7aso

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I traced the formers on to my 3/32" plywood board and I'm wondering what you guys use to cut them with?

I don't have a laser cutter so that's out of the question..

Chad Veich

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My first choice would be a scroll saw but, if not, then a band saw with about a 1/8" blade.

mmattockx

+1. A scroll saw is a great choice, with a small band saw second in my books. Use a fine tooth blade to minimize splintering and rough edges. If you really want to go first class, cut them slightly oversize and true the edges up with a belt or disc sander.

Mark

7aso

My Feedback: (27)

Thanks guys.

Did some looking around and found this one http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...-01&lpage=none

I checked out the demo video and it looks pretty good. Good price too.

khelsea

another one is the dremel, it comes with a sweet 4 in disc sander on the side but of course a few more schekles . I bought a refurbished from Dremel.com for 169. Lanny

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

I have a couple old Dremels that work well and I also have a small Craftsman band saw

I mostly cut a little over size and sand to the line

The scroll saw at Lowes will be OK

Hydro Junkie

Depends on what I'm cutting as to what tool I use. I normally cut larger ply parts with a 12" bandsaw while I cut small ply and balsa parts with my 16" scroll saw. As said above, cut oversized and sand to the lines. For that, I use a Craftsman belt/disc sander, a Ridgid shaper or Dremel tool. I prefer the shaper since it can be used as a horizontal oscilating belt or oscilating drum sander with four different sized drums. Makes quick work of most sanding jobs and it's easier to use than the belt or disc sanders. Here is a link to see one http://www.toolsdirect.com/index.cfm...ag&cse=nextage

kdc

Every one mentioned scroll saw they mean the fretsaw type not the type like a hand held jig saw with rotating blade!
Straight cuts are difficult on a scroll saw. Score the straight cuts with a knife and straight edge. It depends on the ply but the liteply type up to an eighth inch can be cut right through with a Stanley knife. Use a brand new blade of good quality and make repeated light cuts using a straight edge and reasonable pressure. Dont use a scalpel as the blade might snap. Even moderate curves are possible because you only use the very tip of the blade.

Birch ply up to a sixteenth can be cut with a knife even on moderate curves . Make repeated light cuts and ensure the knife is held without leaning sideways. Once the blade has cut part way the part can be turned over and cut completed from the reverse. ( Obviously you turn over only when you have cut through enough to see the line of cut and for straight cuts just push through at either end to mark the line) A scalpel could be used on the thinner ply but eye protection is important because the danger of blade snapping under pressure.

When using a saw cut the notches out after cutting the main shape. I use 25 Teeth per inch (TPI) pin ended blades in my scroll saw (fretsaw) but finer fretsaw blades might be better for cutting notches turning at the end. Turn at just before the end of notch and finish with a file.

carlosponti

My Feedback: (1)

if you don't have money for power tools you can also use a coping saw its a hand saw version of a scroll saw. I put in this reply for those who may read this in the future and think they have to have a power tool and may ask if there is a hand tool to do the same job.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...CP9&lpage=none

7aso

My Feedback: (27)

Thanks for that! I'm going to check out that coping saw. For $7 it's worth a try before I get the scroll saw.

vmsguy

You might want to try adhering some paper to the back side of the plywood to help splintering...

I'd suggest that spray on adhesive.. Scotch 77 (I think) spray adhere the plans onto the top, and some blank paper onto the back of the plywood...

Then when cutting, the plywood won't splinter as much..

Of course.. you probably already know this...

As for a tool. I've got both a band-saw and a scroll saw.. I use the band saw almost exclusively. The constant downward direction of the blade makes cutting more.. predictable... whereas the up-down of the scroll saw could catch you by surprise and cause some gouging/splintering...


Just my $0.02....

bogbeagle

Well, I honestly don't know how you'll be able to manage if you have no laser cutter.

That aside, I'd second the advice that the other guys have given you.

kdc

Yes, the coping saw is a good tool to have around. However it has blades at 14 teeth per inch which is a bit coarser than those available for fretsaws / scroll saws. Ensure you fit coping saw blades teeth pointing towards the handle for maximum control of the cutting especially straight cuts. Many books seem to show the teeth pointing the other way like a normal saw it works, but not as well as using it as a pull saw. Try it for yourself!

With a smaller frame and thicker blades the coping saw is easier to use than a hand fretsaw.

