Producing square cuts & cutting to uniform and accurate length

Advert

Producing square cuts & cutting to uniform and accurate length

Home Forums Beginners Producing square cuts & cutting to uniform and accurate length

  • This topic is empty.
Viewing 25 posts - 1 through 25 (of 33 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #1843
    Martin Bennington
    Participant
      @martinbennington89275
      Advert
      #19470
      Martin Bennington
      Participant
        @martinbennington89275
        Hello everyone, this may sound like a bit of a billy-basic question but…
         
        Does anyone have any tips for cutting strips of wood and producing a neat and square result? I find using a saw and a hobby size mitre block while it produces a square cut it is not a particularly neat cut. Using a knife produces a cleaner cut but its more difficult to get it square?
         
        I could also do with some tips on cutting multiple pieces of wood to a uniform and accurate length, something I seem to have problems with, could be a slight lack of patience on my part!
         
        I thought there may be some sort of tool/jig available which would be of use in the above?
         
        Thanks in advance for any advice anyone may be able to offer.
         
        Martin
        #19472
        Colin Bishop
        Moderator
          @colinbishop34627
          If the wood is of small cross section then a guillotine cutter may be the answer. I bought one of these from proops and find it very useful. See : http://www.proopsbrothers.com/acatalog/
          Online_Catalogue_Paper_Card_Cutting_12.html
           
          You can buy more expensive ones elsewhere but this one works OK for me and is not expensive.
           
          Colin
           
          Sorry, the length of the link has messed up the formatting a bit!

          Edited By Colin Bishop on 17/03/2009 23:05:07

          Edited By Colin Bishop on 18/03/2009 09:24:20

          #19473
          ashley needham
          Participant
            @ashleyneedham69188

            I use a small CLARKE “hobby” bandsaw, very inexpensive, from “machine mart”, but available all over the place. Cuts wood and balsa very nicely, and with a fine tooth blade, very cleanly. I find its the most useful tool in the woodwork shop. Ashley

            #19479
            Paul T
            Participant
              @pault84577

              Hello Martin

              For cutting with a craft knife the first rule is to always use a sharp blade and to help the blade stay sharp try cutting on a self healing cutting mat, to achieve square cuts buy yourself a small engineers square with a metal blade and use this every time you make a short cut.

              For longer cuts firstly make sure that the wood is firmly fixed to the cutting mat, I use double sided tape, and use a steel rule as a straight edge for the knife to follow.

              As for using a handsaw in a mitre box I use Japanese razor saw which is very sharp and has a pull action, it cuts as you pull the blade back rather than the traditional saws that cut as you push away. And I put a piece of scrap wood under the timber that I am cutting so that the saw doesn’t bite into the mitre box.

              There is no secret to cutting wood just use sharp tools, steel straight edges and always firmly clamp the wood so it can’t skip about under the blade.

              For making uniform cuts try using a template and making all of the parts by cutting around it.

              I hope this helps.

              Paul

              Edited By The Fat Controller on 18/03/2009 07:05:43

              #19480
              Bob Abell 2
              Participant
                @bobabell2
                Colin
                 
                Please sort out the adverts on the right…………….we can`t read the postings!
                 
                Bob
                #19482
                Paul T
                Participant
                  @pault84577
                  Bob
                   
                  There is no problem on my machine as the adverts are all below the postings try checking your screen setup.
                   
                  Paul
                  #19483
                  Bob Abell 2
                  Participant
                    @bobabell2
                    Hello Paul
                     
                    I can`t read your words after……”checking”……………..then the next line says…..”setup”
                     
                    Don`t know where “setup”…is?
                     
                    My pc has been on the blink lately….the usual guff….password etc
                     
                    Bob
                    #19488
                    Bob Abell 2
                    Participant
                      @bobabell2
                      Colin……………Some pages are spaced correctly……………but this one ain`t!
                       
                      Is it your fault or mine?
                       
                      Bob
                      #19489
                      Ducky
                      Participant
                        @ducky
                         Hi Bob
                         
                        Mine is the same as yours ,can’t read the words on the right of the page because of the adverts,other pages alright.
                         
                        Don’t need to go to Specsavers yet Bob
                         
                        Ducky
                        #19490
                        Bob Abell 2
                        Participant
                          @bobabell2
                          Thank goodness for that!
                           
                          Thank you Duckie
                           
                          PS ……………AZIZ and MICRO MAGIC day today?……………..Maiden voyages……………………Will see you there?
                           
