Month: July 2020

Woodturners Band Saw Clinic with Alex Snodgrass

Alex Snodgras from Carter products shows how to properly and easily setup a bandsaw blade and we further more look at best blades for cutting wood bowl blanks on the bandsaw using bandsaw blades from www.sawblade.com

Learn How To Set Up Your Bandsaw For Perfect Results

Every woodturner really needs a bandsaw, probably 14″ and above. If you are going to be doing resaw work or making large bowl blanks than think more like 16″ or 18″….always get the biggest you can get. But the fact is if you are a woodturner a good bandsaw is a must!

Its been a while since I posted this video How to Setup Your Bandsaw for woodturning, but I post it because we have new members every month….if we aren’t 15,000 strong we are getting close. So this video will help you understand your bandsaw a little better. You really only need to know some very basics, the guy doing the demonstration is from Carter Products, they have a whole line of bandsaw blades and accessories you should check out their products on Carter Bandsaw Products on Amazon https://amzn.to/2lBtNUq their magnetic fence is really cool and its on my list of things to get of course they have their famous roller guides and a lot more besides just blades that some call the best you can get.

Amazon

A good group of people to deal with. Family owned company and well knowledged and versed in bandsaws.

The video is a demonstration of some of the very basics that I found I was doing all wrong…..and I’ve had a bandsaw for 20+ years, I adapted his techniques and was able to increase my productiveity and blade life.

Center the Blade on the Wheel?

For instance. Everyone tells you to center the blade on the wheel. He says no, center the deepest part of the gullet in the center. If you do this you will never have to adjust the position of the side bearings. He shows you how to adjust your side rollers if you have them, explains the theory behind what and why he does everything.

Difference between bandsaw blades

He will show you the difference between setting up a narrow blade and a resaw blade, usually on 2 seperate machines for box work and scroll work ….you almost need two machines. and you’ll be able to find out if your table is running true with a simple piece of 2×4.

He makes a lidded box from a piece of green lumber in a bout 1 minute 30 seconds.

How to unfold a bandsaw blade

Of course in the very beginning he goes over how to unfold a bandsaw blade and how to take one off and turn it into a small basket ball size circle for easy stowage …..so simple you will forget it so you better do some screenshots or write it down 🙂

Bandsaw Blades I use to Process My Woodturning Blanks

As a bowl turner I like to do most of my bowl preparation with some jigs I made for my bandsaw that will take a 2′ or 3′ log and I can use it to cut it down the center of the pith or cut it on each side of the pith so there is no pith in my bowl blanks, I usually will put on an 1″ or 1-1/4″ bandsaw blade and spend the day ripping my logs in half. I will then either seal the ends and put them in storage/drying until I can cut some circular blanks using smaller bandsaw blades.

Cutting Wood Bowl Blanks with 3/8″ and 1/2″ Bandsaw Blades

I experimented with 3/8″, 1/2″ 5/8″ bandsaw blades for cutting bowl blanks and I found the 3/8″ blade would have been perfect but I end up with too much drift on big blanks, the 1/2″ works good down to about a 4″ blank and the 5/8″ blade will work on almost anything I through at it. These blades were from www.sawblade.com. They were given to me to do a review on from www.sawblade.com, the order was broke in 2. The first box of blades were the correct length and the second box of blades were 25″ longer …..I was never able to get the correct blades. The first blade I put on, the 5/8 worked like a demon. It cut just about anything I threw at it, but finally it broke.

I tried a 1″ resaw bandsaw blade from www.sawblade.com and it was so dull it couldn’t cut a 2×4 without whining.

I did try another blade, I have to look at my notes, again it seemed like it was either used or made of poor metal because it snapped …..I WILL LET YOU KNOW WHICH ONE IT WAS.

As I said, the 3/8 inch blade, some woodturners swear by this blade would not allow me to cut perfect circles on my bowl blanks that were maybe 6″ thick and green wood. I tried to readjust and reset to no avail. Not sure if I got a bad blade but I was disappointed.

Review of www.Sawblade.com

I wanted to give sawblade.com a good review for their bandsaw blades but number one the whole order did not arriver, half of the blades were backordered. I called, no body knew anything about the order. It finally can and all the blades were 25″ longer than I needed them. To this day, I have not resolved the problems.

