Bandsaw cut off table.
The 4 x 6 bandsaw is a very good machine and I use mine all the time. However,there is nothing on the saw to catch the bit that has just been cut off and this usually just falls off and rolls away. My saw is on a wooden floor so dropping does little damage to the part but it does sometimes hit part of the bandsaw.
I decided to add a table to the saw to stop cut off pieces dropping. This was fairly straight forward and it utilises the depth stop rod, that is a standard fixture on these machines, to support the table. The table is 125 mm wide, 150 mm deep and 3 mm thick. It can be removed by loosening the screw that secures the depth stop rod into the bandsaw base casting.
I decided to add a table to the saw to stop cut off pieces dropping. This was fairly straight forward and it utilises the depth stop rod, that is a standard fixture on these machines, to support the table. The table is 125 mm wide, 150 mm deep and 3 mm thick. It can be removed by loosening the screw that secures the depth stop rod into the bandsaw base casting.
The table is attached to the depth stop rod using two small blocks. Each one is 10 mm thick and 25 mm square to start with.
The measured distance between the stop rod and the upper surface of the bandsaw base casting was 14.5 mm. Adding on 6 mm for half the diameter of the stoprod and subtracting 3 mm for the thickness of the plate indicated that the stop rod hole in the two blocks should be 17.5 mm below the top of the block. The two blocks were drilled out 12 mm at this position, The blocks were also drilled and tapped on the upper surface with two M4 holes for securing the table to. One block was also tapped M4 in the side so that the assemble could be locked to the stop rod. The lock screw is visible in this photo on the left hand block.
The table was then assembled and a straight edge laid across the base casting of the bandsaw and across the table. It was found that whilst the end of the table close to the bandsaw was at the correct level the far end was too high. This was because the stop rod is not parallel with the top of the base casting. To overcome this problem 2 mm was removed from the top of the right hand block. After this tweak the table was level with and parallel to the top of the bandsaw base casting.
As shown, the depth stop is used to provide further support for the table.
The measured distance between the stop rod and the upper surface of the bandsaw base casting was 14.5 mm. Adding on 6 mm for half the diameter of the stoprod and subtracting 3 mm for the thickness of the plate indicated that the stop rod hole in the two blocks should be 17.5 mm below the top of the block. The two blocks were drilled out 12 mm at this position, The blocks were also drilled and tapped on the upper surface with two M4 holes for securing the table to. One block was also tapped M4 in the side so that the assemble could be locked to the stop rod. The lock screw is visible in this photo on the left hand block.
The table was then assembled and a straight edge laid across the base casting of the bandsaw and across the table. It was found that whilst the end of the table close to the bandsaw was at the correct level the far end was too high. This was because the stop rod is not parallel with the top of the base casting. To overcome this problem 2 mm was removed from the top of the right hand block. After this tweak the table was level with and parallel to the top of the bandsaw base casting.
As shown, the depth stop is used to provide further support for the table.
Here the table has been detached form the bandsaw base casting and the blocks are clearly visible.
A piece of 20 x 20 x 1.5 mm aluminium angle is fitted on the right hand side of the table. This extends right over to the bandsaw blade. This angle stops cut off pieces from rolling off the table.
A 5 mm hole is drilled in the aluminium angle over the stop bar securing screw hole. This allows a hex key to be used to loosen the screw in order to facilitate removal of the table, if necessary.
I anticipate that the table may also be quite useful for clamping parts to in order to cut them.