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Thread: Wooden bandsaw project

  1. #16
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    Nov 2013
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff Wittrock View Post
    Added the table. Still need to make the blade slot and cutout for lower blade guide and insert.
    Trunions work smoothly and lock well, but I will probably add an additional hard stop and lock for the 90 degree position.

    I haven't decided what to use for the table surface. I don't think the bare plywood would hold up very well. I have considered Formica, but am leaning towards stainless steel counter top material if I can find it cheap. If not I may use mild steel to keep the cost down but having to keep the rust off would be a bummer. I have also considered using replaceable hardboard.
    Don't know if this is possible in your area. . . but if you have a local scrapyard you may be able to pick up either a sheet of aluminum or a piece of stainless to use for the table surface. I regularly stop at our local one for stuff like this and it seems like they always have what I need at really good prices.

  2. #17
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    Dec 2007
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ted Reischl View Post
    Don't know if this is possible in your area. . . but if you have a local scrapyard you may be able to pick up either a sheet of aluminum or a piece of stainless to use for the table surface. I regularly stop at our local one for stuff like this and it seems like they always have what I need at really good prices.
    Thanks Ted. Yeah I think that's a good idea. I think Matthias Wandel used a steel dyer door on one of his. If I can find some used stainless that would be great. For now, I'm just sticking with the plywood and a goodly amount of polyurethane.

  3. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff Wittrock View Post
    Not much time to work on the band saw the last few weeks.

    I did slot the table for blade removal and added a recessed hole for the blade insert.
    I have decided to just stick with the plywood as the table surface for now. I figure I can always add a hardboard surface later if I want to.
    My father used 1/4" hardboard over plywood for his table top on the wood band saw he built. You can wax it so wood slides better.
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  4. #19
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    Dec 2007
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    Upper wheel cabinet/guard pretty much done. I still need to make cutouts for the blade guide and support column, but I am planning some changes in this area so am holding off for awhile.
    I thought of just using plywood for the cabinet, but decided to just stick with SYP 2x10 lumber I have on hand, so I ended up doing a lot of re-sawing and hand planing. I used 2x10 re-sawed once for the cabinet frame members and re-sawed twice for the floating panels.

    Box joints were used for the cabinet carcass and loose tenons for the face frame.

    I used three loose pin hinges instead of a piano hinge as I wanted the ability to remove the cabinet easily. The separate hinges were also cheaper than a piano hinge.
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  5. #20
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    It's looking really good!
    I'm curious how well the gorilla tape tires will work out. I have strong doubts about it.
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  6. #21
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    That's a cool project, but I have serious concerns about the stiffness of the backbone. Even ancient 4 x 4 Douglas fir doesn't take much to flex it when you're considering the forces required to tension a wide blade. Might be okay for a really narrow blade for curved work though. I'm also highly doubtful that the Gorilla tape will last. The adhesive is very tenacious, but will creep badly under pressure. Wouldn't off the shelf urethane or rubber tires work?

  7. #22
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    Jan 2016
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    Longmont, CO
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    small stainless tables at at a restaraunt supply place, or even a full sheet pan could provide you with the metal you want at a low price.

  8. #23
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    Jun 2009
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    Kerrville, TX
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    Jeff, I am probably the only person who saved one photo for the cabinet with two rows of drawers in the background. Those are an inspiration for my next project (really needed). Great job on the bandsaw build!

  9. #24
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    Dec 2007
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    Quote Originally Posted by Frank Pratt View Post
    That's a cool project, but I have serious concerns about the stiffness of the backbone. Even ancient 4 x 4 Douglas fir doesn't take much to flex it when you're considering the forces required to tension a wide blade. Might be okay for a really narrow blade for curved work though. I'm also highly doubtful that the Gorilla tape will last. The adhesive is very tenacious, but will creep badly under pressure. Wouldn't off the shelf urethane or rubber tires work?
    Quote Originally Posted by Bruce Page View Post
    It's looking really good!
    I'm curious how well the gorilla tape tires will work out. I have strong doubts about it.
    Thanks for the feedback.

    Yeah, I'm taking the route of nothing ventured, nothing gained for the tires. The crown is already turned on the plywood wheels themselves, and the cost of urethane tires does not really fit in the overall theme of this saw (i.e. cheap).
    Understand, I'm not discounting existing tires because I think they wouldn't work or because I am under the delusion that tape or cycle inner tubes are better. It's just that my goal is to build a usable saw at a price that I can fit within my budget and justify. Having something that I can repair as needed without relying on availability of a specific size tire is also valuable to me.

