John Stevenson
10-20-2002, 09:00 PM
Though I'd share this.
I have a large bandsaw where the arm lifts clear of the work but doesn't go to the vertical. This means after every cut I have to either hold the arm up whilst trying to drag a large bar thru and lock the vise, or lift it up, shut the damper valve off, slide the work through and reset the valve. As I often have to cut multiple parts this can be a pain.
So I decided to modify this. First off I took the damper cylinder off alltogether and replaced it with an air cylinder of roughly the same size. This bolts on in the same way as the old damper with the rod uppermost. I have left the top port open to the air. The bottom port is connected to a small oil tank just above and to the rear of the air cylinder. I have then fitted a flow regulator between the two. A flow regularor is an adjustable valve that restricts flow in one direction but allows full flow in reverse. This is fitted so that the restriction is back to the tank. Many people make these and they are not expensive. To see what one looks like go to http://rswww.com and enter the part number 197-5163 in the search box.
What we now have is exactly the same as we took off, just a damped downfeed.
Now for the clever bit. When the cut has finished the arm hits a stop button. I have took a feed from this stop button to energise a solinoid operated air valve. This then supplies air to the top of the oil tank.
So as soon as the blade stops air presses onto the top surface of the oil and forces the oil thru into the cylinder and raise the arm. The operating rod of the cylinder is threaded so you can adjust how high it lifts. There is no point lfting this 6" if you are only cutting 2" material.
Once you have moved the material thru you press start which starts the blade and exhausts the air from the tank allowing to arm to fall at the preset flow regulator rate.
End of cut and repeat http://bbs.homeshopmachinist.net//wink.gif
So all I have to do now is release the vise, pull the work thru and press start. No more lifting the arm up and messing with the flow valve.
John S.
[This message has been edited by John Stevenson (edited 10-20-2002).]
[This message has been edited by John Stevenson (edited 10-20-2002).]
I have a large bandsaw where the arm lifts clear of the work but doesn't go to the vertical. This means after every cut I have to either hold the arm up whilst trying to drag a large bar thru and lock the vise, or lift it up, shut the damper valve off, slide the work through and reset the valve. As I often have to cut multiple parts this can be a pain.
So I decided to modify this. First off I took the damper cylinder off alltogether and replaced it with an air cylinder of roughly the same size. This bolts on in the same way as the old damper with the rod uppermost. I have left the top port open to the air. The bottom port is connected to a small oil tank just above and to the rear of the air cylinder. I have then fitted a flow regulator between the two. A flow regularor is an adjustable valve that restricts flow in one direction but allows full flow in reverse. This is fitted so that the restriction is back to the tank. Many people make these and they are not expensive. To see what one looks like go to http://rswww.com and enter the part number 197-5163 in the search box.
What we now have is exactly the same as we took off, just a damped downfeed.
Now for the clever bit. When the cut has finished the arm hits a stop button. I have took a feed from this stop button to energise a solinoid operated air valve. This then supplies air to the top of the oil tank.
So as soon as the blade stops air presses onto the top surface of the oil and forces the oil thru into the cylinder and raise the arm. The operating rod of the cylinder is threaded so you can adjust how high it lifts. There is no point lfting this 6" if you are only cutting 2" material.
Once you have moved the material thru you press start which starts the blade and exhausts the air from the tank allowing to arm to fall at the preset flow regulator rate.
End of cut and repeat http://bbs.homeshopmachinist.net//wink.gif
So all I have to do now is release the vise, pull the work thru and press start. No more lifting the arm up and messing with the flow valve.
John S.
[This message has been edited by John Stevenson (edited 10-20-2002).]
[This message has been edited by John Stevenson (edited 10-20-2002).]