Thread: Power Hacksaws V's Bandsaws

I agonised over what size to buy. 6" or 8". If I were to make one then I would be over the moon with a 6"! When you take measurements and work out how much material is needed it soon becomes apparent that it's quite a bit! After talking to people here and listening to their needs and opinions I decided to spend the extra (at live with the 30Kg of steel) and get an 8". It weighs considerably more than the 6" but I'm glad of my decision and I'm reasonably fit and strong so it does not bother me. It does not take much to use up all the space available, the 130mm diameter gear blank makes short work of it's space with just enough on the periphery to allow for the clamping kit.

Cheers,

Simon

Yeah I had enough trouble matching a 80mm dia hub on my 6", I would go at least 8" or big as you can....

Simon, first its toy story sheets now a line from the incredibles. Have you been watching too many kiddies movies?

Michael, I meant to ask, when hobbing that gear did you set the cross slide to the correct depth and bring the gear into the hob sideways, or put the hob into the gashes and drive it to depth as soon as you started the lathe?

Cheers,
Ew

Originally Posted by Ueee

Michael, I meant to ask, when hobbing that gear did you set the cross slide to the correct depth and bring the gear into the hob sideways, or put the hob into the gashes and drive it to depth as soon as you started the lathe?

Cheers,
Ew

Plan B. The gashing was not full depth so I started with the hob engaged as far as I could then went to depth asap.

Michael

Originally Posted by simonl

I agonised over what size to buy. 6" or 8". If I were to make one then I would be over the moon with a 6"! When you take measurements and work out how much material is needed it soon becomes apparent that it's quite a bit! After talking to people here and listening to their needs and opinions I decided to spend the extra (at live with the 30Kg of steel) and get an 8". It weighs considerably more than the 6" but I'm glad of my decision and I'm reasonably fit and strong so it does not bother me. It does not take much to use up all the space available, the 130mm diameter gear blank makes short work of it's space with just enough on the periphery to allow for the clamping kit.

Cheers,

Simon

Hmmm. Now you have got me thinking. You know I clean forgot to consider outside clamping when looking at the size question lol. I think I will be aiming towards an 8inch.

Dean

Originally Posted by Oldneweng

Hmmm. Now you have got me thinking. You know I clean forgot to consider outside clamping when looking at the size question lol. I think I will be aiming towards an 8inch.

Dean

Do not forget the clamping problem.

I've got a 10" RT and my only objection to it is the sheer mass of it. For some jobs I've been scratching to make the clamps fit.

However - if your need for a bigger table is only occasional - see if you can score a nice chunk of aluminium at least 16mm thick and say 300mm dia. 20mm thick would be better. Drill a grid of M10 threaded holes or whatever size your clamping kit is, and bolt the plate to the RT when you need the extra diameter. That's my plan for next time I've got a job that really requires a 12" RT.

PDW

Originally Posted by PDW

see if you can score a nice chunk of aluminium at least 16mm thick and say 300mm dia. 20mm thick would be better.

I turned down a barbell weight to adapt a 4 jaw (4 hole) chuck to my 3 slot RT (8"). I think it's about 10". I could have bought a bigger one, they're fairly cheap. Also large face plates sometimes come up cheap-ish. Like, $100, or less if you're lucky.

Do not forget the clamping problem.

I've got a 10" RT and my only objection to it is the sheer mass of it. For some jobs I've been scratching to make the clamps fit.

However - if your need for a bigger table is only occasional - see if you can score a nice chunk of aluminium at least 16mm thick and say 300mm dia. 20mm thick would be better. Drill a grid of M10 threaded holes or whatever size your clamping kit is, and bolt the plate to the RT when you need the extra diameter. That's my plan for next time I've got a job that really requires a 12" RT.

PDW

I turned down a barbell weight to adapt a 4 jaw (4hole) hole chuck to my 3 slot RT. I think it's about 10". I could have bought a bigger one, they're fairly cheap. Also large face plates sometimes come up cheap-ish. Like, $100, or less if you're lucky.

