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Hello,
I'll be making some band saw modifications and thought I'd download some images.? ? I downloaded some images of my hydraulic down feed cylinder in another thread.? ?This thread will show the other modifications.?
Here are some images of my vise mod.? This modification is very similar to the one others have implemented to hold short pieces.? ?I chose to make a clamp that will hold the smooth spacer rod at the end of my extended, movable vise jaw rather than use a threaded rod.? I used 1/4"x3" steel to make the movable jaw modification and to make the floating jaw which is placed next to the stationary vise jaw.? ?These changes allows one to clamp parts right next to the saw blade.? ?I used the saw to cut these to the length.? ?I decided to just knurl the ends of the rods rather than making a tommy bolt.? ?None of the items on this saw need to be that tight and a knurled end is sufficient.
I also included a block with a screw which is used to adjust the vise to be square with the blade.? ?This will also allow one to move the fixed vise and have it come back to the square position when done.? ?I also made a threaded T nut to run in the slot when moving the fixed vise jaw.? ?This allows one to move the vise jaw by just loosening the bolt on the top and not have to have a wrench on the bottom of the saw frame.?
I'm going to be working on a blade brush and some other things in the near future.
Dave
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I bought a "Little Giant" cart from Craigslist that is capable of supporting some heavy weight.? ?It is 30" x 24" x 35" high (or close to it) and has swivel casters w/ locks on all four wheels.? ?I used 4 inch 5.4 lb/ft channel iron to raise the band saw above the top shelf on the cart.? ?I built some small blocks to bolt the saw down to the channel iron. ? The saw table height is 43”, which is a much better height for me. ? I never use this saw as a vertical bandsaw. ?All in all, it turned out fine.? ?
I'll be making a blade brush like the one Rob M designed and potentially add a blade lubrication device in the next week or so.? ?I've been thinking about how to use the part length stop guide hole to make an extended table on the front of the saw.
I noticed that the stand has caused my adjustments to change.? ?I want to get this saw stable before tackling the hinge rod modification so my saw cuts square (per John V's recent article).
Dave
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Here is my version of the blade brush designed by Rob M.? ?I bought a 8 mm pillow block bearing and brush.? ?I turned the shaft and spacer and bent/punched holes in the 16 gage sheet metal.? ?This works really good.? ?The sheet metal looks a little funny, but the design intent was to help control the direction of the swarf.? ?I have a life time supply of the little brushes.?
My next two projects are to make an oiler to help lubricate the blade as it is cutting (not a liquid immersion) and a table that extends from the front of the saw.? ?I want the table to allow me to have a stop and to keep the thin parts from falling /getting jammed between the table and the saw blade.? ?I am hoping to get these done before Christmas.
Dave
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Looks good! Glad it works well for you.
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Hi Rob,
Thanks for the encouraging words.
I tried an Oiler tonight. I made a crude model just to test the concept.? I would not recommend building something like the one I made or I need to redesign it.? ?It does apply cutting fluid to the blade and the parts do come out with a slightly better surface finish and are significantly cooler, but the cutting fluid makes a mess with the swarf and basically makes clumps of oil and swarf that collect on the blade guides and block that I'm using to apply the cutting fluid.? ?My blade brush was loading up with oil and swarf too.? ?Maybe I had too high of an oil drip rate or maybe I should try a more viscous oil, but I would not recommend this design with cutting fluid.
I made a block out of 5/8" square stock to apply the cutting fluid to the blade.? ?I cut the block with the saw and this was just the perfect size for sitting over the non cutting side of the blade.? ?I tapped the block with a 1/8" NPT and made a 3/32" port from the pipe fitting to the slot in the block..? ?I bought two 1" pipe caps and a 3" long, 1" diameter pipe nipple to make the cutting fluid container.? ?I used a 1/8" NPT needle valve to regulate the fluid flow.? ?I used magnets to located the block on the blade guides and to locate the fluid container on the saw frame.? ?I used aquarium tubing to connect between the valve and the block.
This did work, but it made a mess.? The cutting fluid was smoking (as it should) and the surface quality was better.? ?I have a hydraulic down feed cylinder so I kept the descent rate about the same as when I saw dry.? ?The part was definitely cooler after cutting, so the blade life may be improved by using an oiler.
I think I will just go back to cutting dry.? ?I thought I would share this so if other were thinking about doing this mod, that they would be aware of the issues I had.
Dave
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Dave? Have a look at this doc in the files section Blade brushes are in my opinion for clearing the blade of swarf which?only really needs doing when cutting soft 'sticky' materials like aluminium or copper where the swarf sticks in the gullet and then that gullet overloads the next time around causing the blade to veer off-course as the soft swarf gets squished out form the overfull gullet into the space between the kerf wall and the blade body.? Steel swarf doesn't need clearing since it falls away, unless you use coolant when it sticks to the wet blade but as you discovered?more to the sides of the blade than the teeth, thats where the blade scraper works to reduce the swarf load on the brush - jv
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Hi Rob,
Thanks for the encouraging words.
