Any ideas on a home made wall saw ?

[wizer]

this is very interesting, might have to consider one for my new shop!

 

[engineer one]

pretty sure(saw ) that was what i meant to, wish i could get my
head round this link thingie!

minor thought though, when you are ripping the long sheets, might it not
be sensible to have some kind of gadget to keep the cut open.
i know they don't on holzers, but i think we would have to cut more
slowly so might the far end not tip down enough to cause a problem???
paul :wink:

 

[Scrit]

Thought they called that a riving knife? :lol:

Scrit

 

[engineer one]

well yes scrit, but what about one of those clips they now sell
when you are hand cutting sheets.

my thinking is that the weight of the board behind the cut
is greater when it is vertical than when horizontal,
thus you might well get more tear out with the wall saw.
small point in the scheme of things, but maybe important later
when in production. :twisted:

paul :wink:

 

[JFC]

I think its called a chippys mate , ive got one here but i cant find it online .

 

[mrbingley]

I wouldn't have thought it needed to have anything to keep the cut open.
Once the sheet touches together at the end, it's self supporting and the riving knife keeps it open before and after it touches together.
If you really feel the need for additional support, just bung a small wedge in as you're cutting.

Chris.

 

[Scrit]

I wouldn't have thought it needed to have anything to keep the cut open.
Once the sheet touches together at the end, it's self supporting and the riving knife keeps it open before and after it touches together.

Exactly! Go watch someone ripping on a HolzHer or the like and that's what you'll see - there is no mechanism for holding the cut open. I've use on of these saws in anger only two or three times but it isn't a problem. The biggest problem is remembering to take care setting up cuts so that your rip cuts and crosscuts are done where the horizontal/vertical gaps in the bed are (so you don't saw your bed strips to pieces)

Scrit

 

[engineer one]

i sort of agree scrit, just that i think holzer users tend to work
somewhat more quickly, and probably with slightly less care
than many working at home might, also i think the saw will
be used more slowly because of the power differential.

but if we forget these things now, it is very difficult to build them
in afterwards. :?

paul :wink:

 

[Ian Dalziel]

This might be relevant for this topic…..I built this specifically for use outdoors about 3 years ago…its still going….my saw and router are removable so weather doesn’t affect them…the rails are 25mm aluminium tubess with nylon running linear bushings…runs as good today as it did 3 years ago and has been in the weather…it did require a realign this summer though but only to be expected.
the counter weights are from old sash windows….the top is adjustable so I can align it for cutting square…it has extension wings for cutting full 8x4’s works great for my needs and all plans are in GWW.
Steve Maskery also has one same issue

Ian

 

[engineer one]

love the wheels ian :twisted:

how do you rotate the saw for ripping?

looks like a woodworker made it. :lol:
paul :wink:

 

[Ian Dalziel]

easy...i made a few mdf boards for it....remove the 4 T knobs and rotate it 90 degrees.

it was built by a woodworker :shock: ...i've only been doing metalwork for about a year now :lol: and really enjoyng it

I

 

[Scrit]

.....just that i think holzer users tend to work
somewhat more quickly, and probably with slightly less care
than many working at home might, also I think the saw will
be used more slowly because of the power differential.

I've seen wall saws used in kitchen carcass shops and working to tolerances of 1mm or less, although, yes, the trades do tend to use them as a quick and dirty sheet stock breakdown mechanism used before applying materials to the spindle, router, etc

Ian

Nice one! Never thought of doing an outdoors machine (mainly 'coz it rains too much round here to guarantee ever getting to use it when I need it), I had also missed the need for a counterweight

Looks like a very safe way to do dados....... (or housings or that maytter)

Scrit

 

[JFC]

:shock: Very nice !!!
Ian , do you push the material past the saw for doing rips along the 8' ?

 

[Ian Dalziel]

do you push the material past the saw for doing rips along the 8'

yes ...clamp in place....position the saw...then push...I bought a cheepie B&Q laser rip saw which is actually pretty good for the dosh.....i have never used it for length ripping though...i have the unisaw for that 8) ....it just helps get the stuff into more manageable sizes.
Steve Maskerys saw is also a handy gadget that swings down from the rafters and allows the use of a festool setup quite easily...not much use in my workshop as i dont have the space to allow it to swing down hence i did one for outside attached to the fence....Steves is a neat idea though.

I did mine for a woodworking magazine project hence the wheels etc are all guaged around wood.....the aluminium stuff is all easily available...you just need to learn to look and ask....

Dave L gave the issue no at the start of the thread.

Scrit...yes it will do dado's etc with ease...i have a picture somewhere with the router in it...i'll need to dig it out.

You definately need the counterbalance...it also needs to be slightly overweight as this pulls the saw back upto its starting position.....from memory when i weighed it the whole lot inc carriage was about 13Lb...i used a 15lb weight or should i say a 10 and a 5....i couldnt find correct weights anywhere and went with the sash window stuff....i suppose you could go with a spring set up. it move really easy though
I had to make mine adjustable because of the natural material...ie Iroko...it will move over time and i needed adjustment

I

 

[wizer]

do you think something like this could be made collapsible or 'knock down'. In my small workshop I wouldn't want this to take up space full time and no external space to keep it. saying that I think i'd use it quite a bit and might warrant permanent installation. hmmm

 

[engineer one]

that is kind of why i suggested that it might form the front of a panel store

you need to store the wooden panels properly, so kind of kill
two loads of wood with one item :lol:

paul :wink:

 

[Ian Dalziel]

Wizer...mine is a permant fixture outside attached to the fence.....Steve Maskerys might be more suitable for you...i just dont have any pics of it.

I

 

[JFC]

I still keep thinking along the lines of the clamp and guide because all the workings are there . There is a saw base plate that attaches to the clamp and guide and slides the saw back and forth . You wouldn't need a vertical cut as you could do it all on the horizontal cut .
If the C&G was mounted on a tracks either end of a frame , you could slide it up and down and when you had your position you could press the lever on the C&G to lock it in place and make your cut .
The tracks Scrit posted above with the nylon bearings would be ideal for the runners and as said you could counter weight it with sash weights .
The only problem i can see is the unit would need a small angle on it to keep the clamp and guide flush against the board .
This is the clamp and guide im talking about .
http://www.toolshopdirect.co.uk/trend/show/bigimages/cgspro.jpg

 

[engineer one]

couple of thoughts jason,

the system that colin c has the zone thing seems to have a
similar mount.

but my other thought is are you sure this is going to be cost
effective. surely your friendly wood yard, (who i know!)
only charge between 75p and a quid a cut. so you are going to
have to have cut at least 300 sheets before you start making/
saving any money :twisted:

in particular, this is true if you are doing what scrit says and
cutting roughly.

paul :wink:

 

[JFC]

I will still get my timber cut to size but its the bits you don't bargin on or don't know the size until its built im thinking of . As i already have the clamp and guide , the saw and the timber to make such a thing the only costs are going to be the runners .
Ive also been thinking today of a way to hold the C&G with timber rather than buying runners . If i manage this then the overall cost of the wall saw to anyone else that wants one will be a C&G and the saw base , around £170 .