Serious bandsaw use question though maybe stupid too ...

[Sam Murdoch]

THE QUESTION - Can I tip my bandsaw 15° to 20° off plumb in order to make 2 minutes worth of an awkward cut easier?


I need to add a bevel to 2 half circles - 1" thick cherry table halves 54" dia. I have tilted the bandsaw table (a Laguna 14" SUV) to 35° and set up a stop so that I can get a controlled bevel on 3/4 of the thickness of the top. Much better than using a router as I can get any bevel I want with no risk of tear out as I try to bevel through the cross grain of the circles.

Easy to do on the small bench tops and it is possible to edge the table sections too (I've done a dry run with one). Nonetheless, running the table top will be a challenge. I work alone and the top is heavy and the remaining table surface of the band saw is very small. Thought that if I could tilt the saw to a bit so that the table top comes closer to level that I will make this job easier and safer (safer for the work). Would of course secure the saw firmly. Just don't know if I am risking damage to the saw. That is not obvious to me, and so I ask.

Thank you for your considered opinion.

[Jeff Duncan]

I don't see why not? I know of guys who keep smaller saws in their shops so they can actually roll the bandsaw instead of the work on really large pieces. So my feeling is if you can rig it up so it's safe....go for it! Of course I'd prefer a good heavy shaper myself....but in the absence of one....

good luck,
jeffD

[Stephen Cherry]

I would think that the forces involved in tilting the saw would be very minor compared to the tension forces. One thing I would do is tie a rope or strap to the ceiling somehow so that the saw has no chance of falling.

[jack forsberg]

you could always try to find one the theses. They call them chairs saw in the UK

BursgreenMZF_zps17cdf7f7.jpg

jack
English machines

[Tai Fu]

I googled "chair saw" and all I find are images from the movie "Saw" of people strapped to chairs...

[jack forsberg]

I googled "chair saw" and all I find are images from the movie "Saw" of people strapped to chairs...

Google ship saws in images. your eyes will pop.

jack
English machines

[Sam Murdoch]

you could always try to find one the theses. They call them chairs saw in the UK

BursgreenMZF_zps17cdf7f7.jpg

jack
English machines

I used a bandsaw behemoth similar to this in the ship yards back in the 70s/80s. Not available to me now though. Would be the answer to my question that's for sure
This is my project today, so with your encouragement and some courage of my own I will set up to do the bevels on my tilted bandsaw. I'll let you know how it goes.
Thanks.

[Sam Murdoch]

OK, here was my set up -

Mail Attachment.jpg Mail Attachment copy 3.jpg Mail Attachment copy.jpg

Almost all went OK though I had some concerns. I did the 2 table tops, 4 bench tops -2 of those curved, and the ends of the leaves. Near the end of the job I did have a dope slap worthy moment when the blade slipped off the wheel. There wasn't any warning. After I put it all back together I studied my set up and realized that I was running a 3/4" Resaw King which wasn't too happy about cutting the curve - insert dope slap here . Would have had no problems running a 1/2" blade. This oversight was me needing to remember and rethink bandsaw basics before jumping in to some operations. Lots of handwork to go on these edges but at least the bevel is established.

Thank you for your encouragement. This tilted bandsaw was really my best solution considering my shop set up.

[Brian Kent]

Well Sam, if I had seen this sooner I would have said, "No, you can't." Now that you have done it successfully, all I can say is "yikes!".

I think one of these would be safer (and no that is not a perspective problem, it really is that much bigger than the guy in the picture, and it goes underground too to make room for the bottom wheel):

[Rick Potter]

A little late to the party, but Sears made a tilting head band saw that you can find on CL for $100 or so. Would probably work for occasional use.

Rick Potter

[Buck Williams]

Congratulations on your "necessity is the mother of invention" moment. I would have assessed the potential damage to the bandsaw, the workpiece and my body would have taken up another "hobby".

[Mark Wooden]

Nice. Thinking outside the box get's it done-

(pssssst!- the bandsaw didn't know it was tilted- don't tell it and all will be cool!)

[Mike Cutler]

That was an "out there" moment. Cool
I gotta remember that tip for the future.

[Larry Edgerton]

Very cool idea Sam. I will commit that one to memory.

Glad I sold my Oliver 36"!

Larry

[Peter Quinn]

Very cool idea Sam. I will commit that one to memory.

Glad I sold my Oliver 36"!

Larry

Lol rof......mental image of a man tilting a 36" Oliver only to have it crush the bench it's leaning on. Sam, that's a great looking setup, I love the way you made this happen. Very resourceful. I've seen one of those keel saws down at Mystic, short of a gantry they have nothing on you!