    As for the stiffness of of the spine, I don't think I could do much better than SYP at a reasonable price. I'm sure there are some hardwoods that would rate a bit higher in stiffness, but not by much and at a substantial increase in cost.
    The existing spine is 4.5" thick x 5.5" deep. One advantage of a fairly squarish wooden frame is that I can add bulk if needed. In other words, it is easy for me to add another 1.5" or 3" to the spine depth with little inconvenience. Likewise, i have plenty of room to add additional gussets on the horizontal members.
    I'm not discounting that there will be some flexing. Again, I'm just after a design that I can try out and change as I want to instead of having everything invested up front.
    I'm out to have a working saw in the end, but I also want something I can just piddle with as I like.

    As an example, I am already thinking of a custom resawing table/fence arrangement that I would put in place of the existing tilting table when needed.
    Since very little horizontal room is needed while resawing, I am envisioning a vertical beam parallel to the blade that would extend between two horizontal members. This would add great stiffness to the existing frame when I need to add more tension.

    I hope that makes sense.

  10. #25
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    Dec 2007
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    Quote Originally Posted by John RStegall View Post
    Jeff, I am probably the only person who saved one photo for the cabinet with two rows of drawers in the background. Those are an inspiration for my next project (really needed). Great job on the bandsaw build!
    Thanks John,
    I made that tool chest a few years ago.
    https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread....est&highlight=

    Before that, I had all my tools laying around on shelves.

  11. #26
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    Dec 2007
    Location
    Fishers, Indiana
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    Lower cabinet / wheel guard mostly done.
    I also added the rear blade guard and put the power switch on the same raised block so it wouldn't be obstructed by the rear guard.

    I have also been making some changes to the blade guide to make it more rigid and make it easier to mount the front blade guard.
    I made the front guard from some scrap aluminum shower framing I had left over from a bathroom remodel.
    Still need to make changes to the post lock mechanism so it will work with the new post.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  12. #27
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    Dec 2007
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    Fishers, Indiana
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    Started adding filler panels. The top is easy.
    The bottom will be more complicated because of the pivoting motor mount. I may just use plywood there.
    20190728_174742.jpg

    Added the locking mechanism for the blade guide post. It's similar to what I had before, but uses a V groove in the post and is narrower so it does not interfere with the blade guard.
    The thin piece of maple on the front is a "leaf spring" that maintains some pressure on the post when the knob is loosened. This allows me to loosen the knob and slide the post up/down without the post just falling down on the table.
    20190728_174803.jpg

    Added some "latches" for the doors. These could have been much simpler, but I do like being able to screw them down to keep the door from rattling.
    20190728_174712.jpg

    Starting to look a little more like a band saw.

    20190728_175004.jpg20190728_174924.jpg

  13. #28
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    Mar 2003
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    Very nice work, Jeff.

    One thought on the tape on the wheels. Back in the old days I got a well used Sears 12" band saw, which had no tires on it. I had no money and I needed to use it, so I did about three or four wraps around the metal wheels with old fashioned friction tape (not electrical tape). I made sure to wrap it in the proper direction so the blade would not try to lift the tape at the seam and it worked well. No attempt to make the seam meet at the starting point was made.

    There was enough thickness to cushion and protect the teeth. I used it for a couple years that way, and when I sold it to get a better saw it still worked fine.
    Rick Potter

    DIY journeyman,
    FWW wannabe.
    AKA Village Idiot.

  14. #29
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    Dec 2007
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rick Potter View Post
    Very nice work, Jeff.

    One thought on the tape on the wheels. Back in the old days I got a well used Sears 12" band saw, which had no tires on it. I had no money and I needed to use it, so I did about three or four wraps around the metal wheels with old fashioned friction tape (not electrical tape). I made sure to wrap it in the proper direction so the blade would not try to lift the tape at the seam and it worked well. No attempt to make the seam meet at the starting point was made.

    There was enough thickness to cushion and protect the teeth. I used it for a couple years that way, and when I sold it to get a better saw it still worked fine.
    Thanks Rick,
    Depending on how the tape I'm using holds up, I may have to go looking for some friction tape.

  15. #30
    I think this is neat as heck! I'm looking forward to hearing how it performss for you when finished!
    Fred
    "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

    “If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”

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