Tip #31
Band Sawing Versatility (continued)
Click here for a printer friendly version of Tip-
Pg. 1-3, Pg 4-6, Pg 7-9, Pg 10-12, Pg 13-15, Pg 16-18

Sawing Parallel Convex Curves

Figure 14-36. This is the setup to use for doing patten sawing. The front edge of the guide block can be straight or round depending on the shape of the workpiece you will be cutting.

Some duplicate curve cutting can be accomplished by using the miter gauge extension setup as a guide. The workpiece is cut out on the bandsaw. Then, after the edge has been sanded, the workpiece is fed past the blade (Figure 14-36). The most important rules are: Feed the workpiece slowly and keep the arc of the workpiece tangent to the extension all through the pass. If you don't maintain the correct contact between workpiece and extension, the blade will surely move off the line of cut. Be sure the blade is sharp and has no lead.

Figure 14-37. Irregular parallel curve cutting can be accomplished this way. Be sure the first cut that you do freehand is sanded smooth. Click image for larger view.

You can't work with an extension if the workpiece has an irregular or reverse curve. For such work you need the arrangement that is shown in Figure 14-37. The guide block, with one end smoothly sanded to a point, is clamped to the table so the point is directly opposite the blade's teeth. The distance between the block and the blade will control the width of the cut. It is essential to keep turning the workpiece so contact between the workpiece and the guide's edge will be constant throughout the pass.

It is almost impossible to make the cut oversize, but it can be narrower than you want if you allow the workpiece to move away from the guide. You can use these techniques successfully if you handle the work carefully and don't try to hurry the cutting.

Continue to Pivot Sawing
Back to Pattern Sawing