When using a hand fretsaw or a coping saw make a traditional fretsaw work support -just a stout piece of wood with a vee shaped cutout. Best to screw this wood on a block ( say 6 inches of 4 by 2 inch wood ) and mount in a vice -it may be at just the right height for standing up if you mount it in an engineers vice which is normally about 8 inches above the bench. Otherwise you use a fretsaw or coping saw seated at the bench with the vee support screwed or clamped to the bench top or a Workmate.

w8ye

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I've never had trouble with a fretsaw splinter the wood on the bottom side

A coping saw is impossible without a support set up as described

7aso

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Well here it is. Just picked it up today.

Got some work to do!

w8ye

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That's really nice compared with my old Dremel from 40 years ago

Enjoy

7aso

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Well, about 3 hours later I'm finished with the first of 2 former ply's.

All I have to say is this thing is awsome! Cuts real smooth and haven't had any wood splits. I definetely recommend this!

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

It is a lot more fun when you have something that gets the job done easily

highfly3D

Hi...

The machine looks great.. how much did it cost you.

I my self had made a table saw by making the hand electric jig saw inverted fitted on a ply.

High...

dhal22

i bought the same machine a few yrs ago on ebay for .99, plus $30-35 to ship. you would be surprised what goes for very cheap during the superbowl! no one is paying attention to ebay.

and the proper name may be a fretsaw but i've been around woodworking, carpentry and construction my whole life and we don't use that term over here.

Ed Smith

Have you ver seen one of these? It is called a fret saw.

Ed S

kdc

The formers seem to be in 2 parts. If you need another identical part then sticking 2 pieces of ply together with small pieces of double sided tape enables you to cut 2 at once. Depends on the thickness of course. Even if you cut them separately tape them together before sanding to final shape to ensure they are the same.

Put a small trysquare on the machine table against the blade (switched off! ) to check the blade is vertical/90 degrees. Adjust table if necessary and then re-set the pointer to zero maybe use a locking compound to keep it there. Then thicker materials will have square edge and duplicate parts will be identical.

For reference tell everyone whether you used pin ended or plain blades and the Teeth Per Inch you found worked.

7aso

My Feedback: (27)

Yes, the formers are in 2 parts. I'm scratch building a Marutaka J2M3 Raiden 50" WS from plans I got on ebay. I was planning on doing the sanding method like you mentioned, kdc.

The saw is made by Skil www.skil.com I got it at Lowe's for $109 + $14 for the extra year warranty. I wrote a company check so I am tax exempt.

I'm using a plain ended 20 TPI blade.

planeman40

As a long time user of fret saws and powered scroll saws I have the following comments that should help.

(1) There are a large variety of saw blades, some very good, some lousy ( the Lowe's Kobalt blades I have used are very much in the lousy category). Keep experimenting with different kinds of blades until you find the best one for you. The blades make a LOT of difference!!! The better ones are usually the more expensive ones.

(2) In cutting thick wood the blade tension is of paramount importance. You cannot make a good accurate cut when the blade bends to one side and twists. For this reason a powered scroll saw should be of the parallel arm type rather than the spring-loaded type so considerable tension can be put on the blade.

(3) Blades come in two types - pin-held and clamp-held. The pin-held blades have a small steel pin through the ends of the blades that hooks to the blade holder. The larger scroll saw blades are of this type. The clamp-held blades have no pins and are held by clamps in the saw. The small jeweler's type of blades are made this way.

(4) Variable speed makes a LOT of difference! The ability to slow the saw down for intricate cuts with a fine blade is very useful. The slower the better.

(5) So . . . if possible, purchase a variable speed parallel-arm type of powered scroll saw with a good tensioning arrangement and a blade holder that will accept both pin-type and clamp-type blades

(6) And a final caveat. Bolt the saw down to a heavy table. Scroll saws have a sizable oscillating mass and vibrate something awful! All of them do. You can cut with the saw vibrating but it is distracting. A bolted down saw is a pleasure to use.

Planeman40

7aso

My Feedback: (27)

^ Good tips, thanks for posting that.

I'm finished with they ply formers, the balsa ones are next.

I cut and sanded the ply formers to shape. I used double sided tape and stuck them together. I then clamped them down on the table and used a file to sand the rough and excess edges and whent over them with sanding paper.