I've got some 4" sq x 2" thick pieces of various woods. I need to
make them as round as possible (so I end up with 4" disks, 2" thick).
I don't have a lathe (yet). I've got a bandsaw, a drill press, and a
bench-top belt sander (used 4x36 belts). What I thought I would do is
find the center and lay out a circle; cut as close as possible on band
saw; drill a hole in center and insert lag bolt and washer/nut; then
spin this with a hand drill while sanding on belt sander. Other
choice is making a jig for cutting circles on band saw - not too sure
this will work. Ideas/comments?

lektric dan wrote:
I've got some 4" sq x 2" thick pieces of various woods. I need to
make them as round as possible (so I end up with 4" disks, 2" thick).
I don't have a lathe (yet). I've got a bandsaw, a drill press, and a
bench-top belt sander (used 4x36 belts). What I thought I would do is
find the center and lay out a circle; cut as close as possible on band
saw; drill a hole in center and insert lag bolt and washer/nut; then
spin this with a hand drill while sanding on belt sander.

I'd like to think that would work; it sounds like it would be fun to
watch! ; ) I *might* try it if you built a fixture to hold your piece
(s) on an axis over your belt sander. Might as well do all 4 at once!
: ) Disclaimer: I don't have a belt sander.


Other
choice is making a jig for cutting circles on band saw - not too sure
this will work. Ideas/comments?

Maybe you could sand them by mounting the pieces on the drill press?
Adda coupla washers/nuts to an appropriate bolt with the nut cut off
(gosh what did I learn here... LOL). There are probably plenty of sound
reasons not to do that. But if you were going to do it, maybe a rasp
would be helpful?

Hope you'll share how it comes out! Good luck!
Bill

Google: bandsaw circle cutting jig. there's lots of plans.

or try this: http://tinyurl.com/3kfb6wj

Mitch

On Apr 22, 7:09*pm, Bill wrote:

I'd like to think that would work; it sounds like it would be fun to
watch! *; ) * I *might* try it if you built a fixture to hold your piece
(s) on an axis over your belt sander. *Might as well do all 4 at once!
: ) *Disclaimer: I don't have a belt sander.

I've done this with thinner pieces - 1/4" plywood for centering rings
for sport rockets.

Maybe you could sand them by mounting the pieces on the drill press?
Adda coupla washers/nuts to an appropriate bolt with the nut cut off
(gosh what did I learn here... LOL). *There are probably plenty of sound
reasons not to do that. *But if you were going to do it, maybe a rasp
would be helpful?
Yeah, that would be another way - I think I've got a rasp I could use.
One problem is, even if I use a jig for the bandsaw, I've then got to
sand the disk smooth. Might as well do all the work with the disk(s)
rotating.

"lektric dan" wrote in message
...

I've got some 4" sq x 2" thick pieces of various woods. I need to
make them as round as possible (so I end up with 4" disks, 2" thick).
I don't have a lathe (yet). I've got a bandsaw, a drill press, and a
bench-top belt sander (used 4x36 belts). What I thought I would do is
find the center and lay out a circle; cut as close as possible on band
saw; drill a hole in center and insert lag bolt and washer/nut; then
spin this with a hand drill while sanding on belt sander. Other
choice is making a jig for cutting circles on band saw - not too sure
this will work. Ideas/comments?

OK, you've got a drill press and a band saw - pretty much all you need,
except for one gizmo described below:

1. Find the center of each piece and make a mark.

2. Draw an accurate 4" circle on top of each piece, centered on the mark.

2. With a sharp blade in your band saw, cut around the pencil line pretty
close but just outside the line.

4. Now get one of these:

http://www.google.com/products/catal...d=0CGkQ8wIwAA#

(a big $20 plus shipping)

5. Mount the pieces in the lathe attachment on your drill press, one by one,
and skin them down to exactly 4 inches in diameter. You could use a turning
tool as shown (maybe another $20), or a rasp, or even a belt sander which
you already own.

I'd use a turning tool, which might possibly have the pleasant side-effect
of introducing you to an entirely new and extremely interesting way of
working wood.

Sound good?

Tom

On 4/22/2011 6:35 PM, lektric dan wrote:
I've got some 4" sq x 2" thick pieces of various woods. I need to
make them as round as possible (so I end up with 4" disks, 2" thick).
I don't have a lathe (yet). I've got a bandsaw, a drill press, and a
bench-top belt sander (used 4x36 belts). What I thought I would do is
find the center and lay out a circle; cut as close as possible on band
saw; drill a hole in center and insert lag bolt and washer/nut; then
spin this with a hand drill while sanding on belt sander. Other
choice is making a jig for cutting circles on band saw - not too sure
this will work. Ideas/comments?

