How to Safely Cut Multiple Round Bars in a Horizontal Bandsaw
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- Опубликовано: 5 фев 2025
- Have you ever tried to cut multiple pieces of round bar in a horizontal bandsaw? A small modification to your stationary jaw and you can easily and safely cut more than one. This video shows my setup that easily cuts 5 bars at a time.Take a look.
Joe, you have a talent for working with metals that is pure pleasure to observe. I learn from each of your videos and am thankful to be able to "know you" through your videos. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for that.
What a great video, and easy way to save time cutting multiple parts. Industrial strength stretch wrap works really well also to hold your bars together. Just wrap it tightly around the bars and cut it loose with a knife when it gets close to the blade.
I have some of that. I'll give it a go.
I use duct tape.
Duck tape works but stretch wrap is easier and cheaper and not sticky. Just stretch it a couple of turns around the bundle and cut it loose with a knife when it reaches the vise.
I always look forward to your videos. I never fail to learn something.
Keep up the great work
Thank you
Thanks Joe, after looking at auto saws for $10k-$60k you made my day.
Now that"s "thinking outside the box" Joe, great solution, thanks for sharing!
This was really clever, best solution to this problem I have ever seen! Will use. Thanks.
Glad it helped!
Joe, Thanks for showing a great way to get work done. In the job shop, time is money. Spending a little time here is saving a lot of time on the total saw time by lots. Glad you didn't use the new generation term "hack". Whenever I can set a stop, stack multiple parts, and make the setup fool proof, I'm in.
I made a feeder unit for my saw (much like the ones used on hand screw machines) and it has a stop with a micro switch built into it so the saw won't start until the stock hits the stop; no accidental short pieces. I have a job with multiple parts like this coming up and I will be using your idea, making the job go so much faster. I will be in Production City!
Keep on showing the smart way to do things.
That's awesome how they self adjust to the angle of the vice. A concept worth remembering, it may be applicable somewhere else.
Speaking of taking the time to make a mod that you've been thinking of for a while. I've been drilling holes in some 30mm square stock. Without setting up anything permanent on the drill press I want to drill a hole in the centre.
What I did was turn a piece of aluminium to 30mm on the lathe and drill a hole in the middle to accept hardened 5mm steel salvaged from stressing cable. Now I can line up the 30mm aluminium over the stock with my fingers on either side and hit the 5mm centre punch. Alternatively I can push both stock and tool against something vertical clamped to the bench.
Now I only measure the position along the stock to the edge of my new tool.
I love it when I show a concept and someone applies it elsewhere, or it gets you to thinking. I have always said, the best engineer has the most catalogs and the best memory. i built a wood doweling jig that follows your logic. ( I think ) thanks for watching.
these simple little things are what makes and breaks us. thank you for sharing!
It speeds things up considerably
Joe, we did this in my machine shop near Pittsburgh, Pa. We had to saw app. 1500 pieces of 5/8" dia. CRS one of my guy's found this on your page!! It worked out great!! Thank You! Doug
Thanks. It really does work well.
Very cool.
I have that exact same bandsaw, right down to the wire on the blade guard...
It was a big expense for a hobbyist, but every time I use it am grateful I took the plunge on it.
I want to rig up a feeder, a retractable stop, and an air vise. Maybe in my spare time....
I would love to see your take on a retractable stop. The factory one has an unpleasant taper to it causing the offcut to bind.
I have plans to add semi-permanent jaw extensions so I have support right up to the blade. Just waiting for the right pieces of scrap to walk into the shop..
Hi Joe,
Good method and there are times when people have problems with only one at the time... ;)
Cheers, Pierre
Joe, you are brilliant. I just bought an old wellsaw model 8 and this tip is priceless.
Thanks. Glad to help.
Another great trick to squirrel away for a time of similar need. Well Done! ! ! !
I too will keep this one handy. It worked like a charm.
nice job. i have never seen a blade on a ban saw. having a good saw in the shop will save you big money in the long run.
Sawing and drilling. the 2 fastest ways to remove material.
Just need to add a stop like on the mill! Thanks for all you share with the world.
