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bat jig

updated thu 27 sep 01

 

artimater on wed 26 sep 01


I have spent thousands of hours in front of a band saw....If I was =
so desperate to make a jig I would rough cut very close to the final =
line anyway....The whole idea of a bandsaw is to cut random curves....If =
you use a jig you use it with a router....The right tool for the right =
job helps....Instead of a jig(which wouldn't work worth crap on a =
bandsaw) I would just put the saw in gear and head into a long right =
turn....just like driving a car....you can go too fast, you can go too =
slow...Maybe have to hit once or twice with a surefile when you are =
done....Maybe even sand the edge down to 600 gritHEHEHE....I could do 20 =
while you guys were setting up the jig....How many bats do you =
need?....You only need a bat if you are making something way =
large....Otherwise you don't need no stinking bats...you don't need no =
stinking jig.....
John Henry strikes again,
pax,
Rush

"I only indulge when I've seen a snake, so I keep a supply of =
indulgences and snakes handy"
http://www.geocities.com/artimator/index.html
artimator@earthlink.net

vince pitelka on wed 26 sep 01


Arti wrote:
"I have spent thousands of hours in front of a band saw....If I was so
desperate to make a jig I would rough cut very close to the final line
anyway....The whole idea of a bandsaw is to cut random curves....If you use
a jig you use it with a router....The right tool for the right job
helps....Instead of a jig(which wouldn't work worth crap on a bandsaw) I
would just put the saw in gear and head into a long right turn....just like
driving a car....you can go too fast, you can go too slow...Maybe have to
hit once or twice with a surefile when you are done...."

Jeese Arti, you do like to rock the boat unnecessarily don't you, and I
probably should not succumb to this, but I hate for anyone else to fall for
such misleading information. After spending thousands of hours in front of
a bandsaw you might have the steady hand to make relatively accurate disks,
but the ones made with a jig are perfect, with no wow or wobble. If you are
willing to accept irregular bats that is fine, but most people are not.
With an appropriate jig, anyone can crank out perfect bats on a bandsaw and
drillpress regardless of previous experience. The jig is so simple to make
and use, so why in the world would anyone want to do the job freehand?

And of course jigs work beautifully on bandsaws when properly used, just as
they do on routers, table saws, or drill presses. I'm sure your local
cabinet maker or furniture builder would be happy to give you a
demonstration. Jigs serve to make a repetitive precision job easier and
more efficient. I'd say that bat-making is a perfect application.

You say "The whole idea of a bandsaw is to cut random curves." In your
world maybe.
Best wishes -
- Vince

Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Home - vpitelka@dtccom.net
615/597-5376
Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
http://www.craftcenter.tntech.edu/