# Bandsaw Sled shop made clamps Help !!!!



## blackbear (Mar 21, 2010)

Hello All,
I need some help with the following. I am making a jig sled
to attach sheet metal o/055mm. I intend to cut this with a 3/8
32Teeth per inch. The metal is very thin and saftey is paramount.
It will lie flat on the sled and I need to make some strong clanps to hold it in place while cutting.The Bandsaw blade force while cutting will attempt to force the metal out of true. The metal is Nickell and very springy. 
I have found a picture of some eccentric cam clamps in my 1999
American woodworker but no plans to show how they work. The clamps need to be small as the sled is 12x12 inches. Square
Any suggestions as to the clamp making would give me an idea and if it works I will post 
the result back on here. Thank you Blackbear, From Essex in UK.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

I am a little dense. Can you sketch a picture of what it is you are doing and want to do?

George


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## Cliff (Feb 5, 2012)

I'll go you one better. 

Forget the clamps. Get yourself some hide glue and MDF
Glue the sheet metal on both faces to some MDF with the sheet metal sandwiched between the MDF.

When it's set up, take that to the saw. 

When you have cut the sheet out the design you want take the MDF to a tub of hot water soak it (to increase thermal conductivity of the MDF) and then pop it in the oven at 150 F for so long as it takes to soften the glue. Then peel it apart and wash the glue away with hot water. 

32 TPI ? 
I don't know what 0/55 is. When I do the math I get ZERO no matter what number I divide 0 by. 

Do you mean 0.55mm (0.0216") ??

If so, you could go with finer teeth and probably should. 
But sandwiched and glued and fed slowly you might get away with 32


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## blackbear (Mar 21, 2010)

*Thank you for assistance George C and Cliff.*

Hello George C and Cliff.
George C Thank you for replying to my quest I have posted a picture to give you an idea what I was after. 
Cliff, thank you for your suggestions . I maybe able to use that in future. In regard to the thickness of the metal .I made a typing 
mistake and it should have been as you guessed 0.55mm. 24swg
or .022 inch. With regard to the 32 tpi. This was suggested to me by a bandsawsmith and I have searched around for tpi in excess of the 32 and no one here that I have researched has any blades more that 14 to the occassionable 24tpi. If you have a name for a bladesmith who does more than 32tpi I would be obliged for the address. The 32 tpi I have is very fine. Not quite as fine as my jewellers saws. The reasn I wanted to try this method with the band saw is I am now 76 and my hands are slowly losing their strength to use my snips and small fine saws
as German silver is harder to work with than sterling.
I make Scottish Dirks and dress the Hilts and scabbards with silver or German silver (Nickel) and this means a lot of cutting small pieces to size before soldering. So I have to see the metal sheet at all times to cut the correct size in the metal.
Since I posted to the site I was looking through a 1997 Fine Woodworking and I saw an advert for modern kitchen /wardrobe
door hinges. I had cahnged some of these on a wardrobe for piano hinges and I had them in a box in the garage. I got them out and I think these will be perfect for my job. I have a little bit of adjustment to make but I am sure this will work for me.
suffice to say thank for your time and information in replying to my request.
"The important thing is not to stop questioning" A Einstein.


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