Monday, June 24, 2013

Milling little boards---The Sequel

I've built another little log mill, this time for my band saw. I saw a video of a store bought version. I had a very similar idea 20 years ago for my table saw, where I built the jig with the sliding fence, pinching the log between two clamps. With that one, I'd slide the fence over to a measured increment and keep sawing 
and moving the fence. It worked and I've used it alot, but the thickness of the blade wasted alot of wood and it was hit or miss accuracy-wise. (I can get around that now, with my thickness sander.) The premise behind this jig is to cut two sides square, then use a re-saw fence to mill down the boards.


It's kinda funny because here I've got a $100.00+ beautiful Kreg re-saw fence mounted on an old 1940's band saw that was found at a flea market for dirt cheap.  And yes I had to rig it up to fit.  But anyhow....the store- bought log mill is nothing like this, I just used the premise.


This is the front of the jig. I "borrowed" a plastic bench dog from a cheap little work table, the kind that
opens up and closes flat, to use for the back clamp. I drilled a series of holes to accept clamp and even though it was cut in a grid pattern on it's face, I added some of that non-slip stuff. For the locking clamp, 
I found the perfect thing in a "box of cool junk". Junk is your friend :) (I had to cut off one side, and make the plywood clamping surface, again with that non-slip stuff )I drilled two holes in it for the knobs and another series of holes in the fence. 


This is the back of the jig. (I've gotta get to Woodcraft, I'm all out of knobs....hence the mis-matched ones here....) I made two slots in the platform for the fence to ride in.


This is the bottom, showing the miter bar. I put tiny screws in the side of the bar to micro adjust it to the miter slot so there would be no side to side play.I didn't have any T bolts so I had to use carriage bolts in the fence slots.


Here it is mounted in the miter slot of my saw, ready to go.


Last year I cut some little sassafras trees from around my electric pole. No it's not like Green Acres, I don't have to climb the pole to answer the phone :) A whole bunch of these trees have encircled the pole. It's pretty in the fall. I took a little log, cut in half and decided to use it to try out the new log mill.


I ran the log through the blade creating a flat side. This will now be turned to ride on the platform in the next step.


And here I've made the second pass creating a 90 degree square.


One side rides flat on the saw table and the other against the Kreg re-saw fence.


I adjusted the fence to about a quarter inch and ran the little log through.


I like this wood!


I got a really nice re-saw blade from a favorite woodworker supply company " Highland Woodworking" called "The Wood Slicer" They custom made it for my odd sized beautiful old band saw.














Sunday, June 9, 2013

Little baby bunny with his mama


This adorable little duo is hand carved wood with every attention to detail then furred. I was inspired from a real nature photo of a baby bunny climbing up on his mama's back. I have so many sweet  bunnies in my yard this time of year. Lots of little babies.