                          Notice………..I`ve made the lines short so Duckie can read `em!
                           
                          Bob
                          #19491
                          Colin Bishop
                          Moderator
                            @colinbishop34627
                            If you look at my initial post you will see I explained that the long link messed up the formatting! I have split it now so should be OK.
                             
                            Colin
                            #19493
                            Bob Abell 2
                            Participant
                              @bobabell2
                              OK………But The Fat Controller said his pc was ok?………………Hmmmmmmmmmmmm
                               
                              Going with the flow, Bob
                              #19495
                              Rick Fryer
                              Participant
                                @rickfryer11539
                                Colin,
                                 
                                Getting back on topic, I’ve got a few hundred deck planks to cut out of 1/16 x 3/16 obechi. Before I buy that little guillotine – which looks ideal – do you think it’s up to the job?
                                 
                                Thanks,
                                 
                                Rick
                                #19498
                                Colin Bishop
                                Moderator
                                  @colinbishop34627
                                  Difficult to say Rick,
                                   
                                  The blades are pretty sturdy and as long as you get a good supply of spares so you always have a sharp one it should be OK. I have just tried mine on a piece of 1/16 x 3/16 hardwood and it went through it like butter.
                                   
                                  If you want something beefier you could try these:
                                   
                                   
                                   
                                  But they are a bit pricier!
                                   
                                  Colin
                                  #19499
                                  Bob Abell 2
                                  Participant
                                    @bobabell2
                                    Rick
                                    If I had a lot of planks to make……………I`d snap them off with a pair of wire snips, make a bundle of them and simply face them off on the linisher…………..all at the same time……………….No problem!
                                     
                                    Bob
                                    #19502
                                    Colin Bishop
                                    Moderator
                                      @colinbishop34627
                                      Not everybody has a finisher Bob!
                                       
                                      Colin
                                      #19504
                                      Paul T
                                      Participant
                                        @pault84577
                                        Bobs method can also be used on a flat sander or even a piece of sandpaper fixed flat to a table.
                                         
                                        Paul
                                        #19506
                                        Martin Bennington
                                        Participant
                                          @martinbennington89275

                                          Thank you everyone for the posts! The Amati Master cut looks just the job – I now have one on order!

                                          Thanks guys – Martin

                                          #19530
                                          Rick Fryer
                                          Participant
                                            @rickfryer11539
                                            Thanks Colin. Think I’ll order a guillotine – and some spare blades.
                                             
                                            Rick
                                            #19535
                                            Len Ochiltree
                                            Participant
                                              @lenochiltree67043
                                              Advise please,
                                              I have a Bandsaw that will not cut straight.
                                              I expect I need to adjust the blade guides that are either side of the blade rather like brushes,do these need to be tight against the blade?
                                               
                                              Len in a wiggle.
                                              #19536
                                              Bob Abell 2
                                              Participant
                                                @bobabell2
                                                Hello Len
                                                 
                                                For starters………….You need a new blade!……………Worn blades cause the cut to follow the wood grain…………and the blade can`t  “breathe”
                                                 
                                                The side guides should be as close as possible, but not tight
                                                 
                                                They need careful setting, make sure the first side guide is not pushing the blade over….then bring the other side guide in.
                                                 
                                                Bob
                                                #19593
                                                Len Ochiltree
                                                Participant
                                                  @lenochiltree67043
                                                  Hi Bob,
                                                   
                                                  It is a new Band saw but thanks for your input.
                                                   
                                                  Len.
                                                  #19595
                                                  Paul T
                                                  Participant
                                                    @pault84577
                                                    Len
                                                     
                                                    What make is it?
                                                     
                                                    Paul
                                                    #19625
                                                    Dr John Booth
                                                    Participant
                                                      @drjohnbooth43899
                                                      Len
                                                       
                                                      I have a Powercraft bandsaw with the same problems. I have set it up correctly and tightened the new blade to the full extent and yet the blade still will not cut straight.
                                                       
                                                      John
                                                    Viewing 25 posts - 1 through 25 (of 33 total)
                                                    • Please log in to reply to this topic. Registering is free and easy using the links on the menu at the top of this page.

                                                    Code of conduct | Forum Help/FAQs

                                                    Advert

                                                    Latest Replies

                                                    Home Forums Beginners Topics

                                                    Viewing 25 topics - 1 through 25 (of 25 total)
                                                    Viewing 25 topics - 1 through 25 (of 25 total)

                                                    View full reply list.

                                                    Advert

                                                    Newsletter Sign-up