I tried an Oiler tonight. I made a crude model just to test the concept.? I would not recommend building something like the one I made or I need to redesign it.? ?It does apply cutting fluid to the blade and the parts do come out with a slightly better surface finish and are significantly cooler, but the cutting fluid makes a mess with the swarf and basically makes clumps of oil and swarf that collect on the blade guides and block that I'm using to apply the cutting fluid.? ?My blade brush was loading up with oil and swarf too.? ?Maybe I had too high of an oil drip rate or maybe I should try a more viscous oil, but I would not recommend this design with cutting fluid.
I made a block out of 5/8" square stock to apply the cutting fluid to the blade.? ?I cut the block with the saw and this was just the perfect size for sitting over the non cutting side of the blade.? ?I tapped the block with a 1/8" NPT and made a 3/32" port from the pipe fitting to the slot in the block..? ?I bought two 1" pipe caps and a 3" long, 1" diameter pipe nipple to make the cutting fluid container.? ?I used a 1/8" NPT needle valve to regulate the fluid flow.? ?I used magnets to located the block on the blade guides and to locate the fluid container on the saw frame.? ?I used aquarium tubing to connect between the valve and the block.
This did work, but it made a mess.? The cutting fluid was smoking (as it should) and the surface quality was better.? ?I have a hydraulic down feed cylinder so I kept the descent rate about the same as when I saw dry.? ?The part was definitely cooler after cutting, so the blade life may be improved by using an oiler.
I think I will just go back to cutting dry.? ?I thought I would share this so if other were thinking about doing this mod, that they would be aware of the issues I had.
Dave
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I mostly cut aluminum and brass, so I didn't go with an oiler either, plus the mess of dealing with it. I use a wax stick made for cutting metal-?
It works well and isn't too messy. It does get in the blade brushes a little bit, but they still function.
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For quick jobs on aluminium I use a block of paraffin wax rubbed in the teeth for similar less mess. Old candles are paraffin wax if you want to try it. Need to do it every 20 seconds or so.?
I mostly cut aluminum and brass, so I didn't go with an oiler either, plus the mess of dealing with it. I use a wax stick made for cutting metal-?
It works well and isn't too messy. It does get in the blade brushes a little bit, but they still function.
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Thanks for the link John and Rob!
I have some paraffin wax.? I'll try it on the blade.
John, do you use a blade scraper on your saw?? Is this necessary when using wax or oil on aluminum/brass/copper? I like the version made from band saw blade. I can make one and try it out.? I currently have a felt pad to clean the blade but I think it is worthless.? ?Do you ever have to change the blades on your scraper?
I'm definitely going to get this figured out over Christmas vacation.
I might keep the oiler for aluminum/brass/copper cutting.? ?I think I need to potentially use oil rather than cutting fluid and not use very much of it.
Dave
Dave
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Hi Dave
I liked the bladed scraper best and first used it to stop buildup of aluminium on the blade when I ran ~7thou guide roller clearance, since buildup on the blade affects the slant of the blade between the side guide rollers and thus squareness.
Then I realised with any sort of blade scraper you can run zero clearance on the side guide rollers, since the swarf running between the blade and rollers was what was destroying them and made us go to 7thou clearance in the first place and so I made the UHMWPE version.
Now I've made side guide rollers that sit with one ~1/4" higher or lower than the other and can run 'negative' clearance (less than 0.025") and the blade 'snakes' between the rollers and swarf has no effect on longevity of the guide bearings. .
However you have to completely remake the whole guide assembly to do that.
So now I don't need a scraper.?
My advice would be to make a UHMWPE or Acetal (Delrin) scraper and see if it does what you want. If the buildup on the blade is still unacceptable then make the HSS scraper version as its a lot more work. Run zero blade to guide roller clearance i. e. 0.025" between the rollers. Another advantage of the plastic scraper is that you can leave it in place when the vertical table is on, where you have to remove the bladed one.?
The correct cutting fluid for aluminium is kerosene (use deodorised stuff), just enough to wet the teeth not flood, then it evaporates off between uses minimising the mess. Kero will do for copper too. Don't use any cutting fluid for brass (it breaks up like cast iron, doesn't stick in the gullets & conducts heat really well so no need for lube or coolant) - jv
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Wax or kerosene ?for aluminum, dry for brass are traditional. I also found that using WD-40 from a pump can deliver just a small amount of lube to the cut and can be done as needed.
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Hi John,
Have you written up anything regarding the guide roller modification you mentioned?? It sounds interesting.
Thanks!
Mark
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Staggered guide rollers are not a new idea, several of the old-time (80's or 90's?) 4x6's had it as a feature (Ridgid I think was one brand (as in the pipe wrenches).
I came at it from my obsession with square cutting.? You get best blade support and hence most accurate cutting on a normal saw with zero clearance between the rollers and the blade.? But the bearings just destroy themselves in short order because of swarf rolling through the zero gap, putting huge load spikes into them.
