Thread: Bandsaw sled and it works!

Great job. I sliced up a Lombardy Poplar section just before christmas on my bandsaw with just a fence. It was tough keeping everything level and square. Your sled looks like a great addition to the versatility of your bandsaw.

And some more cherry!

How do you move the fence towards the blade when you're making your second and subsequent cuts. Is there a clamping mechanism in the design to stabilise the log? I'm finding the sled a bit difficult to understand how it actually works other than the box on the near end supports the upstream end of the log and the track keeps the whole thing running straight.

I have a Macrocarpa tree on the farm which fell about five years ago and is now ready for milling. I've milled up one branch and the timber is beautiful.

Macrocarpa First Cut sample.jpg Rough dressed & wet colour.jpg

mick

Originally Posted by Cal

For @Glider.... This image shows the "adjustment". You can see the sliding part that is then apparently screwed down to the sled via the rear section.

I screw the fence to the sled and rescrew it after each cut. I could have gone to the effort of creating t slots in the sled or fence but screws were what I went for. It’s a bit messy but it works.

Originally Posted by poundy

For @Glider.... This image shows the "adjustment". You can see the sliding part that is then apparently screwed down to the sled via the rear section.

Thanks, Poundy. I probably didn't make myself clear. The sliding part was well shown in the photo. I was interested in the lateral adjustment which determined the thickness of each slice.

My uprooted dead Macrocarpa has been supported by its branches for at least five years so I reckon the bulk of the timber should be well and truly air dried by now.

And thanks Cal for sharing a good idea.

mick

Good job with sled and it looks like you got some nice timber there..

Originally Posted by Cal

I screw the fence to the sled and rescrew it after each cut. I could have gone to the effort of creating t slots in the sled or fence but screws were what I went for. It’s a bit messy but it works.

Yeah I found constant rescrewing MDF on a BS sled a bit of a pain so I made one using 2 sets of slots, one set adjusts to the length of the log and holds the log at both ends so the log cannot roll during the cut, the other pair of slots adjusts the log away/towards the band.
Also mine will handle an awkward shaped log so it doesn't all need to sit flat on the table, in fact none of the log needs to sit directly on the table.

BSS5.jpg

My sled is limited to logs up to 750mm but I find its safer to use one of my 4 chainsaw mill setups to mill logs longer than about 600 mm. My smallest mill/saw/rail combo can slab a 20" diameter x 1.5m long log. As soon as the log becomes heavier than the chainsaw mill it's far easier to lift the mill and log into position once and then it's simply a sliding action after that. This mill (the red bit can also be used with log rails and can mill logs as long as the rails.
DesertGum.jpg

The chainsaw does waste more wood during the cut but with a Lopro chain on my small mill it's not too bad

Originally Posted by Glider

Thanks, Poundy. I probably didn't make myself clear. The sliding part was well shown in the photo. I was interested in the lateral adjustment which determined the thickness of each slice.

My uprooted dead Macrocarpa has been supported by its branches for at least five years so I reckon the bulk of the timber should be well and truly air dried by now.

And thanks Cal for sharing a good idea.

mick

I didn't do well explaining what I saw from the pic either. The left side of the sled picture showed lots of holes drilled/redrilled. Forward of that was a "stepped in" edge that was an auxilliary sled sitting on the main sled, that was moved closer to / further from the blade as needed, to adjust the cut.

Thanks Bob, great set up with your bandsaw sled. I don’t do many of this size log and there was no point in starting up my 395xp and the Alaskan mill for such a small log, I would have lost too much timber in the process too. I don’t have a small chainsaw for this sort of thing either. I’m kind of using what I have available to me to get the job done. I will be using the cherry for ukulele backs, I already have a heap of quarter sawn cherry that I cut a while back for the sides and I have plenty of other timber to use for tops, necks etc. as well as other timbers for complete instruments. I’m unsure how many more trees I will collect to mill, I would like to concentrate on building the instruments more than trying to find room to store the timber.

Looking fwd too seeing the Ukes.

It think you have seen the Blackwood one I made a while ago, but here it is again.






I am going to redesign to add a bit more volume and change the shape. I will be starting one with Sapele back and sides and use it as a benchmark for others I make as its a proven timber choice like mahogany (which I will use for the neck)