Splitting blocks

Ken H> said:
I've got a Milwaukee that is pure POS for cutting blocks. I would up getting this saw blade for the table saw:

https://goo.gl/BQbbM2

the kerf is .059" and makes a nice smooth cut. I've used it for all types of wood and even mammoth ivory blocks.

Ken H>
Click to expand...
That's an interesting idea. Hadn't thought of a narrow kerf blade for the table saw.

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I use the Gripper that Stacy mentioned, the saw blade that Ken mentioned, & a zero clearance insert on my DeWalt table saw. I find this method MUCH quicker and more accurate than a bandsaw. As Ken mentioned, the cuts are so smooth that it only takes a few seconds to true them up by hand on my granite plate. Also, I find that the material loss is almost the same due to the rougher cuts of the bandsaw.
 
Darrin is correct, you MUST use (really need anyway) a zero clearance insert when working with scales on a table saw. I made my from wood. Just cut to fit saw opening, then slowly raise saw blade allowing it to cut slot. Gives a nice zero clearance insert.
 
I use that blade, too. It leaves an amazingly smooth and flat surface.

TIP:
When cutting a series of scales from a block or board, draw a diagonal line in chalk from corner to corner on the top of the block. After cutting it is easy to re-assemble the block in the right order to match up the book-matched scale sets.
 
Man, that's a lot of good information. Since I don't have much room, I'm going to try and get Darrin to cut the few I need. Couple stuffed chickens... Whatcha think? Dozier = WDL III
 
Thanks for all the info. I always put off asking questions for fear of asking a dumb one. Thankful for all the help I get on here. I ordered the 7 1/4" Diablo blade with .059" kerf. Buy my calculations that should only be .010-.012 over the band saw blade. I will make a zero clearance insert and eventually buy that gripper. Thanks again.

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for scales, i use my table saw with narrow kerf ripping blade. two main issues with band saws. first you have to have you guides adjusted just right for minimum blade travel but even with the best guides you are still going to have some right/left blade wander. the other is the blade weld which can cause the blade to wander as it passes thru the piece, not much you can do other than sand it a smooth as possible and hope the weld still holds.
scott
 
I normally use a thin kerf on my small tablesaw.
Thin kerf is also nice as it needs less energy to cut, whats good thing as that saw is under powered anyway.

Another thing,
I dont use fancy jigs or anything. Just hotglue my block to a scrap board, then with miter guide and/or ripfence, just cut off accurate slices as any other wood cutting job.
 
What is the difference in "Kerf" and "Plate" specs on the blade Stacy linked? The specs on that blade show:

Kerf = .091"; Plate = .071"

Marc, you stated a 1/16" kerf with the linked blade - is that measured with partial cut? I've not actually measured what the blade I linked to has, but it's pretty thin and leaves a very smooth surface requiring very little sanding to completely flatten.

edit to add: I just measured the kerf from a short cut with the blade I linked that spec'd 0.059", and in Rosewood it measures .066" - not too bad.
 
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Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
The other half of cutting scales is how you put them through the blade. This is the best system I ever found. You can make perfect cuts repeatedly. Morover, they are done very safely. I would say it was one of the best purchases I made in shop tools. It is on sale often for $50.
http://www.woodcraft.com/product/820434/micro-jig-grrripper-system-model-gr200.aspx
Click to expand...

Stacy that looks like a great tool - would it also grip a piece of deer antler so I could rip it into two handle slabs?
 
For anyone reading that doesn't have access to a table saw and only a circular saw you can build a small table "jig" out of some cheep material to hold the small block and a rip fence. Either glue the block in place or use some painters tape to hold it squarely in the of the notch, that way as you push the saw through the notch holds it from moving in the forward direction.

Just make sure your saw base is square to the blade with an actual square, don't just go by the setting on the saw. Also set your depth to just below the flat so you will cut all the way through the scale block. Set the rip fence and cut a test piece of material first before attempting to cut the scale block and check for size and squareness. I have done this hundreds of times for cutting small intricate pieces of wood with a circular saw.

