Resawing on Bandsaw

shydragon · Post by **shydragon** » Wed Dec 10, 2008 11:56 pm

Today, I made my 1st attempt to resaw on the bandsaw. Yesterday, I went through the bandsaw, cleaning, lubricating, putting a new 5/8" resaw blade on, etc.

I was excited when I got home from work. Ready to do it. I had some 1" thick walnut and some 1" thick curly maple. I wanted to shoot for 5/8" thick, then plane to 1/2". I ripped 6 pieces of walnut to 4" wide x 14" long. 3 pieces of the maple to the same dimensions. My plan to make a simple box, using the incra system for corner dovetail.

My 1st try, put the piece of walnut up against the bandsaw fence and started feeding it through, uh oh, not going so well. (prior to all of this, I had adjusted fence for the blade lead). 5/8" at the starting end, but at the other end 3/8". So, I tightened the bandsaw just a little more. Then fed the 2nd piece through, Perfect. (OK, I think I've got this figured out,sheesh, everyone makes a big deal about resawing, nothing to it).

3rd piece, uh oh, just like the 1st piece, hmm, what did I do different?

4th piece, uh oh, just like 1st & 3rd piece, not at all what I wanted.

5th piece, Ok let's go at this a little different. Probably not the safest way, but it worked. Starting feeding, then placed my right hand up against the side of the board to hold it against the fence. Once, I got a little bit of the cut past the blade, reached through with my left hand and held the back edge of the board against the fence. Nice cut.

6th board of walnut, and 3 boards of maple done the same way. All good cuts.

Somewhere on this forum, I think Chuck posted a homemade resaw guide, I need to find that. When I do find it, I have a question? Are you drawing a pencil line on the edge of the board, and following that line with your cut?

RobertTaylor · Post by **RobertTaylor** » Thu Dec 11, 2008 12:07 am

if i remember correctly they basicly stacked three feather boards. which would safely keep your hand from harms way.

shydragon · Post by **shydragon** » Thu Dec 11, 2008 12:14 am

Oh yeah, I remember seeing that one, I think it was some sort of dovetail set up. I forgot about that one. I was thinking of a different one, I thought I remember it being one Chuck posted.

shydragon · Post by **shydragon** » Thu Dec 11, 2008 12:23 am

I found it.

https://forum.shopsmith.com/viewtopic.php?t=1890&highlight=bandsaw

ldh · Post by **ldh** » Thu Dec 11, 2008 12:55 am

Pat,
For what it's worth do a search of CERAMIC BLADE GUIDES FOR THE BANDSAW and post #10 you will find what I use on one of my SS bandsaws for resaw.
ldh

kalynzoo · Post by **kalynzoo** » Thu Dec 11, 2008 1:17 am

I'm not the expert, but I too use cool-blocks to guide the blade. I also use stacked featherboards to maintain pressure on the board. I have found that I like to mark a cutting line on the board, just to maintain reference. Also I try not to force the wood through the blade, reducing friction and reducing drift. My first few attempts were pathetic, but I find I can now do an acceptable job of resawing. Just takes time and patients. The SS class explained allowing for drift, and if I am resawing a small piece of wood, I will take the time to run some scrap through the blade, and then adjust the fence for slight drift in the blade. More often than not, I skip this and sand to finish. Good luck, and don't get discouraged.

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Thu Dec 11, 2008 9:31 pm

shydragon wrote:I found it.

Hi Pat ! Glad you found it. To answer your question - Yes, I mark the re-sawing line along the entire edge to be cut.
First - I make sure the other edge (that will slide along the bandsaw table) is square with the face of the board.

I have found a blade may drift to the right and later on to the left on the same board. I believe this to be caused by grain changes. Using this jig and a penciled cut line, I find it easier to make a straight re-saw. Right /Left adjustments are slight and slow. Don't rush the cut. Let the blade feed into the wood. I use my right hand to keep the board against the jig. I tried to use feather boards, but never could get them adjusted so that I knew how much pressure was needed to get the board to move past the feathers. In my case, this led to putting too much feed pressure on the blade. Hand pressure on the side of the board works a whole lot better for me.

Better mention - there are two ways I know of to finish a re-saw cut. You can change hands and use your right hand to pull the last of the board through the blade, or you can continue pushing the board the last couple inches using a push stick. I've used both and have no favorite, except I don't like to feed the last of the board by pushing by hand.

shydragon · Post by **shydragon** » Fri Dec 12, 2008 12:21 am

Thanks for all the input. I ran 3 more boards throught this evening. I used my right hand to put sideways pressure on the board up against the fence, and went real slow. The results were definately a lot better than yesterday evening. If I plan on doing much more of this, I will need to make one of those resaw fences. I did buy the Ceramic Guides, just never got around to installing them.

pinkiewerewolf · Post by **pinkiewerewolf** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 2:25 am

Here is Nick resawing with the Kreg system. (Which basically works like the jigs that some of the members have made.)
http://www.shopsmithacademy.com/Tips_Ar ... boards.htm