Does it have to be 4" exactly? If it does, then I would go with your
method. If it doesn't and can be a bit smaller, then you could use a 4"
hole saw. You may have to cut from both sides, but the pilot hole would
already be through if your guide bit is long enough.

--
Robert Allison
New Braunfels, TX

On Apr 22, 9:59*pm, "Tom Dacon"
wrote:

4. Now get one of these:

http://www.google.com/products/catal...the&hl=en&prmd....

A Grizzley "Lathe Attachment for Drill Press". What I have is an old
(but in good shape) Sears 8" drill press. Do you think this would
work with it? I'd have to go easy to keep from loading down the
motor, but if it would fit this might be the solution.

"Bill" wrote in message
...
lektric dan wrote:
I've got some 4" sq x 2" thick pieces of various woods. I need to
make them as round as possible (so I end up with 4" disks, 2"
thick).
I don't have a lathe (yet). I've got a bandsaw, a drill press, and
a
bench-top belt sander (used 4x36 belts). What I thought I would do
is
find the center and lay out a circle; cut as close as possible on
band
saw; drill a hole in center and insert lag bolt and washer/nut;
then
spin this with a hand drill while sanding on belt sander.

I'd like to think that would work; it sounds like it would be fun to
watch! ; ) I *might* try it if you built a fixture to hold your
piece (s) on an axis over your belt sander. Might as well do all 4
at once! : ) Disclaimer: I don't have a belt sander.


Other
choice is making a jig for cutting circles on band saw - not too
sure
this will work. Ideas/comments?

Maybe you could sand them by mounting the pieces on the drill press?
Adda coupla washers/nuts to an appropriate bolt with the nut cut off
(gosh what did I learn here... LOL). There are probably plenty of
sound reasons not to do that. But if you were going to do it, maybe
a rasp would be helpful?

Hope you'll share how it comes out! Good luck!
Bill


I don't see Google posters directly, so I'm hitching on
to Bill.

There is a sliding jig that can be described for doing this
on a table saw. A little sanding is required at the end but
that can be nicely done.

Hole saws are good. But if you've never used a big
one freehand, try it out on scrap first and make sure
your first surface contact s at the same time firmly
held, gentle and even while your target pieces are
immobilized.

Regards,

Edward Hennessey

In article ,
says...

lektric dan wrote:
I've got some 4" sq x 2" thick pieces of various woods. I need to
make them as round as possible (so I end up with 4" disks, 2" thick).
I don't have a lathe (yet). I've got a bandsaw, a drill press, and a
bench-top belt sander (used 4x36 belts). What I thought I would do is
find the center and lay out a circle; cut as close as possible on band
saw; drill a hole in center and insert lag bolt and washer/nut; then
spin this with a hand drill while sanding on belt sander. Other
choice is making a jig for cutting circles on band saw - not too sure
this will work. Ideas/comments?

Any of those will work. So would cutting them out (after knocking off most
on a saw) by spinning against a cutter on a router table.

The sanding you suggest would be better done IMO by mounting the disk in the
drill press and spinning against the belt sander.

If you want a smooth edge you're going to be finishing on a sander
anyway. I'd rough it on the band saw and finish on the sander. Jigs
for both are worth making. Don't have to be elaborate--a piece of MDF
with a hole in it clamped to the table will do fine. Size the hole for
a nail, drill a hole the same size in the center of the workpiece, drop
the nail through the two and cut. Or you can make a nice adjustable jig
if you want to get fancy.

On Sat, 23 Apr 2011 01:54:55 -0700 (PDT), lektric dan
wrote:

On Apr 22, 9:59*pm, "Tom Dacon"
wrote:

4. Now get one of these:

http://www.google.com/products/catal...the&hl=en&prmd...

A Grizzley "Lathe Attachment for Drill Press". What I have is an old
(but in good shape) Sears 8" drill press. Do you think this would
work with it? I'd have to go easy to keep from loading down the
motor, but if it would fit this might be the solution.

It's not a good idea to put lateral thrust on drill press' bearings (same with
sanding, etc.). They're not designed to work that way. A small drill press
like that likely won't take much abuse.

"lektric dan" wrote in message
...

On Apr 22, 9:59 pm, "Tom Dacon"
wrote:

4. Now get one of these:

http://www.google.com/products/catal...the&hl=en&prmd...

