How To Video Series - Part 6 - Cutting a Band Slot

A How to Video on Routing and Rounding a Band Slot on a Speargun

The first step is to plan out where you want the band slot to be.  You need to determine how far back you want the band slot to be from the front of the gun. Even more important than that, you need to make sure the band slot does not come into contact with the track of the speargun. Make sure you give yourself as much room as possible to prevent mistakes.

Once you have the slot planned, you need to get your router set up with the correct bit. After the bit is set, the router fence needs to be set to ensure the correct depth and position.  Once the router is set up it is time to to start routing out the speargun.

It is critical to be careful when using power tools. Routers and table saws in particular are notorious for removing fingers faster than you can notice. For more information on safety procedures, check out this site. Beyond damage to people, it is important to be careful to not mess up your project. Once a cut is made, it is impossible to undo. You may be able to creatively mask any mistakes you make while building a speargun by using epoxy or some creative sanding, but in order to prevent mishaps at all, you should be deliberate and precise with your cuts.

All router bits required to build and finish a home made speargun can be found in the Neptonics Speargun Tools page.

Josh demonstrates how to use a plunge and radius bit to cut a band slot.