I've used a bandsaw for slits too. Its worth mounting a makeshift fence so you can stabilize the cut. If the piece is irregular you can mount it to scrap like even a piece of plywood & use that edge along the fence. The bandsaw kerf width is you get what you get. Also wear gloves if you are hand feeding because a) things can get hot b) those chips can get into your skin.
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El-Cheapo tail stock to go with my indexer
- Thread starter John Conroy
- Start date
After having my mill down for a good week and a half due to a toasted gear, I finally got my RT tail/foot stock project back on track.
Using my band saw in the vertical to cut the pinch slot went well. I was surprised how much pressure I had to exert on the work piece in order to get the cut to progress. In any event I still have all my fingers which is good.
Now I'm appreciating why John made his dead center carrier out of aluminum.
The pinch slot has no effect. If I put a snipe on that key I'll be pulling my vise off the bench. That or break something.
Using my band saw in the vertical to cut the pinch slot went well. I was surprised how much pressure I had to exert on the work piece in order to get the cut to progress. In any event I still have all my fingers which is good.
Now I'm appreciating why John made his dead center carrier out of aluminum.
The pinch slot has no effect. If I put a snipe on that key I'll be pulling my vise off the bench. That or break something.
I ran into a similar issue on a clamping part. Metal is surprising strong, go figure. I've noticed commercial parts either have
- a stress relief hole (which thins the metal near the hinge point)
- they orient the slit to accomplish the same
- an opposing slit, leaving some magic amount of metal so it doesn't crack
Superimposed on your part might look something like this, although I wouldn't muck up your part without some experimenting on scrap.
- a stress relief hole (which thins the metal near the hinge point)
- they orient the slit to accomplish the same
- an opposing slit, leaving some magic amount of metal so it doesn't crack
Superimposed on your part might look something like this, although I wouldn't muck up your part without some experimenting on scrap.
Attachments
A few days off and a blizzard, how opportune is that! Finally got her done.
Looks like something concocted in Bubba's garage LOL.
The stand is just high enough (and a smidge more) for my RT. I'll probably re-do it with a larger piece of angle iron some day. The pinch bolt has no effect. Part of that problem is the fact that the bolt I'm using is threaded to the head and the head threads are engaging the non-threaded hole (drill it bigger or get a bolt with a non-threaded head shank?). In any event I tried squishing the dead center carrier in my vise with no effect so it's obvious some sort of relief slot or hole is in order.
I keep looking at this RT and thinking lathe indexer...…. How to couple the two?
Looks like something concocted in Bubba's garage LOL.
The stand is just high enough (and a smidge more) for my RT. I'll probably re-do it with a larger piece of angle iron some day. The pinch bolt has no effect. Part of that problem is the fact that the bolt I'm using is threaded to the head and the head threads are engaging the non-threaded hole (drill it bigger or get a bolt with a non-threaded head shank?). In any event I tried squishing the dead center carrier in my vise with no effect so it's obvious some sort of relief slot or hole is in order.
I keep looking at this RT and thinking lathe indexer...…. How to couple the two?
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