WOODEN BANDSAW GUIDE BLOCKS

[J T]

This has obviously been discussed here before. However, I never tried it. But I've not been thrilled with my present metal guide blocks for a bit and decided to give wooden guide blocks a try.

The thing is I'm wondering what wood to try. First at any rate. Quite awhile back I got some hardwood floor samples. They're about

4X4", or a bit larger, and a few are laminated. Nothing really large enough to make anything out of, but figure I might save a couple of the imported pieces until I can think of something, maybe trim, inlay, whatever - like the Brazilian cherry, and Massaranduba. The ipe is definitely interesting, so I'll groupt it with the ash, red oak, maple, birch, black walnut, cherry, as potentials. I'll be giving the WD-40 a shot too.

I won't be doing this immediately, so thought I'd just check if any of you have tried this, and if so, what type of wood seems to work best for you. I'll be doing it regardless, but haven't decided yet which wood to try first.

Hmm, a stray thought just zipped thru my mind - most of those are just the right size to make a pair of pistol, or revolver, gips. Think I'll hold back on using the black walnut and maple for this project, maybe one or two more too. That black walnut, or cherry, would probably look good on the wondernine.

JOAT

10 Out Of 10 Terrorists Prefer Hillary For President

- Bumper Sticker I don't have a problem with a woman president - just not Hillary.

[Curran Copeland]

I have used red oak, white oak and hard maple to make my own wooden cool blocks. Red Oak is my choice followed by White Oak. Maple did not do well in use for me. I soak the block with wd-40. Problems I have found are that the block will scorch, harden and wear a little faster then I would like but the are easy to refurbish and last as long or longer then cool blocks.

[J. Clarke]

Haven't tried it (my band saw came with roller guides and unless I want to machine something up there's no retrofit for solid guides available that fits it that I know of) but my gut reaction would be to go with ipe. Stuff's infernally dense and hard and doesn't seem to burn easily like Purpleheart.

[cselby]

Try oak soaked in oil (minwax or the like), wait for the oil to dry and then harden them up in the oven for about 1/2 hr at 250 - 300. Mine have lasted quite a few pass/feet.

I made 6 a year or so ago and am still on the first pair.

Pete

[J T]

Wed, Jan 16, 2008, 9:13am (EST-1) [e-mail] (Curran=A0Copeland) doth sayeth: I have used red oak, white oak and hard maple

Interesting. I'da thought maple would have been much better than oak.

JOAT

10 Out Of 10 Terrorists Prefer Hillary For President

- Bumper Sticker I don't have a problem with a woman president - just not Hillary.

[J T]

Wed, Jan 16, 2008, 11:37am [e-mail] (J.=A0Clarke) doth sayeth: my gut reaction would be to go with ipe. Stuff's infernally dense and hard and doesn't seem to burn easily like Purpleheart.

I'da thought the ipe too, until I read the previous post about oak working better than maple. Don't have any purpleheart.

JOAT

10 Out Of 10 Terrorists Prefer Hillary For President

- Bumper Sticker I don't have a problem with a woman president - just not Hillary.

[Gerald Ross]

Mine came with (round) steel guide blocks. I tried wood and brass. Both wore down so that I was often turning them and I couldn't see any improvement in the cutting, tracking or any other parameter. I tried roller guides, but I cut a lot of green bowl blanks and they just pressed the gunk onto the blade. Then I went back to the originals and have been happy ever since.

[Scott Lurndal]

I'd recommend lignum vitae, if you have access to some.

scott

[Curran Copeland]

Interesting. I'da thought maple would have been much better than oak.

So did I but it didn't in my experence, give it a try and see how it works for you. Both oak and maple work better then cool blocks for me though.

JOAT

10 Out Of 10 Terrorists Prefer Hillary For President

- Bumper Sticker I don't have a problem with a woman president - just not Hillary.

[George]

Red oak endgrain has to be the best I've tried. Real hard. Used it all the time at school, where kids abused the tools.

I don't do cool blocks except with thin blades where I'm likely to chew them with the teeth. Ceramics are durable, slick, and cheap. I even have the thrust ceramic "bearings."

[J T]

Wed, Jan 16, 2008, 9:03pm (EST+5) [e-mail] (Scott=A0Lurndal) doth recommendeth: I'd recommend lignum vitae, if you have access to some.

That's not gonna happen - unless someone gives me some. Don't have any in the samples, and I stopped buying any wood except plywood or wood native to NC years back. The only times I work with furrin wood is if it's free to me. Of course, if you want to send me 50 or 60 board feet I'll try it. LOL

JOAT

10 Out Of 10 Terrorists Prefer Hillary For President

- Bumper Sticker I don't have a problem with a woman president - just not Hillary.

[J T]

Wed, Jan 16, 2008, 3:41pm (EST-1) [e-mail] (Curran=A0Copeland) doth sayeth: So did I but it didn't in my experence, give it a try and see how it works for you. Both oak and maple work better then cool blocks for me though.

IDefinitely will give it a shot. One reason I'm gonna try wood is because I don't feel like paying for cool blocks. I'm frugal, not cheap. LOL

JOAT

10 Out Of 10 Terrorists Prefer Hillary For President

- Bumper Sticker I don't have a problem with a woman president - just not Hillary.

[J T]

Thu, Jan 17, 2008, 12:52am (EST+5) [e-mail] doth sayeth: This from a 'formulae' that was posted on the net. I tried looking it up again and can't find the article. =A0 When I say oven, that means a old toaster oven in the garage or your inlaws oven - not your oven where your wife cooks and can kill you for heathen blasphemous desecration.

That pretty well describe it, heathen blasphemous desecration. I'll pass.

JOAT

10 Out Of 10 Terrorists Prefer Hillary For President

- Bumper Sticker I don't have a problem with a woman president - just not Hillary.

[Charlie Self]

You don't really want 50-60 board feet of lignum vitae: it's for projects like mallets--and bandsaw guides. A waxy, waxy, waxy wood once used for bearings for ship propellors. Rare, endangered, expensive as all get out now.

[J. Clarke]

Still used for shaft bearings.

Don't know if they still do but CWG Hardwood Outlet used to have short pieces in stock--4/4 and seldom as long as 2 feet. I have a few of them that I'm slowly using up.

[cselby]

This from a 'formulae' that was posted on the net. I tried looking it up again and can't find the article. When I say oven, that means a old toaster oven in the garage or your inlaws oven - not your oven where your wife cooks and can kill you for heathen blasphemous desecration.

P

[Larry Blanchard]

According to an aquaintance who's into all things marine, they're still used for bearings in some ships. Apparently lasts longer than metal in that application.

[skeez]

hey JOAT! I got a small pieceof lignum vitie hangin round here someplace. I could lop off a piece big enough for cool blocks if ya want to come pick it up. gonna be in the shop tomorrow. drop a line here and i'll get back to ya. I'm near youngsville though so the gas might cost ya more than its worth! :-}

skeez

[Jeff]

It was used in the bearings of the Conowingo Hydro-electic dam which is about forty miles from my home. I used to ski on the lower Susquehanna south of the dam. (Now I prefer to ski mountains rather than wakes...)

[dadiOH]

Lignum vitae. No other can come even close.