Chord cut a cylinder on a horizontal (small) bandsaw

[dbb-the-bruce]

I've got a part that needs about 2/3 of a 2" diameter by 2" long cylinder for stock. I could just mill away a third of the cylinder but I'd rather cut it off with my bandsaw.

Thoughts or ideas on how to hold a cylinder upright and cut a chord line with a standard small horizontal bandsaw?

Best I've got so far is to use a large clamp that I have and clamp it to the bandsaw table around the blade. Seems a little dicy but would work.

 

[MrWhoopee]

Place some pieces of flat stock (about as tall and longer than the jaws) inside of the vise jaws, extending them so they just clear the blade. Then place another piece of the tube or something else of equal size at the other end of the jaw extensions, position the piece to be cut and tighten the vise. A jack screw can be used instead of a piece of stock.

 

[markba633csi]

Clamp the piece standing on end if possible, less chance of the blade twisting and popping off
If you have to lay it down, make sure the piece won't shift

 

[dbb-the-bruce]

Thanks for the suggestions. Clamping standing on end was my first thought, the clamp would have to go around the saw blade based on my saw and what clamps I've got. That's a little goofy but would get it done.

I'm run into similar difficulties with small stock cuts with this saw before. Mr. Whoopee's idea is probably a better longer term solution - I need to get my hands on some stock that I can use for jaw extenders and get a bolt spacer or jack solution for the other end.

So far I've only run into short rectangular stock and have been able to get just enough purchase on the stock and use same width piece on the other end of the vise on the saw. This cylinder makes that approach impossible.

When I find the right stock for extension jaws/plates I can also cut some V grooves in them to help out with round stock.

 

[francist]

Something I’ve found very handy to have around is a small fixture plate — mine conveniently fits several machines including the horizontal bandsaw. Size it so the fixture plate is as large as it can be but still fit within the bandsaw vise jaws, then the parts to be cut can get clamped to the plate using regular strap clamps or whatever. I’ve done some pretty odd angles as well as chord cuts on cylinders using this method.

-frank

 

[dbb-the-bruce]

Something I’ve found very handy to have around is a small fixture plate ...

View attachment 415336

Doh!
Sometimes one can be sooo dense. I have one of those, it came with my lathe originally and I didn't really know what to do with it. As a mater of fact, it sits by my mill near my saw and I was looking at it the other day thinking "guy must of made it to hold stuff". Not only that, but my CNC also has one.

Perfect, I bet the thing I originally didn't know what to do with will work just fine for this.

Thanks!

 

[RJSakowski]

When making difficult to fix small pieces on the h/v band saw, I have a small drill press vise that I clamp in the saw vise and then I clamp the work in the drill press vise. In this case, I would clamp on end but I wouldn't cut completely through. I would finish the cut free hand with the saw in the vertical position, using the previous cut as a guide.