Best Tool For Precision Cuts

[jkustel]

Hey guys,

I know there's more than one way to skin a cat but I'm curious how you guys cut your bill slots and joint cuts? I do a lot of eyeballing for prototypes and one offs but I have some stuff that I want to reproduce consistently and something like "bill angle" needs to be consistent from lure to lure? I'm looking at band saws, scroll saws or do I just need to make a template to capture the angle???? I'm working with wood on this project not molds.

Any thoughts are great!

JK

[Vodkaman]

when I am starting out with a block of wood, I print off a profile template and glue to the block. The first operation is to roughly cut the profile, using the bandsaw. The lip slot is also drawn on the glued template, so the second operation, while I am still at the bandsaw, is to make two cuts and clean out the lip slot. This guarantees the position and cross alignment, well at least as accurate as the alignment of the blade. From here, I drill all the holes, again, marked on the glued template, and finally shape.

As for jointed swimbaits starting out from a block. I cut the joints half way through, at 90 degrees. Any shaping of joints, V cuts etc, I do later. Again, I drill all holes, including joint pin holes, before shaping. All the hole positions and joint cut locations are marked on the template print.

Dave

[hazmail]

If you don't have a band saw try something like this, I made a blade and fitted it in a cheap drill then made a mini saw bench---just cut the "jigs" to the angles of your choice ( I have about 4), then rip them through along a parallel fence--as Dave says do it before you even think of shaping the lure, when the blank is square.

If you have a "Dremmel" they make a small circular saw blade---OR check out these tools, I discovered in Sweden (made in Germany) similar to Dremmel but they have a vast range of accessories -- They make everything from mini CNC machines and mini lathes, to mini Vacuum cleaners with heaps of accessories---see page 43 of the catalog for some of their 4'' blades (10mm or 3/8 arbor)

http://proxxon.com/p...micromot_uk.pdf

S- -t, they even sell their stuff in Au

Pete

Edited August 8, 2011 by hazmail

[Fishsticks]

It is neat to see how people do things differently. I think Vodkaman's way would be a bit easier to cut the slot then the way i do it. I first make a finished prototype. Then I cut out a template on a scrap piece of wood matching my finished lure. On the template I mark where all the holes need to be drilled and I cut out the correct angle for the lip on the template. This is the one part I still have to kinda eyeball against the finished lure to get the angle just right. After that I just use this template to trace out the shape and lip slot on whatever wood I want to use, and drill the holes. I use a band saw to do all my cuts with.

[BobP]

I have the lip slot cut on the template and mark it when I mark out the body sides. A standard scroll saw blade has a perfect width for a 1/32" circuit board lip slot. Double cut it for a 1/16" Lexan lip. If I were building for volume, I'd opt for a band saw because it's much faster than a scroll saw. But either is OK for hobby work.

[mark poulson]

I mark the lip slot on the rectangular blank, along with the lure outline, and cut the lip slot with a bandsaw when I cut out the profile.

If you have a tablesaw, you can make a jig like Pete's, and a thin blade.

Using a jig makes cutting on a tablesaw safer, not safe.

Be careful.

Edited August 9, 2011 by mark poulson

[benton B]

I use the same method as BobP with a scroll saw. When using a scroll saw be patient and do not rush the cuts or the lip slot will be off. I use a small metal finger nail file to dress up the lip slots.