Homemade band saw with your own hands
Such equipment brings a lot of positives if wood processing is required. At home, it is necessary when running a small furniture manufacturing business.
Some types of saws allow additional work with the following materials:
The high density of these materials requires the use of equipment that includes parts and consumables made of reinforced steel. If you use standard steel, when processing metal or stone, the disk and teeth deform in a short period of time, so you need to prepare for work in advance.
Consider not only the type of material to be processed, but also the production scale. The endurance and power of the equipment you buy depends on it. For one-time use you can buy a cheap band saw or make it from improvised means and tools, but intensive work requires a serious and expensive machine.
Blade tooth size and pitch
When choosing a saw it is necessary to pay attention to the size of the machine itself. The requirements are described in the instructions when purchasing the machine, but there are some nuances that are not specified there.
The following additional recommendations should be kept in mind when selecting a saw:
- For longitudinal sawing wide saws are chosen, which are characterized by even and high-quality sawing.
- In cases where thin workpieces are being processed, tools with a small thickness of blade are used. This is an important parameter, because a thick saw when working with thin material damages it.
- Shaped and contour cutting requires individual selection of the cutting element, but if it is not possible to purchase several saw options, then it is better to choose the average option. Taking into account the manufactured width from 14 to 88 mm, it is recommended to buy saws with an average size of 35-40 mm.
Not only the size but also the tooth pitch, located on the cutting blade, affects the quality of processing. It determines how fast you can work, the presence or absence of damage.
When selecting the following features of the work should be considered:
- The coarse tooth pitch is only used when working with thin sheet material.
- Dense setting of teeth on the blade is used when processing large blades.
- An average version with variable tooth setting is used when working with synthetic materials. To keep the saw from clogging up waste material, the cutting speed is increased.
Design and principle of operation
The saw blade design can seem quite complicated and confusing to many inexperienced users. If we take a closer look at its mechanism, it is clear that it is made up of simple parts that interact precisely with one another. Of course, it is impossible to call the band saw an elementary device, because it, like any working equipment, has certain features of the structure necessary for proper operation. Before proceeding to the enumeration of machine components and the description of the principle of their interaction, it is worth to note that for the most understandable form of presentation, as an example, the simplest type of the device without a tilt of the working table, the lever of rapid tensioning of the blade, the speed regulator and other additions will be analyzed.
The main elements of the band saw are the pulleys (the wheels on which the saw blade is mounted). These elements are fixed on the opposite edges of a flat support rod, installed to the table and/or bed (base and side walls of the machine). The lower pulley is fixed in one place and the upper pulley is mounted on a special slide that changes its position vertically. A motor is connected to the bottom wheel, either directly or through a belt drive. As the damping of saw’s vibrations, the dampener, installed under the table top is used. The most common and easy-to-make accessory fitted to this machine is the guide, for precisely cutting workpieces. In the above-described design, lies the main principle by which the wood jigsaw works. Drawings with exact dimensions and a list of parts, are presented below.
Assembling the frame
When assembling the frame of the band saw, it is better to give preference to hard and strong wood species. Otherwise, the final design will not have the required stiffness and will start to create vibration. Separate elements, including the work table, are made of strong plywood, and the stiffening ribs are additionally reinforced with slats. The most affordable option. to dismantle old furniture.
The first thing to do at home is to make drawings, on the basis of which the assembly of the frame will be carried out. They are created taking into account the height of the working room and the physiological characteristics of the person who will work at the saw.
Recommendations for installing a roller unit for a machine tool
The homemade band saw machine for wood will work properly and without failures when using rollers, which are hardened. The unit they are part of is best made by yourself. In this case you can be sure of its reliability, which cannot be said about an off-the-shelf machine. The design of this unit has the following features:
- The mechanism includes three bearings. Two of these are of grade 202, the third is slightly larger;
- the shaft and rollers are milled to accommodate the use of different saw widths. If necessary, a washer is installed between the bearings;
- The shaft comes in two tubes, one inside the other, with a slight offset of the axis;
- The roller unit is installed on a homemade machine with the possibility of height adjustment or displacement to the sides.
