Do-it-yourself band saw for wood: diagram, photo and video do-it-yourself band saw for wood: diagram, photo and video

Setting up band saw equipment

The proper and high-quality operation of a carpentry installation depends directly on the equipment settings.
There is a scheme for setting up the installation. First, install the wheels parallel to each other. Next, install fluoroplastic washers necessary to prevent vertical displacement. For the first time, the launch is performed without guides. At this stage, the smooth start-up and clean operation of the engine are checked, and then a test cut is carried out using a blade, but with minimal loads. To work with increased loads, a block with guide belts is used. This design consists of two halves, which are installed along the line of the cutting blade.

Previously, craftsmen made not only machines, but also cutting blades with their own hands. It is difficult to independently close the belt unit into a ring and requires at least some initial experience in assembling the machine. Sharpening using a template is also carried out manually. You can do all this yourself, saving your money, but the modern market is simply filled with all sorts of devices and parts that improve the quality of material processing or make the equipment multifunctional. The main thing in this matter is to remember about safety precautions, because production models or homemade ones pose a great danger to human health.

Originally posted 2018-07-04 07:38:21.

Setting up the saw

A homemade bandsaw machine driven by a drill or a conventional electric motor will not work effectively unless the saw is adjusted.

This process follows the generally accepted scheme:

the parallelism of the wheels relative to each other is ensured;
to prevent displacement in the vertical direction, fluoroplastic washers are used, mounted on the shafts;
the system is launched in trial mode without installing guides;
test cutting is carried out without load;
After completing the adjustment operations, a block is installed to form the direction of movement of the belt.

If the saw of the machine is adjusted correctly, the wheels move smoothly without jerking. Such equipment will delight you with its high productivity and accuracy, which is especially valued among craftsmen.

Preparatory activities

Before starting assembly activities, based on the drawing, you should prepare the necessary materials and tools. This will allow you, first of all, to determine whether you have everything you need for the job (you will need to buy what’s missing), and also not to be distracted by little things during the process.

Required materials and tools

To make a band saw, you will need the following materials and parts:

boards or sheets of plywood (or chipboard) from which the frame, table, and pulleys will be made;
sheet steel (for saw);
channel used to create a support frame, or metal corners, or wooden blocks and slats;
bearings;
steel rod - for making pulley axles;
electric motor;
self-tapping screws, bolts with nuts and washers;
polyurethane glue;
rubber from a bicycle inner tube;
textolite;
bushings;
V-belt;
varnish or paint.

To work you will need the following tools:

screwdriver (with drills);
hammer;
wrenches (the size of bolts);
screwdrivers;
pliers;
Sander;
Bulgarian;
grinder;
jigsaw

Power tools can be easily replaced with their hand-held counterparts. But in this case, assembly will require more time and labor. When using metal corners or channels instead of wooden blocks, you will also need a welding machine and electrodes. The use of bolted connections creates additional problems with the tight fit of parts.

Recommendations for choosing tape fabric

Making a cutting blade with your own hands is quite difficult. For these purposes, tool steel grades U8 or U10 are needed. The saw must be flexible. Its thickness for relatively soft wood is from 0.2 to 0.4 mm, and for hard wood - from 0.4 to 0.8 mm. The blade length of the assembled version of the machine will be about 1.7 m. You will need to cut the teeth yourself, set them correctly and sharpen them. To solder the tape into a continuous ring (end-to-end), you will need to use a gas torch and solder. The connecting seam must be sanded afterwards.

It is much easier and more convenient to purchase a ready-made cutting blade of good quality in a store, so as not to waste time on its manufacture. The width of the products ranges from 18 to 88 mm. In this case, you need to focus on the material that is to be sawed. Manufacturers offer the following types of saws according to this criterion:

bimetallic, intended for performing work on metal (stainless steel and relatively strong alloys);
diamond, with which you can saw marble, quartz, granite and other hard materials;
carbide, allowing the processing of high-strength alloys;
made from strips of tool steel used for sawing wood.

The last variety is quite often equipped with machines assembled in domestic conditions. This is due to its affordability and practicality. But if you have to work with hard materials, then it is better to purchase a more durable, wear-resistant and expensive saw to reduce the likelihood of the tape breaking to a minimum.

If you plan to make a figured cut using a band saw, then you need to select the width of the blade taking into account the radius of curvature. Some relationships between these quantities are shown in the following photograph.

Advice! For even longitudinal sawing of lumber, wide cutting blades should be used. They allow you to make a more even cut.

When choosing a saw for wood, you also need to take into account the pitch of its teeth (the distance between their centers). The hardness of the wood that can be sawed depends on this. The following are the most common tooth profiles, their markings and areas of application.

You also need to pay attention to the quality of sharpening of the teeth. The cutting edge must be sharp and smooth

You should also ask your sales consultant about the possibility of re-sharpening it and how many times this can be done. For your own safety, it is recommended to give preference to higher quality canvases.

Dimensions

If you are planning primarily not cross-cutting, but longitudinal sawing, then wide band saws are more suitable for you. They have a more even cut and will not move along the fibers. When working with small parts, you should limit yourself to narrow files; they have a greater chance of not being damaged. Standard parameters are considered to be products with a width of 3.5 - 4 cm. But if you have to do figure cutting, then you should choose a tape no more than 2 cm. On the contrary, for large, massive logs there are models up to 88 millimeters.

Tools and materials

To create the type of saw in question, you will need the following tools and materials:

a piece of plywood approximately 1.5 centimeters thick;
timber made of solid wood;
tapes or attachments that will be used for a screwdriver or grinder;
a pair of bearings for a drive axle;
studs, washers, self-tapping screws, nuts, fittings;
a pair of shafts;
bolts that will be used to adjust the vertical and horizontal types;
a pair of brass bushings with internal threads;
PVA glue;
upper type axle bearings;
lamb for tuning screws;
insulating tape.

