tdog

Adapters are a good idea. I am surprised that anything but a 14in or larger commercial saw would use a 1in arbor......Shows what I know! I have friends in Sydney.....Say "Hi" for me!....and good luck with boring your blade. A decent machinist should be able to bore your blade without any problems.

I gotta ask..."Why?".....On what machine are you planning to mount it? I use mine on a Powermatic model 66 (very large table saw) and it has a 5/8in arbor. It may cost more to bore the hole than the blade is worth.

Is it possible to reroute a body already routed for a Wilkinson or Fender trem unit to a Floyd Rose unit without a lot of ugliness? A customer of mine wants to buy a body of mine that has already been routed for Fender. I have never installed a Floyd, so I don't know how the 2 compare size-wise. (I mostly build basses). If the Floyd is larger, the existing routing is simply enlarged......I guess what I'm asking is.....How much modification would be necessary? Any input here will be greatly appreciated.

fryovanni..........I just want to give the average guy the heads up on replacement of these bearings. If you buy the less expensive 9in bandsaw and smoke the bearings on it, then pony up the $70+ for a new set....you are now getting close to price of a new 14in Rigid....at least close enough to think that maybe another $150 would have saved you money in the long run. I've had my back hoe for 10 years and until now, general maintenance costs have been minimal. However, I am in the middle of an engine rebuild...coolant began leaking at an alarming rate between the cylinder sleeves and block......The engine heated up very quickly......I thought that I got it shut down in time.......But, the coolant got into the main bearing and fried it!...So far, parts have lightened my wallet to the tune if $1750!!!!!!! YIKES!!!!!

Also keep in mind what the engineering specs were. The 9in saw was meant for very light duty, so, the bearings may not hold up in a heavy use situation. Those little bearings are expensive too! My saw was in my parents workshop in Tampa....By the time it got to Pennsylvania, the salt air corroded the bearings. Replacing the bearings and one other small part was almost what the bandsaw cost new! BTW....YEAH! I'm one of those lucky SOB's that owns a Case 580 backhoe, too!

I'll add to the discussion..... One must consider, which is the right tool for the job? The 9in bandsaw has been the topic of much debate here. This small Delta has definate limitations.....It was never intended to cut out guitar bodies.....It is underpowered for the heavier work of guitar making and the small capacity makes even cutting out body templates with MDF difficult. Before anyone tells me that luthier-X has been using a 9in bandsaw for years and gets great results, remember that you can dig a ditch with a spoon or you can dig the same ditch with a back hoe......ultimately, you'll end up with the same result. For the record.....I own a 9in Delta and I use it only for jewelry and other fine work. Also in my shop is a 36in Powermatic bandsaw with a 20in resaw capacity.......also the trusty 14in Delta w/riserblock. Each of these bandsaws has a specific purpose. And, they all get their fair share of use. BTW.....The Rigid bandsaw for @$365 is an excellent value.

System Three has epoxy paste pigment for coloring of their epoxy. Woodcraft carries this pigment in their catalogue and stores. Be careful of what you add to epoxy, the strength of the epoxy itself could be compromised.

verhoevenc....Here is a post of mine from this thread......It could have saved you from buying all those tiny tubes of CA!....Go to a hobby shop and they will have the 8oz bottles of CA.....As for epoxy.....read my post or do as lapidary artists do with some chaulky specimens....Mix 2 part epoxy with alcohol or acetone and stablize the wood that way.....it may require many applications until the mixure has completely penetrated the wood......The quickest method is ofted not the best.

I've got a small stash of pre-ban ivory in 1/8 in slabs @2in square that I have been using for nuts from a certified source. I was going to put some on Ebay....let me know if you guys are interested in any. I'll pull some out and figure the cost.....$35 for a nut blank is outrageous! Off the top of my head, I think that I could get you enough to make 6-10 nuts for $35....SHIPPED!!! tdog197@nauticom.net

I buy my CA in 8 oz bottles and have stored them in the freezer for 3-4 years....You'd be surprised how cheap this stuff gets when you buy the big bottles. You don't have to trim the cap back when it becomes clogged....get some hatpins and pierce the tip...this will work until you let the clog get out of hand...I have bottles/tips that are at least 5 years old. Also try tapping the side of a clogged tip very lightly with a hammer or mallet while it is flat on your bench.....the nylon tips have some flexibility in them and the CA is very brittle and usually breaks away....but, too hard of a whack and you will split the tip. Also, tap the bottle on your workbench after every application so the CA doesn't build up in the tip. BTW.... your bottle of CA should not have cured so quickly.....the bottle probably got some moisture or other contaminant in it or it was very old to begin with.....I seldom cap mine and seldom have problems.

The binding bit that LMI sells is superior to the Stew-Mac....I have both and since I puchased the LMI bit, the Stew-Mac bit doesn't see daylight. BTW.....Stew-Mac bits are not top notch......CMT, Jesada, Amana and others all make better bits.

Big-D......Whiteside is the way to go! Many people don't realize that there are different grades of carbide. I have some Stew-Mac bits and have replaced them with Whiteside. The Stew-Mac bits were starting to lose their edge after 3 or 4 uses. In many cases, the Whiteside bits were less expensive than Stew-Mac's were. http://www.whitesiderouterbits.com/

There is an Ebony that is called Pale Moon Ebony.....Sometimes called Mun Ebony. It is similar to Macassar but with a creamy white color and black marbling. It is very rare and the last time I was able to get my hands on it, this ebony sold for @$85bd/ft. I haven't seen any on the market for a few years, but I still have a piece big enough to make about 6 fretboards. Scroll down the page for a pic!......These are fairly old photos. I have the board on the far right..... http://www.righteouswoods.com/specials.html

I have used a single edge razor blade without a holder for years.....Sometimes, a razor blade will have a lot of flex and leave some tiny chatter marks, so I have started using utility knife blades which are a heavier guage and less likely to chatter.

I have been using the same 14v DeWalt and 18vDeWalt drills since 1996. I have 2 batteries for each. The only time I had to buy another battery in all these years is when I was using the 18v while building a fence line and ran over the extra 18v battery with my back hoe.....that cost me $75!