I have a cheapo HF band saw, which I like a lot. Now that I am doing more
with it, I have found it is hard to miter the way the fence is set up, and
the bolts.

Has anyone modified the table to make it easier to cut repetitive cuts, or
just taken the head part, and made a new base with rotating clamp?

Either is doable, and I would then have two saws, one for straight cuts, and
one for miters. It would be convenient to have one that rolls around, and
long pieces of materials could be fed into it, rotating the whole thing.
Otherwise, with just the clamp rotating, the extra lengths sticks out and
you have to have a lot of room for them.

Ideas? Pics?

Steve

Steve B wrote:
I have a cheapo HF band saw, which I like a lot. Now that I am doing more
with it, I have found it is hard to miter the way the fence is set up, and
the bolts.

Has anyone modified the table to make it easier to cut repetitive cuts, or
just taken the head part, and made a new base with rotating clamp?

Either is doable, and I would then have two saws, one for straight cuts, and
one for miters. It would be convenient to have one that rolls around, and
long pieces of materials could be fed into it, rotating the whole thing.
Otherwise, with just the clamp rotating, the extra lengths sticks out and
you have to have a lot of room for them.

Ideas? Pics?

Steve


I'm getting this next month... http://tinyurl.com/zcmgc

"syoung" wrote in message
...
Steve B wrote:
I have a cheapo HF band saw, which I like a lot. Now that I am doing
more with it, I have found it is hard to miter the way the fence is set
up, and the bolts.

Has anyone modified the table to make it easier to cut repetitive cuts,
or just taken the head part, and made a new base with rotating clamp?

Either is doable, and I would then have two saws, one for straight cuts,
and one for miters. It would be convenient to have one that rolls
around, and long pieces of materials could be fed into it, rotating the
whole thing. Otherwise, with just the clamp rotating, the extra lengths
sticks out and you have to have a lot of room for them.

Ideas? Pics?

Steve
I'm getting this next month... http://tinyurl.com/zcmgc


Thanks a lot. I paid $149 for my HF model, IIRC, maybe a little less on
sale. That one for $199 looks like it would do the deal and save a LOT of
fab time, too. Will research it, and see if I can find one close to Las
Vegas, or what the shipping would be.

I like the little HF setup, but it leaves a little to be desired when
mitering.

Steve

Steve B writes:

Has anyone modified the table to make it easier to cut repetitive
cuts, or just taken the head part, and made a new base with rotating
clamp?

I just put scratch marks on the base for common angles, using a carbide
scribe.

"Richard J Kinch" wrote I just put scratch marks on the
base for common angles, using a carbide
scribe.

I am going to be making things from scale drawings, so I need something to
transpose angles quickly and accurately.

My biggest thing is that I want to keep the storage rack and feed in the
same place. My storage rack has rollers right under it so I drop a length
of material onto the rollers. I want the saw to stay stationary, with only
the head moving. That way, the drop table or drop rollers can always stay
in the same position. This makes it a lot easier and takes a lot less space
than rolling all that stuff out and moving it around to get a cut lined up.

Actually, it could be done by just putting rollers on the saw base and
turning the whole thing, but, as I say, it still gets a little complicated,
and a moveable head with an angle indicator on it would be the simplest
thing.

Steve