(Edit on sawblade.com review)
They did contact me after a year but I have been very ill and have not been able to send back blades or pictures. I do think they will help set things right but I was surprised they sent the wrong size out to start with. I would recommend them to others since their service reps were kind and compasionate and seemed anxious to satisfy me.

I have to say that the salesman I talked to that set me up with the order was a cool guy and anxious to help me. He wanted me to try the blades and I was supposed to get a discount code to offer to readers of my blog and facebook group. He went missing in action and so did any customer support.

I think www.sawblade.com has some good products, but they must be working on their customer support since I really did not get any, except for some new guy who calls me every couple months asking me for an order!

I only share the sawblade.com story with you because I really wanted to find the best bandsaw blades for woodturners. And if I could find some good bandsaw blades I wanted to negotiate a discounted price for anyone who might need one or two from both our facebook group, Wood Turning Basics https://www.facebook.com/groups/woodturningbasics and of course to anyone who might visit my blog.

Guess I’ll have to look around and see if I might be able to find another supplier.

Watch the Carter Rep run through some bandsaw basics, you will be amazed https://amzn.to/2lBvmlg and check out some of the Carter accessories for bandsaws that I know you will find helpful!

How To Build Your Own Custom Woodturning Tool Rest

Could I Make a Custom Woodturning Tool Rest
From Steel Pipe?

Did you ever notice how we limit ourselves to the “known” or “comfortable”? I started thinking about that and wondered if I could make a custom woodturning tool rest from materials I had laying around. I almost forgot the fact … or was imtimidated by the type and scope of the  job, that I really like making my own woodturning tools.

My Cast Iron Tool Rest Broke In 2 Pieces

I broke my toolrest and posted about it. Lots of good ideas about getting a new one. One member Al Oggie is sending me one from his extra stash. Not sure when it will get here but I started thinking about making my own wood turning tool rest a long time ago….but I needed one now.

A tool rest for woodturning consists of 2 basic parts:
1. The post which fits on the bango and attaches to the horizontal tool rest
2. The horizontal tool rest that your woodturning tools glide across as it cuts and gouges the wood project you are turning and attaches to the post that is in the banjo

I needed a 25mm steel bar for the post, which was very hard to find and very expensive and a 5/8″ to 3/4″ bar for the tool rest. And I’ve been looking for the materials for the last year. I did find them online but never purchased.

Needed to Know How to Weld If I was
Going to Make a Toolrest

custom woodturning toolrest from steel pipe
Wood turning tool rest made from steel pipe seems to work as well as solid bar tool rests

I’m not a good welder, just learned in the last 10 years and haven’t done much. In fact, I really do not do much with metal at all. So I kept putting it off.

Pieces of Galvanized and Black Gas
Pipe I Used to Build A
New Woodturning Tool Rest

Then I started thinking….I have some 1/2″ black steel gas pipe I could use for a post, I would need a bushing of some sort so I cut a piece of 3/4″ thin walled conduit and sliced it down the length of it.


I did not know if very many woodturners had used pipe for a tool rest for their wood lathe.

I had some old galvanized 3/4″ steel water pipe I could use for tool rest bar. All I needed to do was weld the post to the bar. (Caution when welding galvanized pipe, do it outside, wear a mask ….not sure if it made a difference but I cleaned up the galvanized pipe …sanding and grinding down to shiney steel)

Started to Make My Own Custom
Tool Rest for Woodturning

Then I decided to use my pipe/tube notcher to drill a 7/8″ hole in the middle of the 3/4″ bar to stick the 1/2″ gas pipe post into and weld those two together. Next I cut some 1/4″ flat steel in triangle shapes to act as braces along the bar and down the post.

I cleaned everything up, ground down my welds because they were embarassing 🙂

I slipped the conduit bushing over the gas pipe post and mounted it in the bango and tightened everything up and gave it a whirl.

Much to my surprise its better than the one that came with it.

Custom Tool Rest set up in wood lathe banjo
I installed the tool rest in the banjo, it was as solid as the old cast iron tool rest

Planning on Making More Specific
Special Use Tool Rests for Woodturning!