Separately, it should be noted that in order to correctly create certain parts of the saw, you must have drawings. To work you will also need the following components:

pulleys;
sawing table;
base;
cutting blade;
mechanism responsible for tensioning the tape.

Revival of the project

Equipment and materials:

metal plate 34.5x37.5 cm from the desktop computer case;
a piece of wood;
wood glue;
double-sided 10 mm tape;
insulating tape;
alcohol wipes;
jigsaw blades;
vice;
scissors;
marker;
awl;
roulette;
hammer;
drills 10 mm;
file;
jigsaw Black&Decker JS500 18 mm;
drill.

Rip fence

The band saw was already usable, but there was a lack of rip fence. The mechanism for fixing the stop was built on the basis of an eccentric. Due to the rounded front edge of the table, it was necessary to additionally cut out a movable pusher with a semicircular front edge. The support rail was made from larch. On the opposite side of the tire I attached a grip that rests on the edge of the table. It took me almost two months to make the saw. True, I didn’t work on it every day. The project turned out to be very exciting. I am satisfied with the performance of the machine. Now I can’t even imagine how I ever managed without a band saw. I made several boxes as a test for the saw.

Drilling a hole

First, I drew lines diagonally, thanks to which I found the center of the tabletop. I stepped back 1 cm from the center. Then I punched and drilled a pilot hole with an electric drill.

I started with a 1.5mm drill and ended up with a 10mm. Then I tapped the drilled area with a hammer to return the metal to its previous shape.

DIY band saw

You can find a lot of materials, photos and videos on the Internet about how to make a band saw with your own hands. For example, the Canadian website of Matthias Wandel offers drawings of a machine made almost entirely of wood. But let's focus on something less exotic, which can be done both in a home workshop and in a small wood or metal processing workshop.

Band machine made of wood

Manufacturing of the bed

The initial stage is the manufacture of the frame. For a wood saw, it can be wooden or metal, for metal - only steel. It can be welded from a channel or a corner. For a small workshop or workshop this is not a problem. The dimensions of the bed are selected depending on the expected dimensions of the material being processed. A normally sawing homemade machine can cope with wood up to 350 mm thick and metal several centimeters thick.

The supporting rod is a channel No. 8, which is welded to the frame or bolted. It must be strictly vertical and secured at at least two points along its length to eliminate the risk of deflection. When biting the saw, for example (which sometimes happens) or sawing large material, the loads arise quite large.

At the work site we make a cut for the saw

On the bed there is a horizontal work table with cuts for moving the tape, a ruler, a stop, clamps and other devices for feeding and holding workpieces. The height of the table from the lower stops is 0.7-0.9 meters. The height of the bar above the table is 0.6-0.8 m.

An asynchronous electric motor with start capacitors is installed in the lower part of the frame, connected by a belt drive to a drive pulley of variable diameter. If it is necessary to change the cutting speed, the V-belt is simply transferred to a different diameter. Belt tension is provided by a spring tensioning mechanism.

Band saw drawing

Drive installation

To drive the belt, wooden or metal pulleys of the same diameter (240-260 mm) are used, which are mounted on shafts mounted on bearings. The lower pulley is connected by a shaft to the motor drive. The saw pulley shafts are mounted on a rod. The lower one is stationary, the upper one is in the slot of the fixed tension mechanism. This allows the use of ribbons of different lengths.

The machine is protected from belt beating by a special damper mechanism, which is located under the work table. Drawings of this device can be found on the Internet. Sometimes you can see band saws with two dampers - below and above the working area. This is justified if the machine is designed to work with large workpieces or exceptionally high cutting accuracy is required.

Saw casting shaft

Lubrication system and protection

Lubrication system (adjustable), installed above the work table. The oil flows by gravity to the saw blade in the required quantity, which is determined experimentally for each home-made machine.

All working units where anything rotates or moves must be protected with casings. It is best to make them from waterproof plywood with a thickness of 10 mm. It's inexpensive, and sanded plywood painted with enamel looks very good.

The starting system is a standard button with an emergency shutdown option. It is advisable to make the lower part of the machine in the form of a bedside table with a wide door, or even two. One is used to select falling sawdust, the second is to access the pulleys and adjust the speed of the belt.

We cover the rotating elements with casings

Making a tape machine with your own hands is not difficult for an experienced mechanic. Some of the necessary parts and assemblies can be taken from decommissioned or dismantled machines of your own enterprise or bought on the market or on the Internet, some can be made yourself. In any case, a self-made machine will cost twice as much as a factory machine, with the same level of performance and adjustment accuracy.

Homemade jigsaw machine from a jigsaw: do-it-yourself drawings

A jigsaw has long ceased to be a rarity and is present in the tool kit of almost any home craftsman. It is convenient, capable of cutting various materials, and relatively safe.

The jigsaw is designed for cutting curved shapes, closed or with a complex configuration.

It is indispensable when performing many home improvement works, during the construction of plasterboard structures, boxes, and other work.

However, in some cases, working with a hand tool becomes difficult or inconvenient: poor visibility of the cut line interferes, it becomes necessary to hold the workpiece with both hands, etc.

But the main problem with a manual jigsaw is that the file moves to the side, which is especially evident when cutting materials of great thickness and with small radii of curvature.

In such cases, you need a jigsaw machine, which you can create with your own hands.

The structure of a jigsaw machine - what lies inside?

Jigsaw machines are more of a special tool than a device that is needed by both an experienced craftsman and an amateur who runs a garage. Their purpose comes down to a special task, namely cutting out complex curved contours from sheet materials.

A special feature of such machines is the execution of cuts without violating the integrity of the external contour.

Most often, sawing occurs on wooden and derivative materials (plywood, chipboard, fiberboard), although modern machines equipped with appropriate saws can also work with other materials, for example, plastic or plasterboard.

Such equipment has found application in the music industry (making musical instruments) and, of course, in the furniture industry. Those who like to make things in their own workshop also buy such units.

