A 3D printed bandsaw blade table insert.....

brino

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For years I've used my wood-cutting bandsaw with the original black plastic table insert around the blade.
The machine is a Beaver (Made in Canada) 16" bandsaw that uses 3 blade wheels to get the bigger throat clearance and uses an 83" blade.
When I bought the saw (used), the insert was already rough and the slot wider than it should be.
When I need to close that gap (like to save a small cut-off piece) I use a piece of 1/4" plywood with a single blade kerf in it on top of the table.

Here's the original abused insert:
old_insert.jpg


I have been planing on replacing the insert with an aluminum one for years.
A couple days ago I decided I should try a 3D printed version instead.
I am obviously starting to feel more comfortable with Fusion-360 and my 3D printer.

Here's the model:
<<<<<CRAP! Nope can't get there......Fusion-360 access looks broken!
It tells me I cannot open the model because an update is happening, but it just seems locked-up.
I've waited hours and still get that.......I have killed and restarted the application a half-dozen times.
I guess that's the cost of using "free" and "cloud" software!
Good thing I am not counting on it for a business!!!!>>>>>

Here's the old and new side-by-side:
side-by-side.jpg


and the new part installed:
installed1.jpg


installed2.jpg


The original part has a slot that is wider at the bottom to provide blade clearance when the saw table is tilted.
I did NOT bother with that, as I rarely tilt the table.
Of couse, for the time and cost, I could reprint another one any time!

-brino
 
Looks like a very nice fit. A very handy use of 3D printer.

I also do not tilt my bandsaw table often. I found a bandsaw insert for a Grizzly, no model, on Thingiverse. I have a Grizzly bandsaw so I downloaded this to try.

My wooden zero clearance which I made out of plywood on the right. This works but I would like to be able to print others.

The printed insert fits the diameter and the two small pins underneath fit. It is a couple of mm too shallow.

I am going to create my own version in OpenSCAD. Just needs a couple of cylinders. I may cut the slot by hand.

Bandsaw_insert_first_attempt_8579.jpg
 
Nice Brino, I think that will work good Evan if you tilt the table . All this 3D printing stuff is giving me an itch :rolleyes:
What kind of tolerances can they hold ? Can they be used in the house, material used ?.
 
All this 3D printing stuff is giving me an itch

Like many other parts of hobby machining, you could spend a little on a kit machine, or a lot on a large volume, large capability machine.
Also it can be a huge time suck.....all the CAD, slicer and printing tools also add there own sets of variables....as do the nozzle type/temp, filment type, platforms, etc.

I am not trying to scare anyone off (I am very glad I took the plunge)......just go in with your eyes open.....like anything else worth doing it's not always easy.

btw, I will upload
1) pictures of my design model to show the back-side, and
2) my Fusion-360 file
...as soon as the application is back useable!

-brino

PS: I'll also try to get some better photos of it installed....those turned out too dark.
 
All this 3D printing stuff is giving me an itch :rolleyes:
What kind of tolerances can they hold ? Can they be used in the house, material used ?.

I got the 3D itch sometime last year but only recently pulled the trigger. I kept changing my mind on the printer model.

A 3D printers stepper motors likely have decent tolerance. I think the biggest issue is that my 3D printer, and likely Brinos uses FDM technology (Fused Deposition Modelling) which melts the filament then pushes it out a nozzle of a given diameter, mine is presently 0.4mm but I also have narrower and larger nozzles.

As the filament cools it will shrink. So many variables in a given layer, height of the layer, amount of infill, speed of printing etc.

I have not attempted to measure how much the filament shrinks as it cools, but it will shrink and the amount of shrinkage will vary layer by layer.

If you need tight tolerances, FDM may not be the way to go. There are a number of other technologies including sintering via laser, which likely hold tolerances better, but the technologies are very expensive.

Most of the filaments can be printed in the house. The most common, PLA (Poly Lactic Acid) is presently in my printer. I do not notice any fumes. Some other filaments do create fumes.

PLA is strong but not as flexible as others. Another plastic, PET-G, is meant to be stronger. I will be getting a roll to try this out. There is a flexible filament, TPU, if more of a rubber like result is needed.
 
I need to quit viewing these 3D printing posts/threads. :grin: Doing so causes a severe itch to develop.
I've had a printer laying on one the benches for months now. Haven't had time to dive down that rabbit hole.
It is in need of some maintenance, clean up and mods made to it.
 
Alright Fusion-360 is working on this computer.......

Here's a couple shots of the model:
1518648326447.png


1518648375316.png


more later......

-brino
 
I saw on various YouTube videos that 3D filament will absorb moisture when exposed to the atmosphere. PLA does not absorb as much as other filaments like nylon.

Using desiccant helps to remove moisture for our tooling, but also for 3D filament. I read that an inexpensive source of desiccant is cat litter which is 100% silica, so zero clay. I picked up a 4lb bag of Clear Choice at a local pet store today for $7. Many other brands on the market.

I need to get a plastic container with good fitting lid to keep my filament not being used on the printer. I will make desiccant bags from coffee filters with a small amount of the silica.

The YouTube videos stated to use nylon from such a container and do not expose the roll to atmosphere.
 
Last edited:
@Dave Paine,

I have read of moisture problems too. Apparently you can actually hear little pops as the moisture is released in the print head when it moltenizes the plastic. (Yes I just made up a word!)

What I have seen is people using buckets and very low-wattage light bulbs and hanging the filament inside.

I have not (yet?) seen the problem myself.

-brino
 
The Fusion-360 file is zipped and attached if anyone else can use it.

Here's some better(brighter) photos of it installed:
installed3.jpg

installed4.jpg


The part is just under 2.5" diameter.
Here's the basic dimensions:
1518665424515.png

(the first 2-D drawing I have created from a Fusion-360 model!)

-brino
 

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