Metal Bandsaw Angle Adjust

bithead942

April, 2024

I bought my first metal-cutting, 4×6 bandsaw from Harbor Freight and I found I use it a lot, but I have a list of things I wish it did better. One thing that’s been bugging me is the approach to adjust the angle of the cut – it requires me to have 2 wrenches (one above and one below) to loosen and tighten the bolt/nut for a safe and accurate bevel cut.

During a project, I find myself routinely needing to make this adjustment to switch from a straight cut to a 45 degree cut and back. If I don’t tighten it down, then the angle shifts when I apply clamping pressure from the other side, so leaving it loose is not an option.

I saw on a video (can’t find the link) that someone came up with the clever idea of creating handles to allow easy, manual loosening and tightening of the bolt. So, I thought I’d give it a try. Having watched pretty much every metal lathe video that Blondihacks has published, I felt like I knew enough to get hands-on. Total time for this project was about 4 hours.

Lathe Work

The fix for a metal bandsaw requires the use of a metal lathe! I know I could have quickly and easily created some nice handles from wood, but I wanted to get some practice with the metal lathe, that I currently neglect. I bought an inexpensive piece of Solid Brass Rod 1″ x 12″ to use as material for the project. I cut the rod twice on the metal bandsaw into three even 4″ pieces.

To make both handles identical, I developed an “order of operations” for the work:

  1. Drilling
  2. Tapping
  3. Tapering
  4. Knurling
  5. Parting

I played out the order of operations several times in my head to ensure I could minimize the number of tool changes and get consistent results. As I’m still a novice with the metal lathe, I thought these simple steps would be good practice for me.

  1. Drilling.
    • I had some 5/16″-18 threaded rod that I wanted to use for the bolt. So, I bought a 17/64″ bit for the job.
    • I started with a center drill, then did a pilot hole with 3/16″ bit, then the final ole with the 17/64″.
    • I repeated this for both blanks.
  2. Tapping
    • I clamped the piece in my vice (with plastic teeth to protect the finish) and used my new Gearwrench Tap and Die set to tap the holes to 5/16″-18.
    • Yes, I know I could theoretically do the tapping on my lathe, but I don’t trust myself with that yet.
    • This was SO much easier than my previous attempts with my Pittsburgh Tap and Die set – makes me want to throw that thing in the trash where it belongs!
  3. Tapering
    • Remounted the blank on the metal lathe and set it up to turn between centers to provide support for the far end.
    • I adjusted my compound to 12 degrees and took shallow passes until I got the look I was seeking.
    • For the final pass, I did a very shallow, slow cut in order to get a good finish.
    • I then switched to the other blank and repeated the process so I’d ensure the same angle.

4. Knurling

  • I used my scissor knurling tool to apply a nice cross-hatch knurling pattern onto the handle.
  • I did many passes and slowly tightened until I got the depth I wanted, ensuring I never disengaged the cutter teeth until the very end.

    5. Parting

    • I sacrificed about 1/2″ to the chuck and parted the finished piece using a parting tool.
    • Before going too deep, I switched back to a cutter and beveled the end for a nicer looking finish.
    • The parting tool was just shy of cutting through the 1″ stock, so I had to finish with a hack saw.
    • I put some paper towels down and removed the tail stock before the “yahtzee” moment.
    • I learned from Blondihacks that you actually have to say the word “yahtzee” to make it official. 🙂

      I then repeated steps 4 and 5 for the other blank for an identical look.

      Finishing

      To finish the handles, I used a piece of 150 grit sandpaper to quickly flatten the bottoms – it was surprisingly easy. I did some wet sanding at 400 to get the deeper grooves removed. I then used my set of Micro Mesh Sanding Pads that I use for my wood lathe finishing to buff up the brass to a mirror finish, focusing on the taper, the top and the bottom.

      Assembly

      With the finishing complete, I inserted the threaded rod into both ends to ensure a good fit (no issues). Next, I permanently bonded the threaded rod into one handle using Loctite 277 (the red stuff). I let it cure over night.

      With the handles ready to go, I removed the old nut and bolt from my saw and inserted the threaded rod with the new handles. The knurled handles give me the grip I need to easily tighten this bolt sufficiently for my needs. 1″ is a good diameter for my hands and they have a nice solid feel to them.

      Conclusions

      Overall, this was a great first project for my metal lathe. Just using some basic techniques, I was able to create a functioning appliance that I’ll use for years to come. Tapping directly into the material was far better and more secure with metal than it would be with wood or acrylic, so I’m happy with my choice to use brass. This tool will be worked hard, so I know my finish won’t last, but the material should stay shiny and not corrode over time.

      Lessons Learned:

      • The weight of the handle was substantial. I could have hollowed it out more by drilling the existing hole deeper, or coming in from the back, but neither were preferable. In the future, I might try to work with different material like Aluminum.
      • The material was surprisingly easy to work with high-grid sandpaper and pads. I didn’t have to work hard to get a good polish – an unexpected surprise coming from wood working.
      • I need to do a better job of wearing PPE around the metal lathe. Long sleeves were overlooked due to temperature, but would have prevented some painful metal splinters and micro-cuts. Also, a respirator or mask would have saved me from inhaling the fine metal in the air.

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