Band Saw Twist

warrant · Post by **warrant** » Sat Feb 22, 2014 5:15 pm

Hi folks, I inherited a Mk V from my late father, and I'm learning all that I can about the Shopsmith. I'm an amateur woodworker for many years, shelves, decorative stuff, etc. As I assemble and align the band saw I'm finding a few key parts missing, bolts, coupler, etc. I'll be ordering those soon.

I am making a 4-post archway for my sons wedding, and I want to use the band saw to cut a twist into the 8' legs. I figure it will be about 2 full revolutions on the twist.

I figure I'll need to make a jig to hold the 4"x4"x8' post so it will rotate freely and evenly as I slowly feed it through the saw.

I've made twists before on 2x4's using a hand grinder (and a lot of dust), but I want to employ the band saw.

Any tips or advise would be greatly appreciated!

reible · Post by **reible** » Sat Feb 22, 2014 7:54 pm

First let me say welcome to the forum!

Sorry, I'm trying to picture what you want to do but I got nothing...........

Would you happen to have a picture or a link to what you want to make? Even a sketch might work if you can show some detail.

Maybe someone else here will know of what you speak? I keep picturing something like a barley twist..........

Ed

algale · Post by **algale** » Sat Feb 22, 2014 8:11 pm

Do you want to cut a spiral along the length of the legs?

jerm · Post by **jerm** » Sat Feb 22, 2014 9:48 pm

Sounds like he wants to cut a spiral along the length of the post, but I have no idea how a bandsaw would be used to do this.

A photo or drawing would help

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Sun Feb 23, 2014 2:03 am

Welcome to the forum, warrant! Making a twist is a multi tool operation when I have viewed it. It is often done by first pencil drawing the twisting lines on a rounded dowel (leg). Since the leg is already mounted on a lathe, the lines are drawn there. Then with a hand saw and/or chisel, the carving begins, slowly turning the leg by hand. The whole operation I've seen are done on a lathe, by hand.

I suppose you could saw the first spirals on the band saw with a tilted table, by hand holding the leg perpendicular to the saw. To my knowledge, it would be really difficult to control the depth of the saw cuts on the bandsaw because of the fast cutting action. It seems you would have much more control of the hand work when the leg is being firmly held by a lathe.

http://www.shopsmith.net/forums/showpos ... stcount=29

https://www.google.com/search?q=barley+ ... B340%3B308 Click on the photo of the guy using the lathe.

If you find a way to do more barley twist work on the bandsaw, please show us!

forrestb · Post by **forrestb** » Mon Feb 24, 2014 2:23 pm

warrant, my SS bandsaw does not have enough clearance to cut on an 8' anything except to slice it lengthwise. The bandsaw blade runs parallel to the housing so the cutting teeth are only about a foot-and-a-half from the case.

I think you need to use something other than the SS since the lathe will not hold an 8' long piece. Well, having said that I do recall the gentleman who used 2 SS and turned logs that were about 8' long!

Forrest

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Mon Feb 24, 2014 2:49 pm

Not having tried this, y'all take it with some salt, but if cutting a spiral, would not the workpiece be angled and fed by rotating the workpiece? This would still require chiseling out.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Mon Feb 24, 2014 2:53 pm

Any one else notice he dropped this question and has not been back since?:D

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Mon Feb 24, 2014 4:12 pm

forrestb wrote:warrant, my SS bandsaw does not have enough clearance to cut on an 8' anything except to slice it lengthwise. The bandsaw blade runs parallel to the housing so the cutting teeth are only about a foot-and-a-half from the case.

I think you need to use something other than the SS since the lathe will not hold an 8' long piece. Well, having said that I do recall the gentleman who used 2 SS and turned logs that were about 8' long!

Forrest

I missed the 8' requirement altogether! Can think of a couple ways to do this - seems the simplest is configuring the lathe to handle 8' posts. (simple?:eek: ) Another way is to carve shorter pieces and put them together with dowels. Don't think I would ever try this

Hard to get the twists to match other pieces.

Better yet - just make two points, 8' apart, do all work on thes configuration, forget the lathe

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Yes, noticed warrant hasn't been back, but the question intrigued me

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Mon Feb 24, 2014 6:05 pm

[quote="charlese"]I missed the 8' requirement altogether! Can think of a couple ways to do this - seems the simplest is configuring the lathe to handle 8' posts. (simple?:eek: ) Another way is to carve shorter pieces and put them together with dowels. Don't think I would ever try this

Hard to get the twists to match other pieces.

Better yet - just make two points, 8' apart, do all work on thes configuration, forget the lathe

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Yes, noticed warrant hasn't been back, but the question intrigued me ]

He needs 4 posts(assuming he comes back). He may be lurking!:p

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Band Saw Twist

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