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11-11-2021, 12:56 AM
(This post was last modified: 11-11-2021, 12:57 AM by Tapper.)
John,
That looks like a pretty elaborate setup you have there - no wonder you get the results you do! I have a couple of questions. Can you explain the design of the "business" side of this featherboard where the rollers and the various layers of stiffeners and adjusting rods are shown?
Thanks,
Doug
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(11-11-2021, 12:56 AM)Tapper Wrote: John,
That looks like a pretty elaborate setup you have there - no wonder you get the results you do! I have a couple of questions. Can you explain the design of the "business" side of this featherboard where the rollers and the various layers of stiffeners and adjusting rods are shown?
Thanks,
Doug
Hi Doug,
Here's a link to a page on my website with more details on the featherboard. I also have a SketchUp model I can Email to anyone interested. Somehow I can't figure out how to attach it the webpage.
To answer your question, each roller is attached to a pivot arm with spacers between each pair. Those arms are "sculpted" where needed to fit around the upper blade guide. Near the lead end of the pivot arms there is a threaded rod with a spring between the back of the arm and the frame. The spring force is adjustable by adjusting a nut on the back end of the spring.
I set the fence for the thickness of cut wanted, place the workpiece against the fence, and slide in the featherboard until the rollers touch the workpiece. Then I pull the workpiece back from the rollers and slide it about 1/8" towards the fence. Then I make the cut, pushing the stock to the front of the featherboard and then pulling it from the back to complete the cut. It sounds more convoluted than it is. I index the featherboard towards the fence for each new cut.
John
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John,
Do you run the board through the jointer or planer after each pass through the bandsaw?
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11-12-2021, 11:04 AM
(This post was last modified: 11-12-2021, 11:05 AM by jteneyck.)
(11-12-2021, 12:29 AM)lift mechanic Wrote: John,
Do you run the board through the jointer or planer after each pass through the bandsaw?
No, unless the board cups. If the wood is stable the cuts are so consistent there's no need to rejoint the face. If I take the first slice and I see the board start to cup I'll take a slice off the other side hoping that will pull it back flat. If it doesn't then I have to rejoint at least one face.
I did this 14" wide x 48" long walnut board yesterday. 10 beautiful slices at about 0.100" thick from the 1-3/4" board. (You can't believe how easily a Woodmaster CT goes through stuff this thick.) I started on one face and just kept slicing until it was done.
I ran them through the drum sander later to get 0.070" finished veneer. The photos are of the as cut pieces.
I haven't used this product, but it got a good review in FWW a couple of years ago and may be a good option for some folks.
Bundle Bow Products
Had I not already built the featherboard I showed I might have tried it. That said, I really like the safety afford by my unit. There's just about no way to get your hands into the blade.
In any case, some sort of featherboard to keep at least the bottom of the workpiece pressed against the fence is key to consistent slices. And as the board gets thinner the advantage of the tall featherboard becomes apparent, as it presses the entire face against the fence.
John
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John,
Is that ridgid cast iron fence the one that came with the Grizzly?
Doug
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The hobby shop at the last Air Force base I was at had a really nice Hitachi resaw bandsaw. When it was working, it did a great job. But even with that, you could cut a trapezoid. Probably had to do with blade sharpness and how hard you pushed it, but I never quite figured it out.
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Have not done any resawing in years, until today. I took John's suggestions to heart. Check the setup, locked the tall fence, southern engineered front fence...results were were amazing. I'm sure glad John shares his wealth of knowledge.
Thanks John
"I tried being reasonable..........I didn't like it." Clint Eastwood
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11-13-2021, 06:37 PM
(This post was last modified: 11-13-2021, 06:41 PM by Tapper.)
(11-13-2021, 05:31 PM)Bill Holt Wrote: Have not done any resawing in years, until today. I took John's suggestions to heart. Check the setup, locked the tall fence, southern engineered front fence...results were were amazing. I'm sure glad John shares his wealth of knowledge.
Thanks John
Bill,
Glad your resawing worked out well - care to share what style "southern engineered" fence you came up with?
Thanks,
Doug
Who's also from the South!
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(11-12-2021, 11:30 PM)Tapper Wrote: John,
Is that ridgid cast iron fence the one that came with the Grizzly?
Doug
Doug, yes that is the stock cast iron fence that came with the bandsaw. As I mentioned earlier, Grizzly also supplies a very nice aluminum hi/low fence that attaches to it, which would be fine for anything you might do freehand. But the featherboard applies significant force against the fence so it needs to be really robust to remain parallel with the blade, and that's why I built the fence you see.
John
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11-14-2021, 02:57 PM
(This post was last modified: 11-14-2021, 02:59 PM by Tapper.)
(11-14-2021, 10:39 AM)jteneyck Wrote: Doug, yes that is the stock cast iron fence that came with the bandsaw. As I mentioned earlier, Grizzly also supplies a very nice aluminum hi/low fence that attaches to it, which would be fine for anything you might do freehand. But the featherboard applies significant force against the fence so it needs to be really robust to remain parallel with the blade, and that's why I built the fence you see.
John
Yes, I just didn't realize Grizzly supplied two fences with this bandsaw. I have one of the original Rikon 18" bandsaws and the fence on it, while serviceable for general type work is not as rigid as the cast iron one you have pictured.
Doug
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