The structure of a traditional jigsaw machine, designed according to all the rules, looks like this: the working surface on which the saw is mounted hides a drive (electric motor) and a crank structure underneath.

The tension mechanism can be located either below or above the machine.

To process a part, it must be placed on the workbench. Many models have the ability to rotate it at different angles to make bevel cuts. The stops and guides on the surface, as well as the rotating mechanism, can be marked, which greatly simplifies and speeds up the work.

The length of the cut depends on the length of the work table - most models are limited to 30-40 cm.
Electric motor power is an important, but still far from the most fundamental factor, since the machine has a huge reserve of unclaimed power .
For example, for a home workshop or even small production, an “engine” of only 150 W is sufficient.

The crank mechanism is a much more important detail, because in this case the quality of transmission of the drive’s rotational moment into the translational and reciprocal movement, directed in the vertical plane by means of a file, depends on it.

Standard jigsaw machines are considered to be devices with an amplitude of movement of around 3-5 cm and a vibration frequency of up to 1000 per minute. Many models provide a change in speed mode for different materials.

The jigsaw file itself is usually made up to 35 cm long and is capable of sawing material up to 10 cm thick.

The width of the files can vary in a fairly wide range - from very thin two-millimeter to coarser ten-millimeter, with a thickness from 0.6 mm to 1.25 mm.

Even the thickest and widest file will easily break if you do not provide sufficient tension along the entire length of the file. Leaf and coil springs are used for this.

Quite often, such machines are equipped with an air pump, which cleans the cut from sawdust by blowing it, as well as a drilling unit.

The latter device is especially useful, because in this case the master does not need to be distracted by connecting an electric drill and drilling a hole - everything happens on the working plane of the machine. Of course, you have to pay for convenience!

The structure of the electrical part of a jigsaw

The electrical part of the jigsaw looks like this:

Motor stator winding
Copper winding terminals
Rotary collector plates
Rotor
Brush holder with graphite brush
Stator (electrical steel core).

As you can see, the tool uses a commutator electric motor, the main elements of which are: stator, rotor, carbon brushes. The stator is made of electrical steel and has a rectangular shape with grooves in which the stator windings are located. There are two stator windings - they are located opposite each other.

The motor rotor is a shaft (located inside the stator) with special grooves in which the so-called armature windings are located. From these windings come leads connected to the collector plates. The collector itself is pressed onto the end of the rotor shaft.

During operation of the electric motor, graphite spring-loaded brushes move along the commutator plates. Thanks to the latter, electrical voltage is supplied to the armature windings. By the way, when repairing any power tool, priority attention is paid to the condition of the brushes.

The last thing to consider about the jigsaw and its electrical part is the button and capacitor. The jigsaw button is a rather complex element in terms of functionality.

With its help, voltage is supplied to the engine and the rotation speed of the armature shaft is regulated. The shaft rotation speed is adjusted using a rheostat built into the button.

In other words, using the rheostatic button, the user can manually speed up or slow down the movement of the cutting file.

As for the capacitor. The main purpose of this element is to remove residual voltage from the windings after turning off the jigsaw. In addition, the capacitor smoothes out ripples that occur in the electrical network due to the operation of the tool.

We've sorted out the electrical part, let's move on to considering the mechanical component.

How to make a jigsaw with your own hands from a manual jigsaw?

On the Internet you will find many different designs of homemade machines, but most of them boil down to repurposing a manual jigsaw into this machine.

By using your ingenuity and watching the video, you can easily make a homemade jigsaw from this tool. The jigsaw only needs a little modification.

In fact, it plays the role of a machine drive and a crank mechanism, but the rest needs to be thought out and implemented.

Of course, manufacturers are trying to please consumers in this area too, offering their own platform options for quick and convenient modifications, but in reality only you can make a device that suits your needs.

So, the first step is to make a support table, for which sheet metal is most often used.

You need to make a beveled oblong hole in it for the saw blade and holes for fasteners (countersunk screws are recommended), and attach the jigsaw to the bottom of the support table.

This structure can only be strengthened on a wooden table. You can go beyond this and install guide rails.

The convenience of such a device lies in the fact that in addition to performing functions that are not entirely inherent to it, you can always disconnect the drive and with a slight movement of your hand turn it back into a manual jigsaw! If you constantly need this tool for work, it makes sense to choose a jigsaw specifically for the machine - it will be cheaper than spending money on a real machine.

Other breakdowns

Repairs may be required in other cases. Breakdowns may be due to physical wear and tear of the equipment.

Replacement of certain spare parts is required in the following cases:

Gearbox parts are damaged. Such breakdowns are possible due to the fact that dust particles and small debris get inside the gearbox through the ventilation holes. As a result, the equipment begins to get very hot during operation. The repair is extremely simple; you need to use dust collectors or a powerful vacuum cleaner, which will remove all the dust through the ventilation holes. Cleaning should be done regularly, as failure to do so will result in damage to the gearbox and will require replacement.
There is a bend or break in the support rod. This occurs if the equipment was handled carelessly or dropped. If such a defect is observed, then the support rod must be replaced; such a fracture can subsequently lead to failure of the entire device.
If the jigsaw collet is used incorrectly, the teeth may break off. This occurs when the hacksaw blade is inserted and not fully tightened. The repair consists of completely replacing the collet.
The worm gear may be worn. This happens when you start using a jigsaw before its engine reaches full power. What is the right thing to do? You must first wait until the engine reaches full power, and only after that bring it to the workpiece, and not vice versa. The repair consists of replacing the helical gear or armature transmission of the device.

Jigsaws are usually easy to repair. The job is to replace a worn part. To extend the service life of equipment, it is necessary to follow operating rules and carry out preventive maintenance. For more complex breakdowns, it is better to immediately contact a specialist.

Advantages and disadvantages - we continue to modify!

