Because I was too mean to buy the commercially available tool to
make blanking cutters and was also not very comfotable using a saw
with just a thumb grip,I devised the following set up. I hope I can
explain it without a diagram. Cut a piece of 2"*4" wood as long as
the length of your piercing saw from the bottom of the handle to
inside the top of the frame. Then cut a slice off from one short
side to the other at exactly 20 degrees. Next cut two pieces of
1/2" plywood 5"4" and 1" from a corner in one drill a 1/4"hole and
then saw out a slot towards the 4" side getting gradually wider say
to 3/8". In the other piece do the same hole but slightly further
in from the 5" side say 1 1/8" no slot yet . Now with the piece of
24" upright the top sloping down to the right glue the piece with
the slot on the bottom slot facing you on your right , screw the
piece with the hole on the top with the hole above the slot it is
only screwed on so that you can shim it on one side or the other
for fine adjustment. This is for 1/16" gauge plate and 4/0 saw
blades by the way. now for the cunning part! You need a piercing
saw with a wooden handle, drill a 1/4" hole 11/2" up into the
bottom of the handle in line with the blade as accurately as you
can, cut a 6" length of steel rod and glue up into the hole. Then
if you clamp the big bit upright in the side of your bench vice
with the slot facing out and cut straight in to the hole on the top
piece this gives you an accurate angle through your tool . I drew
some radiating lines out from the hole in the top so I could see
where the blade should be , something that occured to me after I
got quite good at using it was that since you have to keep the saw
pointing straight in was that you could have a flat bit of metal
as your bottom guide and a narrow straight slot so you could not
twist the saw frame at all. I also made one with a horizontal top
so I can cut identical shapes out of sheet superglued together,
draw the design on a sticky label and saw through the whole lot , 6
layers of .75mm (sorry to mix like this) sheet works ok. Hope this
makes sense . Now folks how about a few of your workshop tips ,
I’ve come up with a few in the last 20 years but my 2 fingers are
tired now! keep up the good work at Orchid Tim.
Hi Tim,
You wrote> I devised the following set up. I hope I can explain it
without a diagram. Cut a piece of 2"*4" wood…
I tried to follow your written description… but have to admit I
lost you at some point. Can you do some diagrams? If you send
them to me, email or snail mail, I can scan them, and I suspect
Dr. Aspler would be willing to post it on the Orchid (Ganoksin)
Web site for people to download.
I did read through it all, and it sounds very promising. Do you
think we can work up some plans that we can all share?
Lemme know if you’re interested!
Dave
Dave Sebaste
Sebaste Studio
Charlotte, NC (USA)
dave@sebaste.com
http://www.sebaste.com
You wrote> I devised the following set up. I hope I can explain it without a diagram. Cut a piece of 2"*4" wood...
I tried to follow your written description... but have to admit I lost you at some point. Can you do some diagrams? If you send them to me, email or snail mail, I can scan them, and I suspect Dr. Aspler would be willing to post it on the Orchid (Ganoksin) Web site for people to download.
Tim - I would also like a diagram, the directions were good, but I
also got lost. I have trouble getting from one side of town to the
other without looking at a map – must be a quirk in my brain
neurons cause I can’t remember names either unless I write them
down and look at them. If you have the time to draw one, a diagram
would be a great help. Thanks
Nancy
Bacliff, Texas Gulf Coast USA