Got in a fight with the bandsaw...

[Jonathan Harvey]

The bandsaw won

Anyways I was trying to make an 8 thick" (round) blank into two 4" round blanks. I guess I should not be cutting round things in half as it pulled the blank out of my hands when it started cutting (hope this makes sense to everyone) and jammed the blade and twisted it sideways. Now my blade is all bent out of shape (quite bad in some places). Just wondering if the blade is still usable i.e. can it somehow be straightened again? I don't see how it can so I threw on a new one. The kicker is I have only used the blade three times, so a somewhat costly error on my part.

Is this just a fluke or is cutting round blanks in half just a dangerous procedure that should not be done? Tips and techniques appreciated.

Jonathan

[Jim Becker]

Not a fluke. Cutting anything round like that that is not clamped to a support that refuses to let it rotate and get caught by the blade is pretty unsafe. It can easily pull your hand into the blade in certain circumstances, too...

[Mike A. Smith]

Lucky it was the blade and not you! Ditto Jim's comment, some type of sled with vertical or wedge supports for clamping. It would pretty much have to be custom to be safe.

[Jonathon Spafford]

I did the same thing some months ago... kinda irritating!!! http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=41331

Some people I know do it without v-blocks, but it isn't very smart! I mean, why gamble with your fingers when it is just as quick with a couple blocks under the piece.

[William Bachtel]

This accident can happen on other power tools also. To small and/or not clamped or supported can be DANGEROUS. If it feels like it is dangerous, or wrong don't proceed. If you haven't tried this method before ask someone who has. Fingers, hands, eyes, and other body parts do not grow back.

[Frank Kobilsek]

Jonathon

YOU ARE LUCKY all you lost is a blade. A good turning buddy of mine is missing a finger from that move.

Even small round items can rotate and will happen with such speed and force to pull your hand into the blade.

To 'split' bowl blanks you will find a chain saw very effective.

Frank

[Jonathan Harvey]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I never would have thought it to be so dangerous, but now that I have tried it(bone heard move) and can see how dangerous it is, I will not be doing it again.

Next Question. How can I cut a round blank in half safely with a band saw?

Can I screw a longer flat board to the face of the blank? I think that would stop the blank from being able to rotate?

Suggestions.

[Bob Hampton]

If I can stick my 2 cents in here...this is a little trick I do when i have or want to cut something round on the bandsaw ..be it a bowl blank or log.

When I want to cut a bowl blank in half or make it thinner i use one of those large wood clamps...not sure of the correct name ..I call them furniture clamps...I either lay it flat on the table and clamp around the bottom sideways and use this as a sled or if the blank is long I will set the clamp upright with the nose on the table and use it as a handle...clamped tightly this will not allow the piece to rotate a bit.
If the piece is small sometimes you can clamp the log or blank to the miter gauge.
One other way is to use a "pipe sled" this is a sled designed to be used with the miter slot in the bandsaw table made with a 3ft pipe clamp if you google that you can see what it is...sorry dont have a pic of it but works like a charm and easy to make.
Bob

[Reed Gray]

If I am going to cut a round blank in half, I use 2 methods. One, while the blank is still square, I rip it in half on the bandsaw. Two, I put it on the lathe, and using a longer parting tool, I part it in half. This is one very good use for the straight blades on the McNaughton coring system. You can also part off several blanks from a cylinder if you want to. You could also do it with a chainsaw, if the blank is already round, but the other 2 methods work better.
robo hippy

[Mike Peace]

Glad you are OK.

I had a similar mishap trying to cut a cylinder in half to make the base and top of a lidded box without too much waste to affect the grain pattern. The BS jerked it out of my hands with a loud noise and the cylinder landed on the floor with a bad blade mark on it. I fortunately came out unscathed but shaken. Scarey! I was cutting it on a plywood sled with a small fence nailed to the back of the plywood sled. I now use a 12" wooden screw clamp like Bob suggests. It holds the cylinder tight and gives a flat surface to slide across the BS table. MOst importantly it gives me something to hold on to keep my fingers away from the blade.

[Keith Christopher]

Sad to say the bandsaw is one of the tools I don't typically take 'extreme' care on. Thanks for the reminder. it seems so...'docile'

Glad you weren't hurt.

[Dick Strauss]

I learned the hard way that even a 1.5x2.5 oval branch can get rolled and jammed into the blade if you are not careful. Toss the blade, chalk it up to experience, and remember to be more careful in the future.

[Martin Braun]

Depending on the dimensions of the piece, if you have some short cabinet clamps with big jaws (e.g. Bessey K-bodys) you could use one to grip the log on the end and stabilize the cut. Just be sure the clamp has the plastic covers on the jaws to help protect the bandsaw table. This won't work in some case, but it's a quick way to stabilize the log if conditions are favorable.

[Hilel Salomon]

Hi,

I've had the same thing happen to me when trying to round out a blank that was not flat at the bottom. The internet has several suggestions on how to build a sled. If you'll be doing this frequently, you might wish to build an adjustable one with a metal or wood dovetail piece on the bottom to go into the miter slot on your bs, and some means to move the fence in out. I bought a metal one from woodcraft several years ago, but they don't carry it anymore.
Luck, Hilel.