But such a unit inherits not only the advantages of the tool, but also its disadvantages, in particular, the file is too wide for filigree work, which significantly limits the curvature of the lines. If there is a need for this, there will be a way out.

So far, our machine differs from the classic jigsaw unit in the absence of springs that would ensure sufficient tension on the file.

But it’s quite easy to build a simple rocker, which on one side will be under the tension of springs, and on the other, fixed to a nail file.

Repairing a jigsaw gearbox and how best to lubricate it

If, while working with a jigsaw, a sound in the form of a crack is detected, then there is a high probability that the transmission mechanism is jammed.

A gearbox failure can be identified visually, which requires disassembling the housing and inspecting it. If the gears are missing teeth, they will need to be replaced for repair.

If the cause of the malfunction is metal shavings getting into the mechanism, then to eliminate the malfunction you will need to perform the following steps:

Remove the gearbox from the tool, and thoroughly clean it and rinse it in solvent or gasoline. This will clean the part from metal dust and grains.
Place the part in place, having previously assessed the wear of the teeth on the gears. If the wear is severe, which entails the gears slipping relative to each other, then the mechanism needs to be replaced
When installing old or new gears, it is necessary to apply lubricant in excess

What is the best way to lubricate the gearbox on a jigsaw and other types of power tools? For this you can use Litol-24, if there is nothing else, but if you want to extend the life of the mechanism, then it is recommended to use a special lubricant from Bosch. This is an expensive lubricant that not only reduces friction between parts, but also protects them from dust and grains.

!
For each model of power tool, manufacturers indicate in the instructions the recommended types of lubricants for the gearbox.
If there is no such recommendation, or it is impossible to find such a lubricant, then a universal substance from Bosch is used. This lubricant is sold not only in large tubes, but also in compact packages, which allows you to save money.

In addition to Bosch lubricant for the jigsaw gearbox, you can use other options that are somewhat cheaper in price, but no less effective:

Optimol Longtime 2 from Castrol. This lubricant is slightly cheaper than Bosch
Huskey Coolube is not only the most affordable, but also the most effective. If Bosch lubricant is expensive, then it is recommended to choose Huskey Coolube

There are many other brands available in specialty stores, so you should rely on your budget. And remember that Litol-24 is used as a last resort if nothing else is available. It is unacceptable to contain not only metal dust in the lubricant, but also shavings and sawdust that enter through the ventilation holes. All blockages must be removed, and then lubricant must be applied and the tool reassembled.

!
If there is a malfunction of the bracket (mount) in the gearbox design, it should be replaced, as shown in the video below.

Machine from a sewing machine - giving a second life to old tools!

First, remove the thread weaving device, which is usually located at the bottom of the machine. There is nothing complicated about it, just unscrew two bolts.

Then we knock out the cotter pin and remove the drive shaft leading to the thread weaving mechanism.

Files for a jigsaw machine of this kind also need to be slightly modified, namely, cut to the maximum length of the needle that could be used on this machine.

Having ground off the upper teeth and sharpened the lower part to the point, all you have to do is insert the file into the needle holder and test your machine in action!

The idea of creating a homemade jigsaw is most often due to the disadvantages that factory hand tools have.
You can make a small tabletop machine with your own hands, which will include a pusher, a reciprocating motor, and a saw tension system. In this case, you do not need complex drawings - once you understand the essence, it is easy to achieve the result.

Making saw wheels

The saw wheels have a diameter of 400 mm. They just need to be made from plywood or MDF. My wheels came out 29 mm thick. I glued them together from three plywood circles. The most critical area here is the central part of the wheels. The blanks were cut out using a milling machine. In the center of the circle, I drilled a 0 6 mm hole and installed the center of the milling compass into it. Then I used this hole to combine the blanks and gluing them. I cut out the circles with an allowance of 10 mm for finishing. Shafts 0 25 mm (for purchased bearings) were made for me by a turner. They have a limiter on one side and an M12 internal thread on the other. I used plywood to make the flanges. Before drilling holes for the bearing in them, I drilled a 0 6 mm hole in the center and, aligning it with the center of the wheel, drilled four holes for dowels. The position of the flange on the wheel was marked. The flange consists of two parts. The outer part, 15 mm thick, holds the bearing, and the inner part, 10 mm thick, forms the gap between the wheel and the bearing. The diameter of the hole in the wheel should be slightly larger than the diameter of the shaft. The most critical operation is drilling a hole with a diameter of 52 mm for the bearing in the outer part of the flange. Especially for this, I bought a 0 52 mm hole saw and, after checking, ground it along the outer diameter by 0.3 mm. The bearings were then pressed in using a mallet. Before gluing the flanges to the wheel, I cut out the lower wheel shaft holder - a wooden block with a hole for the shaft, which is attached to the bottom of the frame. It is not advisable to drill a hole directly in the frame: there is a high probability that the drill will lead away. It is easier to rotate the holder to the angle required for correction. I drilled four technological holes in the wheels so that clamps could be inserted into them when gluing. Immediately after gluing the wheel, I put it on the shaft. Thanks to the preliminary centering of the flanges and drilled holes for dowels, one of my assembled wheels had virtually no runout, but the second had an uncritical “figure eight” of up to 3 mm. To adjust the wheel diameter and to form the profile, it was necessary to connect the wheel to the engine. At the first stage, I used a temporary pulley made of plywood - I screwed it to the wheel with self-tapping screws. I machined a pulley for the engine using the engine itself, and then connected the engine and the temporary wheel pulley with a belt. Having fixed the wheel, I screwed on a wooden block as a stop and, using turning tools, turned the wheel to 0.400 mm. The diameter of the wheel on the shaft is difficult to control, so I measured the circumference. It is equal to 1,256 mm. The processed edge of the wheel was given a barrel shape. Thanks to this, the belt does not slide off the wheel, but, on the contrary, self-centers on it. The bevel angle should be 5 degrees on each side.

