Rockytime
Member
I use the HF 9" bandsaw. Great little machine.
Anyone use this for cutting blanks?
- Thread starter TonyL
- Start date
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shastastan
Member
Hi Rocky. Glad the HF is working for you. I had to discover the type of saw that's best for me. I was trimming blanks by hand with my dozuki saw. The 9" band saw is even better because I can nip just a tad off the end and finish it up with just a couple of passes on the disk sander. I've started trimming the blanks even before I drill the holes now and just leaving enough for a slight inset for the tubes. YMMV
Stan
Skie_M
Member
Well, Stan, that only works if you can drill a straight hole. Sometimes those bits do like to wander! 
Good luck to ya!
Good luck to ya!
shastastan
Member
Well, Stan, that only works if you can drill a straight hole. Sometimes those bits do like to wander!
Good luck to ya!
Well, I can drill a straight hole using the pen jaws on my Vicmarc chuck. Even if the hole is a little off sometimes, I've had no problems trimming the blanks on the band saw with the tubes already glued it. I don't think I'm understanding your comment though.
Skie_M
Member
My comment means ...
Sometimes I can't drill a straight hole, so I can't use your method. :tongue:
Sometimes I can't drill a straight hole, so I can't use your method. :tongue:
shastastan
Member
Oh, I've had my share of problems getting the holes straight. I used to drill them on the drill press. I used a pen blank vise. I had more holes off than straight. I thought it was run out so I replaced the belts with link belts and the chuck with a jacobs ball bearing chuck. Still had problems and it was the vise. next I tried a pen blank chuck from PSI. It was a lot better, but not always 100% accurate. Someone suggested using shorter drill bits. I got some 7mm on amazon and they helped a lot. I still use them with my vicmarc chuck pen jaws. I'm ashamed to admit that it has taken me a few years to consistently get straight holes. Thankfully, there were very holes so far off that I had to throw the blank away, but life is a lot easier with straight holes. Good luck in finding a solution to your problem.
Skie_M
Member
I drill on the lathe by hand, usually, unless I want/need a very straight hole.
I don't have a drill blank chuck or a vice made to hold a blank vertically, and I know my drill press does a sloppy job ....
So, I turn my blanks round between centers on my lathe, first.
Then, I chuck it in my 3-jaw chuck (don't have a 4-jaw yet ... too expensive). The 3-jaw will center round stock pretty much automatically.
I have my 7mm bit held in the chuck of a 3/8's inch keyless drill chuck that I have removed from a drill ... it makes a great handle. I hold it BY HAND as I drill through my blanks at around 1200 rpm. The holes are reasonably straight and don't get out of round much but sometimes I get a little oversized at the start.
More recently, when I want a much straighter hole, I pull out my #1mt 3/8's inch chuck (from PSI) and I drill using my tailstock. I've yet to see a hole more than 1mm off from center coming out the back end of a blank.
In any case, I don't really NEED to bother with an accurate hole, as long as it's accurate enough. I can true the blank up to the barrel tube and turn it on the lathe with no problem. It's only after the blank is glued up that I need real accuracy. Till then, it's close enough for government work, and close enough for me.
I don't have a drill blank chuck or a vice made to hold a blank vertically, and I know my drill press does a sloppy job ....
So, I turn my blanks round between centers on my lathe, first.
Then, I chuck it in my 3-jaw chuck (don't have a 4-jaw yet ... too expensive). The 3-jaw will center round stock pretty much automatically.
I have my 7mm bit held in the chuck of a 3/8's inch keyless drill chuck that I have removed from a drill ... it makes a great handle. I hold it BY HAND as I drill through my blanks at around 1200 rpm. The holes are reasonably straight and don't get out of round much but sometimes I get a little oversized at the start.
More recently, when I want a much straighter hole, I pull out my #1mt 3/8's inch chuck (from PSI) and I drill using my tailstock. I've yet to see a hole more than 1mm off from center coming out the back end of a blank.
In any case, I don't really NEED to bother with an accurate hole, as long as it's accurate enough. I can true the blank up to the barrel tube and turn it on the lathe with no problem. It's only after the blank is glued up that I need real accuracy. Till then, it's close enough for government work, and close enough for me.