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  1. #1
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    Question Cutting candles with a bandsaw

    Weird question for a woodworking forum but.... I need some advice.

    My brother makes candles for a living. Upon pulling the pillar candles out of the molds they tend to have slightly uneven bottoms. So he saws the bottoms off so they will stand up straight.

    He is currently using a neighbors tablesaw with the standard miter that comes with it. For most of the candles he has to make two passes because some of them are 6" tall.

    DANGEROUS! DANGEROUS! DANGEROUS!

    I'm afraid he's in for an accident one of these days.

    As you might imagine he does not make a whole lot as a candlemaker.

    I would like to purchase a bandsaw for him to get the job done in a much safer manner.

    Grizzly has a Meat Cutting bandsaw for sale that has a sliding table and a 9" cutting height. This sounds perfect from the standpoint that it will handle any size candle he makes and the sliding table would not only make it quite safe but prevent the candle from getting scuffed from pushing it across the table.

    However -- when I asked Grizzly about it their response was that they had never heard of cutting candles with a bandsaw before and could not recommend it.

    Are they just trying to cover their butts?

    I think this should work, but I thought I would run it past you guys before plunking down $350.

    Thanks guys.

    Jeff Skory

  2. #2
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    Wow...we get all kinds in here!

    When I first read your post, I didn't think it would be a big deal but I have some other thoughts:

    What about a compound miter saw? However, even the big 12" ones can't handle 6" dia.

    Then I thought about a metal cutting bandsaw...the kind that you bring the blade into the pipe. Dunno if they're cheaper than $350 and I'm pretty sure they can handle 6" dia. all day long.

    Finally, I'm like, "It's a friggin' candle!!" At worst, some experimentation with cutting speed and the right bandsaw blade (tpi) might be looked at but overall, how could using a BS possibly not work?? Sounds perfect to me!

    He might need to pay attention to wax build-up both on the blade and the tires (perhaps they might start slipping??) but that is about it.

    How about making your brother some kind of safe jig for holding the candles while making two passes to cut them on the TS?
    Wood: a fickle medium....

    Did you know SMC is user supported? Please help.

  3. #3
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    Small correction

    Quote Originally Posted by Chris Padilla
    Wow...we get all kinds in here!

    When I first read your post, I didn't think it would be a big deal but I have some other thoughts:

    What about a compound miter saw? However, even the big 12" ones can't handle 6" dia.

    Then I thought about a metal cutting bandsaw...the kind that you bring the blade into the pipe. Dunno if they're cheaper than $350 and I'm pretty sure they can handle 6" dia. all day long.

    Finally, I'm like, "It's a friggin' candle!!" At worst, some experimentation with cutting speed and the right bandsaw blade (tpi) might be looked at but overall, how could using a BS possibly not work?? Sounds perfect to me!

    He might need to pay attention to wax build-up both on the blade and the tires (perhaps they might start slipping??) but that is about it.

    How about making your brother some kind of safe jig for holding the candles while making two passes to cut them on the TS?
    My Dewalt 706 CMS will cut 6" stock standing vertical or 6 5/8" crown molding (angled). That's about the limit, however.

    Cheers

    Art

  4. #4
    Say folks
    Can I throw one more thought into the stew?
    How about a saber saw (tiger saw)
    One of those hand held things
    And then mount it in a home made table
    With the blade vertical sticking out of the table, U could use a miter gage with it, to cut the candles.
    OR mount it in a hinge thing and hold the candle stationary against a fence and swing the saw down over it.
    Eh! I am just engaging brain
    Daniel
    "Howdy" from Southwestern PA

  5. #5
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    Yeah...a Sawzall!!

    Good thinking, Daniel.
    Wood: a fickle medium....

    Did you know SMC is user supported? Please help.

  6. #6
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    What he needs

    You need a beekeeprs capping knife. Mine is electrically heated and cuts right through wax. Capping knife Its a lot cheaper than a bandsaw too!
    Lee Schierer
    USNA '71
    Go Navy!

