Frugal Woodworking

This idea is just too simple.  A custom kerfmaker for use on a tablesaw that costs next to nothing and takes only a minute to make.  The end result is a Kerfmaker that is every bit as accurate as the more expensive version.

Don’t get me wrong!  The original Kerfmaker from Bridge City Tools is quite brilliant, and would pay for itself in both accuracy and time savings if you made a living making furniture.  However for the hobbyist, it can seem a little pricey.   LumberJock Rance has a great approach to this that I will use when I need it.  My fear is I will not remember how, when I need it, so I am posting it here for easy access.

Disposable Kerf Maker

It uses only two things. :

1. Two scraps of wood
2. Two pieces of double sided tape

It’s hard to believe you can get a new dovetail saw with great performance for under $10 but the little razor saw from Zona Tools is getting a great reputation.  Here is a great review of the Zona Razor Saw that compares it stroke by stroke with other dovetail saws.  Accurate and precise cuts with a micro kerf seem to be its strong points.

This review appears on Lumberjocks for a Freud  Diablo Demo Demon D0724DK 7-1/4″ 24T circular saw blade, but used in a table saw.  It is only a 7-1/4″ blade so it has a limited height, but the 1/16″ thin kerf and smooth cut seem to be perfect for ripping up to 1″ stock.  This blade sells for around $15 which is a fraction of what other thin kerf table saw blades typically cost.

You can read the review here and buy them on Amazon.

Freud Diablo Demo Demon as a table saw rip blade

If you already have a bandsaw, it can be pretty easy to create a sled or jig to allow you to turn logs into dimensional lumber. This can be a great way to turn found wood into nearly free lumber.
Here are two simple approaches. The size of the log is limited by what you can safely lift and support on your bandsaw, and the resaw capacity of your bandsaw.
Here are a couple of easy to build jigs.

This first one is really simple, but it does rely on your bandsaw’s rip or resaw fence which may be too much to ask of the fence for large logs.

americanwoodworker.com/blogs/tips/archive/2009/01/29/Simple-Lumber-Maker.aspx

This next one is a little bit more complicated using a pipe clamp, but it requires only a miter slot on your bandsaw table.

www.timberframe-tools.com/tools/bandsaw-milling-sled/

When milling logs, a good resaw blade is key to getting good results.  I’ve had excellent results from my Woodslicer blades, but if your logs are less dry, you may want to go with a blade designed for cutting green wood.

Frame saws are usually pretty inexpensive to build.  The hardware is typically the most expensive.  I’ve seen people use eye-bolts with a slot cut down the middle to hold and  position the blade, but this very clever use by Sean Hellman makes that even easier.  He uses a large cotter pin to hold the blade and allow the blade to be turned when tension is released.

Sean Hellman’s Frame Saw with split pins