I’ve had perfectly acceptable results resawing with bimetal blades and great results resawing with silicone-carbide, low-tension blades. Drift varies from blade to blade, so follow this simple setup procedure every time you change blades. Because bearings can be used in contact with the blade, they can help the blade run straighter, resulting in less drift.
Bandsaw sled for milling small logs At a wood show, I saw somebody selling a neat metal jig for cutting lumber off small logs on the bandsaw. The picture at left shows the sled having just been used to cut the side off a piece of crabapple lumber that I cut off one of the trees in my yard when I pruned it. So after cutting one side off, rotate the log 90 degrees, make another cut, and then make the rest of the cuts with a regular fence.
1) Every log sled relied on the miter slot to make straight cuts. This puts the weight of the log out near the end of the table on an already top heavy band saw. When using my log stabilizer / log sled / log jig, I make my first cut, then flip the log, so the flat side rests on the table.
After Jerry and I got together I decided to look into a resaw jig for the Band Saw. Since you are sawing a log, it’s best to slab off a small slice then use the fat from that slice against your fence jig. Gonna change my mind – Probably would saw off a slab as said, then use that face to slide on the table, then saw another slab at right angles to the first.
bandsaw resaw log jig Related Question:
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.
What size bandsaw do I need 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.)
What type of bandsaw blade is best 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.
How do you cross cut a log?
The basic technique is to start with a meeting cut through one third of the log from the side that is exposed to compressive stress – that is the side where you expect the guide bar to pinch. Then continue to cut a meeting cut on the opposite side until the log is cut through.
How do you cut thin wood slices?
To cut your wood slices, we strongly recommend you have either a miter saw or band saw. These are the best saw options to use when cutting log slices, as they can make more precise cuts with the uneven nature of a log. They can also cut thicker pieces of wood than other types of saws.
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.
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.
How much horsepower do you need to resaw?
A 3/4 or 1 HP bandsaw is pefectly adequate for re-sawing stock at home….
What is throat depth on a band saw?
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.
What does 14 mean on a bandsaw?
Rob Johnstone: Band saw sizes are derived from the diameter of the wheels in the saw. So a 14-inch band saw will have wheels that are 14-inches in diameter. There is another measure that indicates how wide a board you can resaw.
Is milling your own lumber worth it?
Milling your own lumber can produce quality material for a fraction of the price of a lumber dealer. In fact, if you purchase your own mill, like I have, you can actually make a profit off of it by selling lumber to other woodworkers and by offering to mill other people’s logs.
Can you mill dry logs?
Summary: Logs should be milled for drying as soon as possible, and the ends should be sealed as soon as they are felled. A bandsaw mill will create less waste than a chainsaw mill. Logs can be sawn for grade, quarter sawn, or flitch cut.