Aaargh! Rough trimming with bandsaw on circular blanks

[hdtran]

I know it's not "talk like a pirate day," but AAARGH!

I'm working on an inlay kit on a Majestic Jr to donate to a benefit auction. I need to trim down about 1/4" on each side of the blank after gluing the tube in, before sanding to correct length. I normally use my bandsaw on square blanks to trim to within about 1/16", then, pen mill. So, I used the bandsaw for the circular blank. My grip on the circular blank is not as tight as on a square blank (I didn't make a dedicated fixture). I think I have a rough spot on the bandsaw blade; it grabbed the circular blank and caused the blank to commit suicide.

Bad censored words! (Luckily, I have an extra inlay kit. Just need to buy an extra tube.)

More bad censored words...

Just wanted to vent a bit, and express to you all that when you're doing something a bit outside of your routine, take extra caution & think about maybe building a fixture if you think you need to.

Best,

hdt

 

[skiprat]

Why is there never enough time to do something properly, but always enough time to do it twice???:biggrin:
Pity about the expensive kit, but glad it didn't snag your fingers too:biggrin:

 

[jttheclockman]

do you have a scrollsaw??? That is also a good tool to shave abit off the blanks. I assume you are going to sand the ends or were going to sand. Sorry about that.

 

[bobjackson]

Sorry for you.

 

[hdtran]

do you have a scrollsaw??? That is also a good tool to shave abit off the blanks. I assume you are going to sand the ends or were going to sand. Sorry about that.

No, no scrollsaw. Yes, I was going to sand the ends down. Don't want to sand 1/4" of wood, though!

Thanks for the sympathy to the venting.

Yes, I never hold anything "close" to the blade, so my fingers are safe. The problem is that square stock rests on the table, and it's easy for me to hold the square stock to the backer board to the miter gauge. Round stock doesn't rest as well on the table (or against the backer board).

I'm still thinking of things that the board software would auto-censor. (Or, as some would say, 'pardon my french')

 

[Curly]

Use a clamp to hold the blank and it wont rotate.

http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=31191&cat=1,43838,47843

Pete

 

[hdtran]

Use a clamp to hold the blank and it wont rotate.

http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=31191&cat=1,43838,47843

Pete

Good suggestion, thanks!

 

[fernhills]

Easy peasy, just build a cross cut sled for your BS, you will be surprised at how much more you could do safely. Carl

 

[ctubbs]

Take a large rubber band, cut it into, wrap a single layer around the round item (blank, dowel, pipe) and hold (clamp) it against your miter guage. Ease it gently into the blade and trim. Do not get in a hurry or it will either fly across the shop and self destruct or grab the blade and hang the blade or break it. DAMHIKT
Charles

 

[whegge]

80 grit sand paper on a flat surface will make quick work of 1/4". Or if you have a plane sander - tip it upside down. Use old pillow or fill gallon zip lock bags with saw dust to help stablize it and use that for sanding the blank down.

 

[JFMobo]

I would use one of these:

http://www.harborfreight.com/self-centering-drill-press-jig-92046.html

It should hold the round blank, you can clamp the blank to it.

 

[randyrls]

Yes, I never hold anything "close" to the blade, so my fingers are safe. The problem is that square stock rests on the table, and it's easy for me to hold the square stock to the backer board to the miter gauge. Round stock doesn't rest as well on the table (or against the backer board).

The easiest way to cut round stock without it spinning or getting caught by the blade is to attach the round blank to a piece of square stock with wide blue painters tape. Use several wraps. Square stock goes against the table and round stock must touch table too. With the round stock towards the cutting blade, push the round piece GENTLY thru the blade and then turn off the saw.

 

[christopher_2]

OK, this is the only thread that came up in my search. I am very new to pen making and want to make a teal ribbon inlay for my mother. I have turned five wall street II pens and that went fine. Reading through the instructions I need to know a good way to trim the ends that is foolproof to get a square end. I have only used a barrel trimmer to this point and the kit says specifically not to use one and I understand why.

I have random orbital sanders, a band-saw with sled and fence. Radial arm saw, miter saw, belt sander etc. Not sure what to use to get the ends square. I want to do a few more inlays such as US Navy and Stars and Stripes.

I saw the idea of the pipe V Clamp and it should work great, would the band saw be good for that or should I look at a miniature scroll saw?

1" Belt and 5" Disc Combination Sander

$80.00 - 20% coupon = $64.00

My band saw has a sanding belt I could use that if it would be worth the change over to do the kit.

http://www.harborfreight.com/4-inch-x-36-inch-belt-6-inch-disc-sander-97181.html

$48.00 with coupon

 

[1080Wayne]

Or you could spend a buck on a sheet of 80 grit sandpaper . put it on a dead flat surface , hold the blank vertically between your thumb and two fingers , and draw the blank towards you on the sandpaper . Repeat as many times as required , turning the blank 90 degrees each time , until you hear the sandpaper hit the brass . Check the end - minor adjustments may be needed for the brass to show uniformly all around .

