One inch cubes without table saw

[Sheldon Grand]

I'd like to make accurate one inch cubes [for puzzles] without a table saw, using any combination of scroll saw, disc sander, belt sander, drum sander, drill press, and metal-working shaper, Any thoughts will be appreciated. Thanks in advance, Shel

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

Sorry to be a little dense here, but WHY NOT use a TS?

Bruce

[Jim O'Dell]

Sheldon, first, welcome to the Creek! I'm going to guess that you don't have a TS available to use. If this is the case, I'd use the jig saw to make the wood close to the 1" size, then use a disc sander to finish it to size. Make sure you have one side of the wood flat, and that your wood rest to the disc on the sander is perpendicular. Otherwise you will never get a good cube. Repeatability is going to be tough no matter what with this method. If you need several, I'd find a friend with a decent table saw and see if you could go visit and use it for a while. Jim.

[Art Mulder]

I'm with Bruce.

I also notice a lack of a bandsaw in your list. That'd be my second choice.

Choice #1: Use the TS+fence to rip 1x1xwhatever strips of wood,
then use a crosscut sled to cut the strips down to 1x1x1

Choice #2, use the bandsaw for the crosscutting part of Step #1

best,
...art

ps: Drill Press!!?? :confused:

pps: 1x1x1 cubes are a chokeable size, so I hope those puzzle pieces are not for kids.

[Tom Sontag]

Puzzle pieces even with a TS are tough. The drum sander is the answer. cut close with a chainsaw if you want and work towards 1X1s on the DS. Be sure you are square. Crosscut and carefully sand the remaining two sides. I'd make 50% more than you think you need and consider some kind of jig for the final sanding. Puzzle pieces must be absolutely perfect.

[Burt Waddell]

I'd like to make accurate one inch cubes [for puzzles] without a table saw, using any combination of scroll saw, disc sander, belt sander, drum sander, drill press, and metal-working shaper, Any thoughts will be appreciated. Thanks in advance, Shel

I think that the EZ Smart System could handle this quite nicely. CHeck it out at www.eurekazone.com (http://www.eurekazone.com)



http://www.eurekazone.com/images/gallery/thinwood/big/6.jpg

[Vaughn McMillan]

I think that the EZ Smart System could handle this quite nicely. CHeck it out at www.eurekazone.com (http://www.eurekazone.com)
Ya know Burt, I'm sure you're right, but I didn't notice a circular saw or router on Sheldon's list. Looks like he's trying to do a job with the tools available. If you're gonna shill, at least try to follow the thread. :rolleyes:

- Vaughn

[Chuck Saunders]

Yeah, Burt if you had suggested a Festool I'm sure it would have been ok.
Chuck

[Larry Reimer]

Sheldon, you're kind of limited on a saw to cut with there. I would start by making a long piece of stock 1 inch square, make sure it's square and exact. In my shop I'm thinking that would happen at the disk sander (using your tool choices). Then start cutting off one inch lengths from that square stock. Those cuts need to be square and straight and require little if any sanding. I'm not sure I'd do that at the scroll saw, however, I do have some really nice hand saws that could do that.

[Burt Waddell]

Ya know Burt, I'm sure you're right, but I didn't notice a circular saw or router on Sheldon's list. Looks like he's trying to do a job with the tools available. If you're gonna shill, at least try to follow the thread. :rolleyes:

- Vaughn

Vaughn,

And what criticism do you have for the three that posted before me? They suggested a tablesaw, a band saw and a chain saw. Show me those in the list.

Burt

[Mark Rios]

I'm sorry but I've just got to say.......


EVERY time I read a post from Burt I feel like I'm getting beat over the head with a EZ Smart guide rail and smacked in the face with an EZ Repeater.









:confused: :confused: :confused:

[Frank Fusco]

Backsaw, muscle powered.

Edit: Are we allowed to speak Neanderthal here?

[Mac McAtee]

Way back in the goodeldays I took two years of Machinist Practices in High School/Trade School (ain't it a shame they don't have those anymore). My instructor, Mr. Humberstone, was considered a Master Machinist. He worked for Henry Ford himself when a young man. At any rate one of the tests he had to pass to move from apprentice to journeyman machinist was to produce a 1" steel cube that was square on all sides and +- no more than .002 in. And it had to be made with hand tools only.

Now this has nothing to do with solving Sheldon's problem, but I thought interesting none the less.

Let's quit sniping at each other and try and help the guy out.

