# squaring blanks all around & lenthwise



## rsulli16 (Aug 22, 2011)

hi
just wondering, has anyone posted plans for a table saw sled that could help me make my blanks square, not just the ends like with a barrel trimmer.

the blanks i get are stated usually stated to be 3/4 by 3/4 by 5 inches or so. the problem is even just looking at them you can see they are NOT square, some even bowed(crowned?).

now i know you're supposed to joint one side, then the thickness planer then rip to get true squared lumber. but all i have in my shop is a table saw.

i blew the end out of a blank, thought i would put a narrow piece of a contrasting material on both ends of the blank after cutting off  the damaged section. well one thing led to another, but the basic problem is the blanks not being square. caused a problem squaring the end of the blank and the piece of contrasting material to get a good glue joint. then drilling is a problem too when the blanks are too far out of square. and so on, one thing to another, all of which could be avoided if the darn thing was square before i started .

fortunatly the above blank was for a long click, even after the problem with getting something else glued to the ends, i ended making a polaris out of what was left. but i'm not always going to be able to do that.

any ideas?  
Thanks
Sulli


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## ragz (Aug 22, 2011)

have a handplane?
safer and easier jig to make...


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## Drstrangefart (Aug 22, 2011)

I dunno. I cut up a large percentage of my blanks from logs on my bandsaw. Not a one of them is square. I just make 'em a bit large to accomodate, and run into almost no problems.


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## alphageek (Aug 22, 2011)

In general, I could care less about square blanks.   The whole point is to get then round! 

The only time that square matters is some segmenting and for those I cut them myself from larger stock.


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## navycop (Aug 23, 2011)

Heck I even start off with a round blank (PVC). It saves time on the lathe...


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## cwolfs69 (Aug 23, 2011)

i only care that the end of the blank is square to the center-line of the tube when i put it on the mandrel. the rest goes away when turned anyway. I've had some blanks that look like bananas when start turning. they still come out round when turned.


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## GaryMGg (Aug 23, 2011)

Sulli,

Although I have to agree with this "...the end of the blank is square to the center-line of the tube ...on the mandrel" you *can* square blanks on a table saw.
HOWEVER, it requires building a jig with hold-downs.
You do NOT want to try this without a sled which can securely hold the blank without you using your hands anywhere near the blade.

Here's an example of one method which can be modified to rip blanks square:
http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com/images/Small-Rip-Sled-photo.gif

IF I were going to build a sled just for this purpose, I'd make it have a fence with a hold down as long as the entire blank which would leave just a little bit of the face to be ripped straight showing.
Pens blanks are too short for a planer and a jointer so even if you had 'em you wouldn't use it for that.

A belt sander upside down also works rather well for what you're asking.
However, again, most of us just turn the bowed blank straight, then mill the end square to the tube with a real sharp mill.


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## Russianwolf (Aug 23, 2011)

If this is really a big problem for you, here's a simple solution.

mount the out of square blank between centers and turn it round.

We all know you have a lathe.

a round blank is easier to drill, and you can make a simple sled with a v groove in the base and a hold down on top to hold it for segmenting, etc. if needed.

After drilling, you will want to re-true the blank just in case the bit drifted, but it only takes a minute or so.


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## studioso (Aug 24, 2011)

if you don't have the time/patients to build your own jig, you can build just what you need using components from the incra build it system:
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=18113&filter=sled
never used it myself, so can't comment on quality.


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## rsulli16 (Aug 26, 2011)

thanks guys
turn them round first is my best option i guess. althought the blank i was trying to make a long click out of i dont think would have worked. i did mount it (both directions)and the end make a circle in the air so much i didnt want to try to bring up the tailstock and turn the lathe on. but that was in a chuck, didnt think to go between centers. (still new at this i guess) 
in the future i will just wait till i get a good enough blank for those long pens.
I did finally manage to make pen out of this second piece of box elder burl(the first cut down and made a polaris out of). and after all that i went thru it stunk anyway. the grain just wasn't there, one whole side lenthwise was just so plain, with a stain or two, small dots so they didn't add to it like spalting, just looked like i missed a piecesof grit in it. very disappointing. 
a learning experience i suppose. and wouldnt you know it, the CA finish went on this one flawlessly!!! perfect!
thanks again to everyone,
Sulli


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## rherrell (Aug 26, 2011)

I made this sled just for blanks, you can cut just about any angle crosswise or lengthwise.


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## rsulli16 (Aug 27, 2011)

nice!

i am thinking about something like that. i want to give segmented and celtic knots a try,,,,,,,,,,,,someday. it is on my list of things to do for sure.

Sulli


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## JimBellina (Aug 27, 2011)

For the issue described by the OP, blew out the end of a blank, I'd cut it reasonably square with a saw and then slide it onto the tube and then use a mill to square the end to the tube. Do the same with the piece you want to insert, and then glue them together on the tube. It's a lot easier using the tube as the reference surface if all you want is a clean square joint.

This also works if you chip the end off while turning, just use a parting tool to cut the part of the blank that's already been glued to the tube.

Jim


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## beck3906 (Aug 27, 2011)

rsulli16 said:


> hi
> 
> i blew the end out of a blank, thought i would put a narrow piece of a contrasting material on both ends of the blank after cutting off the damaged section. well one thing led to another, but the basic problem is the blanks not being square. caused a problem squaring the end of the blank and the piece of contrasting material to get a good glue joint. then drilling is a problem too when the blanks are too far out of square. and so on, one thing to another, all of which could be avoided if the darn thing was square before i started .
> 
> ...


 
Glue the blown out blank to your tube. Mount the tube(s) on the mandrel and turn the blown-off end square.

Drill the piece you want to use for the oops part with the appropriate sized drill.  This piece should be cut slightly longer then the exposed portion of the tube you're wanting to fix.  I'll sometimes drill long and cut to length as needed.  

Insert a same sized tube without glue so you can use a barrell trimmer to square up one end of the drilled piece.

Remove the tube and slide the drilled piece onto the tube you squared up on the lathe. Check the fit, and if everything looks good, glue this piece on.  Once the glue dries, use the barrell trimmer to trim the overhanging end of the oops piece.

You should have a nice fit at the seam without having to worry about saws, square blanks, whatever.


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## moke (Aug 27, 2011)

studioso said:


> if you don't have the time/patients to build your own jig, you can build just what you need using components from the incra build it system:
> http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=18113&filter=sled
> never used it myself, so can't comment on quality.


 
I like to segment, so I have built two incra "build-it" jigs....I modified them both. One is made as a crosscut and angular sled and the other is built for ripping thin strips.
I bought a Grrriper afterwards and like it very well for ripping thin strips too. I can not believe you could not use one of these to "square with"

The incra stuff are nice products but not cheap. I am sure you can look over the parts and figure out how to modify it to your liking and save yourself some cash in the process. The one thing I did notice is the aluminum extrusions are blue from Rockler and gold from incra, but totally otherwise interchangable.

Rherrels design is well thought out and would work very well also.


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