Another Segmenting Question

[moke]

I am really into segmenting now. I have built two sleds for my TS. One is for lengthwise segmenting and the other for crosscuts. I wanted to start simple and do a lengthwise cut add in pick guard and then roll it 90 degees and so the same.

I have a couple of problems.
1. the PR blanks are anything but square ( I am not knocking any blank makers, never having casted I am the last person that will criticize)...I tried to square it up and that was a problem, it sounds like it should be so easy...but just didn't seem to be. I eventually ended up with the pickguard fairly even and square and purpendicluar.

2. I knew that it was very critical to drill exactly at the intersection of that pickguard, and that was easy to see and do, I made a centerpunch spot at those intersections and turned it round and drilled off of those, but I really wanted to add crosscut ends...after gluing those on, how would I know where to drill for exact center?

I hope I made this understandable...I am confused..
Thanks:redface:

 

[hebertjo]

You are well on your way by what you have already figured out!

Keeping everything as square as possible is crucial to ending up with a decent looking finished product. If you are going to do things like scallops then you need a square blank to start with. If you are going to cross cut many pieces and then glue them together then they do not need to be perfect. When you glue them together do it using a form that has a perfect 90* angle and place your squarest sides against the form. For this to work the cross cuts must be 90* from the face of the blanks. Once all the pieces are glued together you can use the band saw or disk sander to square up the other 2 sides.

Drilling on center of the design - Instead of making the whole blank and then drilling the entire thing you can make it in pieces and then stack the pieces on the tube using epoxy to bind them together and to the tube. Use a clamp to get good pressure and close any gaps.

 

[moke]

Thank you John,
I was thinking of working on the sled for lengthwise cutting. I was considering putting in a small rip fence...what do you think?

Thanks ---this really does help..

 

[Geophyrd]

Hey Moke,

Any chance of some pictures? I'm going to try to build a sled as well

 

[Russianwolf]

Thank you John,
I was thinking of working on the sled for lengthwise cutting. I was considering putting in a small rip fence...what do you think?

Thanks ---this really does help..

BE very careful ripping small pieces. they like to become missiles. I wound up with a 1/4 inch thick piece embedded in my stomach once from a kickback incident. Punched straight through my sweatshirt and T-shirt. I didn't even now it was inside me, thought it was just a scratch, until it wouldn't heal. Pulled the scab off and went in with tweezers to get it out.

Keep any thin pieces on the offcut side of the rip fence. The piece between the blade and fence should be plenty thick enough to to fragment with contact with the blade.

That or wear body armor.

 

[RichB]

I built a jig like this for ripping thin strips. Found in Shop Jig Fixtures and Tools. The name of the thread is "Thin Strip Jig for Table Saw." It works great and is easy to adjust. I would put this in a link but I don't know how.

 

[bgio13]

Not sure if this is what you are lookin for, but this might help.
http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=63131


Bill

 

[moke]

Any chance of some pictures? I'm going to try to build a sled as well

I will be glad to include some photos but I am still playing with designs in my head. I have actually made two sleds that are based on the Incra Build it system--with some rockler add-ons. I am going to use one as a crosscut for cutting blanks in general and segmenting, and then another for lengthwise segmenting.

My plans for the crosscut sled is to be able to have an insert that I can cut angles and Celtic Knots. I would just leave it out for crosscuts. For the lengthwise sled I was going to modify a Rocklet thin rip jig...( RichB I think this is a commerical version of that shop built jig ) but after looking at the thread that bgio13 sent me, I might rethink that. I also was considering putting in a small rip fence. I had thought about making a wooden mock up first, then trying something from aluminum extrusions. So as you can see it may be a while before photos come through as I obsess over the design.

I was lucky enough to PM Hebertjo and get some of his advice, bu looking at his pens, he can "walk the walk"

Thanks for the advice Russian Wolfe...that sounds painful...these are sleds are mounted on a saw stop to avoid accidents! Now I have a new worry!