Vertical band saw workholding question

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Glenn Brooks
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Re: Vertical band saw workholding question

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Steve, I ‘ve shied away from Bandsaws all these years because of what you mentioned. I bought a hardware store Delta years ago that was absolute junk. Never did cut a straight line, ever. Last year I did buy a small, lightweight, table top horizontal bandsaw model from Little Machine Shop. It’s fine for small stuff but the blade wanders off in a serious angled cut whenever the teeth get damaged or dull. Something to do with unequal chip removal, I think, when the teeth aren’t uniformly sharp. I assume this is a characteristic of larger sized band saws also. I suppose industrial grade saws are less prone to these troubles.

Glenn
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John Hasler
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Re: Vertical band saw workholding question

Post by John Hasler »

> I suppose industrial grade saws are less prone to these troubles.

My Taiwanese 4x6 horizontal (since converted to vertical) has been reliable for a twenty years now. It is necessary to use good quality bimetal blades and keep the machine properly adjusted. Very worn blades will tend to cut at an angle.

You've been missing a lot by not having a bandsaw. It's one of my most useful tools.
tetramachine
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Re: Vertical band saw workholding question

Post by tetramachine »

The very best tool for a bandsaw is a Heinrich Bandsaw vise. Also works well on a DP. Saves fingers and work.
Google Heinrich Vise.
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NP317
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Re: Vertical band saw workholding question

Post by NP317 »

SteveHGraham wrote: Sun Jun 10, 2018 11:23 am At least when it comes to wood, blade wandering is caused by poor setup.
[snip]
So true.
~RN
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BadDog
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Re: Vertical band saw workholding question

Post by BadDog »

I've got 3. The ubiquitous 4x6 VH with a mini-table that stays in place during it's horizontal usage. Usually has a relatively fine 1/2" blade for structural tubing, sheet, and such. No great work holding options there other than what I contrive (limited due to mini-table), sometime amounting to vise grips with a hard wood pusher stick. I've also got a Wells 7x12(I think it is?) H with neat built in quick vise with generally coarser blade for heavier stock. No H mode, so not relevant. But my final saw is a big 20" Diemaster Roll-In that is quite sweet to use and lends itself to lots of stuff.

I've got a Yuasa copy of the quick drill press vise that I use on the DB all the time, but have also used it along with a common/cheap "screwless vise" on the Roll-In. But usually use nothing at all. I made a quick toolless flip down pusher fence at the near side that goes right up to the saw when self feeding. Just drop whatever on there in front of the pusher, and take out the pieces after auto or manual feed through. It also has a quick mount protractor I built (set by handheld protractor) for cutting pretty accurate and consistent angles, and can be combined with the pusher with some contrivance producing an appropriately located stop and clamps. And there is another screw/clamp fence I've had plans for that never made the cut, so I use a quickly fabricated fence from angle iron drops that works well enough with clamps on the table, also can be combined with the pusher. Utilizing a 1" blade and properly set carbide guides, it actually works pretty decent on "rip" style cuts of reasonable length. Oh, and the pusher utilizes a "T" nut sort of thing I made that can consistently and rigidly mount an outboard support that travels with the table. The pusher, mounted on a bushing, just flips over to lock solidly under the "T", so I can just flip it over the other way where it lands on a rest such that pusher and T are below the table top for larger plate, sheet, or weldments. I have ideas for lots of cool things that could mount to that T, but it just never makes it to the top of my endless list...
Russ
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Glenn Brooks
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Re: Vertical band saw workholding question

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Russ, any chance you could post a picture or two of your shop made fence and flip over clamp?

Thanks
Glenn
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Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
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BadDog
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Re: Vertical band saw workholding question

Post by BadDog »

Sure, here you go. One of it flipped back, one of it locked in place. I went ahead and threw the primitive quick mount protractor parts up there because they (as always) were handy nearby. Takes about 15 seconds to mount it with that quick nut. Just run the stud in by hand, drop the pin in the hole, drop the nut on the stud, ready to go, and off again in an instant. You can also see the reference grid I scribed into the table top for rough alignment and measuring when precision isn't needed. There are a lot of other bits-n-bobs I use in various ways, and you can see the can't-twist that's always on the back ready to be used. Worst thing about this saw is the PO(s) made a hash out of the blade groove. I've got plans to fix that in the "some day" pile, but it's really not been an issue, so...

And this is the current squared off version of my much older saw for reference. But mine goes up to a 1" blade, new model is only up to 3/4". I've got blades from 1/4" to 1" in a variety of teeth.
Russ
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