Band saw profiling jig

twizzstyle · Post by **twizzstyle** » Mon Nov 08, 2010 10:12 am

Update: With a nice new blade, it works!

I figured posting an idea that failed is just as helpful as posting an idea that worked.

I've been wanting to use my band saw for profiling cores for a while. The planer works good, it just takes a while (we have a small planer) and makes a sawdust mess.

So I came up with this idea and made this jig thing a month ago or so.

Basically there is one fixed roller that is parallel to the blade, and one roller on springs. It works the same way as with the planer, you use a profile crib board and run it through the jig, the spring roller pushes the core into the crib board.

I think it would work great, were it not for my band saw. My band saw is pretty small (14" grizzly) and just isn't up for re-sawing wood that thick. I did a test cut with a 4" wide board, and about 3" in the blade had already wandered too much. I had the blade as tight as I could go too. Maybe with a wider/thicker blade it might do better, but I've accepted defeat and will just stick with the planer.

Still - if anybody has a bandsaw capable of re-sawing through 6" of wood, this might be a great tool.

OAC · Post by **OAC** » Mon Nov 08, 2010 10:56 am

Great idea! But..(everything before a "but" is bullshit...I've heard

)...anyway I think the fixed part should be longer. I terms of a board or two extra, fixed, rolls on each side of the fixed roll. You need a "plane" as in the planer. Thinking of it, it might be a good idea to have it on the spring roller side aswell...

Or you can dream of this type (which I do): http://www.lagunatools.com/accessories/ ... wer-Feeder

twizzstyle · Post by **twizzstyle** » Mon Nov 08, 2010 11:31 am

Yeah, I had planned on adding another roller about a foot in front of the main fixed roller, but after the test cut was already garbage only 3" in I decided I didn't want to waste any more effort on this project, I was itching to actually make skis. In my case (with my band saw) I don't think additional rollers would help, the blade just flexes too much.

Was really hoping for the OAC-approved title of Coremaster 3000

OAC · Post by **OAC** » Mon Nov 08, 2010 11:40 am

Sorry, but Wait and see! Coming soon on a forum near you.

I'm trawling for a bigger bandsaw!
I can't help you for the moment, I'm "stuggling" big time with my latest topsheet...more on that in my journal.

chrismp · Post by **chrismp** » Mon Nov 08, 2010 12:38 pm

i have a 20" bandsaw with a 1.25" resaw blade. i'll give it a try if i find some big enough rollers and springs.
i'm curious to see whether this works with a snowboard core.

twizzstyle · Post by **twizzstyle** » Mon Nov 08, 2010 12:55 pm

chrismp wrote:i have a 20" bandsaw with a 1.25" resaw blade. i'll give it a try if i find some big enough rollers and springs.
i'm curious to see whether this works with a snowboard core.

I've got extra springs (I had to buy a pack at McMaster). PM me your address and I'll send you a couple.

I machined the rollers myself and pressed some bearings in them. I couldn't find rollers the perfect size for me, so I figured I'd put my new lathe to use

(even though the end result was a failure, it was still more good practice on my lathe!)

OnDeck · Post by **OnDeck** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 6:05 am

Seems like it would work. I've had hell trying to get a good resaw but i'm sure it's to do with technique and blade selection. I owuldn;t give up jsut yet, not with the effort to make that cool little jig.

Richuk · Post by **Richuk** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 11:38 am

So it's bandsaw and then finish with planner?

twizzstyle · Post by **twizzstyle** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 11:58 am

Richuk wrote:So it's bandsaw and then finish with planner?

No, the idea here is one cut on the bandsaw, and it's ready for pressing.

chrismp · Post by **chrismp** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 1:23 pm

thanks for the offer twizz! but i think i'll spare you the shipping costs...i'm pretty sure i'll find some cheap one's round here or a substitute.

a problem i still see with this method is that the larger resaw blades give a really rough finish which is easily off by 0.1-0.3mm at times.
i'll test this sometime after the uni stress is over.

teleman36 · Post by **teleman36** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 3:05 am

Woodslicer blades from Highland woodworking. Leaves a go to press finish. This is the only blade I dont make up myself. Worth the 29,00 dollars.

twizzstyle · Post by **twizzstyle** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 9:11 am

teleman36 wrote:Woodslicer blades from Highland woodworking. Leaves a go to press finish. This is the only blade I dont make up myself. Worth the 29,00 dollars.

Nice. I'll order one and give it a shot. Thanks for the tip!

teleman36 · Post by **teleman36** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 6:08 pm

Just a heads up. Take the time to properly set up your fence and tension. Great instructions on Highlands site. Good Luck

twizzstyle · Post by **twizzstyle** » Sat Mar 05, 2011 3:27 pm

So I finally got around to trying this again with some of the new blades I bought a while back, and as it turns out - it works like a charm!

I tried first with a nice soft piece of spruce 4" wide, cut perfectly straight and smooth, perfect profile contour. Then I tried with the same bamboo I'm using for cores, worked great, then I tried a scrap strip of p-tex sidewall material alone, worked great, then I tried a cured bamboo core with sidewalls. No pictures or video yet, but I'm sold, next pair is getting profiled with this! No more planer! One pass of the core blank through the bandsaw and it's ready for pressing.

It doesn't leave a perfectly smooth finish like the planer does, but that's ok that's all goodness for bonding anyways.

Brazen · Post by **Brazen** » Sat Mar 05, 2011 3:29 pm

Try a ham in there!

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Band saw profiling jig

Band saw profiling jig