Ripping Handles from Blocks - Thin Kerf Blades You Recommend?

R

reedje777

Joined
Sep 27, 2011
Messages
33
I am ripping handles from 1 1/2" by 1 1/2" blocks and the blade on my 10" circular saw eats a pretty significant portion of my wood up. I'm having trouble coming
up with 2, 1/4" sets even and my blade is the thinnest kerf I've seen. What do ya'll recommend for a thin kerf blades?

Are there other cheap solutions to my problem? I have a band saw but there is just too much play in the cut to get straight scales. They end up wavy. :thumbdn:
 
A better bandsaw with a 3/4" wide blade and the appropriate number of sharp teeth per inch. I can cut 1/16" veneer with my bandsaw and it's a pretty even cut. I have a 14" bandsaw for reference. Those little table top jobs suck at this kind of work.
 
Yeah, I don't have the money to drop on a larger band saw. The dozuki looks like a great option though. Any tips on how to use it?
 
It cuts on the pull stroke, and that's about all I can offer. I found it very easy to use; surprisingly so.
Depending on what you're cutting, you may have to plan ahead, as the back of the saw is thicker than the kerf. You may have to flip the blank over if it's too wide for the say to cut through, but it'll be fun :)

Best off, it's people powered, so it's quiet, cordless, ha ha, and genuinely pleasant to use.
 
It's not very tall, the depth of cut will be something like 1" or a little more, I'm not near the wood shop right now or I'd measure mine for you. You could work your way around 3 sides of a block following a line until you complete the cut.

Google and do some research on cutting a tenon with a hand saw on some of the wood working sites. It's a little to in-depth to try to describe here without a lot of confusing text and I don't have any pics to post that would clarify.

Another saw you could try would be a ryoba: http://japanwoodworker.com/product.asp?pf_id=19.650.0&s=JapanWoodworker
 
Be careful the teeth on a dozuki saw are very fragile and will break off pretty easy.
 
Wavy cuts with the bandsaw are probably a loose or dull blade.
Which bandsaw do you have?

Even with a cheap bandsaw and a 1/4" blade you should be able to get good cuts. (wider blade is better for re-sawing)
If your bandsaw does not have a fence you can clamp a 2x4 to the table and use that as a guide to get good even cuts.

I would suggest trying the bandsaw again on junk wood.
Then try tightening the blade tension. Adjust the guard to just above the height of the wood you are cutting in case you over-tighten and snap the blade.
If that doesn't work try a new blade. You don't need a high tooth per inch count.
I use 4 teeth per inch with a 3/4" wide blade on a 14" Jet bandsaw.
 
Another thing with bandsaws is making sure the guides are right. I calibrate them with the thickness of a dollar bill in between the guides and the blade on both the top and bottom guides. The guides should be all but touching the sides of the blade.
 
The 80 tooth carbide I use to cut scales from blocks on my miter saw is .11 wide kerf. It gives two sets of 1/4" + scales from an 1 1/2 wide block of wood. Thin kerf circular saw blades from Freud and Morse offer thin kerf blades in the .096 range. You should be able to get the cuts you are looking for with one of these blades.

Fred
 
reedje777 said:
How does this saw compare to the Dozuki?
Also, can it cut accurate straight lines without a stiff back? Or is too flexible for that?
Click to expand...

Cutting on the pull stroke keeps the thin blade straight, assuming your technique is anywhere close to good. Without the stiff back, the Ryoba has depth of cut limited only by the length of the blade. Also, one edge of the Ryoba is for cross-cutting and the other is for ripping parallel to the grain.

melsdad isn't kidding about breaking off the teeth of Japanese hand saws. Don't try cutting anything made of plastic, like counter top laminate, it'll rip the teeth right off the blade. Ask me how I know this!
 
Burl Source said:
Wavy cuts with the bandsaw are probably a loose or dull blade.
Which bandsaw do you have?

Even with a cheap bandsaw and a 1/4" blade you should be able to get good cuts.

I use 4 teeth per inch with a 3/4" wide blade on a 14" Jet bandsaw.
Click to expand...

I have a older 10" Craftsman - I would say it's a 9" but it doesn't take any of the 9" blades. They have to special order what it uses. It does use a 1/4" blade.

You say even with a cheap bandsaw... Cheap as a 9" table top version? I'll try your tips just to make sure but I'm leery. It could probably use more tension. I have gotten some good cuts in the past and then just when I'm starting to think it'll work out, I'll ruin a nice block of wood. Maybe I'm not being consistent enough with my setup.
 
I have a Freud diablo blade for a circular saw that is pretty darn thin kerf. I think it might also be .098 thick
 
woodwrkr221 said:
melsdad isn't kidding about breaking off the teeth of Japanese hand saws. Don't try cutting anything made of plastic, like counter top laminate, it'll rip the teeth right off the blade.
Click to expand...

Can you use a dozuki on stabilized wood?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top