 

[Stephen]

I know it's not "talk like a pirate day," but AAARGH!

I'm working on an inlay kit on a Majestic Jr to donate to a benefit auction. I need to trim down about 1/4" on each side of the blank after gluing the tube in, before sanding to correct length. I normally use my bandsaw on square blanks to trim to within about 1/16", then, pen mill. So, I used the bandsaw for the circular blank. My grip on the circular blank is not as tight as on a square blank (I didn't make a dedicated fixture). I think I have a rough spot on the bandsaw blade; it grabbed the circular blank and caused the blank to commit suicide.

Bad censored words! (Luckily, I have an extra inlay kit. Just need to buy an extra tube.)

More bad censored words...

Just wanted to vent a bit, and express to you all that when you're doing something a bit outside of your routine, take extra caution & think about maybe building a fixture if you think you need to.

Best,

hdt

Make a tight fitting dowel wih a overhang and grab the assembly tightly at both ends i.e dowel and blank and use the bandsaw. Has worked for me. Good luck.

 

[ugrad]

I feel for you, I had a similar experience in that I had a lovely piece of bubinga that was just 10mm short of the size needed and I decided to chop it into 3 and glue pieces of cocobolo in to make up the total size. On the very last piece something happened and the piece of bubinga smashed the circular cutout on the bandsaw and got wedged into the void and the blade, so not only screwed the bubinga I had to turn a new insert and need a new blade as well. I am happy though that my fingers came to no harm as they were pretty close. I am trying to come up with an idea to make it safer next time I cut something that small again.

Happy New Year.

Regards
Peter

 

[jttheclockman]

This has been discussed before but here is a suggestion that can be useful for many many many type blanks and believe me you will need them. Get yourself a set of transfer punches if you don't have them already. Harbor Freight has them cheap.

Now we all have a drill chuck, right????? Put the drill chuck in the tailstock. Good so far???? Find the correct transfer punch for the tube being used and chuck this in the drill chuck.

Now on the headstock use a faceplate. We all have one they came with the lathe. Right???? Now doublestick tape a piece of plexiglass to it. Good so far???? Everyone on the same page??? Now what is ideal is some self sticking sandpaper. You know the ones with the sticky back???? If you do not have this you can use repositionable spray which can be found in craft stores or again some double sided tape.


Now place the blank on the transfer punch and move the tailstock close to the faceplate but do not touch it. Now slide the blank against the faceplate with the sandpaper on it while the lathe is turning at a low speed. Be careful because depending on the grit of the sandpaper you can take some stock off real quick. Now if that section of sandpaper wears out just unstick the paper and move it over. Thus getting numerous applications.

Now class is over and hope this was helpful and maybe can be bookmarked for future. Thank you all for taking the class.

 

[76winger]

I don't have a jig as such, but I've got a 8 inch long 1x4 with a V grove cut along one edge. It comes in handy as a guide on the bandsaw for taking the corners off square blanks and for holding round blanks to trim as well! :wink:

 

[islandturner]

Do not get in a hurry or it will either fly across the shop and self destruct or grab the blade and hang the blade or break it. DAMHIKT
Charles

Oh man, I thought I was the only guy this has happened to....! (Twice...! :frown

 

[Lenny]

A sled would make a big difference even if it isn't an elaborate one. It can be as simple or as complex as you want to make it.

Glad it wasn't your finger!

 

[CabinetMaker]

I know it's not "talk like a pirate day," but AAARGH!

I'm working on an inlay kit on a Majestic Jr to donate to a benefit auction. I need to trim down about 1/4" on each side of the blank after gluing the tube in, before sanding to correct length. I normally use my bandsaw on square blanks to trim to within about 1/16", then, pen mill. So, I used the bandsaw for the circular blank. My grip on the circular blank is not as tight as on a square blank (I didn't make a dedicated fixture). I think I have a rough spot on the bandsaw blade; it grabbed the circular blank and caused the blank to commit suicide.

Bad censored words! (Luckily, I have an extra inlay kit. Just need to buy an extra tube.)

More bad censored words...

Just wanted to vent a bit, and express to you all that when you're doing something a bit outside of your routine, take extra caution & think about maybe building a fixture if you think you need to.

Best,

hdt

DAMHIKT but just trim the end back a bit, put the tube on the lathe and turn the old kit off of the tube. A little pit of touch-up with a scraper and the old tube is clean and ready to be reused.

 

[mikespenturningz]

I did the same thing. Really not much fun.

 

[redneckmedic]

Why is there never enough time to do something properly, but always enough time to do it twice???

QFT!!!

 

[Boz]

Years ago I bought a 10 inch sanding disc at Sears. I have an old small table saw that I set up with a custom made fence. You can buy 10 inch self stick sandpaper to change out when it gets too old. I use stabilizers on the disc so that it runs true. Makes quick work of any trimming job.

 

[sbell111]

Years ago, this was a new thread.