I just bought a 14 inch delta this weekend and a riser block to go with it from Chet. (Awesome guy). I'm new to band saws and would like to see what kind of jigs are out there and if you show yours if don't mind put what it used for. Here's a couple pics of the saw I got.
Bandsaw jigs
- Thread starter Trey1984
- Start date
I have a couple of threads where you can get a glimpse of by magswitch bandsaw fence and the bowtie inlay jig for making bowties on the bandsaw. Both have worked out great for me. Here are the thread links:
I have only seen two jigs that always work on the band saw, they are already attached to the end of your arms.
I think you might be going about this backwards. There are many jigs "out there". Rather than looking for random jigs, you might want to think along the lines of "this is what I want to accomplish". What is the best way to accomplish that task? Do I need a jig or . . . ?
Oh yeah, duh. I made one of those years ago too and it would great !
I have the same saw as you (14" Delta w/8" riser block). I purchased it about 15 years ago and it's been a great saw. As someone else said, the accessories depend on what you want to make. The main uses of a bandsaw are cutting curves and resawing. These are the enhancements I've made to/for mine.
The first upgrade is the table and fence. You can buy bigger/better versions than what come with the saw. In my case I made a new, larger top out of solid surface countertop (e.g., Corian), and repurposed the original fence and rails from a Delta table saw after I upgraded it with an Incra fence. I make inserts from 1/4" phenolic plastic and keep a few extras on hand.
The fence allows me to attach a couple of jigs. One is the high fence you see mounted in the picture. The other is the more typical resaw fence that bolts onto the fence (pictured to the left of the blade). I typically use the high fence for resawing and just tune the blade to cut parallel to the fence.
A feature of the table is the circle cutting fixture. This is the aluminum bar with a pivot point near the end. The bar is milled to slide in a track cut into the table top. A thumb screw underneath (not seen) locks the bar in place. This works great for cutting circles. The only catch is it leaves a small pivot hole at the center of the circle. This usually isn't a problem as it gets hidden during construction.
This shows a better view of the pivot point. If I reverse the bar the point is at the other end and out of the way for most cuts. If necessary I can remove it completely. Note, I have a resaw blade installed. This is NOT the right blade for circle cutting. With a 1/4" blade you can cut circles down to around 5-6" in diameter.
Over the years I've made a few jigs that slide in the miter track. These are good for cutting small parts that aren't safe to cut on the table saw. I use this one to cut plane wedges. The angle is adjustable. It has a small stop block to set the length. In the picture I have a pattern mounted for illustration, but normally you would slide the piece all the way back to the stop.
You'll have lots of enjoyment with the saw. It's a good, reliable model.
The first upgrade is the table and fence. You can buy bigger/better versions than what come with the saw. In my case I made a new, larger top out of solid surface countertop (e.g., Corian), and repurposed the original fence and rails from a Delta table saw after I upgraded it with an Incra fence. I make inserts from 1/4" phenolic plastic and keep a few extras on hand.
The fence allows me to attach a couple of jigs. One is the high fence you see mounted in the picture. The other is the more typical resaw fence that bolts onto the fence (pictured to the left of the blade). I typically use the high fence for resawing and just tune the blade to cut parallel to the fence.
A feature of the table is the circle cutting fixture. This is the aluminum bar with a pivot point near the end. The bar is milled to slide in a track cut into the table top. A thumb screw underneath (not seen) locks the bar in place. This works great for cutting circles. The only catch is it leaves a small pivot hole at the center of the circle. This usually isn't a problem as it gets hidden during construction.
This shows a better view of the pivot point. If I reverse the bar the point is at the other end and out of the way for most cuts. If necessary I can remove it completely. Note, I have a resaw blade installed. This is NOT the right blade for circle cutting. With a 1/4" blade you can cut circles down to around 5-6" in diameter.
Over the years I've made a few jigs that slide in the miter track. These are good for cutting small parts that aren't safe to cut on the table saw. I use this one to cut plane wedges. The angle is adjustable. It has a small stop block to set the length. In the picture I have a pattern mounted for illustration, but normally you would slide the piece all the way back to the stop.
You'll have lots of enjoyment with the saw. It's a good, reliable model.
The Carter circle jig works pretty well but priced high. I purchased mine at a yard sale for $10 making it much more affordable.
Jeremy mentions the magfencewhich i have seriously considered. The Jet fence is not stellar and the Magfence is one the few available for larger saws. Magfence gets great reviews.
Jeremy mentions the magfencewhich i have seriously considered. The Jet fence is not stellar and the Magfence is one the few available for larger saws. Magfence gets great reviews.
A half fence and featherboard for resaw is very helpful to minimize waste. I usually get a clean board with just a 1/16th pass through the planer after resawing. It is essential that the fence not extend past the cutting edge of the blade to eliminate blade drift.
Not a jig per se, but it you have a dust collector, cutting your bottom door to fit a dust collection port is a game changer for dust collection. Mine is held to the frame by magnets.
Not a jig per se, but it you have a dust collector, cutting your bottom door to fit a dust collection port is a game changer for dust collection. Mine is held to the frame by magnets.
Attachments
I recently bought the Kreg jig from Klingspor. I really like it. I used it to resaw 6" boards . Even though it's only 3" high it was solid in it's vertical support. I added the micro adjuster for creap- up- on accuracy.
Some good suggestions for jigs. Key to any cutting on a bandsaw if proper set up. Here is a video by Alex Snodgrass who is a spokesman for Carter products. Great video, we had him do a Zoom presentation on set up a couple of weeks ago. Here is a link to a YouTube video:
The roller guide made by Magswitch is nice for resaw, but you pay for it. Magswitch Dual Roller Guide - 8110130 - Magswitch Technology
Also for resaw, and even more pricey, is the GuidePro by Bow products. I haven't tried one, but I like their feather board for the table saw and it's stacking capability. https://bow-products.com/product/guidepro/
In any case, it pays to take some time to tune up the saw. Are the fence, miter slot, and blade all parallel? Is the fence straight and perpendicular to the table?
Also for resaw, and even more pricey, is the GuidePro by Bow products. I haven't tried one, but I like their feather board for the table saw and it's stacking capability. https://bow-products.com/product/guidepro/
In any case, it pays to take some time to tune up the saw. Are the fence, miter slot, and blade all parallel? Is the fence straight and perpendicular to the table?
| Lastly, in addition to thinking about jigs, do you have the right blade for the intended use - tight curves, resaw, general purpose etc. |
No cutting required if you use my method, which was a "Top Tip" in wood magazine about 12 years ago. It's also available here on NCWW.
Here's Bruce's tip, which I guess he is too modest to post The less dusty dust-Tee
I cut my door because I didn't want to choke my 5" DC port down to a 1x3" opening, and cutting the door increases flow a LOT. (I first did it w/o cutting and found it only worked OK) YMMV.
@Keye had a Q about cutting the door so here are some more pics that should show what's up.
I cut my door because I didn't want to choke my 5" DC port down to a 1x3" opening, and cutting the door increases flow a LOT. (I first did it w/o cutting and found it only worked OK) YMMV.
@Keye had a Q about cutting the door so here are some more pics that should show what's up.
The main thing I'm wanting to do is mill small logs to make my own lumber, resawing and cutting curves. I was just curious to see other uses.
Glad to hear it's a good saw. Really like the table you made for yours.
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