Band saw accessory - 45 degree sled - cutting jig

This accessory for a band saw allows you to cut pieces at a 45 degree angle safely. Designed to fit the Metabo BAS 261.
27
83
0
542
updated May 5, 2024

Description

PDF

For whittling projects I sometimes need to cut square blocks of wood in half, at a 45 degree angle. To do this safely and easily on my band saw, I designed this cutting jig. 

The main component is a sled to hold the workpiece at 45 degrees. It can safely fit pieces up to 16cm in length without them protruding from the jig. The sled has a groove at the back so that the blade will not damage the jig when you've sawn all the way through the workpiece. The 6 round holes in the front are there to be able to connect potential extensions in the future, to make the jig longer. 
A rail can be printed to slide inside the mitre track of the band saw; it is fixed to the sled with 3 removable friction-fit pegs.
Tolerances to insert the rail into the sled are tight (0.2mm), you might need to remove any elephant's foot with a deburring tool to make it fit.

The dimensions (distance between the centre gap for the blade and the rail/mitre track) are designed so that it fits my Metabo BAS 261 band saw. With the jig slid into the mitre track of the band saw, the blade will be perfectly centred on the workpiece.

The dimensions on your band saw might be slightly different from mine, either because of the tolerances in the band saw, or because you are using a different model/brand. In that case you can either use the sled without the rail freehand/against a fence, or you can alter the model to adjust for the difference.

I've included a test file, which will allow you to print the bare minimum of components to verify if the rail will fit your mitre track and if the blade will sit in the centre of the workpiece when using the rail. 

The sled requires a build plate of minimum 210x210 mm. I suggest printing it at 0.2mm layer height for a smooth finish.

Tags



Model origin

The author marked this model as their own original creation.

License