[Ian Barley]

I'd like to make accurate one inch cubes [for puzzles] without a table saw, using any combination of scroll saw, disc sander, belt sander, drum sander, drill press, and metal-working shaper, Any thoughts will be appreciated. Thanks in advance, Shel

Sheldon - Welcome to the creek - hope to see you here often.

If you are going to need to do this regularly and with any degree of accuracy then a reasonable table saw is definitely going to be a sound investment for you. Based on your available list of tools best prospect (like jim says) if you need reasonable squareness and size is to rough cut them oversize (with the scrollsaw :( ) and then make up a jig to finish them to size with the disc sander. In honesty if you don't want to spring for a TS and this is a one off the the backsaw and a bench hook will probably be a better way to cut them than the scrollsaw and are not likely to represent a huge investment.



Vaughn,

And what criticism do you have for the three that posted before me? They suggested a tablesaw, a band saw and a chain saw. Show me those in the list.

Burt
For what little its worth Burt - none of them tried to promote a specific brand of table saw, band saw or chain saw. I suspect that they were just trying to make the point that none of the available list of weapons is really ideal for the job. And if your post had referred to the concept of guide rail systems as a generic I am sure that nobody would have raised any issue with it.

[Vaughn McMillan]

Vaughn,

And what criticism do you have for the three that posted before me? They suggested a tablesaw, a band saw and a chain saw. Show me those in the list.

Burt
Burt, the three referenced posters don't answer every question with the same solution. I admire and appreciate the fact that you enjoy using the EZ system, and I'm sure it's great, but it gets tiresome knowing that virtually any post from you will mention the system. Your input is welcome, but I think it'd be more appreciated if it were more varied.

My 2¢...I'll quit sniping.

- Vaughn

[Lee DeRaud]

EVERY time I read a post from Burt I feel like I'm getting beat over the head with a EZ Smart guide rail and smacked in the face with an EZ Repeater.Hey Mark, you speak their lingo pretty good, sounds like the subliminals are working. :D :p

[Mark Rios]

Hey Mark, you speak their lingo pretty good, sounds like the subliminals are working. :D :p



Well, if you hear it enough times..................................:D :D :D

[Frankie Hunt]

Given the tools listed. I would rough cut the squares, a tad oversize, on the scroll saw. I would then use the belt sander. Make a jig that will hold the sander on its side. Then make a fence that is 1 inch away from the belt sander. You can then sand down to 1 inch. The bigest problem with this is that you have the chance to be out of square. You could use the disk sander too. It would be easier to make the fence and attach it to the table but I would do the belt sander. I think the result would be better.

For a very small investment you could purchase a Japanese pull saw and make a miter box. Using this method you would make 1 inch square x 16 inch sticks on the scroll saw. Then use the sander to get it precisely 1 inch square. Then use the miter box to cut to 1 inch length. This would be the preferred method.

Having said that..... Now is an EXCELLENT time to add to your woodworking tools! Perhaps a small band saw, or a table saw.

Welcome to the Creek! Come back often.

[Burt Waddell]

Burt, the three referenced posters don't answer every question with the same solution. I admire and appreciate the fact that you enjoy using the EZ system, and I'm sure it's great, but it gets tiresome knowing that virtually any post from you will mention the system. Your input is welcome, but I think it'd be more appreciated if it were more varied.

My 2¢...I'll quit sniping.

- Vaughn


Vaughan,

I can appreciate your remarks but at the same time I hope that I am helping others on this forum see how unique and versitle the EZ is. Some one suggested that I use a Generic term like guided saw system. I considered that but there is a uniqueness in design and capabilities associated with the EZ Smart that makes a generic term that includes any other tool totally inaccurate.

Burt

[tod evans]

Vaughan,

I can appreciate your remarks but at the same time I hope that I am helping others on this forum see how unique and versitle the EZ is. Some one suggested that I use a Generic term like guided saw system. I considered that but there is a uniqueness in design and capabilities associated with the EZ Smart that makes a generic term that includes any other tool totally inaccurate.

