? about cutting segmented pens.

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Sabaharr

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Joined
Mar 7, 2009
Messages
598
Location
Slidell, LA
I have watched the videos and read all the tutorials but one thing was lacking in the ones that I saw. When you cut the diagonal in a blank for say a Celtic Knot pen blank how do you smooth the edges for glueup. I have tried the belt sander but can't get even pressure and it leaves the blank a little crooked. Multiply this by the number of layers being done and the blank ends up looking like a snake, minus the pretty skin.The saw blade just leaves too rough a cut. Any techniques that might help me to get a better finish on the glue edges?
 
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kovalcik

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Jun 9, 2011
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891
Location
Barrington, NH
I stick a piece of sand paper on my saw table and just smooth them by hand. If you go slow and check often, you can get surface good enough for gluing fairly quickly.
 

Rmartin

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Joined
Jan 14, 2007
Messages
1,263
Location
Columbus, Ga, USA.
You might need a new saw blade. For the Celtic knot, don't cut all the way through the blank. Use a very thin blade hand miter saw. Then fill the partially cut blank with the same thickness of the cut. I also use a stop on the miter so each cut is done at the same position of the blank on the next side.
 

Wood Butcher

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Jun 8, 2005
Messages
970
Location
Westfield, IN, USA.
I found that a Freud Diablo 7 1/4" x 60 T blade with teeth on the table saw does a really good job and the kerf is only 1/16" so you don't lose a lot of material. I have also use the band saw with a 10tpi x 3/16" blade and very little sanding is required. When sanding is needed I too use sandpaper, 320, on the TS and a few light stroaks get it done. Be careful cutting on the TS, use a box jig and clamp or you may have the first pen with a finger inlay.
WB
 

Wood Butcher

Local Chapter Leader
Joined
Jun 8, 2005
Messages
970
Location
Westfield, IN, USA.
I found that a Freud Diablo 7 1/4" x 60 T blade with teeth on the table saw does a really good job and the kerf is only 1/16" so you don't lose a lot of material. I have also use the band saw with a 10tpi x 3/16" blade and very little sanding is required. When sanding is needed I too use sandpaper, 320, on the TS and a few light stroaks get it done. Be careful cutting on the TS, use a box jig and clamp or you may have the first pen with a finger inlay. The Diablo is available at Home Depot around $20.
WB
 
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