    My advice, comments and suggestions are free, but it costs money to run the site. If you found something of value here please give a little something back by becoming a contributor! Please Contribute

  7. #7
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    Another thought would be a horizontal bandsaw. The part is usually clamped in place and the saw cuts down through it automatically. They usually have an auto off feature to shut down when the cut is done so he can be doing other things while the machine is cutting. I think the little one at HF is on sale for $150 -160. The down side of this is the clamping - I don't know if it would damage the candle or if a custom clamp would be needed.
    I would agree with making a sled for the vertical BS. It can cradle the candle, yet still maintain a square cut. If his candles are only 6" consider a smaller unit - they are inexpensive especially if bought used - most people are looking for 14" units and larger so a 12" or a 3 wheel unit might be the ticket - if it has the blade clearence.


    Good luck, Wes

  8. #8
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    Jan 2004
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    Wixom, Michigan
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    Once again, thanks for all the ideas.

    The hot-wire / hot knife ideas are tempting but I don't think they would last with the number of candles he produces nor would they probably be quick enough. Also there will be a wick to get through.

    I decided am going to go with the Grizzly meat saw primarily because of the clearance (9") and the sliding tray.

    Thank you all for your input. This forum definitely has a great set of people.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Jonesboro, AR
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    How about an electric knife...

    ... that used to be used to cut the turkey?

    This works great for cutting thick foam using only one blade. It just might work for candles.

    I use old candle pieces melted down for sealing small pieces of green wood to prevent checking on the ends. I have some wax large pieces and I'll try my carving skills on one to see how it works. It will easily handle six inches.

    Clem

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Clem Wixted
    ... that used to be used to cut the turkey?

    This works great for cutting thick foam using only one blade. It just might work for candles.

    I use old candle pieces melted down for sealing small pieces of green wood to prevent checking on the ends. I have some wax large pieces and I'll try my carving skills on one to see how it works. It will easily handle six inches.

    Clem
    I'd forgotten about those old things. I'm minutes away from ordering the bandsaw. Hmmm... How soon are you going to test that Clem?

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff Skory
    Weird question for a woodworking forum but.... I need some advice.

    My brother makes candles for a living. Upon pulling the pillar candles out of the molds they tend to have slightly uneven bottoms. So he saws the bottoms off so they will stand up straight.


    I would like to purchase a bandsaw for him to get the job done in a much safer manner.

    I think this should work, but I thought I would run it past you guys before plunking down $350.

    I've never tried it, but don't see why it wouldn't work quite well.

    I'd make a sled to ride in the miter slot of the BS, so that the sides of the candle don't get scuffed, and would use a fairly coarse blade. Nearly any bandsaw ought to work quite well, I'd think.

    For cheap, what about a 14" saw from Horrible Fright (Harbor Freight)? Not the best saw for precision woodwork, but it should handle the candles okay.

    As for the wax on the blades, iI use paraffin wax to lube my BS blades occasionally...

  12. #12
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    Nov 2003
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    Now forgive me if this is stupid idea, but would a cheese cutter theory work? I mean, a tight thin wire (maybe heated) mounted to something like a guilitine. I think back to my youth and seem to recall my mother having something like this.

    Might have to make something like this but hey, like I said, forgive me if I'm off somewhere I shouldnt be.......

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rob Littleton
    Now forgive me if this is stupid idea, but would a cheese cutter theory work? I mean, a tight thin wire (maybe heated) mounted to something like a guilitine. I think back to my youth and seem to recall my mother having something like this.

    Might have to make something like this but hey, like I said, forgive me if I'm off somewhere I shouldnt be.......
    Did I forget THE WICK.........

    check this out http://www.degroate.com/cutter.html

  14. #14
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    Rob,

    Not bad, not bad. I like it! Judging by the pics, I'd say the blade is about 8" long.

    Jeff,

    Pick up this baby and make him a nice miter box to keep the ends square! We just saved you like $280!! Paypal will work fine for us...my Bay Area buddy Rob and I work as a team here.
    Wood: a fickle medium....

    Did you know SMC is user supported? Please help.

  15. #15
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    Thanks for all the feedback guys. It's much appreciated.

    I ran across that knife in my search to see if anyone else had any info on bandsaws and candles (which came up empty). I think that knife would work well for a hobbyist, but for someone who is pumping out large quantities of candles I don't think it would be quick enough.

    Jim, you mentioned that I should use a fairly coarse blade. Why is this?

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