Q: DIY Bandsaw Plans

[Deviant]

Anyone have some of these? I'm tired of cutting stuff with a hacksaw.

I wanted to look and see if there is a plan that would be comparable in price to buying a little china import saw.

Thanks

[diecutter]

My feeling is buy one of those 4 x 6 Chinese or Tiawanese horizontal bandsaws. They are more productive than the ones you build and end up not costing that much more than a homebuilt. I built a vertical metal cutting bandsaw and was happy with it till I was given a broken Jet horizontal bandsaw for free. Turns out it only needed the brass spur drive gear (the worm is hardened steel and usually does not wear out) which I ordered from Jet for about $30.00. It was more accurate, more versatile, and required much less adjusting than the homebuilt, Plus you can flip up the arm and use it as a vertical bandsaw. Usually the brass gear is all that is neede to bring them back to life.

[handlewanker]

Hi deviant, I made a three wheel bandsaw some time back, using cold rolled square tubing for the frame and ball bearing housings for the idlers and drive wheels. If you're going to make one yourself, I can email you the drawings.
Ian.

[rmckay]

Hi to Handlewanker & Deviant
I have registered today and searched for bandsaw plans. Having read the post, sounds as if you could solve my problem. Would you consider emailing them to me ?. I would be obliged for any assistance you can offer.
Being new to this, I may have directed this post incorrectly. Apologies

(rmckay@reidkerr.ac.uk)
Best Regards
Ritchie

[handlewanker]

Hi Ritchie, I'll send the drawings that I made (without dimensions) so that you can see the design, but if you want to make one you will have to scale the drawings to your own satisfaction using the tubing dimensions as a guide.

Funny, as it happens, the bandsaw was made when I lived and worked in bristol around the late 70's, and then took it to OZ where I now live.

I hope you've got some lathe and maybe mill access and experience, as I used both to make it, but you'll probably use what you've got.

I'll send them to the email adress you've indicated, and anybody else interested just post your email adress.

Here's a photo of what it looked like 2 years ago.
Ian.

[rmckay]

Hi Ian,
Sorry to have taken so long to reply, busy workload !. Managed to obtain quite old stock(that means rusty but serviceable) of cold rolled section 4 x 2, old cast iron wheels,main bearings and purchased 22mm o/d bearings for the roller guides.

Do you have any details or pics of the table details which has a nice tilting feature. I will give you all of the CAD drawings (files) I am creating if you want them or as they are currently. I am not so good at sketching.

Hope you dont get bored with these requests.

Regards

Ritchie

[handlewanker]

Hi Ritchie, a problem....so let it be told......When I left UK in '81 the people who packed up our goods neglected to inform me that they didn't realise the piece of iron plate with thingies attached to it was also part of my gear and so it never got sent with the goods.

Despite several letters and threatening phone calls from my brother in law to the packers, the part for the table remained in some UK scrap yard never to be heard of again.

The table was split in the centre and the left half was attached to the saw frame with a plate having a curved slot to allow the whole table to tilt, very basic, but on the other two saws made in 1979, it worked.

Pressure of this and that has prevented me from making another one, so as soon as I get a round tooit etc I'll make another one, just need a design for the tooit, but I believe they come in all colours and can be used for all manner of projects that get put aside till the weather clears up, LOL.

I do have a drawing somewhere of the tilting part in the deepest depths of my garage, and as soon as that tooit arrives I'll scan it or photogrophy it, and all will be revealed.

A couple of photos of your progress will keep the pot boiling so to say, as I think once you have one you'll never do without it.

The tilting table part is one of those items that is seldom used, but it can be handy when you just must cut something at an angle, (intentionally of course), also it's probably more trouble than it's worth to get it right.

Wow, 22mm dia beariings for the roller guides is a bit big....I used some about 9mm diam X 4mm thick to get the guide close to the cutting edge, while using 6mm wide saw blades, but the bigger ones will probably last longer and will suit a 12mm wide saw blade if you want to do a bit of serious wood work.
Ian.

[pallth]

I have lathe and milling machine in my garage and would like to build a vertical bandsaw to.
I will be thankfully if somebody would send me some drawings, the pictures looks really good. Is there are further pictures?