Burt

but burt wouldn`t any of the guided saw systems on the market fit the original posters query just as well as the one you push?
personally i think sheldon would be better served by a decient quality tablesaw as several others have suggested. in fact as part of my welcome to smc shelton if you`re anywhere near the ozarks please feel free to shoot me a p/m and i`ll either let you use my shop or i`ll cut a few hundred pieces while you wait. again, welcome to smc! .02 tod

[Burt Waddell]

but burt wouldn`t any of the guided saw systems on the market fit the original posters query just as well as the one you push?
personally i think sheldon would be better served by a decient quality tablesaw as several others have suggested. in fact as part of my welcome to smc shelton if you`re anywhere near the ozarks please feel free to shoot me a p/m and i`ll either let you use my shop or i`ll cut a few hundred pieces while you wait. again, welcome to smc! .02 tod

Tod,

To answer your question , No. The EZ Smart it the only guided system that has the repeaters (serve the same basic purpose as a fence on a table saw). It could be set at 1" and you can cut as long as you like. The pieces would free fall as you cut and there is no fence so the blocks could not be kicked back at you. A year ago, I would have been in the crew that is supporting the table saw. In fact I still have a pair of unisaws. I try to use the most appropriate tool for the task and for this the EZ Smart works best.

Burt

[Jim Becker]

Ok, folks...do the moderators need to step in and start whacking posts? Please play nice...thanks in advance!

The OP asked about doing something with a very specific list of tools; likely what is available to him at the present time. Let's welcome him to the SMC community with some kindness, ingenuity and thoughtfulness!

[Doug Shepard]

Sheldon - You're not giving us a lot to work with tool-wise, but since a drill-press is one of them, I'd suggest this:
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Planes/Wagner_Safe-T-Planer.html

You could prep 1x1x?? long strips then cut the cubes from the strip, mount them on some type of carrier board and clean up the sawn sides with it as well. I know there are folks here who hate these, but with extremely light passes and work securely held, they can be very accurate.

BTW - Welcome to SMC.

[Mike Cutler]

Way back in the goodeldays I took two years of Machinist Practices in High School/Trade School (ain't it a shame they don't have those anymore). My instructor, Mr. Humberstone, was considered a Master Machinist. He worked for Henry Ford himself when a young man. At any rate one of the tests he had to pass to move from apprentice to journeyman machinist was to produce a 1" steel cube that was square on all sides and +- no more than .002 in. And it had to be made with hand tools only.

Now this has nothing to do with solving Sheldon's problem, but I thought interesting none the less.

Let's quit sniping at each other and try and help the guy out.


Hey!! Those "good ol'days" weren't that long ago. Mr Koch had the same exercise, when I was in school. I'm still really comfortable with a mill file in my hand to this day.

To the OP. This is a job for the lowly ol' Miter Box, and back saw. A few stop blocks positioned properly, and you're off to the races. You will still need to sand the faces, but I'm hoping the tolerance is a little more liberal that our machine shop excercises.;) A Miter Box is perfect for this. I know that it wasn't on your list, but they are relatively inexpensive at your local Home Depot.
In absence of the Miter Box. The metal shaper sounds interesting.

PS. Welcome to Sawmill Creek, and pleased to meet ya'

[Per Swenson]

Hello Sheldon,

Welcome to the creek.

I think Mr. Cutlers suggestion is a great Idea.

Maple mitre box at the hd is around 10 bucks.

While your there, take a look at the rigid table saw.

Great start up saw, and it holds its value.

Now Vaughn has been comming up with some great signature lines,

I think some one should grab this one while its hot.

"If you're gonna shill, at least try to follow the thread."

Per

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

Hey Sheldon, are you out there? All these comments, questions and no reply from you?

A little more information might be helpful to us answering your question. Things like " I don't have a TS and don't want to buy one." "These are the only tools I have available."

Would love to see a post from you.

Bruce

[Tom Sontag]

Hey Sheldon, are you out there? All these comments, questions and no reply from you?

A little more information might be helpful to us answering your question. Things like " I don't have a TS and don't want to buy one." "These are the only tools I have available."

Would love to see a post from you.

Bruce

Don't hold your breath Bruce. He joined Jan 2004 and this is his first and only post. Shy fellow I guess. But I agree, some kind of response is owed.

[Mark Rios]

I think all the pressure about the EZ stuff scared him off. :D :D :D

Or he got beat over the head and he hasn't woken up yet. :D :D :D

Or....maybe he's too shy to tell us all to shut the "stuff" up and he went over to Wood or woodnet. :D :D





Okay guys and gals......six hundred of us has to donate an extra penny to make up for scaring Sheldon out of contributing. :D :D

[Greg Sznajdruk]

Hey what happened to Sheldon? He started this thread and a tempest in a tea pot but no feed back from Sheldon.. You think we may have scared him off?

Greg

[skip coyne]

probably bought the EZ and got it done EZaly done ....:D