When I worked in a machine shop / sheet metal shop we cut 4 pieces at a time. The bandsaw was similer to yours. Some times the parts kicked out and I had to stop it quickly. What you showed would of saved the headaches ang gotten 5 instead of only 4. Wish I would of known your trick back than. Thanks
Cool Joe, nice saw and a smart idea. After a hour or two your going to dream brass round cut offs lol . Thanks for tip. God Bless Ya Dave
I did. Now I have to machine them all.
Great idea and worked well. The outside box is filling up today.
This mod was long overdue. It really delivers. Thanks for checking in.
Engineering: The application of theory. Brilliant. Thanks Joe!
It really sped things up.
Hi Joe,
Thanks for sharing all these tips. Can you talk about your work history/experience in one of your videos? I'd love to hear how you learned all this stuff. Trade school? Apprenticing? College? Also, what were some of the most challenging jobs you saw over the years, and what did you learn? Thanks.
I have to mill the ends square, on 100 pieces of 1/2" round, 1045 steel, turned, Ground and Polished rods, 15" long. . I was going to use this method to saw them to the 15" length first. Why wouldn't this work in my milling machine, to mill the ends square? The 15" dimension is not critical. I have a 6" Kurt mill vise, and I will just make another stationary fixed jaw with a stop block on it, since the original jaw is hardened. I think my jaws are 2" high so I'm going to give this a try. Just an FYI, but 7 round pieces make a circle. I cut .140 diameter pins in my small bandsaw by stretch wrapping 7 pieces together at one time. I've learned so much from you Joe! I wish I had the internet and people like you 40 years ago when I had to self teach myself machining. I did something right, because I've been in my own business making parts for the Direct Mail industry machines for 42 years and going stronger than ever!
Ingenuity at it's finest. Thank you
Why is it Joe that every time i watch one of your videos i end up scratching my head and think to myself "why didn't i think of that " ! I am now thinking of doing something like that to my saw but i am thinking of mounting some 1" sq x 2" long steel blocks to the back of the fixed jaw that have a 5/8 hole bored though them to allow some 5/8 bar to be locked in with some cap screws giving two vertical posts . The anti lift plate would have a similar set up allowing it to slide up or down then locked to the required height . Just set it up with a suitable packer to give the required height or maybe an adjustable parallel then lock it up and chop away .
Thanks for the video and the inspiration Joe !
I like it when I throw out a concept and it inspires other thought. Thats real 'think tank' results. Good luck.
I saw this video a while back -- I was impressed . Now I have the exact same circumstances that your video dictates . This is a kick ass video -- obviously I'm going to clone the setup . I think I'm going to put you on the pay roll --- tell me where to sent the checks .
Thanks for the comment. If you can, drill your stop block off center so it can be flipped and accommodate different diameter stacks. On the off chance you're serious about being generous, forward all donations to 3850 N. Hwy 183, Liberty Hill TX 78642.
The only thing I've ever seen that even *remotely* resembled this, is one lunatic I worked for replaced the bandsaw vise with a roller chain vise grip pipe wrench welded to the bandsaw frame. I refused to use it because I could picture my exact manner of death using it...
Thanks for sharing, mate!
I've seen pipe thread vises setup that way. I thought it was clever, but never used one.
Truly inspired Joe :-)
Wish I had that much brass stock!
I got a 12 foot bar 1 1/4" dia and nearly passed out when I went to lift it. This stuff is heavy. I plan to make my field gun (cannon) with the bar ends and left overs.
Nice idea. I've been thinking of making new vise jaws that would allow me to hold short pieces better (ie closer to the blade) and this would also be a good addition to a new design. Most H band saws seem to have just enough of a vise so they can say they have one but seems no one has put much thought into it.
I keep blocks along side my saw for just that reason. Just be sure to put a spacer part on the opposite end of your blocks so they dont squeeze unevenly. You can get right up to the blade that way.
Another great common sense way to fix a problem. It seems you have the same problem I do Joe , when I lay down at night to go to sleep. Some people read a book to go to sleep some watch tv , and guess some count sheep. Me I think myself to sleep. I'm always building something or fixing something. I have come up with some of my best ideas thinking myself to sleep. Keep the wheels turning , I enjoy your way of overcoming a problem no matter how good something works you seem to come up with an improvement.
