Re-sawing a board into thin, pliable pieces allows you to create curved shapes by bending and gluing the pieces around a form-a process called “Bent lamination.” Marking the board with the cabinetmaker’s triangle allows you to reassemble the thin pieces as they came from the board, so the lamination closely resembles a single piece of bent wood. Partially re-sawing a board on your table saw makes re-sawing with your band saw easier, because the blade has less to cut and the saw kerfs keep it from wandering. It’s a great method to use if your band saw bogs down during full-width re-sawing, and in many cases, it can save time by allowing you to re-saw without installing a re-saw blade.
After struggling with his bandsaw fence, blocks, clamps, and a resaw guide, WOOD® magazine reader John Hodges of Kaufman, Texas, decided to design his own bandsaw resawing guide. Because few bandsaw blades track perfectly straight, the curved end of part A allows you to steer the board into the bandsaw blade and make adjustments to follow your marked line. Always use a pushstick for safety when resawing on a bandsaw.
If you’ve ever tried to resaw using a fence to guide the board, you know that the blade can sometimes drift, leav-ing you with an uneven cut. It’s better to steer the board with a resaw guide that makes contact with the wood at a single point. To use the resaw guide, first lay out the cut on the workpiece.
George Vondriska walks you through the step-by-step woodworking process for creating and using a simple resaw fence that is perfect for re-sawing wooden boards on a band saw. The resaw single-point fence will give your boards a beautiful book match effect.
“The Fence. The fence is simple. Use 1/2″ plywood for the base, face, and brace. Use 3/4″ hardwood for the contact point. The height of the face should be close to the width of the material you”ll be resawing. A few downsides to resawing on a bandsaw with a single point fence;. If you’re resawing pieces to various sizes you’ll need to move and reclamp the fence for each cut.
To get started with resawing, I recommend a band saw of sufficient power and with a large depth of cut. “And, speaking of saw blades: the rule of thumb for resawing is “The wider the better.” Wider blades, 1/2″ and larger, cut straighter, which is the goal. Even if you don’t opt for a “specialty” resaw blade, stick with a wide and open-toothed blade to enhance your resawing activity.
This is another video tutorial that gives you a thorough explanation of how to construct your bandsaw fence. The tutorial also comes with a few tips and tricks for your bandsaw fence to make it better. You would need to make notes as you go through the tutorial because there are some important points he makes regarding the design within the tutorial.
bandsaw resaw guide diy Related Question:
What band saw blade for resawing?
Resawing involves making rip cuts in the face of a wide board. So just like you would on the table saw, you’ll want to select a blade with fewer teeth per inch (TPI) than the blades you use for crosscutting or cutting curves. For most 14″ band saws, a 1 ⁄ 2 “-wide blade with 2-3 TPI is a good choice.
What size band saw for resawing?
To get started with resawing, I recommend a band saw of sufficient power and with a large depth of cut. Any motor smaller than 1hp and depth of cut less than 10″ will limit your effectiveness. (Some 14″ band saws have about a 6″ maximum cutso you’d be limited to a 12″ wide book-matched panel or less.)
Can any bandsaw resaw?
Just about any bandsaw will do acceptable resawing. For example, all the cuts made in this story were done on an inexpensive, 14-in. bandsaw with a 3/4-hp motor. All we did to the saw was add a riser block to increase its capacity.
How many teeth do you need to resaw a blade?
Typically, a wide 3-tooth-per-inch (tpi) blade provides the perfect blend of aggressive yet smooth cut and sawdust evacuation that resawing requires.
How much horsepower do you need to resaw?
A 3/4 or 1 HP bandsaw is pefectly adequate for re-sawing stock at home….
Is a wider bandsaw blade better?
The wider blades are stiffer overall (more metal) and tend to track better on the band wheels than narrow blades. When cutting thicker material, the wider blade has less ability to deviate because the back end, when in the cut, helps steer the front of the blade, especially if the side clearance is not excessive.
Can I put a wider blade on my bandsaw?
An 18-inch diameter wheel can use a 0.032-inch thick blade that is 3/4 inch wide. In general, thicker and wider blades will be the choice when sawing dense wood and woods with hard knots. Such wood needs the extra strength of a thicker, wide blade to avoid breaking. Thicker blades also deflect less when resawing.
What is a resaw guide?
Resaw guides provide a higher level of control when adjusting for band saw blade drift. Curved face of the guide helps steer board into the cut. Easily attaches to the face of the band saw fence. This 7″ Resaw Guide is designed for larger capacity band saws.
What causes bandsaw blade drift?
Drift is cause because the blade buckles under the load. You can see that by stretching a ribbon between 2 points and applying a pressure to one of the edges, it will turn sideway easily. A sharp blade and high blade speed will help a lot with that.
How do I choose a resaw blade?
For resawing, use the widest 3-tpi skip- or variable-tooth blade your saw accepts. Typically, the wider the blade, the straighter it cuts. Cutting green (undried) wood requires the widest 2–3-tpi skip-tooth blade your saw accepts.
Do I need a 14-inch bandsaw?
For the small shop furniture maker, go with 14″ as the minimum for a bandsaw, though 16″ is better. Those doing larger work might even want 18″ or 20″ machines. Just make sure you have a minimum resaw height of 12″ for versatility.
What size bandsaw is best?
For a hobbyist, a 12″-14″ bandsaw is the ideal size. This size saw will provide plenty of power and a good deal of resawing capability. A professional will be better served with an 18″ bandsaw for a larger resawing capability. Choosing a 14″ band saw would provide plenty of power in a smaller footprint.
What is the throat on a bandsaw?
The throat is the distance from the blade to the vertical frame section of the body of the saw. This distance determines the width of cut that can be completed on the band saw. The throat on a free-standing cabinet band saw typically exceeds the 12 to 14-inch throat of smaller, bench-top models.