Cutting tool for blanks

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G

GRAM

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Good morning. I have been waiting for my Thanksgiving break to set up my lathe. I am very limited to space. I will have a lathe on a workbench and no other room for stand alone tools.
What do I need for cutting my blanks. No room for bandsaw. I will have a shelf under the workbench so I could put a tool under there and take it out when I need to cut blanks.
Please give me suggestions and let me know what you have done in tight spaces.
Thanks in advance,
Graham
 
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I have a power drill and jig saw. I have never needed much because I am a teacher and have a huge workshop. But I want to have my own turning hobby at home.
 
If your budget is limited. a miter box and pull saw are excellent and inexpensive tools.

Miter Box:

Pull saw:
 
walshjp17 said:
If your budget is limited. a miter box and pull saw are excellent and inexpensive tools.

Miter Box:

Pull saw:
Click to expand...
Budget isn't a huge issue. Space is. I ordered this knife. I already have a couple of miter boxes. If I have a large batch to cut I can use the band saw at my school.
 
Second vote for dozuki saw - is my favorite with the lathe. If you buy square or round penblanks, you can simply measure them to the length you need, chuck the blank on the lathe, spin the lathe at a few hundred RPM's while applying the saw to do the cutting. If you keep the saw relatively perpendicular to the blank, you will get a pretty straight cut that can be easily trued up on the lathe with an end cut. No need for the miterbox. Your lathe can be a 'do it all' machine for cuttting, drilling, squaring the ends, turning and polishing for getting going, then slowly add tools as you see best way to do things.
 
I use a "Bearsaw " BD 240P and it is a pull saw and cuts beautifully straight when used with a bench hook.

Beauty of it is you can vary the handle and blade ( detachable blade ) so it's easier to store .
The 265M is a great blade for deeper cutting too. I also have a 150D but am on my 5th blade on that. Cuts beautifully on pen blanks but has a tendency to buckle if you are heavy handed . Over 20 years 5 blades so not too bad
 
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Bench hook and a tenon saw is all that is needed. 😉😇

My workshop is tiny, it's a small room in my old flat, 3 foot 6 wide by 7 foot long, my lathe is on a sturdy shelf on one side with the bench at one end across the short width. I use a small bandsaw which sits on the bench when in use and under it when not.

But for cutting blanks a bench hook and tenon saw is all that is needed and the bench hook is something you build yourself.
 
Proxxon ... I love the mini chop saw. Small. Lightweight and powerful.

I also have a Wen from Home Depot.
 

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Another thing that you should keep in mind and i didnt see mentioned above its the kerf. I have a bandsaw, i cut occasionaly my blanks on the lathe but nothing beats the miter box. The kerf cut is minimal and the grain continuation on the finished pen is great. Just saying, cheers
 
Just cut freehand with a japanese pull saw - not sure why you possibly need the mitre box.
As mentioned above, you can square on the lathe with a narrow parting tool. Turn blank between centres, use the parting tool to take it down to about 4mm thickness, then remove from the lathe, saw through the 4mm and tidy up with a chisel. Not ideal and a lot slower than bumping on a disk sander, but you don't have the space for a disk sander.
 
A number of online blank and lumber companies have blanks in 3/4 or 1 inch square size that are 1 ft or 18 inches or 2 ft long. Order some of these and use the suggestions above for cutting them to length. With your work machines, you could cut/rip a board into 1 in or 3/4 in square size and then cut them down at home.
 
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