Bandsaw Boxes - Blade size

[technium]

Sorry for yet another question -

I have a Dewalt BS1310 bandsaw and want to have a go at making a bandsaw box on it but Im not sure what blade to buy to use on it.

I think the blade lenth is 82.5" or (2095mm) although I cant see anywhere on the saw that it says that. Screwfix sell a few blades of this length but I dont know what the measurements mean. The blades they have are as follows -

Starrett Bandsaw 82½ x 3/8 x .025, 6 Skip

Starrett Bandsaw 82½ x ½ x 0.025 4-Skip

Starrett Bandsaw 82½ x ¼ x 0.025 6-Skip

First number is obviously the length of blade, I guess the middle number is the depth of the blade? but whats the .025 and the skip bit and what do you guys suggest would be good for making the boxes?

thanks again

Colin

 

[MattRoberts]

The 0.25 is the set of the teeth (how much they stick out to the sides) and the skip refers to the teeth having a shallow gullet (the slope in-between teeth) which helps prevent clogging

 

[loftyhermes]

I thought that the 0.025 was the thickness of the steel used to make the blades.

 

[technium]

Thanks but what would you recommend for bandsaw boxes?

 

[beganasatree]

Hi Colin,you could give Ian at Tuffsaws a call, He will give you all the help that you need.

Peter.

 

[marcros]

I would also give a +1 to Tuffsaws, but Starrett are also good blades, so if you want something this weekend...

the width of the blade- 1/2", 1/4" etc is proportional to the minimum radius that you can turn http://ravenview.com/blog/2008/01/23/ba ... ius-chart/ shows what i mean. So have a think about the design that you want to make, and look at the turns in it. Most people doing bandsaw boxes want to make lots of cutouts within cutouts and tight turns, but you dont have to. take box 9 on this link for example.

http://www.mekwoodworks.com/52-boxes.html

if you just want to play, and dont know what design to do yet, just get the 1/4" one!

 

[custard]

http://www.mekwoodworks.com/52-boxes.html

I love that link marcros!

If anyone's looking for a crash course in exactly what "contemporary" looks like, then that's the place to go. Understated, harmonious, beautifully proportioned, pleasing timber selection, crisp execution, and giving a voice to the tiny details.

As soon as my current projects are done I'm going to develop the Box 33 idea, but with a very shallow curve to the lid profile to echo the handle but turned through 90 degrees.

Thanks for posting!

 

[giantbeat]

the width of the blade- 1/2", 1/4" etc is proportional to the minimum radius that you can turn http://ravenview.com/blog/2008/01/23/ba ... ius-chart/ shows what i mean.

that's going straight to printout & getting stuck on the wall... Thanks Marcros

 

[loftyhermes]

You could check this guy out. http://www.temima.co.uk/bloomin_clever_boxes.html

 

[technium]

Thanks all.

Some cracking links there Marcros and added to favourites.

I dont need anything this weekend just wanted to see what I roughly need so I might give tuffsaws a call and see what they have to offer.

Thanks again for all your advice.

Colin

 

[Alexam]

It's not only the blade quality for smaller jobs with tight turns, it is also the tuning up of the bandsaw. You may already have seen several methods by different people, but the one I like is shown on this video by Alex Snodgrass, However, it is not necessary to remove the table as he states, just helpful when you are a beginner as long as you have a small bandsaw.

'Alex Snodgrass of Carter Industries has an excellent video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGbZqWac0jU on a tune up method that works well, but if you want to get the best use of your bandsaw on an ongoing basis, then the Steve Maskery DVD's will show you far more and they are a real investment. http://www.workshopessentials.com/shop/ '.

For checking the tension of your blade - A Flutter test Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8zZuDosSy0

Malcolm

 

[timber]

It's not only the blade quality for smaller jobs with tight turns, it is also the tuning up of the bandsaw. You may already have seen several methods by different people, but the one I like is shown on this video by Alex Snodgrass, However, it is not necessary to remove the table as he states, just helpful when you are a beginner as long as you have a small bandsaw.

'Alex Snodgrass of Carter Industries has an excellent video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGbZqWac0jU on a tune up method that works well, but if you want to get the best use of your bandsaw on an ongoing basis, then the Steve Maskery DVD's will show you far more and they are a real investment. http://www.workshopessentials.com/shop/ '.

For checking the tension of your blade - A Flutter test Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8zZuDosSy0

Malcolm

Malcolm
The way he waves his hands about make my heart all aflutter Too near machinery !!!!
Timber

 

[Phil Pascoe]

http://www.mekwoodworks.com/52-boxes.html

I love that link marcros!

If anyone's looking for a crash course in exactly what "contemporary" looks like, then that's the place to go. Understated, harmonious, beautifully proportioned, pleasing timber selection, crisp execution, and giving a voice to the tiny details.

As soon as my current projects are done I'm going to develop the Box 33 idea, but with a very shallow curve to the lid profile to echo the handle but turned through 90 degrees.



Thanks for posting!

Just enough to change it more than 10%?

 

[technium]

Thanks again all, good video there Alexam, will bookmark that for when I can get the bandsaw up and running.

On a slightly different note I managed to pick up some wood today from a local art gallery, got a big chunk of oak with bark on, 22" x 12" x 5" so will need some ideas for that, has a few cracks but at £15 I thought it was a good buy. Also got some Iroko 28" x 18" x 1 1/2" for £15 which I might use to make a wood solitaire set the wife keeps harping on about. Also picked up some beautiful wood ive never heard of before "Spalted Beech", only 1" x 2" x 36" so picked up 4 lengths that he had for £3 each length, not sure what to do with this but I love the look of it.

How do you guys just pick up some wood and come up with ideas?

 

[Alexam]

The spalted beech is very good for bandsaw boxes, I use it quite often and you can see some of those on my web site and I'm just making a few more at present. Get the ideas by looking up (google) bandsaw box designs and you will find loads. Some are easy to do but as you get into it, you should progress into more complex boxes with several drawers and possiblt hiden drawers, which are behind the main drawer. You really need to go ans see selections pof various timberat timber merchants or woodworking shows. Yandles shows are particularly good as they offer discounts on timber on show days and they have a really huge selection.
Malcolm

 

[technium]

Nice work there Alexam, I will start off simple and see how I get on first.

ive dropped the guys at Tuffsaw and email so will see when they reply.

As ive said, theres no rush, just looking ahead.

thanks

 

[technium]

Ian from Tuffsaws has replied and has been very helpful but he said "You might have to make some adjustments to the bandsaw to run a 1/8" or 3/16" blade as the side guides have a tendency of damaging the set on the teeth." which I am not sure about, what adjustments would I need to make for a smaller blade?

thanks

Colin

 

[woodpig]

It depends what type of guides your bandsaw has Colin. If it uses blocks then you can just replace the metal ones with wood or plastic. If it has disc guides then you may be able to stick MDF to them.