12. When all the parts were ready, I glued the flanges to the wheel. 13. I used the lower shaft mounting block as a holder. 14.I ground the wheel to the required diameter, giving the edge a barrel shape. The bevel in each direction is approximately 5 degrees. 15.After preliminary assembly of the wheel. 16. Guide complete with support bearing blocks. 17. A guide with an upper support bearing is installed, but so far without “crackers”. Rubber tubes are stretched over the wheels (they need to be glued after final assembly). 18. The work table support is equipped with adjustment in one plane. tilt mechanism

Having made both wheels, I installed a standard drive pulley on one of them (read about a similar solution here). Its thickness and shape were adjusted to the belt used, and its diameter was calculated so that the speed of the saw blade was approximately 800 m/min. Now all that remained was to balance the wheels. To do this, I took bearings with an external diameter of 0 22 mm. They were then used as supports for the saw blade. Having fixed the temporary axle horizontally and put bearings on it, I installed the wheel so that it rotates easily, and its heaviest part falls down. Using a Forstner drill, I made small indentations in the lower area of the wheel from the rear side. As a result of such manipulations, I ensured that the wheel stopped rotating in any position. This is where the balancing ends. The wheels were varnished in two layers.

Link on topic: Do-it-yourself belt grinding machine - photo and design

Then I pulled cut inner tubes from 16″ wheels of a children’s bicycle onto the wheels. Rubber protects the wheel surfaces from damage by the canvas, reduces noise and prevents slipping. The balancing, however, had to be repeated.

Machine from a sewing machine - giving a second life to old tools!

If you inherited a foot-operated or manual sewing machine from your grandmother or mother, consider yourself the owner of an excellent jigsaw machine! Of course, for this you need to “work a little magic” on the machine. First, remove the thread weaving device, which is usually located at the bottom of the machine. There is nothing complicated about it, just unscrew two bolts. Then we knock out the cotter pin and remove the drive shaft leading to the thread weaving mechanism.

READ Stihl Chainsaw Gasoline And Oil Proportion

Having unscrewed the top panel that protects the mechanisms, it is necessary to expand the slot in which the needle went. Be guided by the needs and width of the nail file that you will use in your work. Files for a jigsaw machine of this kind also need to be slightly modified, namely, cut to the maximum length of the needle that could be used on this machine. Having ground off the upper teeth and sharpened the lower part to the point, all you have to do is insert the file into the needle holder and test your machine in action!

Published April 9, 2015 at 10:42 pm by Mikhail Zerkalov / 17 comments

Before this, the jigsaw was used only in rough cutting areas or for cutting sheet material. I worked with large saws several times and each time I wondered why they were needed at all, if they were always taken away decently. But if you place a jigsaw on a table, its functionality increases significantly. a jigsaw can replace (as far as possible) a circular saw, a band saw, or a grinding machine for delicate work. I saw the design on the blog of . For which I thank him very much! I placed my version on a folding workbench. Table size 36x36 cm. The table itself is made of 12 mm plywood. The machine is completely disassembled and stored in a cabinet. The guide is fixed with 2 wing screws.

Blocks under the table for fixing the entire device to the workbench, and also allow you to place fasteners for the upper guide support.

The jigsaw is fixed to the table with just one screw. To do this, I chose a quarter of the thickness of the platform in an oak block. In the other block, the quarter was made at an angle of more than 90 degrees and the platform fits into it with a wedge, so displacement during work in all 4 directions is excluded.

I saw online a table that was amazing in terms of quality, but it takes a lot of effort. There is also a ready-made solution from the bourgeoisie, but as I understand it, this is most likely for some very minor work. The top guide bracket is height adjustable to accommodate different blades. I thought for a long time about how to make it with a high degree of rigidity and at the same time avoid its bulkiness. Since the device itself does not have side walls that could serve as a support for the bracket, I had to tinker a little. There is a pine block in the center, a T-shaped steel profile is screwed to it and the whole thing is covered with 12 mm plywood, which provides rigidity to the upper guide. This is what ended up happening.

A unit for fixing the edge of the blade, like in a band saw, allows you to work with long blades without moving to the side. The option with bearings initially seemed to me the most workable, but then I still chose the option with oak guides. On wide blades like band saws, the use of bearings is more justified, but here it is more convenient to adjust the gap between the blades by moving inserts like these.

The result is a fairly compact machine for small sawing jobs. Now you can cut cabrioles too. The height of the cut depends on the length of the blade.

Cutting small pieces of wood is done with a jigsaw. The device is small in size and usually has an electric drive. Factory models differ in their characteristics and cost. For small volumes of wood processing, it makes sense to make a jigsaw machine yourself, using improvised materials. This requires a few factory parts.

Self-connection of parts

After a thorough preparatory process, the assembly of the device begins

At the same time, it is important to take your time and carefully check the quality of the connections of the parts.

The assembly of a homemade band saw begins with the manufacture of a table with a cabinet. The mechanism will be located on this table. To assemble it you will need wooden blocks and a furniture panel. The convenient height of the table and the diameter of the pulleys are calculated in advance. The table should be comfortable and accommodate the pulleys and motor.

The table should accommodate the necessary tools and have a place to collect chips. It is advisable to immediately think about a waste tray. Cleaning the saw will be easier and more convenient.

If there are no ready-made ones, then you need to make homemade pulleys. They can be cut from plywood. Then the blanks are sanded and coated with epoxy resin. A hole for the roller bearings is drilled in the center of the pulley. For stability, the bearing itself is fixed in a textolite coupling. After this, the wheels are covered with tape rubber. The diameter of the pulleys can be arbitrary. However, the larger the pulley diameter, the longer the life of the saw.

The blade depends on the size of the pulley. A very good ratio is 1/1000 of the saw blade to the pulley diameter. In other words, if you have a pulley with a diameter of forty centimeters, then a four-millimeter tape will do. When installing the pulley, it is necessary to ensure that the bearing shaft is perpendicular. Even with a slight deviation, the wheel will run out, causing the belt to jump off.