Recommendations for the installation of the roller unit for the machine
Self-made band saw for wood will work correctly and without failures when using calibrated rollers. It is best to make the unit in which they are included by yourself. In this case you can be sure of its reliability, which can’t be said about a ready-made mechanism. The design of this assembly has the following features:
- the mechanism includes three bearings. Two of them are of grade 202, the third is slightly larger;
- The shaft and rollers are made to accommodate the use of different saw widths. If necessary, a washer is installed between the bearings;
- The shaft is inserted in two tubes, one inside the other, with a slight offset of the axis;
- The roller unit is mounted on a homemade machine tool with the ability to adjust the height or offset to the side.
Mounting the boom and pulley supports
The most primitive band saws created by your own hands with a framework made of plywood or logs, have a support rod with a thickness of 8×8 cm. This is where two strong supports are mounted to hold the pulleys together. It is desirable to create supports for band saws from strong materials, including multilayer plywood with a rigid core.
The distance between them is chosen in such a way that the log to be processed can be placed there. Specialists recommend to make a small gap to prevent possible problems in the future.
Finding the ideal place
Optimal conditions. own workshop or other room for processing such materials. The minimum area of such a building is 18 m2. The most unpretentious way out is the “dislocation” of the sawmill in the open air, but it has a big disadvantage. This is the sawdust flying on its territory, as well as descending on the neighboring areas.
In this situation, the most sensible solution is to build a solid fence around the machine. Plywood or polycarbonate can serve as the material for the fence. A large canopy over the sawmill is also not bad, as the roof will allow you to work in all weather conditions. The next requirement is a place to store the manufactured lumber, so this issue should also be decided before you start drafting.
Accessories, materials, equipment
Only quality materials and structural elements can ensure its reliability, so the preparations require special attention. There are no unimportant parts in any construction, but before the construction of such a complex unit, which also has to endure serious stresses, you must take care about the quality of all components and materials.
Engine
Here the favorite is electric, which meets the power requirements. Although gasoline-powered ones are also used. The advantages of the former are obvious: they promise no problems with the connection of the band saw to the power grid, have a long service life, and the perfect quality of the material cut guarantees the stability of revolutions.
Metal
Solid logs require strong material, but “its own” for each element of the unit.
- Square or rectangular profiles are well suited for saw trolleys, support frames and log beds. The most important condition. the maximum wall thickness.
- Angle (at least 45×45 mm) or channel/du-beam. for rails. The main requirement for them is straight geometry, otherwise all the irregularities will be copied on the workpieces. Angles are more prone to deformation, so the best rails are obtained from H, P, T-shaped steel.
- Steel tubes, sliders, long screws and nuts (2 pcs.), chain from car engine (bicycle chain with sprockets is a substitute). for height adjustment mechanism of the carriage.
- Ball bearings for rollers. The ideal. “wheels”, turned on a lathe and then hardened.
- Band saws, it is better to buy several blades at once.
- Wheels and hubs from automobiles. for the belt wheels.
Band saw with their own hands. an operation, for the success of which you need both a welding machine and skills to work with it. Bolted connections are not welcome here, because the reliability of such fastening is questionable very quickly, and checking it regularly is not a rosy prospect. In addition to welding equipment will be required:
- fittings;
- angle grinder;
- wrenches;
- boards (plywood) for shuttering;
- drill or drilling machine;
- ruler, tape measure, and caliper;
- hammer, pliers;
- sand, cement, crushed stone;
- clamps;
- level.
You will also need “multi-caliber” fasteners. anchors, bolts, nuts and washers.
Specifications
to use a band saw effectively, several blades of different widths and thicknesses are needed. When choosing a tool for a particular job, it is important to consider the following:
- thin blade can be processed only soft wood, otherwise it will quickly bend, the line for the trimmer saw will get uneven;
- The wider the blade, the more accurate the cut will be;
- thick saw is not suitable for working with small bars and thin sheet material, they deform because of the heat;
- Angular and curved cuts should only be made with a narrow blade.
In addition to the geometry of the blade, it is important to pay attention to the profile and height of the tooth. An important criterion of a band saw blade is the number of teeth per unit length.
Please note! The more frequently set teeth, the flatter the cuts.
A saw with a coarse tooth has a longer service life because less pressure is applied to each tooth. Saws with narrower teeth are better for hard wood because they exert more pressure on the cutting edge.