Thank you very much for the comment. You are spot on about the brain not shutting off. My wife would back me up on that. I go to sleep with a problem and have woken up with solutions many times. I just roll with it.
Mahalo for the tip. I've learned a lot from what you do. Keep on keeping on.
I'll buy that for a dollar! Way to think out of the box Joe. Thanks
Another one of Your superb ideas Cap'n. Tremendous.
Thanks always for showing and sharing.
ATB
aRM
Very smart idea Joe.
It worked very well.
Thanks, Joe! Keep those tips coming!!!
This one saved a BUNCH of saw time.
In addition to ensuring the stop is smaller than the diameter of the stock, it is probably a good idea to also make sure the stop sticks out at least the radius of the stock, just to eliminate the potential for the top piece to roll over the stop.
7/8 material, 3/4 block material. But realistically, the material would have to lift to jump the stop and under pressure, that's unlikely.
Oh yeah, don't get me wrong, I think your setup works great. I was more thinking of a guideline for the viewers that are going to try a similar setup. As a rule of thumb, I thought a good safe minimum for any setup is at least the radius and maximum is the diameter. I know that there is a minimum height the stop needs to be in relation to the material to hold it securely, and it is somewhere less than the radius. Could be figured out with trig. Essentially, since you have circles, you draw a line through the centers of the top circles on the left and right, extended to the fixed jaw. You then draw another one perpendicular to this. Any stop that is shorter than the distance between this line and the fixed jaw will allow the material to roll out.
Kinda like how there is a point where a bearing has just enough clearance for the balls to stack up on one side and poop the bed.
Awesome Joe, thanks for sharing
Thanks for watching!
hey Joe. love your videos and appreciate you spending your time to make them ,and help others like myself to learn some tricks of the trade. an idea for a video ! maybe drilling on a lathe, vs using reamers and boaring etc. differences plus and minus of one vs the other ?. just a thought. I picked up a OLD South bend 9 ! and have been learning how to properly use it, as a hobby..and some gun smithing work. thanks again for your time and effort with all the videos!!
Thats a good suggestion. Stay tuned.
glad I watched a second time.....Thanks Joe, Paul in Florida.....
Glad you enjoyed it Paul.
I used to do this same thing with aircraft tubes we had anywhere from 4 to 10 or 12 stacked up pending on the diameter only we tack welded the ends.
Hi John, I’m in the middle of cutting right now, cutting 16 1” tubes at a time, wish I had an automatic saw though 😊 It was a neat surprise to see your post on RUclips, I never see anyone I know posting 👍
Still using this tip today. Have (16) 12' round stock to cut 3.5" at a time. Thank you.
This will speed things up for you.
Joe Pieczynski It does! I put blocks on both jaws. Allows me to cut (8) at a time in a 3-2-3 configuration. This also makes the bundle a rectangle which sits well on the infeed rollers.
@@GOAP68 Outstanding. Thanks for the trust.
Would a 5 spot like this allow easy roll feading, or would someone have to torque it at the end since the rolls wouldn't contact everything at the bkttom?
@@ryanb1874 Bound securely at the trailing end, it may have a tendency to flop, but it will roll on the support tower just fine. I clamped a piece of stock at an angle between the end uprights of a rolling cart and used that for this job. Solved both problems.
Like the idea...I would tap some 3/8-16 holes along the top edge of your stop block to allow for different material sizes....using some fully threaded jack screws for the now adjustable stop...I know you already knew this....don't forget jammer-nut...LOL
Great Idea! Thanks a lot for your time and content! Your awesome!!!
Great trick, thanks for sharing AND explaining!
Short, sweet and efficient. What can you ask more?
I had several hundred of these to cut. This setup saved my day. and my back.
clever, love a simple creative solution like this
Very cool Joe!
Awesome tip, thanks for sharing ;-)
Nice tip! An idea that came to mind was a pice with a slot milled in to it on the fixed side and a pice with a thru slot milled on the moving side. Then you can have a pice of flat stock in the milled pockets and fit how ever many round bars you can fit in your saw. Just stack them the same way you did.
