How to make a Mini Laser Cut Band Saw

This all started when I learned that my friend Raouf Sarwari, who has his shop down the hall from me, has a laser cutter. Brooklyn is great for cross-pollinating ideas and skills with each other. Anyhow I have always liked models and thought it would be fun to build a wood wood shop. I spoke to Raouf and he agreed and we worked together to make one for the Crest Hardware Show.

 http://cresthardwareartshow.com/  

It is an annual art show that takes place in the midst of a running hardware store. The only requirement is that the art must be hardware related. This then is our how to make a mini band saw. Since then we saw that there was a laser contest and thought we should enter it.

Since working with the laser I cannot stop thinking of ways to use it, jigs, toys, tools the list keeps growing.

Step 1: PDF Drawing

You can do what we did and mentally reverse engineer the band saw or you could measure an existing saw and draw it. Either way, draw out the parts to the band saw. We used Adobe Illustrator for the initial drawings then refined them for the laser cutter using Corel Draw. If you want to save yourself some time you can use the attached PDF file for yours.

 

While in the Photos you will see different colors they are not required in fact if you look at the last photo you can see Raouf and I built a mini wood shop and a mini plastic shop.

 

Separate the parts into thickness and color groups; you can see we put basic assemblies together as well

 

Next separate into cut groups by thickness. It may see a bit redundant but it helps to familiarize you with the parts.

 

In addition to cut lines in the drawing there are laser-etched areas. These serve as glue guides and also help shape some parts. They are cyan in the PDF.

Comments

[fred27]

Whilst you've made a neat little model I must admit I was a little disappointed that it was just that. I thought from the title (and the fact it won quite an impressive prize) that you'd made a small working bandsaw.

[kpomerleau]

How much for kits i would love to display these on my man toy shelves in the man cave.

Thanks!

[wires]

So sorry for the delay getting back to you. I've had the Flu for the last two weeks urggg.
Thanks for your interest.
The Kits in wood or plastic are $100.00 for one and $75.00 ea. for multiples.
We have more than just the bandsaw. we also have a tablesaw, work bench, drill press, lathe and soon others maybe a radial arm saw, buzz saw or .........?
Kits come with instructions but you will have to supply your own glue and hand tools.
Again thanks for asking.

[Virusvp]

How much are you willing to sell for those pre-cutt kits? Im interested in having a mini band saw around for random home and custom build projects. I dont have access to a shop or have a lot of money to throw around for huge expensive machines so it would be awesome to have. It would be easier on me to use for making straighter and cleaner cuts than I do by hand as I usually do. haha.

The world of DIY is endless!
Thanks!

[wires]

Hey Virusvp
Sorry for the delay getting back to you. I would be willing to sell you a kit but I need to make sure that your really not thinking of using it as a tool. I don't think the tolerances are fine enough to be suitable for active cutting. You might want to look at proxxon mini tools if you want desktop power. You might be able to use a scroll say as well.
PS I couldn't tell if you were serious regarding using it. Let me me know if you're still interested

[Virusvp]

Well yes I was planning to use it, but as hearing from you that it wont be able to be used that well for say typical plastics and wood then I probably decide not to get it.

[alexsparrow]

I feel like attaching a pulley system to one of the flywheels/gears and then connecting that to a motor so the force would equal the force of a regular band saw XD, hey i can dream.

[vess00075]

Please sell pre-cut kits. I work with wire and thin sheet copper and silver. A band saw would be the perfect tool for me.

[Edgar]

This is a good day for Instructables watching! :)
Voted!
Put it on my Blog, along with other good news for Gizmo Makers.
Keep it up!
http://faz-voce-mesmo.blogspot.pt/2012/09/um-makerbot-serio-um-robot-espanhol.html

[wires]

Thanks for blogging it forward. I'm working on putting up a short video of it turning.

[Edgar]

Warn me when it's done :)

[belsey]

It's beautiful! I love that plexi table saw in the last picture too...

[wires]

Thanks for that I'll tell Raouf, he made it.

[INTHERMA]

Simply incredible! Congrats.

[bschuck]

very cool!! as Joseph Cornell said " Tiny is the last refuge of the enormous" wonderful piece, great addition to any shop!

[gregario]

I would definitely be interested in seeing a shop for this, some videos of the parts working would be interesting too along with some idea of what sort of materials they could work with!

[rachel]

Oh man this hits the "awesome tools" part of my brain AND the "squee so cute" part! Well done you guys. If there were a motor, would the band saw be able to cut or is the blade not strong enough?

[wires]

The blade is thin acetate sheet, like a notebook cover, aside from the overlap edge and as long as your only slicing butter, I see no reason why it wouldn't "cut"

Your response is precisely what made us want to make it, them.

[Warlrosity]

This is great! Do they work?

[wires]

Thanks to everyone who has liked this ible. It is really great to hear.

To answer some questions,

Yes they do "work" meaning they spin and blades move appropriately, however we haven't put motors on them to fully test them. I am thinking they would need tiny bronze bushings etc if they were to really take on a workload.

If anyone wants to make the band saw and power it up please post an instructable on it.

There is no scale to it but the band saw was designed around the idea of a 14" .
It is actually about 8" tall, sorry i have never measured it.

Again thanks

[Mrballeng]

Very cool!

[desertsniper]

that is awesome! please build me a mini shop too!

[wire-nut]

You can sell per-cut kits, I'm sure people will buy them. They look cool anyway, that just cool.