Homemade splitter

Good job Alan. What kind of metal did you use? I made a short one for my Uni out of aluminum so that my Gripper would go over it and it works good but if I make a taller one I am wondering about the flex. Using regular metal I would have to protect it from rust. I guess that stainless steel would be the way to go and I have some plate but it is so tough that it is hard to work with without the proper tools. I might give it a go anyway.
 
Nice looking splitter Alan. Its kind of nice to work with other material from time to time, but also challenging. It's also nice to be able to make, fabricate or machine your own tools, or at least make your existing tooling better.

You are absolutely right that you can use your bandsaw to cut aluminum. In fact you can also cut brass with it to, and you don't need any special blade. You get better results cutting soft metal with a special purpose blades when using tablesaws, Radial Arm Saws or Crosscut Saws naturally, but they will still cut it.

Its kind of neat where I work. I am a machinist by trade, but its building super yachts so I get to marry steel and wood together. Mostly Stainless Steel though, some aluminum and a bit or brass. My current job is to put a 1/2 by 1/8 inch piece of stainless steel trim around a groove milled into the edge of all the granite countetops, circular stairs, cabinets and coffee table. With over 300 feet in all, with all the inside joints being coped by using files as its too tight a radious to do on my milling machine. Its quite the job and is scheduled to take me the next 4 months to complete! I am looking forward to it though.
 
I work with a guy that is a true blacksmith. He made a lot of ornamental iron for high end homes in the DC area and really knows his stuff. He wants to get me involved in it. I got quite a bit on my plate now, so starting a new hobby is really not in the cards, but someday I hope to pick up blacksmithing and foundry work. I think it will really help my wooden models take shape, and he thinks so as well.

The thing of it is though, blacksmithing and being a machinist are really at odds with one another. Blacksmithing is more rounded, visual related work, while machinists work hard to keep things straight, precise and flat. Neither one is wrong...or for that matter, better than the other. It's just very different.
 
Alan I made one for the Oliver a bit ago, made one for Joe B, out in cali also. made it out of stainless. Cut it at work with a plasma cutter and ground the edges flat. It raises with the bald and actually is attached to a brackett that is connected to the motor itself. It is hooked like a cutting cycle and follows the curviture of the saw blade radius. When I attached it I bent it a little like a slight "S". Now when I run a board through the saw not only will it keep the wood apart, it also pushes the wood into the fence. It works out great. I will have to get some pics this weekend when I can get back to the shop.
Working wood is the same as working metal really. The differenc is you work it slower and use different tools. I know lots of machinest that are wood workers and vise versa.
Reg
 
Looks good Alan, but why not have it curve closer to the blade? :huh:

This is what I did..............

ts_spliter_1.jpg

I modified the stock blade guard that came with the saw.

ts_spliter_2.jpg

In place

ts_spliter_3.jpg

The anti-kickback pawls at still there, and they work well.............

ts_spliter_4.jpg

Yep works good.

I think it is a LOT safer now than the standard stock blade guard.

Cheers!
 
No, this one raises with the motor. you can ajust it to get it closer to the motorby slideing it up and dwon after loosening the bolt. The brackett it attached to the motor brackett mount. I take mine off when I do dados, just takes a second.
Reg
 
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