Nice idea. Will certainly give this a try. Thanks for posting.
Be sure to leave a gap in the 3 high stack so the 2 bars will self center. This works very well.
Nice idea. That should work with other types of saws as well.
Now if we can figure out a way to make them adjustable to work with varied sizes of material without having to change them each and every time the material size changes. I've already got an idea on that, but describing it would be a long, drawn out process... and I've probably over complicated it already
I plan to really look this one over. I put the holes in my block off center so I could flip it over and use it for smaller diameter material. It may actually work better with a bigger gap. I look forward to messing with it.
You could lift the lowest part with a rectangular spacer to make up the difference between 3/5/7... x diameter and your jig. Therefore rise the odd side up to the stop and keep the self locking and aligning of the stock. It´s a neat trick, as even when the parts have a modest difference in diameter, they will still self-align on 3 lines each (jaw and 2 other parts). As long as there is no bow in the stock after snugging up.
So actually, the more gap you leave on the odd side, the better the jig will tolerate differences in diameter. But it must be allowed to slide, so that the smallest diameter is still pushed with the same force as the largest diameter on the even side.
Joe
Great tip, thank you !!
Best regards from Albion Park, NSW, Australia
Greetings back at ya from Austin Texas. Thanks for watching.
great idea joe. so simple it hurts
Now I just have to get a better way of securing the last 8 inches. I really hate tape residue on my material.
Maybe the metal banding used to strap items to pallets? Long hose clamps may work too...
The other things I have tried with rounds are an angle open to the round but with a bolt through that can "float" if that makes any sense (the angle moves but can't detach so there is always pressure somewhere), a bolt through heavy wall square tube clamped in the vise with whatever round tube inside the square tube (just need a single pressure point to hold the rounds) and a single horizontal bolt through the movable jaw near where the blade cuts so you can effectively clamp really short pieces.
Love your work, again. Thanks!!!!!
I was more impressed with the outboard set up on the cart in the way you have that bundled
I'm thinking about putting inverted angle iron on the floor and rigging up a sliding trolley. In my spare time.
If you would make your lip a angle iron and slot the holes horizontal you would be able to use your mod for multiple sizes of pipe
The holes in my bar are off center so I can have 2 positions. Slots and angle iron would be a very functional setup. Good idea.
Hi Joe, I am assuming [with all attendant dangers] that you removed your stop fence for clarity in this video. A stop fence is the first and most useful of additions to any cut off saw or band saw.
At 5:41 I explain the only change to the machine.
If the stop fence you speak of is a continuation of the rear jaw outside the blade, this machine never came with one. I moved the material cutoff stop down out of the way as well.
No, I meant a stop fence on the camera side of the blade for accurately measuring the length of rod material to be cut.
Its positioned down and out of the way. The parts bind after cutting them off, so Its lowered.
genius as always Joe! thanks for sharing
Any chance ce you could stick a bundle of round stock in a lathe chuck and face them at once? Good idea? Bad idea? Why or why not? Thanks Joe!
Probably have to use bundling strap and make a jig, on the mill, to by bundle a hexagon
This might just work with pipes too... could save some time in my job. Wonder how easy it would be to build a trolley that slides on a couple of angle irons.. I mean how to attach the angle irons to the floor and to level them up. Would be perfect in our small shop.
It would. Use a finer tooth blade for the pipe unless its really heavy wall.
nice. I've frequently used electrical tape stretched around the bundle every two feet or so and cut - then I go and add another band of tape and repeat.
Great idea Joe, thanks.
Just too many parts to cut. I had to try it. It worked well.
Hi Joe - Appreciate all the videos. By any chance do you have the part number for the pivoting blade guard off your saw? My Jet model doesn't have one and need to retrofit one to it before student use.
Great idea. I wonder if you could have tapped the stationary jaw and then slotted the piece that rest on top of your work. The would allow you to cut several different sizes.
I like your comment. That stop bar on my stationary jaw is drilled and pinned off center. You can reverse it and it allows for a new range of diameters to be held. Good call.
Joe I'm a dollar short and a day late as usual.
