Vaughn McMillan
10-07-2006, 6:23 AM
I'm posting this just to offer a lesson to any of my fellow newbie woodworkers...a lesson I learned tonight the hard way. Here's the Cliff Notes version of the lesson:
Don't cut something on a bandsaw if the thing you're cutting isn't firmly supported on the table or a sled. If you're lucky, you'll only bend a brand-new blade. If you're not lucky, you could be in a heap of hurt. I was lucky. My luck is color-coordinated with my stupidity.
Here's the background for the lesson:
I was cutting up some green wood for bowl blanks on my 14" (with riser) bandsaw. I was using my bandsaw sled (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=44207&d=1154927584) for the cut. The wood was held firmly and my hands were well out of the way. One particular log I was trimming had the stub end of a 3" branch sticking out, partially cut through with the chainsaw, but still attached enough to be firm. This branch was about 6" off the table, with the path of the blade going through this "suspended" piece before starting the main cut. In other words, this 2" chunk was off the table when the blade hit it. Not good. It broke off before being cut cleanly, something caught, the piece of branch went flying across the shop after bouncing off the table, and the bandsaw started going "whump-whump-whump". Second cut with a brand new blade from Suffolk, and I bent it. Bad words were spoken. (Now I know how Chris Livingston felt after recently bending a carbide tooth Trimaster. Except I didn't lose as much money, I guess.) And I was really liking the way the blade cut through green wood. :(
No pics, but a couple oversimplified drawings showing my mistake. Don't do this:
48116
This would have been better (but better yet would have been to trim the stub off with a pruning saw or other suitable tool.)
48117
Let that be a lesson to you kids. Now get off my lawn! :p
Don't cut something on a bandsaw if the thing you're cutting isn't firmly supported on the table or a sled. If you're lucky, you'll only bend a brand-new blade. If you're not lucky, you could be in a heap of hurt. I was lucky. My luck is color-coordinated with my stupidity.
Here's the background for the lesson:
I was cutting up some green wood for bowl blanks on my 14" (with riser) bandsaw. I was using my bandsaw sled (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=44207&d=1154927584) for the cut. The wood was held firmly and my hands were well out of the way. One particular log I was trimming had the stub end of a 3" branch sticking out, partially cut through with the chainsaw, but still attached enough to be firm. This branch was about 6" off the table, with the path of the blade going through this "suspended" piece before starting the main cut. In other words, this 2" chunk was off the table when the blade hit it. Not good. It broke off before being cut cleanly, something caught, the piece of branch went flying across the shop after bouncing off the table, and the bandsaw started going "whump-whump-whump". Second cut with a brand new blade from Suffolk, and I bent it. Bad words were spoken. (Now I know how Chris Livingston felt after recently bending a carbide tooth Trimaster. Except I didn't lose as much money, I guess.) And I was really liking the way the blade cut through green wood. :(
No pics, but a couple oversimplified drawings showing my mistake. Don't do this:
48116
This would have been better (but better yet would have been to trim the stub off with a pruning saw or other suitable tool.)
48117
Let that be a lesson to you kids. Now get off my lawn! :p