I’ve got a hydraulic pipe bender and now I’m thinking about seeing if I can make some S-shaped tool rests for the inside and outside of bowls.

Every tool rest I always saw or read about was made from solid steel or the cast iron. I always thought a piece of pipe would not be strong enough. I made the 3/4″ pipe 12″ long, turned a couple bowls ….did some deliberate catches and there was no movement at all…….maybe I’m coming to conclusions too quickly but it seems to work. And the 3/4″ steel tool rest allows me to rest my hand on it as I push or pull my bowl gouge across it!

When I think about it, I watched videos of turners in 3rd world countries using just about anything from 2×4’s to a straight piece of steel or angle iron for tool rests. In fact, I saw some local guys making tool rests from steel pipe with the base embedded in a 5 gallon bucket of concrete for a toolrest when turning outboard…..they did not have problems with it.

Got Some Skills…..Cheap Option for a Few Custom Tool Rests for Your Wood Turning Needs!

I know solid steel is better but if you are in a tight spot and you have some skills or you’re not afraid to try something new ……it is possible to make a tool rest with steel pipe because I did it.

I’m sure I will get comments on how this isn’t safe. If so, tell me why! I think the only danger would be my poor welds (gonna practice since I am liking this project) but I put the diagonal steel triangular bracing pieces that should help keep it together.

Tools I Used For Making Custom Woodturning Tool Rests

I used the following:

Tube & Pipe Notcher—> https://amzn.to/2CrGTMa
Super Deal PRO Commercial MIG 130 AC Flux Core Wire Automatic Feed

Tube notcher for making custom tool rest for woodturning
I used this tube notcher for drilling a hole for the tool rest post, you could probably use a drill bit in a vice

Welder Welding Machine —> https://amzn.to/2Zmta2h
3/4″ steel pipe (galvanized or black (gas) pipe) —-> Local Hardware store
1/2″ steel gas pipe (for post) —> local hardware store
3/16″ steel plate (scrap from local supply house)
3/4″ thin wall elec conduit —> get piece from local hardware store

I used a cheap 4-1/2″ angle grinder https://amzn.to/3iUDCG8 with a thin metal cutting wheel https://amzn.to/3iWyFwv and I used some sanding flap disks to clean the metal and the grinds (also use these on bowls and turned items for live edge or just clean up) https://amzn.to/2DzbOqy

Why Buy Tools For Woodturning Jigs and Projects

I’ve had most of these tools for a long time, however, all come in handy when making different jigs and other projects around the shop. Best thing is I can now make 5 or 10 special use wood turning tool rests without paying big bucks for them ….besides not wanting to spend the money …simply because I don’t have it, I really enjoy thinking out of the box and making my own tools.

Where to Buy Woodturning Tool Rests for Wood Lathes

It would be remiss of me if I did not tell you where you can get tool rests for your woodturning lathe. Not everyone wants to take the time or has the time to make their own wood lathe toolrest. Many online woodturning stores offer toolrests of different shapes and purposes. You can go to the manufacturer of your lathe to see what they offer for toolrests, but you will find more diversity in toolrests from 2nd and 3rd party vendors. Or you can click on toolrests for wood lathes to see what is available and what you might need. You can see the sizes, shapes and purposes of different tool rests for woodturning and then either make a purchase or do more exploring.

Final Thoughts for Woodturning Toolrests

Remember the best toolrest for woodturning is designed to get you close to your work so you don’t have to extend your woodturning tool far over the toolrest, thus inviting a nasty catch or just losing control of your gouging. That is why many woodturners will have more than one toolrest for their woodturing projects and will have a favorite toolrest for the type of woodturing they do. And that is one of the reasons I decided to build my own toolrests for my wood lathe. Once you get the concept down, you might find yourself with 5 to 10 different toolrests for your woodturning projects….. each specialized for that project, making it easy to complete along with being safer.

Good luck with your toolrest investigations …surely you will find that there are many options available to you! I plan on building a few more woodturning toolrests and  hopefully will be able to include some video of the process. So stay tuned and keep watch for the new toolrests, I already have three built and they are working wonderfully for all my special needs in turning big wood bowls. I hope you might take time to leave a comment on what you like best.