get rid of the need for both compression and tension springs. By running the threaded rod through the pivot arm and screwing it into the T-nut the pivot arm is held in constant position, and deflects only when the work piece pushes against the wheel. It's still adjustable by screwing the threaded rod in/out, but that only needs to be done once during set up if you index the unit after each cut as I do with the cross slide base and you, I assume, did with the Mag Switches. That is a very clever idea, for sure. Thanks very much.

John

Interesting. A combo of both ideas (magnetic base, and simpler tension mechanism) would be awesome.

I can set rough tension by moving the base closer or farther from the fence before the cut. I tend to keep it there and just sequentially resaw pieces. It turns out it's not necessary to change that after every cut. A rough approximation is just fine.

I've got a large Felder bandsaw on order. Can't wait to try it with that (although I might want to build a taller one then. Time will tell.)

[Alan Lightstone]

Thanks for posting this. I'm saving your pictures and notes along with Lanciani's for when I build one. I love the design.

There is some discussion and pictures of his here: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?178546-Veneering-Resawing-questions
I think there is more elsewhere since I've saved some additional photos but I can't find a link at the moment.

JKJ

Thanks, John. That's my original post where John was so helpful getting my jig built. Far more pictures and explanation there of his original jig build.

[Warren Lake]

you can also get pressure from wheels that compress. Not sure where they come from and they were not air, sort of spring loading only the compression was from the tire part itself. not alot of travel though.

[Jim Tobias]

More prodding! More prodding!
I would be very interested in a Sketchup drawing and parts list. Would be willing to pay you for your trouble.

Jim

[John TenEyck]

Patience Jim.

OK, this link will take you to a page I created with everything you should need: https://sites.google.com/site/jteneyckwoodworker/current-projects/tall-bandsaw-rollerboard

Please let me know if you can't download the SketchUp model or access the photos, etc.

John