The next step is assembling the support frame. The entire device will be mounted on it. The frame is made from a corner channel and can be C-shaped. This shape holds the tape perfectly. A metal axle is put on the channel. The frame or bed is the most important part of the structure.

Pulleys are mounted on the axle using bushings. After which, they achieve their balance. A damper is used against belt vibration. Attach moving parts to the engine. It must be borne in mind that the average speed of rotation of a band saw is from 700 to 900 revolutions per minute. This parameter must be taken into account when calculating the diameter of the drive pulleys.

It is best to put a protective cover on the engine. It will protect the drive mechanism from fine dust and chips.

To make it easier to feed the material being processed, metal corners are attached. They create a guiding mechanism.

Wooden parts must be planed, painted or varnished. On the one hand, this is aesthetically pleasing and extends the service life of the product, and on the other hand, it protects the hands of the worker from splinters made from untreated wood. Before painting, the wood is cleaned with fine sandpaper and treated with liquids that prevent the wood from rotting.

Setting, checking and sharpening

Before starting work, be sure to check and configure the device. You need to make sure that the tape forms a right angle. The slightest deviation can damage the machine and even cause injury. Using a driven pulley, the belt is tensioned. Achieve maximum tension on the cutting tape.

Sharpening of band blades is simple and affordable. The technology has been tested by many masters. You need a special machine and a little patience. First, the initial sharpening is carried out, that is, the symmetry is restored, the saw teeth are aligned, and small cracks on the edges are removed. Then the saw is cleaned of dust and metal filings and the saw is set, restoring the rear and front angles.

The final step is the final sharpening. It is this that gives the teeth the necessary sharpness and eliminates various distortions.

The main advantages of a wood band saw

Compared to other types of sawing machines, a wood band saw has a number of significant advantages:

High performance and low heat dissipation.
High speed, accuracy and cutting quality.
Excellent maneuverability, allowing you to cut not only straight, but also shaped workpieces.
Safety – using a band saw is much safer than its disk or chain version.

The main advantage of a homemade band saw is that it is cheap to manufacture and use.

2 comments

About twenty years ago I had a dream to have a sawmill (for those who don’t understand, I’ll explain. In the language of slow-witted grandmothers, this is a factory-made sawmill). But it was not possible to purchase it. Therefore, I decided to make a band sawmill with my own hands.

During the cost calculations and design of an exclusive product, I thought that I could cope with the task. But, having started the main work, I realized all its futility. To be honest, I couldn’t cope with making a band sawmill. Lack of skills and experience. So the blanks for my brainchild are lying in my garage. As A. Galich sang, coping with it is a draw, try it, who is the trickster. I could not.

How interesting life turns out to be. Dream for 20 years, then even try. do nothing and complain. “During the cost calculations and design of an exclusive product, I thought.” but it was necessary not to think but to do. You never know what you can do till you try .

. The opinion that if your hands are golden, then it doesn’t matter where they come from is wrong. If something doesn’t work out, you have to ask, you have to learn, there’s nothing wrong with that. And if it is not clear after what kind of work “I realized all the futility” - the question arises: what did you want to do? Super machine? Competitive to factory? . To make an exclusive, you need to make at least a dozen of them and not complain that you couldn’t. In general, I managed to do something in life.

Making a saw stand

I chose the dimensions of the cabinet based on the dimensions of the saw base, and adjusted the height so that the table was at a level of 1,050 mm from the floor - this is just right for me. The cabinet was made from scraps of tongue-and-groove floorboards 35 mm thick. The frame of the cabinet was assembled on dowels. The corners were reinforced from the inside with metal corners. Side inserts are made of laminated chipboard. The back wall is made of MDF. In general, everything is from scraps. The top drawer of the cabinet is used to collect sawdust. The cabinet is mounted on wheels with the ability to fix them.

25. The right wall of the lower wheel casing is beveled at the top to simplify the replacement of saw blades. 26. The rear wall of the lower wheel protection is installed at an angle and directs sawdust into the box. 27. The parallel stop is fixed on the work table. Installation of protection. 28.This is what the protection of moving elements looks like. A saw start button and a backlight switch are installed.

The protective covers and elements of the saw body are also guides for removing sawdust. All working elements of the saw are protected by screens. The material for the casings and screens was 8 mm thick MDF and pine boards.

Related link: How to make a homemade stationary circular with your own hands

Making a base for the machine

The do-it-yourself woodworking machine is installed on a base made of metal corners. They are mounted in such a position that the vertical shelf faces upward. It is necessary to achieve maximum accuracy, which will prevent rapid wear of the impellers.

Racks made of profile pipes (2.5x2.5 mm) are welded to the installed corners in a perpendicular direction. Another element is mounted between them. It is a half-inch diameter pipe. It is on this that the claws are installed, designed to secure the logs. These devices must move freely in different directions. To fix the material, you must hit the clamp with a hammer, which will cause it to jam.

Frame

In order to make a band saw with your own hands, you will first have to master the frame construction scheme. To construct it, it is worth choosing fairly hard wood.

Main components of the frame:

table top;
support rod;
pulleys;
saw blade.

To make a homemade frame more stable and stronger, you must first prepare a drawing according to which the entire structure will be made. It is best to make detailed drawings, but if you have some knowledge, you can get by with a schematic representation of the structure

It is important first of all to calculate the optimal length of the canvas; the remaining dimensions can be adjusted

Therefore, you need to calculate the optimal height with the possibility of installation in a workshop or other place where it will be located. It is also recommended to choose a tabletop height that is convenient for a particular craftsman. The working surface (tabletop) can be made from ordinary plywood.

Hardwood is used for the frame.

The main supporting rod of the structure can be made of durable timber, for example, maple or other wood.

In order to give additional stability to the frame, it is edged with slats. In some cases, you can even use parts from old furniture.

