Laguna cool blocks question

[Wipedout]

Good morning

Ive had a cool block guide system setup on my Laguna LT18 for years.  Recently I have lost 2 of the bricks - the rectangular ones. 

They are ridiculously expensive.  I found one but it goes in loosely and the other probably got sucked up with the sawdust

SO my question is how do they attach?  Is it friction fit or glue of some sort?  I want to put the loose one back but ....

I did fin a site where i can buy individual ones which beats the $100 they want for a set.

I also see they now offer a replacement for the blocks that uses a phenolic rod which is $175 but maybe thats a better longterm choice

Thanks

Robert

[cams2705]

I have the square cool blocks installed on my Grizzly G0555 bandsaw.  The brackets that hold the square blocks are tapped and have thumbscrews that wedge the blocks in place.

[daddo]

http://spaceageceramics.com/laguna-18-euro-guides/


Met a guy that uses the ceramic ones. Uses his bandsaw all day every day. Said he hasn't found anything that lasts but ceramic.

Whether it true or not, can't say.

[Alan S]

Lignum vitae works well.  Get a small turning blank, cut it up, and you'll have enough for a lifetime.  Just keep in mind it will likely be green, so could shrink a bit after cutting.

[Dave Diaman]

Whipedout, I have the same guides you do on my smaller Laguna saw. When I bought it some of the ceramic inserts were broken. I took a chunk of Lignum Vitae and cut replacements for the guides. Once I cut them I just epoxied them in. I like the new guides much better because they don’t spark and will not chip if the blade does hit them.

[Splinter Puller]

Lignum vitae works well.  Get a small turning blank, cut it up, and you'll have enough for a lifetime.  Just keep in mind it will likely be green, so could shrink a bit after cutting.

I bought a set or Lignum vitae blocks a half decade ago from a woodnetter and put them on my bandsaw.  They are still going strong.  No broken blades and they don't wear as fast as the cool blocks did.  every year or two when I think of it I put a drop of air tool oil on the blocks but I doubt it matters.

[loosetoe]

Good morning

Ive had a cool block guide system setup on my Laguna LT18 for years.  Recently I have lost 2 of the bricks - the rectangular ones. 

They are ridiculously expensive.  I found one but it goes in loosely and the other probably got sucked up with the sawdust

SO my question is how do they attach?  Is it friction fit or glue of some sort?  I want to put the loose one back but ....

I did fin a site where i can buy individual ones which beats the $100 they want for a set.

I also see they now offer a replacement for the blocks that uses a phenolic rod which is $175 but maybe thats a better longterm choice

Thanks

Robert

They are glued in with a thin line of medium or thick CA glue.

After 16 years, i am still on my original set on my 16HD.  I lost one on my smaller 1412, but the replacement was $10.  In my experience, they get loose after a while; but once glued back they have yet to come loose a second time.

[Phil Thien]

I bought a set or Lignum vitae blocks a half decade ago from a woodnetter and put them on my bandsaw.  They are still going strong.  No broken blades and they don't wear as fast as the cool blocks did.  every year or two when I think of it I put a drop of air tool oil on the blocks but I doubt it matters.

Ditto but I don't even use the oil on them.

I think any exotic oily wood, would work well.

Woods like rosewood and cocobolo, I think any of the woods where you're warned to clean them with some sort of thinner before glue-up.

The trick with these is to prevent your thumbscrews from digging a divot into them, as they're softer than other types of blocks. And once you have a divot, they're difficult to adjust precisely.

In my case, I use a small washer inside my holder.  The thumbscrew pushes on the washer, and the washer applies the pressure of the thumbscrew over a larger area of the wood block so divots don't happen.

It can be a little fussy getting the washer centered on the tip of the screw and the block into the holder, but once it is in, you never have to fuss with it again (provided you don't back the thumbscrew out too far).

On a previous saw I made some brass u-shaped pieces that I used instead of washers, and that worked well, too.  But it took more time and when I got the new bandsaws I didn't have the patience to repeat.

[EricU]

I looked around for replacements because I have the Laguna Euro-style round guides which are pretty useless and annoying.  I have been working a lot with ceramics lately.  Only problem is that it's really hard to form or I would stupidly try to make my own guides.

[Cian]

Lignum vitae works well.

This.  Been using Lignum Vitae guides on my 14" bandsaws for years.