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Tips and hints When using a stationary sander (I use a 4" x 36" sander/disk sander) use gloves to protect the fingers, these things really can bite! Another way to protect those fingers - when sanding thin pieces of wood, make a small wood block approximately 1 ½" X 3" X ¾" and stick a piece of 2 sided tape to one side (also called carpet tape. Stick the thin wood to the tape. Band saw blade guides wearing out, expensive to replace - make homemade blade guides from hardwood and don't be afraid to oil the area that comes in contact with the blade. I think they work better than the originals, the blade will stay sharp if you goof up and adjust them wrong. 'Round' the back of the 1/8" bandsaw blades with a piece of carborandum (knife sharpener) or grinding wheel for Dremel tools. This will help when making small curves. Also the tight curves are cut with the 'sides of the blade. Don't try to go too fast with the band saw, push the wood through slower and let the blade do the work. This will keep your blade cooler and sharper longer. This will also let the 'sides' of the blade cut better. Band saw blades don't have to be adjusted real tight like scroll saw blades do, too tight and they will break faster. To make small parts stronger, use "PC Petrifier", carried in some stores or online at www.pcepoxy.com it's made for rotten wood but works fine. Just put some in a small plastic sandwich bag and soak the parts a short time and let them dry. I use it, it works great. Now Minwax makes a wood hardener, really great stuff between 6 and 7 dollars at Home Depot and other hardware stores too, I just brush it on the parts, you can watch it soak in. It turns to plastic when it dries. Drilled a hole wrong? Just glue a dowel in, cut and sand it and when dry, drill the hole right. Make dowels fit tight but not too tight? Use tight fitting dowels, but sand a taper so that only the last part is tight. As a carpenter once told me, wood glue will hold a long time, but glue and clamp (when you can) will hold forever. When using a new band saw blade, sometimes the cuts are too wide. Finish the project, then apply a layer of glue on the 'loose' parts and let dry overnight, works great. Keep a small wooden 'hand' clamp handy for the tall thin cuts, this will keep the work piece 90° from the table (band saw). Want to get the most out of that expensive lumber when making the snakes? Click here. Hardwood is really getting expensive, for a way to save some of it click here. Having trouble drilling the dowel holes in the spider legs? Click here to see how to make the spider legs easily! Click here for instructions on how to use a hand clamp differently so you can make those tough cuts on your band saw easier. Clamp assistant. And here for instructions on how to make a wedge clamp for another way to make those tough cuts on snakes easier. Wedge clamp Do you have any tips for this type of wood working? I'd appreciate hearing them. Copyright © 2003-2007 Leonard Wardle, All Rights Reserved |
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