The diameter of the pulleys should be selected in such a way that the design is not too bulky, but at the same time ensures sufficient speed of movement of the blade.

Design and characteristics of a standard machine

jigsaw is a reliable device, the operation of which is guaranteed by the manufacturer. Manual models have a low price. Stationary devices are not cheap, but provide adequate comfort when processing wood. The set of components in the device is basically the same for everyone.

The design consists of the following parts:

Files.
Crank assembly.
Drive.
Devices for tensioning the file.
Desktop or stand.
Additionally, auxiliary mechanisms may be located.

The part to be processed is placed on the desktop. The size of the workpiece depends on its dimensions. Some models have a rotary table, which simplifies working with the part and improves visibility. The presence of graduations simplifies the marking of the material.

THE CHEAPEST AND SIMPLE OPTION! Jigsaw Band Saw #DIY

Average properties of industrial machines:

The size of the table ranges from 30 to 40 cm. This is the best size.
The drive has a power of about 150 W. This is an achievable value for a homemade device.
The rotational motion is converted into reciprocating motion by the crank mechanism. Next, the force is transferred to the saw.
The file has an oscillation frequency of 800 to 1 thousand per minute. The vertical amplitude of movement usually does not exceed 5 cm. Some models have adjustment of the speed of movement, which allows you to adapt to the characteristics of the material.
A manual band jigsaw allows you to work with plastic and wood less than 10 cm in thickness. The length of the parts should not exceed 35 cm.
There are many types of saws, which vary depending on the material being processed. The width of the file ranges from 2 to 10 mm.
The uniform operation of the file is ensured by its tension mechanism. It consists of helical or leaf springs.

Special purpose models may have structurally different properties. There are specifications for small sizes, for processing small parts. The industry also produces huge models for retail sale. But such options will have a high price.

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Do-it-yourself band saw at home - how to make a sawmill

First you need to analyze what material will be exposed to the saw, as well as the quality of the tool that will be used in construction. At the very beginning, it is worth checking the sharpness of the saw, its position in the hand and sliding on the material.

DIY band saw

In order to make a band saw at home, you need to highlight all types of band saws:

metal saw
wood saw
mini wood saw

The metal saw is made from alloys of various metals, the most common of which are steel, cast iron, copper and aluminum with tin. In order to select a material, use the following rules:

The materials must be durable for construction work, and they must also be processed using different methods necessary to create different shapes. (To do this, use gas or electric welding for cutting, bending and other actions).
The material and the seams connecting it must be strong and resistant to corrosion.
The use of inexpensive and non-scarce materials is mandatory.

Now we need to consider the metals for creating band saws and its types. Steel tools are usually divided into two categories:

structural steels used in general construction
special steels with special properties, such as: acid-resistant properties, heat-resistant properties

There are no universal steels. Steel may be resistant to corrosion, but not resistant to other factors.

Besides:

Cast iron is used for casting large or small parts. The metal base of a band saw can be cast from cast iron, followed by sharpening the teeth, as well as cutting the teeth.
Copper and its alloys are used in construction and repair because it has high corrosion resistance.
Aluminum comes in sheets that are easy to cut into a band saw and sharpen the teeth at the bottom. But the main disadvantage of aluminum sheets is their low strength when cutting hard wood or light metal.
Tin is used because it is resistant to organic acids. It is more used as a coating for steel or cast iron, against acids.

As the metal variety of band saws is described above, we can draw a small conclusion about its production at home. It is advisable to use more durable metal saws so as not to break when cutting hard materials

Aluminum band saws can be used when cutting glass, but be careful!

To make a band saw with your own hands, you need to purchase a sheet of aluminum (for example), cut it to the required length and weld the teeth at the bottom, with a certain pitch, for example 5 centimeters, and cut at the same distance. This is one way to make a regular bandsaw at home.

Assembling the desktop

When creating a tape machine for spreading wood with your own hands, you need to pay attention to its dimensions. The comfortable height of the band saw is selected depending on the characteristics of the building and the person. The main thing is that the lower and drive pulley, the power unit and a large amount of chips fit normally in the free space. You can choose any shape, but most users opt for a closed cabinet, which becomes a natural container for sawdust.

At the stage of installing a work table for a band saw with your own hands, it is necessary to provide a convenient way to open and place the tray - this will allow you to conveniently clean the saw.

The tabletop is installed on the lower support. If its height is small, you will need to create a stand for the entire structure.

How to make a band saw mechanism with your own hands?

To make a vertical bandsaw machine at home, it is enough to have only a basic understanding of how the assembly process occurs.

First of all, they make all the necessary sketches of the unit and all its operating components.
After this, according to the drawings, the mill for the workbench is welded. As a rule, the table dimensions are as follows: 400 by 700 mm.
A tabletop is installed as a frame covering. Most often it is made from plywood flooring with a penetration depth of 20 mm.
By welding the transverse profile to the corner, a supporting rod is installed.
The upper and lower pulleys become the main decking to provide a quality working surface based on sheet rubber.
Using a special resin, a bushing made of duralumin alloy is installed, inside of which an opening for the bearing is first machined.
A motor is placed inside the table surface, which is the drive for the operation of the machine. The drive pulley is attached to the engine.
To reduce the vibration of the installation, install a damper made with your own hands from textolite material.
If the machine overheats, it is necessary to let it “drink” from time to time.

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Device classification

Experts classify jigsaws by type of design. Features of the mechanism determine the processing capabilities of wood products.

Systematization is carried out depending on the design of the jigsaws.

With lower support.
Double-support.
On a pendant.
With degree scale and stop.
Universal.

Models with a lower support are most widespread. The frame of a desktop industrial device has 2 halves - lower and upper. The sawing and chip cleaning model is located on the upper part of the bed.

The lower frame contains a controller, an electric motor, a final drive, and an on/off button. This machine allows you to work with any material and any size.

