# Need someone to resaw a beam but no one will help me!



## ezgnann (Mar 21, 2011)

I have long read about the beauty found in using resawn boards from old buildings. Well, over the weekend, a friend gave me a 3 large beams to use on a new kitchen table for my wife. The three beams are old grown pine - the longest - approximately 5.5"x8"x90" and shortest 5.5"x8"x50". Talk about a gift! Now I have to get them resawn.

I have called around the Shreveport Louisiana area and no one can help me. I couple of places were pretty curt - "Nope, don't know anyone that can do it". I guess I will mark them off my preferred venders list…

Anyway, does anyone out there on Lumber Jocks know of a place in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, or even SE Oklahoma that could resaw these beams into true 1×8s? I would do it myself, but they are too big for my Grizzly bandsaw to handle.

Thanks for any help that you can provide.


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## drewnahant (Dec 10, 2009)

It is a project for the wife? perfect reason to get a bigger bandsaw! Wish I could help, but Im not in the area, the main reason that mills dont want to touch the stuff is fear of old metal imbedded in the wood. Even the tiniest piece of a nail broken off in the wood can chip their blades and force them to resharpen, most mills will calculate the cost of this downtime, labor, and lost life on the blade at a couple hundred dollars. There is also the obvious reason, it is a small job, why would they shut down their operation for a minute to do your tiny job.

It is unfortuante that people are so concerned with efficiency and profit that they cannot take 5 minutes at the end of their day to help out a fellow woodworker, but its true. Your best bet is to look for a fellow woodworker with a large bandsaw, if they are friendly a case of beer and some good conversation will pay for the time, otherwise $50 seems fair to me. You might try putting an ad on craigslist, most of us woodworkers are on there looking for odd jobs, old tools, and old lumber.

good luck, and dont let that beautiful reclaimed lumber go to waste.


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## Racer2007 (Jan 13, 2011)

Check this link it has listings at the bottom of the page. Or maybe some local LJ has a bigger saw or portable mill and will step up to help you out. Good Luck
http://www.magicyellow.com/category/Sawmills/shreveport_la.html


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## Max (Sep 13, 2006)

You might try contacting a company like Wood-Mizer to see if they have a list of some people who may have a portable mill in your area that you could contact.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

You can saw them open with two passes on the table saw - 
leaving about 1"-2" in the middle which is fairly simple to rip out
with a hand saw or reciprocating saw. I'm dead serious - 
doing it this way is not at all inefficient if you don't have 
a large bandsaw.


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## Howie (May 25, 2010)

Might try putting a request on Craigslist if it's in your area.
Otherwise Loren has a good point.


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## davidroberts (Nov 8, 2008)

Not sure if you checked with the company below. They may help you. They are in Mt Enterprise, east Texas, about 100 miles from Shreveport

http://www.hardwoodbarn.com/


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## bandman (Feb 12, 2009)

I would check out the woodweb sawing and drying directory for sawyers close to you, I'd saw it 
for you but I'm up in Wisconsin.

http://www.woodweb.com/cgi-bin/directories/sdd.cgi

Phil


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## BarbaraGill (Feb 12, 2011)

As someone said, call WoodMizer. They have a list of sawyers.


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## ezgnann (Mar 21, 2011)

Great Ideas Folks! You have given me a bunch of calls to make. Keep the comments coming!


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

Why not just turn the beams and resaw at 5.5" instead? You are going to have to dress all the newly resawn lumber and join anyway. Adjust your dreams to the reality of your current equipment's capabilities. And besides, a couple more laminates will make a bit more stable tabletop. Personally, I would be thankful the 5.5" measurement fell within the scope/limits of your BS. This was a gift, so make the most of it without fretting so much. That's my 2-cents worth…


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## ezgnann (Mar 21, 2011)

Good point Mike, but it is the size and weight of the beams that really concern me. The big ones take 2 strong people to move them, let alone put them on my bandsaw. I will cut at the 5.5 myself if I cannot find a someone to cut them for me.


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## swirt (Apr 6, 2010)

Don't think about putting *on* your bandsaw. You want to think of it more like passing it *through* your bandsaw. You need some good roller stands. They should bear the brunt of holding the beam up, not your bandsaw table.


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## Clarence (Nov 23, 2009)

Talk to the people at Chandler's Demolition in Bossier City. They used to resaw beams from houses they tear down to resell as flooring. Have no idea if they will be willing to do this for you.


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## richgreer (Dec 25, 2009)

If you are going to cut them into 5.5" boards, you should be able to do it with a TS or circular saw and track, working from both sides. This is a good time to talk to the wife about a Festool TS 75.


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## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

I don't know how you plan to use the wood once it's been resawn, but do you need the full 90" length? Can you cut that down in to two 45"'s or three 30"'s? That would be much easier to handle while running through a band saw.


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## IrreverentJack (Aug 13, 2010)

"Adjust your dreams to the reality of your current equipment's capabilities"

Mike - That's advice worth *way* more than 2-cents. -Jack


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## flobro (Mar 20, 2011)

They do sell those small sawmills, ? you could get one, would be handy to have around


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## Bertha (Jan 10, 2011)

I've seen Loren's idea used. Does anyone rent portable sawmills? How about those little chainsaw sawmill thingies? Good luck! I'd help but I no longer even own a bandsaw.


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## ezgnann (Mar 21, 2011)

"Honey, for me to build this table I HAD to buy this new portable chainsaw mill" Do you think it will work?


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## peterrum (Jan 24, 2011)

Ask the guys in the milling and sawmill forum at www.arboristsite.com. Very helpful bunch there.


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## Scsmith42 (Jan 26, 2011)

RE: I've seen Loren's idea used. Does anyone rent portable sawmills? How about those little chainsaw sawmill thingies? Good luck! I'd help but I no longer even own a bandsaw.

-Al, West Virginia, www.berthacombat.com

NO - I don't know of any mill owner that would consider renting their sawmill, except to a very experienced miller. There is too high a liklihood of damage occuring to either the equipment or the operator.


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## roman (Sep 28, 2007)

DIY….translation….do it yourself

rip 1/2 way through, flip and rip again

a good hand saw and a sharp plane your there

even with a cheap TS…..........I wouldnt waste my money hiring that out


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