Band saw Resawing

Hi Willie…
I have only been resawing for a couple of years now and have been doing so on my 3/4hp 14” Delta. To make a long story short, the original blade was garbage and seemed dull from the start. I bought a few Olson and Timberwolf blades and they seem to work great. I can’t enphasize enough that proper set up is key. A great blade that is set up poorly will not wook properly and will be very frustrating.
As for the resawing… I use a 1/2” 4 tooth, Skip blade and after a little honing of the back edge, it performs very well with no noticable strain and the track is perfect once you set the drift angle.

Another great reference is “The Bandsaw Book”. Look for it on Amazon.

Sincerely,

Tom

-- Anybody can become a woodworker, but only a Craftsman can hide his mistakes.

Thanks Tom, can you tell me, what is the method that gives the more accurate results, using a fence, pivot point or freehand? I have been trying to use a fence and have had mixed results. The cut starts out good, but within around 4 inches or so, the cut is the correct width on the top of the board, but the blade wanders to the left and the cut becomes paper thin at the bottom. I have checked and rechecked my setup as best as a rookie can at this point. I am attempting to cut some 1/4” thick veneer from 3/4” thick stock by 8” wide. Any tips you can provide would be very much appreciated!!!!

Ditto what Tom posted. Let me recommend http://thewoodwhisperer.com/

Look at episode 13 on setting up a bandsaw. Mark does a pretty good job with this topic.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

The fence adjusted for the blade drift is the easiest, but the hardest to get setup right.

The pivot method works good, but you have to keep a close eye in it while cutting.

Freehand is only good if you are making real rough cuts. It’s hard to keep the board straight up and dowm.

Get some good blades. I like the Wood Slicer by Highland Hardware. You can see my review of them
in the reviews section of this site. The blade varies between 3 and 4 teeth. This cuts down on vibration
and gives you a really smooth cut.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

Check out this Band saw sled by Bob#2

Search on Lumberjocks for some other re-saw postings.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

I use a small (10”) bandsaw for my boxmaking.
Repeated attempts at re-sawing result in gradual improvement in the end result.
My first few attempts looked as if I’d chewed my way through the timber.
I use a tall fence which I clamp to the table and then hold the face of the wood against it to guarantee that I am cutting vertical.
I’ve found that ‘bluntness’ is often caused by residue from the wood building up on the blade.
Take the blade off and clean it – I use a cleaner for ovens, but any of the cleaners you would use on router bits should be fine. I find I clean a blade twice before it is blunt or breaks. Really useful to know if your in the middle of an evening session (no stores open) when the blade loses efficiency.

Willie…

First off, from what you are saying, I’d either susspect that the blade does not have enough tension or the guides are not close enough. With the saw unplugged, kick up the tension a little and check your spacing for the guide blocks. I use a dollar bill as a spacer for the blocks. As for the rear bearing, I get it as close as I can without it touching. This ensures that when I apply pressure with the wood, it is there for support right away.

As for technique, Each blade has its own drift angle. That is, based on the makeup of the saw, it has a tendency to deflect a little left or right. Start with the blade you intend to use and no fence on the table. Take a squared up Piece of scrap plywood “3/4 works well”. Using a square, draw a line parallel all along the longest edge about an inch or two from the edge.

Plug your saw back in and start to cut that line you drew. About half way through the cut, you will notice the angle you need to hold to get a straight cut in the plywood. STOP CUTTING and hold the board in place. Stop the motor and wait for the blade to stop. Using a graphite pencil, draw a line directly on the table, along the edge of the plywood. This is your drift angle! Remove the board and set up your fence, measuring the face of the fence to the blade for your thickness of cut and that the face is parallel to the drift line.

Practice this a few times and it will all come together. Remember, each blade and eack set up can produce a different drift angle and you’ll need to check it after any adjustments.

Hope this helps…

Sincerely,

Tom

-- Anybody can become a woodworker, but only a Craftsman can hide his mistakes.

I am a big fan of PS wood blades and I believe that the secret is in the guides. The difference a set of cartr guides can make is huge. Also, please odn’t be in a rush. Let the blade do the work and you will get good results.

-- making sawdust....

Hey Willie,
Check this out…
http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/wk_tools/article/0,2037,DIY_14429_2278285,00.html

Tom

-- Anybody can become a woodworker, but only a Craftsman can hide his mistakes.

I have recently upgraded my Shopsmith 10 inch bandsaw with the Kreg fence and resaw pivot. This is a beautiful system that even includes a micro adjuster.

-- "Heaven is North of the Bridge"

I bought a Woodslicer based on GaryK’s review. I have not used it yet because my band saw is in my unheated garage. I was getting fair results with a three tooth 3/4” blade from Grizzly. I did the Carter bearing upgrade.

-- Maplewood, MN

I too bought two Woodslicer blades on GaryK ’s review and have yet to use them.
I have a 14” bandsaw and an 18” I don’t even bother with the 14” one for resawing now as it takes much longer to set up and has a tendency to wander both in the vertical as well as the horizontal cut unless you spend 10 minutes tweaking it before use.
It will work but it takes too much time.
I believe the newer saws may be easier to manage.

Cheers
Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

I have an earlier version of the Kreg Bandsaw fence and resaw guide, both designed by Mark Duginske. They are both available at Woodcraft. Not cheap, but with a properly tuned bandsaw and the 1/2 inch 4 tooth skip blade it works like a dream.
I’ve have no trouble consistently resawing from thicknesses of 1/4 inch to 3/4 inch with no blade drift at all.
To properly tune the bandsaw look up Michael Fortune’s article in Fine Woodworking (don’t remember the issue but will post as soon as I come across it). He shows how to fine to the adjustments on the bandsaw so it works well for resawing.

-- Gerry