So I made completely new guide assemblies and drilled the guide brackets (that the rollers attach to) so the rollers are only 0.022"? apart (in line with the blade).? Both rollers are on concentric mounts, so there is no way to adjust them. The blade 'snakes' the extra 0.003" and is very rigidly held and absolutely square to the brackets.? Makes the blade a bit harder to put on as there are no pinch-rollers to hold it any more, but its ok. Finished making them a month or 2 back and haven't evaluated them fully yet, but early indications are good.??
I've not investigated it, but I think you'd be able to jigger the standard guide brackets by filling in the hole that mounts the outside side guide roller, by Loctiting?a bit of studding in place, or a rod in if its not threaded, and then redrilling, so the bearing mount is 4-6mm higher on the upper guide and same amount lower on the lower guide.? It doesn't need much.?
Its nice to have removed an adjustment point and improved rigidity, plus the side guide rollers should last indefinitely - jv
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Good info John. I haven’t been using my bandsaw all that long (new to it), but so far with the blade brushes I put on it, I haven’t had any issues with the guide bearings. They have none or almost no clearance to the blade as it was the only way I could get adjusted to cut square. I’m holding .002-.003 on a 2” diameter cut. I guess time will tell how they hold up.
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I purchased a motor starter and a 6.4A heater insert.? ?My motor is a 1/3? HP Dayton with a full load amperage of 6.7Amps.? ?I completely rewired my saw and also wired in a duplex socket so I can have power on the saw.? I'm probably going to get a 120V LED light with a magnetic base so I can have good light on the saw. I bought the starter and heater on eBay.? ?The cost of these things are just silly if you get them from an electrical warehouse.? I spent about 1/8th the cost by purchasing new-old stock on eBay.? ?I feel a lot better by installing this because it will trip if my motor stalls in a long cut. Dave  
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Hello? there Sir? DAVID from? deep? down? across the Pond in Sunny? South? Africa? !!!
Regret? this? is? totally? off? TOPIC
Couldn't? help? eye-balling? Your? good? looking? BELT? GRINDER.? Is that? a? BURR? KING? ???? Looks? like? one.? And? off-topic? again,? are? U? into? Knifemaking? ??
Regret bothering? You+
Thanks in? advance
Kind regards?
aRM
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Hello Arm,
Yes, this is a Burr King, model 562 1"x42" belt grinder.? ?I was fortunate enough to buy this from a friend for these things are not common where I live.? This is a really nice tool.? I don't make knifes.? I'm just developing a hobby so I can have something interesting to do when I retire.? ?I'm basically building up my shop.? ?I'm not into buying the latest and greatest shop equipment, but I'm getting equipment that has good bones but could use a little attention.? ?I have been doing some case hardening of CR1018 steels to make punches and dies for my little Whitney press.? I use an electrical dental burn out oven (about a 6" cube capacity) for this.? ?I haven't gotten into the larger kilns nor using a torch to heat my parts before quenching.
Dave
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I made my grinder from a 1 hp pump motor.?
https://youtu.be/9BYlGw5VPns
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Hello? Dave
That is one of the finest Commercially Produced Grinders U could own. Although we are from South? Africa, I had? looked at and studied the Machines that were available in Your Country and? we? did eventually buy a locally produced Proper Belt Grinder specifically for Knifemaking.? That was a long time ago.
Wish you all the best in Your shop Set-up and? Machine Outfitting.? You are indeed lucky U have the time and access to some remarkable and? economical Equipment.? ? ?
ATB.? TC.??
kind? regards?
aRM
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OK.. I'm *finally* getting to the modification I wanted to make over Christmas vacation.? ?These are: 1. A guard to protect my down feed cylinder when loading long pieces of steel (I banged my cylinder once). 2. A blade scraper so I can run cutting fluid/coolant/lubricant on the blade, especially when cutting aluminum. The blade guard is pretty self explanatory.? ?I made it out of 16 gage sheet metal.? I slotted the holes so I could adjust the height, but I decided to have it sit about 3/16" of an inch below the table height.? ?The guard is the same length as the table.? ?I jsut want it to set the material that I'm going to feed the saw and I didn't want it to interfere with how the part sits on the saw table. I also made a blade scraper.? ?I decided to make this out of 26 gage sheet metal - I would have preferred to make it out of 20-22 gage sheet metal but I didn't have any.? ?It consists of a plate that is folded on the bottom to create a race for the two scrapers.? I made another plate that just goes in the folded part to set the scraper race height.? I used a spring that I had left over from upgrading a couple of can lights to LED can lights.? ?I bent the spring by hand.? The spring is allowed to pivot on the flat head screw and puts a slight force on the two scrapers which put a small force on the blade.? I did this design because it was something I could make with my tools, it was light, it was adjustable and it would put a uniform force on each side of the blade and wouldn't deflect it.? The scraper would also follow the blade if it had any thin spots (like the weld area).? I have about 1/4" of allowable blade movement in my design.? The blade scraper uses the stock table as the backing surface and uses the stock screws to hold it together. Dave      
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John Vreede
Mark