A Grizzley "Lathe Attachment for Drill Press". What I have is an old
(but in good shape) Sears 8" drill press. Do you think this would
work with it? I'd have to go easy to keep from loading down the
motor, but if it would fit this might be the solution.

Might be a little small for something like that. If you used a turning tool
to shape the block, my guess is that it'd just make the belt slip, and stall
the chuck. The little 8-inch Delta that I used to have would stall pretty
easily, even on just a good-sized hole saw.

And krw's comment (below) is definitely true. No drill press really likes
lateral thrust on the bearings, although the fact that the piece is
supported on both the top and bottom relieves a lot of the stress and makes
it workable for occasional use.

Tom

Thanks for the suggestion. My understanding id that hole saw "cups"
are tapered. Even if I cut from both sides, I'll end up with
something that needs more work to sand smooth. How much does a 4"
hole saw cost? This might be worth looking at.

On Apr 22, 11:12*pm, Robert Allison wrote:

Does it have to be 4" exactly? *If it does, then I would go with your
method. *If it doesn't and can be a bit smaller, then you could use a 4"
hole saw. *You may have to cut from both sides, but the pilot hole would
already be through if your guide bit is long enough.

--
Robert Allison
New Braunfels, TX

On 4/23/2011 10:14 PM, lektric dan wrote:
Thanks for the suggestion. My understanding id that hole saw "cups"
are tapered. Even if I cut from both sides, I'll end up with
something that needs more work to sand smooth. How much does a 4"
hole saw cost? This might be worth looking at.

On Apr 22, 11:12 pm, Robert wrote:

Does it have to be 4" exactly? If it does, then I would go with your
method. If it doesn't and can be a bit smaller, then you could use a 4"
hole saw. You may have to cut from both sides, but the pilot hole would
already be through if your guide bit is long enough.

--
Robert Allison
New Braunfels, TX


My hole saw cups are not tapered. A good hole saw is about $20 bucks or
so, I haven't had to buy a large one in quite a while. If you have to
buy an arbor, then it may cost another $15-20. If you get a 4-1/4" it
should turn out close to a 4" hole. You would probably have to order
it, though, 4" is much more common. Go to a plumbing supply or an
electrical supply and try there for better selection.

--
Robert Allison
New Braunfels, TX

On Sat, 23 Apr 2011 23:49:00 -0500, Robert Allison
wrote:

On 4/23/2011 10:14 PM, lektric dan wrote:
Thanks for the suggestion. My understanding id that hole saw "cups"
are tapered. Even if I cut from both sides, I'll end up with
something that needs more work to sand smooth. How much does a 4"
hole saw cost? This might be worth looking at.

On Apr 22, 11:12 pm, Robert wrote:

Does it have to be 4" exactly? If it does, then I would go with your
method. If it doesn't and can be a bit smaller, then you could use a 4"
hole saw. You may have to cut from both sides, but the pilot hole would
already be through if your guide bit is long enough.

--
Robert Allison
New Braunfels, TX


My hole saw cups are not tapered. A good hole saw is about $20 bucks or
so, I haven't had to buy a large one in quite a while. If you have to
buy an arbor, then it may cost another $15-20. If you get a 4-1/4" it
should turn out close to a 4" hole. You would probably have to order
it, though, 4" is much more common. Go to a plumbing supply or an
electrical supply and try there for better selection.

You'll probably find 4" and 4-1/4" at Lowes or Home Depot.

On 04/23/2011 12:12 AM, Robert Allison wrote:
On 4/22/2011 6:35 PM, lektric dan wrote:
I've got some 4" sq x 2" thick pieces of various woods. I need to
make them as round as possible (so I end up with 4" disks, 2" thick).
I don't have a lathe (yet). I've got a bandsaw, a drill press, and a
bench-top belt sander (used 4x36 belts). What I thought I would do is
find the center and lay out a circle; cut as close as possible on band
saw; drill a hole in center and insert lag bolt and washer/nut; then
spin this with a hand drill while sanding on belt sander. Other
choice is making a jig for cutting circles on band saw - not too sure
this will work. Ideas/comments?

Does it have to be 4" exactly? If it does, then I would go with your
method. If it doesn't and can be a bit smaller, then you could use a 4"
hole saw. You may have to cut from both sides, but the pilot hole would
already be through if your guide bit is long enough.



Be aware that hole saws that large generally require a 1/2" chuck. Your
drill press can probably handle that but its worth checking beforehand.

John