Make half round jaws for your band saw that are about the same size as the bundle you are trying to cut.'
They will clamp together and hold the round stock.
You can make them by splitting lengthwise SCH 80 pipe of any size you want.
Another option is a diamond pattern set of jaws more or less two big angle iron jaws coming together.
As long as the gaps between the jaws aren't bigger than the bar stock they will hold tight.
I know you get the idea.
Worth
I like it.
That makes sense.
Nice tip Joe, do these more expensive bandsaws actually cut straight & square? The cheap one I have is a bit hit and miss on that front, I'm guessing that they will never be that accurate compared to a lathe/mill though??
I can cut 1/32" wide shims on 2" diameter stainless all day. A saw can't compete with a lathe or mill, but this one gets the job done. I have one of the $99 4 x 7 bandsaws. It works, but you get what you pay for.
Great concept. You seem to have a great sense for work holding across the board. Much appreciated. Just curious, do you know off the top of your head what kind of coolant that you're using there? It's so vibrantly blue, never seen that before. Thanks
Trim sol water soluable
Thanks
Foo! never knew all that - having seen / read blurb from steel stockists with illustrations showing cutting multiples AND when choosing new blades - was aware of the practice - I've had to pad stock to gain clearance because of existing fitments to the stock - not seating properly in the jaw and have come across this . NOTE I have a Fendo 250A Super. It's Blade runs in reverse to yours - ie it is pulled along the TOP. Will I be correct in saying that the fixture should be made to the other side of the Jaw?. Great stuff!
Whichever side you are going to have the greater number of parts, block that side. The blade pressure / direction will just add integrity to the stack that way.
Great tip Joe ~
great idea!
Great tip!
Joe! My quick latch nut won't tighten up. I cleaned it all up, put grease on it and still no tightening..... It's it the grease? On my bandsaw
Did it work before you fixed it?
@@joepie221 was working, then started to slip, cleaned threads debured etc and still does same thing. Ideas? Have you had issues with yours?
Brilliant!! Thanks so much for sharing!
I use DRO and Mitutoyo calipers so my accuracy is there in my tools. About 95% of my work is within 0.002. But sometimes something weird happens and I find myself about 0.020 off at the end of the job. I have a machine shop here on a plantation so most of my jobs are one of a kind. Sometimes I suspect an end mill is off spec but have never found one to be more than 0.002 off. (Name brands by the way). The tram of my vise gets off despite having it very tight. Kurt has a CNC vise with four bolts that I have considered switching to. Do you think that would be better at staying true?
Great vid! If 5, then why not 6? The back one will push and spread the next two, which in turn would lock the front 3 in place. Maybe? I'm going to try it!!
I think any pyramid shape should work. But be careful not to pop the center level out.
Do you really need coolant with brass? Thanks for the vid Joe.
Probably not actually.
Thanks Joe, I'm a home gamer and like to learn.
One question Joe. Why are you wet cutting brass? I would think it would be easier to handle several hundred pieces if you don't have to clean the coolant off of them prior to any secondary operation.
Hey Joe, as my physics teacher would say 'Don't try to fight physics, work with it, because it Will become your friend'. This is a great illustration of his words. Any thanks for sharing young man. Kindest regards. Joe.
I'll cut more today and do away with the coolant. I just keep that on all the time to prolong the blade life.
I got 1000 1/4" rods to cut fairly precise 2" long. Need to expand on this.
Hose clamps will be your friend.
Good idea .
Hi Joe.
I am a welding student. I am a very beginner into cutting steel.
At one of the workshops where I work. We have a pretty similar job, to cut nearly 300 square bars. I found your video amazingly helpful but I would to ask if is necessary keep a gap between square bars to do the job using your technique. Obviously we would use the stop at the top of the vise to hold the material properly.
I would really appreciate your answer. Thanks.
Gang cutting square material is pretty easy. Open your saw vise to hold as many bars as you wish to cut, and place the material in there, side by side. Use a C clamp on the material side that won't drop off so you can advance all the bars together. You can lay the material down which may take longer, but will hold tighter, or stack the bars on top of each other for a faster cut, but maybe cut less parts. If you stack parts and place them sided by side ( like 3 wide and 4 high ) make sure you use multiple clamps on the bar ends to tightly clamp the group together.
