A quickie but useful bandsaw tool.

[DICKEYBIRD]

I stumbled onto the concept for this little bandsaw aid a few weeks ago. It may be an old trick but I haven't run across it yet.

I was cutting a big (for me) chunk of 1/2" plate on my little 4x6 H/F bandsaw. Part of it wouldn't fit past the frame so I chain-drilled & broke off a chunk. Later that day I needed to shorten a 1" socket head screw to 5/8". I was cutting it off in the bandsaw but the head of the screw of course made the cut awkward & crooked. I was looking around for a piece of scrap to space the screw off the table a bit when I picked up a 1/4" thick piece of aluminum scrap with the sawed off chain-drilled holes down one side. The screw I was cutting was a 1/4" so it dropped snugly down into one of the half-holes. EUREKA, the light bulb switched on!

The pictures are self explanatory. I drew up a nicer version in CAD with the 3/8" thru #6 holes spaced so that the standard hex-head sizes would clear the table. I squared up & zeroed a piece of scrap and then drilled the holes using the coordinate method in the mill. Bolts are now easily held parallel to the saw table and are cradled snugly for a no-slip process.

[kendall]

Very nice idea, I'll have to make up one for my band saw.

Ken

[IOWOLF]

Use a cheap 3" machinist vice turned upside down.

[JRouche]

Ahhh? That one goes into the next "hint and tips" book they did here. Prolly not the name of the lil booklet, I forget what they called it. But your tool belongs in it. I like!! JRouche

On a side note. That would work cutting horizontally also, it would keep the bolt from tippin down. Oh! Whats that blue gumby looking thing? Is that yer digit in a nitril glove? Come on, get greasy. LOL Just kiddin!!!

[darryl]

I use a similar 'trick'. I drill a hole in some scrap to the size of the screw or bolt. Then measure from where the head of the bolt seats against the scrap piece to where the length needs to be. Then just cut into it along that line until the cut goes past the hole. Every bolt inserted into the hole will get cut off at the same length, and the cut-off piece remains in the other side of the hole until the next screw pokes it out. That helps to keep it from jamming in the blade area if it happens that it's going to be a very short piece. Most of the time I use a wrench or a screwdriver to keep the bolt or screw from turning, and often I'll turn it purposely so the cut goes all around the bolt before it finishes cutting off. That keeps the burr to a minimum and the final treatment is a quick sanding on the drum sander.

[crrmeyer]

Use a cheap 3" machinist vice turned upside down.

Yes, that works quite well for me and keeps my fingers away from the blade.

Charles

[mochinist]

sigh, must you use gloves that close to a moving blade, get your hands dirty. The screw is in the air on the opposite side of the blade and you are just asking for an accident when the blade catches and pulls the part down. It only needs to happen once

[DICKEYBIRD]

The screw is in the air on the opposite side of the blade and you are just asking for an accident when the blade catches and pulls the part down.

Advice duly noted.

The picture was taken with only 1 digit on the work since the camera was in the other hand. In normal use, I hold the waste end firmly with my other fingers and so far haven't had any catches. I must admit, the largest I've cut has been 5/16" so far (with no sign of catching.)

You make a good point though. I think I'll make another one just like it to put on the other side of the blade. That'll make it reasonably safe.

Darryl's method's a good one too.

[Alistair Hosie]

what happened to v blocks?Alistair

[mochinist]

Advice duly noted.

The picture was taken with only 1 digit on the work since the camera was in the other hand. In normal use, I hold the waste end firmly with my other fingers and so far haven't had any catches. I must admit, the largest I've cut has been 5/16" so far (with no sign of catching.)

You make a good point though. I think I'll make another one just like it to put on the other side of the blade. That'll make it reasonably safe.

Darryl's method's a good one too.

I think that will be safer and work nicer, a trick I use and many others before me is just an old tool makers vice, lay the round bar down on the table and turn the vice upside down and clamp it on the round stock, doing that holds the round stock nice and secure.

[IOWOLF]

Now Why didn't I think of that? FUQ2

[lane]

Now Why didn't I think of that? FUQ2

Because you aren't and old tool maker

[Dawai]

I can remember cutting threaded rod like that, I had these perfect 13 cuts per inch across my hand.

I clamp, better than bleeding. Nice holder thou, perhaps need to thread the holes and make a 2 part clamp to cut bolts, just what my lil brother was asking last night.

[IOWOLF]

Oh, LANE, Look at #3 in this thread.

[mochinist]

Oh, LANE, Look at #3 in this thread.

lol if that was there before and not edited in I just missed it wolf, my bad. It works good though right?