Tooth height also affects cut quality. The large tooth is great for roughing and cutting thick wood. Small bars and thin sheet material can only be sawn with a band saw with a fine tooth.
Tooth pitch is another important parameter. A distinction is made between a rhythmic pitch and a variable pitch. A saw with a rhythmic tooth pitch is good for fine cuts, it is good for cutting thin boards, sawing plywood details. blades with variable pitch should be chosen for processing large workpieces of soft wood. Thanks to the asymmetric arrangement of the teeth, such a blade will not block and will easily cut a thick board.
Types of band saw blades
The right approach to the selection of sawing equipment is essential. To avoid operational problems, the technical characteristics, permissible fields of application and capabilities of the tool must be taken into account. Last but not least are the tooth tips, blade size and cutting edge quality.
The variety of saws can confuse even an experienced craftsman. Depending on what they process, it is customary to divide them into types. It can be:
When working with metal or stone, you need to use a tool that contains heavy-duty alloys. Otherwise, there may be cases of breakage, marriage in the processing of parts or breakage of the cutting blade. Before you yourself collect or buy such equipment, you need to determine the main working tasks and assess the amount of work to be done.
If it is necessary to perform a significant amount of work of various orientation, related to the use of wood, boards, then it will be necessary to apply sawing. For this you will need both logs and a tool for processing. a sawmill.
Assembly
Which kind of blade to choose?
Band saw your own hands can be made from those materials that can be found at home. But you have to buy a band saw blade. Before you do that, it is worth deciding what kind of blade it should be. That’s why you need to know what you are cutting. So, there are such blades:
Bimetal. They are used for cutting fairly strong alloys, stainless steel. And you can be sure that the band will not break.
Diamond. They are used when marble, granite, quartz, and other very hard materials must be cut.
Carbide. They can be used to cut such alloys, which are quite difficult to work.
Made of tool steel. Such blades are most often used in homes or small workshops. They are best for working on simple materials.
What kind of blade should be chosen?
Band saw their own hands can be made from those materials that can be found at home. But you have to buy a blade. Before this, it is worth determining what it should be. You need to know what you are going to cut. So, there are these blades:
Bimetallic. They are used for cutting fairly hard alloys, stainless steel. You can be sure that the band will not break.
Diamond. They are used if it is necessary to process marble, granite, quartz and other hardest materials.
Carbide. Can be used for cutting alloys that are difficult to work with.
Made of tool steel. These blades are most often used in the home or in small workshops. They are best suited for simple materials.
Working rules for band saws
High material removal rates require a blade with coarse teeth to be mounted on the machine. It is best to use universal band saws.
- If you have a large workpiece, install a blade with coarse teeth on a band saw; use a multi-purpose cutting blade is best. This will save you having to change blades when working on different materials;
- Determine a clearance for the machine and secure it to a stable surface to avoid vibrations during operation. The room in which the band saw will be installed must be well ventilated.
- When you have finished working remove the band saw blade and subsequently tension it only before working. This will extend the useful life of the blade
- Every two hours of work turn off the band saw and let the motor, in this example a drill, rest, and at the same time check for malfunctions. Compliance with this rule will protect the worker from injury, and the tool from overheating.
- From time to time check the pitch of the cutting teeth.
The band saw with my own hands
Homemade band saw, made with my own hands: a detailed description of making a homemade saw with photos and video.
Hi there! Here I needed a band saw for a home workshop, decided to make their own hands.
In the presence of an electric motor for 300 watts, I decided to use it for his self-made.
Also will be used the band. 1830 x 16 mm. We made the drive wheels from plywood.
These are the blanks for the drive wheels.
From the angle welded frame, installed the motor, drive wheels, made belt drive.
In order to prevent the saw from slipping while sawing, I put thrust bearings. The assembly consists of three bearings and two angles. I made the holes oval to regulate the clearances between them and the band. Such units are made two, the second is placed under the table.
Retractable rod, consisting of two welded corners and inserted profile tube. Secured by a bolt through a welded nut. The body of the boom is bolted to a horizontal angle bar and has mobility for adjusting.
From a profile pipe made the frame of the table, on the frame will be bolted sheet wood chipboard.
Installed belt guard on the opposite side from the cut, and a box on the top wheel.
The result is the following home-built band saw. It cuts very well and quickly, I’m completely satisfied with the homemade mower.