@@joepie221 amazing!!! Thanks a lot for your time. What a great explanation!!
hey, you reinvented the fractal vice, or rather reapplied the same principal
Pretty close.
I clamp 4 bars together with c clamps, on the sides and the top and bottom. Works great
Brilliant idea..thanks Joe!!!👍
we would like go purchase new lathe machines for our school we have the the old colchester triumph 2500 vs (1250 mm) from the 90's and they still running excellently, but the new ones I've heard are not made in the UK but in Taiwan/China. can you help us with any recommendations equivalent to the good old colchester
Believe it or not, I ran a 1640 Victor for many years and it was fantastic. It was Japanese made JVC corp. but I liked it. Reasonably priced too. It had a lot of great features like cam chuck, color coded speed drive, jog button, foot brake handy stuff.
thank you Joe
Thanks for watching
Please tell us about your ceiling lighting.
Standard 96 inch fluorescent tubes in double fixtures. Spaced about every 12 foot square.
Joe Pieczynski it looked like the original fixtures had been disabled for another type of lighting. I thought maybe it was a better light for machine work. I have fluorescent lighting and have no problems. But if you had something special I was going to look into it. Also, what would be another way of getting identical lengths?
Stood up in a 'V' jaw or 'V' block and milled. They do make LED conversion kits for the light fixtures. I may try one. I hear they are very bright.
Thanks for sharing.
Hello Joe can you please help me out here ,we have a doall job selector c-916 at the shop and 1 guy keeps turning the rpm,s down as slow as they go to cut 4 inch round aluminum,it took this man over an hour to cut 6 pieces and then proceeded to hold them in the bridgeport mill vice to face each side ,I believe that,s not safe at all and that took 8 hrs. .he won,t take advice and get,s angry if you try to explain ,this should be faced in a lathe and well the saw has a chart of speeds and feeds right on it ,what would you do,and was fly cutting round stock in a standard kurt vise not even using a v block safe for him and everyone else working near him.
If the correct blade is in the saw, you can crank the RPM fairly high for large dia aluminum. It may bounce initially, but after a good bite, it should walk through in a couple of minutes. if the blanks were short enough, facing in the lathe is absolutely the way to go. Can this be called to the attention of a supervisor?
Thanks for this, will work well in my shop !!
Great idea Thanks Joe
very smart Joe!
Thanks. Works well.
Wonderful Joe...
Glad you enjoyed it
Nice and thanks for the Safety.
It is always better to work smart than to work hard.
Agreed.
Working hard is for the feeble minded.
I work really hard trying to make it easier, sigh.
Hey Joe, you are not just a pretty face.👌👌👌
Been telling my wife that for years. Thanks.
Hi Joe !I use Vice grip chain clamp tool.....works pissa :)Dean
That 6th part under my hose clamp would serve that well. I should buy one.
I use a chain vise grip all the time. With steel I weld the ends together.
Josh Ward thats exactly what i do i mostly work with stainless
Josh Ward and
There's ALWAYS one, isn't there! - me today: - your Blade is running BACKWARDS! - well I have a Fendo and unlike most, it runs opposite to yours and the Vice is Self-Centreing . I have seen Blades advertised for cutting bundles and part of the reasoning for Bundles is to do with the TPI and thin X-Sections. I have some Large Dia very Hard Chrome and then smaller sections Mild Steel to cut - It's quite a Fuss to be changing Blades all the time apart from Cost - Cost hast to be accepted , I guess - part of doing the job - like set-up time. Hadn't thought of Modifying the Vice like yours, but we use scrap bars to wedge the work piece . Certainly, now I will go ahead and make a Top Lock.
Have you done a video on Setting up Bandsaws, discussing TPI etc ?
My Pet issue is- How to accurately cut Steel sections to Length and angle, - the Blade wants to Creep off the Square! I end up running around the Yard in frustration :-) THanks for keeping us THINKING
nice solution
Thanks Phil.
Just brilliant.
Great tip, thank you so much for sharing..
You're hired. 😉