Hot setup for accurate inlay strips?

[Zagiflyer]

Hello;

I'm still new at this and I'm making simple cues with a Cuesmith Deluxe and no inlay machine for complex shapes. My lathe has indexing and I can mount the router in the carriage to cut slots. My question is if there is a really accurate way to cut strips of uniform width to put in my slots. I've been using a bandsaw with a fence and setting the width as close as I can then sanding the strips until I have a tight fit. This works pretty well for me down to 1/4 or so but it's harder to get the saw set accurately for smaller sizes. I would like to be able to use slots if 1/8 and smaller but I'm having a tough time getting the strips accurate enough and the bandsaw blade doesn't make a really smooth cut. I'm using the bandsaw to do multiple things so I don't have a really fine blade on it, changing the blade would help but it's still really hard to set the fence exactly.

I'm just wondering what other people are doing. What's a good way to cut really accurate strips of hardwood and what equipment works well for this?

Thanks:

Zag.........still learning.

 

[Michael Webb]

You might find what will work here, then use your saw to cut the strips off. Another inexpensive way would be to buy a router table set up or a table saw.
http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/bt_slot.html

 

[Sheldon]

Try to find material in sheets or slabs that are the thickness you want, then you don't have to worry about the width.

 

[Zagiflyer]

Hi Sheldon;

Thanks for the reply, that brings me to my next question........does anybody know of a source for exotic hardwoods and maples with sheets in exact thicknesses like .125. .062 .031?

I remember thinking about this issue a year or so ago and at www.micromark.com the make a very small and precise hobby table saw with a carbide blade that will cut hardwoods up to 1" thick. They make a special rip fence for the saw which is super-accurate and has a vernier type adjustable sub-fence that can be moved toward the blade in tiny increments while remaining perfectly parallel to the blade. This thing would really be a nice piece of equipment because it's designed to do this exact task very precisely. If I can't find a cheaper way I'll take the coward's way out and just buy the saw, blade and special fence. I'll be poorer but I'll have really accurate strips to inlay.

Zag

 

[Craig Fales]

I use a small bandsaw myself and have cut veneer strips as thin as .010 before and quite accurately...here's one in redheart...

 

[pdcue]

Hi Sheldon;

Thanks for the reply, that brings me to my next question........does anybody know of a source for exotic hardwoods and maples with sheets in exact thicknesses like .125. .062 .031?

I remember thinking about this issue a year or so ago and at www.micromark.com the make a very small and precise hobby table saw with a carbide blade that will cut hardwoods up to 1" thick. They make a special rip fence for the saw which is super-accurate and has a vernier type adjustable sub-fence that can be moved toward the blade in tiny increments while remaining perfectly parallel to the blade. This thing would really be a nice piece of equipment because it's designed to do this exact task very precisely. If I can't find a cheaper way I'll take the coward's way out and just buy the saw, blade and special fence. I'll be poorer but I'll have really accurate strips to inlay.

Zag

Rockler and Woodcraft both sell exotics in very precise thichness,
tho, the thicknesses are limited in choice, and the wood is VERY
expensieve that way.

What you need is a thickness sander - will soon pay for itself and
has many other uses as well.

Dale

 

[Zagiflyer]

Thanks for all of the info, know of any sources for small thickness sanders?

Zag

 

[BarenbruggeCues]

Although many cats and many ways to skin..................IMO
only one way for this one..........

vacuum table + milling machine=precise thin strips of many different types of material........



<~~~probably not the least expensive way to skin this cat though......

 

[Dave38]

Actually, if you do a search for it on google, there are a few small ones out there, but not cheap. There are a few plans out there to build your own here is a few of those:
http://members.cox.net/elarson5/sander.htm
http://home.att.net/~ShipModelFAQ/ShopNotes/smf-SN-ThicknessSander.html
http://www.rockslide.org/drum sander.html

Hope this helps,
Dave