The presence of two supports in a jigsaw is advantageous because the upper half of the bed has an additional rail. This jigsaw is perfect for cutting small parts. The thickness of the workpieces on both models should not exceed 8 cm. The desktop of such machines usually has the ability to adjust the height and angle of inclination.

Suspension-mounted devices do not have a fixed frame, but are distinguished by their own mobility. The material being processed is placed motionless, and the master moves the working module. since the latter is attached to the ceiling, the thickness of the material is not limited. The tool is moved manually, regardless of the bed. This allows you to make patterns of complex shapes.

The presence of a scale of degrees and stops is suitable for those craftsmen who carry out processing according to the drawings. Marking allows you to avoid errors when working. There are universal models of machines on the market that allow you to perform several operations. This machine allows you to perform drilling, cutting, polishing and grinding. The price of such devices will be significantly higher, but working with them will be more comfortable. These are industrial specimens.

Tips for use

Tension the saw blade correctly. Exceeding the permissible force reduces the service life of the tool. For control, you can use special devices. The saw should not be in operation for more than two hours, after which it must be dismantled and suspended for a day to relieve residual stress.
Be sure to use belt lubricant. In warm weather, you can use water with the addition of detergents such as “Gala”, “Fairy”, etc., and in winter - a mixture of kerosene or diesel fuel with motor oil in a 5:1 ratio or lubricant for chainsaw chains.
After finishing work, be sure to release the tension on the saw. This will prevent fatigue phenomena from forming on its surface and will extend its service life.
Work only with properly sharpened and set tools. If you have no experience in this area, you can use the services of specialized offices. As a rule, their representatives service more than one sawmill in your area.
Do not work with freshly cut timber. Let it dry for at least one month. In addition, before work, clean the logs from dirt and sand, and even better, remove the bark.

Wrapping duct tape around the handle

As I mentioned earlier, the vise will grip the handle of the electric jigsaw tightly. And I decided to wrap it with electrical tape for two reasons:

To provide shock absorption, a thick layer of material will reduce vibrations, and the jaws of the vice will not damage the surface.
To increase grip while clamping the vise with less force, which is favorable for plastic.

First details

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March 7, 2022

Tools and materials

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@ Band saw machine for metal Do it yourself!

Newbie
Posts: 17

City: Krasnodar region

Popular message! Competitive work No. b/n within the framework of the Welding Competition “Gift to Yourself”
General sponsor of the competition ESAB Company is one of the world leaders in the production of equipment and consumables for welding and cutting.

Good day to all handy people! So I decided to try my hand at web welding. This project has been asking for the light of day for a long time, from the moment I acquired a lathe, since when working with metal I very often have to cut round timber, pipes, hexagons of different diameters, and the grinder has already exhausted my soul. It is unrealistic to buy a ready-made band saw, because their price tag is simply unattainable! And then I saw a competition and decided that this would be the starting point for the construction of this unit. And when else will there be a chance to become the owner of a cool semi-automatic welding machine, which I dream of no less than a band saw. I don’t know, of course, whether I’ll make it to the end of the competition, but it’s not torture to try, maybe it will work out, and so let’s start:

Some hardware was purchased. That's enough to get started for now. Sheet 12 mm, sheet 10 mm, sheet 3 mm, thick-walled pipe f325 and f 85, round timber of different diameters, strip 50x8

Next, we draw a drawing of the saw frame in the compass and take it, along with the 12th sheet, to the production specialists to carefully cut out the main part of the saw (bed) with plasma and the cutting belt drive will be assembled.

Here's what happened:

Now we cut out the blanks for the base of the pulleys

We install them in a lathe and turn them, we get pancakes on which rings from the F325 pipe will be welded

Next, we cut out the rings, they will serve as a pulley shelf along which the belt will move

We do the first fitting to make sure that everything is correct and future pulleys do not extend beyond the saw frame.

Good day to everyone following the topic! So the work doesn’t stand still, the next step was to make the pulleys, groove them and center them. We grind the pancakes, cook the rings for them, trim them and grind them.

Next, we grind the seams and press in the bearings, we get a pulley with a shelf for a Ø325 mm belt

Now we make a hub with a tension mechanism for the driven shaft. It will look something like this:

We weld the shaft to the plate, weld the guides.

Now we weld a plate to the hub by which the tensioner will pull the hub. Next, we weld the tensioner support plate. We manufacture tensioning devices.

Now we weld the stiffener into the inside of the saw frame. Next, we scald the entire structure around the perimeter with short seams so that the entire structure does not leak into the propeller. this is what happens:

Where do you plan to get the canvas itself?

Hello everyone ! And the work on the tape is slowly moving. The next step was to make grooves for retaining rings, spacer bushings, bolts and other parts necessary for installing and fitting the driven pulley.

Next, we make the hub of the drive pulley, for which we take a thick-walled pipe, cut off the required piece, grind it, press bearings into it and insert a stopper, try it on the pulley shaft.

Now we weld a flange to it and check again for the pulley shaft.

Then we turn our structure over and weld additional stiffening ribs on it, and an additional corner on them.

We manufacture and weld stoppers for the drive pulley hub.

I'm starting testing

My band saw is ready. Let's start testing:

I clamp the jigsaw in a vice.
I insert the blade into the jigsaw.
I connect it to the mains.
While holding down the power button, I press the lock button. Now the jigsaw will work constantly.
I place the block on the countertop and begin sawing it. Everything works great.

Precautionary measures:

Do not place your hand in front or anywhere near the blade!
Never touch the blade after using it. Let it cool for a couple of minutes.
Never apply pressure. Let the blade do the work on its own.
Make sure the floor is clean under your feet: if there is sawdust on the ground, you may slip.
Always wear shirts with narrow sleeves.
Remove all necklaces and bracelets when using the saw.
Be sure to wear appropriate protective equipment such as a respirator, safety glasses, and hearing protection.