Thanks

palleth

[PEU]

here is one DIY bandsaw done in wood: http://woodgears.ca/bandsaw/build.html

[rmckay]

Originally Posted by pallth I have lathe and milling machine in my garage and would like to build a vertical bandsaw to. I will be thankfully if somebody would send me some drawings, the pictures looks really good. Is there are further pictures? Thanks palleth

I have started to draw up a series of drawings using AutoCad based on the design kindly provided by Handlewanker. I could send them to you if you can read them in electronic form or I can scan the drawings and send them as jpegs. I have been busy of late at work with no time to continue my building of the bandsaw and have still to contact the designer as to my progress.
So you are welcome to what I have at the moment. This will give me a push to get going again.
You can contact me directly on rmckay@reidkerr.ac.uk or I will post them on the CNC site. Probably the latter would suit everyone ??. If I have time today I will get scanning.
Best Regards
Ritchie

[handlewanker]

Hi Ritch, you have my full regards to make a set of plans in cad form from the "design"? of mine, and market them to your advantage.

It probably takes more time to make the cad drawings than actually making the finished article.

I recently dabbled with Cadkey, a cad program I got in the 80's, and spent hours designing a quick change tool post for my lathe.

The end result ws that once the design was scaled in actual size it showed up as being inpractical so another design was finalised, good experience if you have the time.

In practical terms, it is better to make the thing, in other words a prototype, then draw it up once the design is proved, but that is if you are going to go into production.

Cad drawing is a time consuming process, and all my bits and pieces were arrived at on the back of an envelope in the traditional manner, ha ha!

However if you are intending sending the drawings out to get parts made, then a cad drawing is the only language spoken, sketches no matter how well detailed don't really make an impression.

BTW, can you save drawings in Autocad as a Jpeg, because the cad program I'm using requires that program to open the files that are cad drawn when you want to see them.

As a jpeg, anyone receiving them can open them with the usual windows program like a photo, whereas a cad file, saved as a cad file, requires the original cad program to see it.

I do a lot of sketching with a Wacom drawing tablet using Photoshop 7 as the graphics program, and save the sketches as a Jpeg file, then I can view them on my computer in My documents saved in a folder labeled Sketches Mechanical as a Jpeg.

This is "state of the art" back of an envelope designing when you have an idea that you want to work on.
Saved electronically, it saves lots of trees from the pulp mills, oh well a bit more environmentalism put into practice, and another step nearer the paperless office scenario.

Just reread your post, I see that you are going to scan them (after printing out) and send as jpeg.
Ian.

[rmckay]

Hi Ian,

I am very pleased to hear from you, I hope life is being good to you. Received an email to alert me of the posts re: your bandsaw design asking for a copy of the drawings ( Palle, then Brent ! ) I wanted to make it clear that the cad drawings were based on your design and that I had not been in contact with you since. In fact I have not really logged on since our last posts. Drowning in work and my other hobby - trying to build a steel yacht(38') which is going very slowly !.

The CAD drawing does take time and I agree with all you have wrote.
I have no intention to sell or charge any fee for the plans ( unfinished or otherwise). Though I thought it was good of you to give me permission.
I am happy to share what little effort I have made with others.

One thing is for sure, Easter break is coming up so I should be able to progress the prototype a bit more, since all I have to show at the moment is some rusty wheels, cut lengths of box section and some bearings !. AS you say - A lot can be resolved with some hands on
I will send you some pics as you suggested last October !
Sorry for not keeping in touch sooner.

Best Regards Always

Ritchie

Originally Posted by handlewanker Hi Ritch, you have my full regards to make a set of plans in cad form from the "design"? of mine, and market them to your advantage. It probably takes more time to make the cad drawings than actually making the finished article. I recently dabbled with Cadkey, a cad program I got in the 80's, and spent hours designing a quick change tool post for my lathe. The end result ws that once the design was scaled in actual size it showed up as being inpractical so another design was finalised, good experience if you have the time. In practical terms, it is better to make the thing, in other words a prototype, then draw it up once the design is proved, but that is if you are going to go into production. Cad drawing is a time consuming process, and all my bits and pieces were arrived at on the back of an envelope in the traditional manner, ha ha! However if you are intending sending the drawings out to get parts made, then a cad drawing is the only language spoken, sketches no matter how well detailed don't really make an impression. BTW, can you save drawings in Autocad as a Jpeg, because the cad program I'm using requires that program to open the files that are cad drawn when you want to see them. As a jpeg, anyone receiving them can open them with the usual windows program like a photo, whereas a cad file, saved as a cad file, requires the original cad program to see it. I do a lot of sketching with a Wacom drawing tablet using Photoshop 7 as the graphics program, and save the sketches as a Jpeg file, then I can view them on my computer in My documents saved in a folder labeled Sketches Mechanical as a Jpeg. This is "state of the art" back of an envelope designing when you have an idea that you want to work on. Saved electronically, it saves lots of trees from the pulp mills, oh well a bit more environmentalism put into practice, and another step nearer the paperless office scenario. Just reread your post, I see that you are going to scan them (after printing out) and send as jpeg. Ian.