Thread: Best All Rounder...

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

You could also do a bandsaw, but I trust a hobby grade scroll saw over a hobby grade bandsaw.

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+1 on the scroll saw which = maneuverability as opposed to a band saw which has a somewhat wider blade. It's hard to beat a scroll saw for fine work tight to the line.

JERRY
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Originally Posted by austy

Baldy,

That bench sander/grinder combo is available for $150. Are you happy with it? Can the belt be rotated so that it sits flat?

Is a separate grinder useful? For polishing etc?

Cheers,

Aaron.

Yeah, its a good unit IMO. No the belt cant be rotated on mine but I have managed with it.
The little grinder I bought first but I doesnt get a whole lot of use now unless I'm re-shaping a blade.
Grant

Thanks for tw feedback Grant.

Cheers,

Aaron.

FYI,

I have the following timbers on order:

- Yorkgum
- Rib Fruited Mallee
- Red Morrel
- Lace Sheoak
- Birdseye Wandoo
- Curly Miniritchie (not pictured)

I have a hobby grade bandsaw (150$) which I bought to try and turn small lumber into small planks.
It's a disaster. Even with lots of fiddling and tuning the band, the thing just won't cut straight in 1.5 inch thick lumber.

I am back to using a bastard saw for making planks.
I use the bandsaw for quickly freehanding rough scale blanks. for that, it is perfect. But not for making planks.

Yeah, ripping lumber with a 1/4"-3/8" bandsaw blade is at best an exercise in futility. You really need something bigger with a wider blade to do resawing. I have a drill press (invaluable) and a scroll saw (also awesome). I plan to buy a belt sander next. I have a 9" craftsman band saw as well, but really only use it for cutting metal. The scroll saw is nicer for scales. Also I second the buy used. I'd rather buy a decently maintained higher quality used tool than a cheaper (price and quality) new tool just because it's new.

I also discovered that with thick wood, those bands get much too hot.
Yesterday I was sawing through some hardwood, and suddenly there was a lot of black grit covering the sawing table.
Upon inspection, those were the points of the teeth. Not that I recognized them specifically, but the teeth of the band were suddenly all rounded.

Dremel - $25 with some bits
Sandpaper - $30 for an assortment
Grinder/buffer - $39.99
Jewelers Saw - $8
Greasless Compound - $38.99 for 60-600 grit 2lb tubes.
Time to do this insanely addicting hobby - WORTH EVERY MINTUTE IN THE END!

Originally Posted by Bruno

I have a hobby grade bandsaw (150$) which I bought to try and turn small lumber into small planks.
It's a disaster. Even with lots of fiddling and tuning the band, the thing just won't cut straight in 1.5 inch thick lumber.

I am back to using a bastard saw for making planks.
I use the bandsaw for quickly freehanding rough scale blanks. for that, it is perfect. But not for making planks.

A band saw does not have enough stability of blade to cut perfectly straight in a material of varying densities.
Here is trick that I use that may help:
#1. do not use a long fence to keep the stock of the right thickness.
#2. use the vertical corner of a thick board that is clamped to the left side of the table as a guide to hold the workpiece upright. Right side if you are a lefty.
#3. Align that corner with the cutting edge off the blade. The saw will track better and you can eyeball the cut easier to apply "english" to change the angle of cutting. You'll get the idea after a practice board.

A short fence at the cutting edge of the "bandsaw" is used even in saw mills where the resawing to thickness is done. They usually have vertical rollers there, though, and the outboard one is spring/hydraulic loaded to hold the timber baulk against the other thickness roller.

FWW I use a base from a on/off magnetic base indicator holder, on one end, to clamp to my bandsaw table and then move it as I wish to change the width of cut stock. Good for up to about 4 inch horn or wood plates. I had thought to use a wide piece of steel on one side of it a s the guide but I didn't need to for that thickness of stock. Of course let me say that I did remove the arms from that base.
magnetic-base