Thread: How to make wedges (small)

Originally Posted by Wongo

I once was a model ship builder.

Why bother? (Thanks for the offer, anyway, Wongo.)

I think WB's advice seems the way to go. I can't think of a way of automating it on the bandsaw.

Gidday Zen

Yup batch cutting & some kind of setup to taper your wedges would be the go. I'd take a bit of a different tac & make a jig so that the taper could be done on your sanding station.

I suspect you could set up with a bit of experimentation a Jig much like you would to do tapers on a table leg.

.............Hope this creates another option for you Zen

Regards Lou

Hey Zen what way does the grain need too go, towards the pointed end?

Yes Harry: the grain needs to point in the same direction as the wedge.

If you can get your stock to 5mm wide adn under say 3mm thick , use a disk sander to taper the end then cut off and do the next one will take less time than typing and reading these posts

The trouble with life is there's no background music.

Ashore

Well, here's my solution. Mill the stock to thickness and width on the bandsaw. One swipe on the 80 grit produces the taper, then dock the wedge with a chisel. Works well.

Have Fun Zen

REgards lou

Good to see the final solution.

Didn’t I tell you not to listen to WB. :mad:

Cut pieces on a saw slightly across the grain, then use a sharp chisel. The pointy bit can be rubbed on a rasp or similar if required.
cheers,
conwwod

Originally Posted by Wongo

Didn’t I tell you not to listen to WB. :mad:

I still haven't found my No5 :confused: , I might just pocket a good looking Workbench next week from the prime suspect. Tie it on the roof of the car and drive home with it.

Originally Posted by Wood Borer

Good to see the final solution.

Are you a German????

Al

I'd rip a large wedge with the rake and length you're after and then cut them to width.

I'd cut a nice square crossgrain slice (or several) off the stock that you are useing for the wedges about 10mm thick using a fine blade on the bandsaw. Next lay the slice endgrain up on the bandsaw table and set up a guide giving about 1.5mm clearance from the blade and makeing sure that it is angled to exactly follow however the blade is tracking. Now TILT the bandsaw table ever so slightly so that the blade is about .5mm from the guide 10mm above the table. Run a test, adjust the table angle until you can get an accurate wedge and adjust the guide so that the work piece is neither pinched by the blade nor tends to seperate from the guide... Best thing about doing it this way is that you flip the workpiece over front to back and push it through again to cut another strip of wedge again and again. When you have enough you can split off 5mm sections. Sounds complicated but really its very simple, wish I could show you in pictures rather than words.