Both good ideas. My mill table is 240mm deep so I think that an 8 inch RT would be big enough with the option of a bigger plate when needed.

Dean

Having a R/T much larger than the width of your table is probably a diminishing return thing - while you can put bigger things on it, it is harder to handle/ lift, you may not be able to travel it's full width and the overhang may prevent you from getting full travel from your table. If your table is 240mm wide, 8" is probably a good size. You could squeeze on a 10", but it's probably not worth it. A snapshot from a Yuasa manual. They are not complicated beasts

table (Medium).jpg

Michael

Originally Posted by Ueee

Simon, first its toy story sheets now a line from the incredibles. Have you been watching too many kiddies movies?

Ha! The other day at work we driving around in the truck and we were throwing lines from Incredibles at each other........ We both have kids, well that's our excuse anyway!

So, thought it was time to add one of my favourite quotes from the movie..... was either that or a quote from Team America. Another Fav of mine!

Simon

Hehe...the problem with a Team America quote is it would be half blanked out....

As for making an rt, i plan to one day. Nice big one, 12" or so. Might just be a few years away yet......

Originally Posted by Oldneweng

Both good ideas. My mill table is 240mm deep so I think that an 8 inch RT would be big enough with the option of a bigger plate when needed.

Dean

Go for the 8''.you wont regret the extra purchase cost''bigger the better''.Some times our pockets dictate the size we can afford.Because of its limited use if you are not in a manufacturing or production mode,the few extra bucks will be long forgotten when you got the right kit for the job in hand.We all have had the if only experience and is why I scrimp and save for the best, if it leaves you light for smokes and a beer for a few weeks.So be it. Cheers John.

Originally Posted by Michael G

Having a R/T much larger than the width of your table is probably a diminishing return thing - while you can put bigger things on it, it is harder to handle/ lift, you may not be able to travel it's full width and the overhang may prevent you from getting full travel from your table.

This is true. My 10" RT is considerably wider than 10" at its base (it has powered feed shaft & g/box on the side) and it overhangs the 9" wide B/port table. Due to the nature of RT work this has so far not been a problem with Y axis travel but it could be.

Mind you this is also where the flexibility of the turret type mills come in handy as you can move the RT out of line with the column and slew the turret head to position, thereby regaining full Y axis travel.

Ideally I'd have a smaller 8" RT as well for work that was going to be done in a chuck, maybe even a 6" with good 4 jaw.

Hadn't thought of using a bigger face plate as accessory table top I must admit. I know a place with a ton of them fro sale, must ask the price.

PDW

Originally Posted by simonl

Ha! The other day at work we driving around in the truck and we were throwing lines from Incredibles at each other........ We both have kids, well that's our excuse anyway!

So, thought it was time to add one of my favourite quotes from the movie..... was either that or a quote from Team America. Another Fav of mine!

Simon

One of my mates at work used to be able to recite any childs TV show theme song in its entirety. Hearing him recite the entire Gilligans Island theme song is interesting as I did not know all that stuff was in it. Shows how good my attention was at the time. Its worse now. I have not turned on my TV for at least 6 months. Nothing to watch. I do not follow football. I prefer to have a life.

Dean

Originally Posted by j.ashburn

Go for the 8''.you wont regret the extra purchase cost''bigger the better''.Some times our pockets dictate the size we can afford.Because of its limited use if you are not in a manufacturing or production mode,the few extra bucks will be long forgotten when you got the right kit for the job in hand.We all have had the if only experience and is why I scrimp and save for the best, if it leaves you light for smokes and a beer for a few weeks.So be it. Cheers John.

It would be the purchase of extra materials to make it in this case. "light for smokes and beer"?. No problem I have not smoked for many years and don't get me started on that subject. I don't drink beer. It must be an acquired taste or something because it has always tasted like c%(# to me. This is written as I suck on my 2nd strong Jim Beam for the evening. Usually drink whisky, Glenlivet for choice but cannot always afford it.

Dean