Also a good trick to prevent tearout is to tape the block of wood.Here is a good article that explains this procedure. I do this all the time working with fine woods. It may not be necessary as the scales will get sanded and contoured but in any event it is a good piece of information to have when working with wood or cutting wood. http://www.finewoodworking.com/how-to/article/eliminate-tearout-with-tape.aspx

As for the plate vs kerf, the kerf is measure by the blade tips that do the actual cutting, the plate is the body of the whole blade itself. Good article on saw blades. http://www.rockler.com/how-to/blades-101/



 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
The other half of cutting scales is how you put them through the blade. This is the best system I ever found. You can make perfect cuts repeatedly. Morover, they are done very safely. I would say it was one of the best purchases I made in shop tools. It is on sale often for $50.
http://www.woodcraft.com/product/820434/micro-jig-grrripper-system-model-gr200.aspx
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link Stacy. I might give that one a try. Way safer than what I've been doing...
 
I've posted this before but it is still relevant. I've been using an 80 tooth zero kerf blade to cut scales lately. This is mounted on a Milwaukee miter saw. The time it takes to glue up the blocks for cutting is made up for by not having much of any clean up on the scales.
Flat and safe with the emphasis on safe.

Fred
[video]https://youtu.be/VWP36Esx-UI[/video]
 
Fred.Rowe said:
I've posted this before but it is still relevant. I've been using an 80 tooth zero kerf blade to cut scales lately. This is mounted on a Milwaukee miter saw. The time it takes to glue up the blocks for cutting is made up for by not having much of any clean up on the scales.
Flat and safe with the emphasis on safe.

Fred
[video]https://youtu.be/VWP36Esx-UI[/video]
Click to expand...

Just to clear this up, what he means by "zero kerf" is the actual blade teeth are square and not pointed vs have apposing points. The actual kerf of a saw blade it the width of the wood removed by the blade. Unfortunately there is no such thing as a true zero kerf saw blade.
 
Kerf is the width of the slot the saw cuts.
Plate is the thickness of the actual saw blade disc at the hub. The kerf will normally be larger.

In a blade like Fred uses, the teeth cut a slot nearly the same size as the blade thickness. That particular blade has teeth with a high angle on then to act like skew chisels. Each tooth is alternately angled left and right, so the cut is made extremely smooth. I don't know that I have ever heard them called zero kerf blades, but I do see them called thin kerf blades. I looked up the kerf and it is .098" with 15 degree angled teeth.

The main reason the kerf is normally larger is that will make the blade only touch the wood at the very perimeter. This reduces friction ( which robs power) and reduces burning. It does somewhat increase tearing of the fibers, so the cut may be slightly coarser.

The biggest difference between the blade Fred and I use and some other blades is the shape and angle of the teeth. Blades can be made to cut cleaner by having sharp sides as well as the top, or faster cutting by just cutting the wood from the top. This is largely the difference between a rip blade and a cross cut blade. Most folks just use one blade for all things, but you should get the blade that fits the most of your cutting tasks.
The larger the kerf, the faster and cleaner they cut. This is insignificant on many woods, but woods like curly maple will burn really badly if there isn't enough kerf clearance difference between the kerf and the plate.

You get what you pay for in these high end blades. Use a $15 construction blade for copping up big boards, and put on the Freud for the cuts that matter.
 
pleasanthill said:
Just to clear this up, what he means by "zero kerf" is the actual blade teeth are square and not pointed vs have apposing points. The actual kerf of a saw blade it the width of the wood removed by the blade. Unfortunately there is no such thing as a true zero kerf saw blade.
Click to expand...

It should have been stated as having a zero set and not zero kerf. My shop teacher will never forgive me for that one. Thank you for clearing that up.

Fred
 
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