Help! Trying to rip 2x4 having lots of trouble!

[davidtu]

<< newbie alert!

Using the BT, trying to rip some 15" 2x4 sections pretty much down the middle... the saw sounds like its dying and its requiring a lot of pressure to push it thru. The results having bad burning.

First of all, it may be simply that (due to circumstance that I cannot change at the moment) I am using a 14 ga extension cord, about 50' from a 20 amp circuit w/ nothing else on it at the time. Of course I could go get a 12 ga, that's in my control... but I am planning to run a dedicate circuit as soon as possible.

In the meantime, if that isn't the sole problem (I have been more successful at other times ripping 4x6's w/ same setup... even vacuum running--which it is NOT now)... perhaps its a setup issue or technique.

So, I have a featherboard placed about 2" before the blade w/ (at this point) almost no pressure on the 2x4. The blade seems parallel to the fence from what I could tell w/ ruler. I am using a push stick between the blade and the fence. The blade is set to 1/4" above the workpiece, using the standard BT China blade.

As soon as the blade is "buried" in the wood is when it seems to get tough. I've had to stop the saw in the midst of the rip for fear that I was going to damage the motor. Pulling the workpiece back from the blade to restart was very difficult... the workpiece was very tight on the blade. This is before the workpiece hits the pawls.

I can post pics if it'll help.

I'm trying to get this project done right now, so hopefully someone can put me on the right track.

Thanks!
David

[bigsteel15]

It will help to know what material the lumber is.
It sounds like stress release in the wood is causing it to pinch.

[Wood_workur]

yeah, if it is CHEAP plain sawn 2x4's, that is probably the case.

To chck, rip half of the 2x4, and cut the power, NOT MOVING THE 2x4 at all. Remove it from the saw, or look at is on the saw to check for any pinching.

[crokett]

If the splitter is installed it should take care of any pinching. However if the wood is reacting to stress relief and the wood is being trapped between the blade and the fence, this could cause the binding.

Is the splitter lined up with the blade? If it is offset slightly towards the fence, this could be the reistance. Another suggestion is to set the fence up so the rear is 1/64 - 1/32" further away from the blade than the front. You will still get accurate rips but you get some room as the wood exits the blade for it to move if it needs to.

[newbie2wood]

I ran my BT3100 off a 50' 14ga extension all the time without the saw straining. If anything, I would occassionally pop a circuit with two power tools running.

I would recheck the alignment with a square for parallel in both x and y direction. You should also check your feed rate. Are you feeding the lumber too fast? Lastly, is your lumber too wet and the blade dirty?
________
Wong Amat Beach

[LCHIEN]

I ran my BT3100 off a 50' 14ga extension all the time without the saw straining. If anything, I would occassionally pop a circuit with two power tools running.

I would recheck the alignment with a square for parallel in both x and y direction. You may also check your feed rate. Are feeding the lumber too fast? Lastly, is your lumber too wet and the blade dirty?

It's one thing to run a BT3 off a 50' 14 ga cord but it's another thing entirely to try and rip 2x4 full 3.5" height on that same setup.

You've read it all here before, don't do that.
If you must, cut it halfway, and turn it over and cut the other half.

It could be that the wood is closing up and pinching the blade; that could be a contributing factor. But first you have to give the motor a chance to work properly.

[brooks]

If it's plain Home Depot type lumber, the wood might be WET.

[gerti]

Typical 2x4 are very rapidly dried, causing a lot of stress in the wood. I cut a 2x6 into roughly 2x4 dimensions, then re-sawed that int 4"x3/8" boards. The 2x4 I started with was nice and square. Some of the 3/8" boards (about 6' longe) showed more than 1/2" of 'light' in the middle when set on edge. The wood was very dry and my power cord short on a 20 Amp circuit, and a splitter used. The wood still would pinch the blade some. I assume the high pitch content in typical 2x4 material isn't helping.

[venkatbo]

fwiw, the 2x4s sold at almost every HD locally, despite being labeled KD (Kiln Dried), was moist and heavy (moisture)... Whereas, in most of the Lowes, KD 2x4s are a lot lighter (drier). They are slightly more expensive at Lowes tho...

/venkat

[MilDoc]

fwiw, the 2x4s sold at almost every HD locally, despite being labeled KD (Kiln Dried), was moist and heavy (moisture)... Whereas, in most of the Lowes, KD 2x4s are a lot lighter (drier). They are slightly more expensive at Lowes tho...

/venkat

Must agree. My moisture meter shows a big difference between Lowes & HD wood. Go to Lowes if you have a choice... or get a moisture meter.

[davidtu]

It's one thing to run a BT3 off a 50' 14 ga cord but it's another thing entirely to try and rip 2x4 full 3.5" height on that same setup.

Sorry for the confusion, I am NOT ripping it along the narrow side--I am ripping the 3.5 in half, not the 1.5--so I will end up with 2 pieces 15" long that are 1.5 x ~1.75.

Yes, this is cheapo HD 2x4 wood. This is just for a quickie cabinet in the garage shop, so just used the wood I have laying around. Interesting to know about Lowes, I will go there for my cheapo stuff in the future.

I will check the splitter, I think it is aligned--or at least was aligned when I set it up (not too long ago). I haven't used the saw (since new) all that much, but I did cut a lot of rips for a fence I was working on... perhaps the blade needs cleaning? (Of course I did order the Freud 24 tooth rip blade, so in 2 days or so I'll be able to use that.)

Another suggestion is to set the fence up so the rear is 1/64 - 1/32" further away from the blade than the front.

How does one adjust the fence in this manner? Just sort of tweak it to the side as you lock it down or is there a more elegant way? I'm not at the saw right now, trying to imagine it.

So, one thing that I am still not clear on is whether the splitter (which IS installed) should prevent the pinching or is the lumber being so cheap (stressed) going to overwhelm even the best efforts of the splitter and pinching will occur anyhow? (i.e. even if it is aligned correctly)

Thanks to everyone!

[jlake1998]

I have had my BT a few months, it burned 2x4s when riping with the origional china blade. Took about 1 week before i got new blade.

I installed a Freud 60T blade from lowes and was one heck of a emprovement. I have riped over 1 1/2 mahagany with no problems. Many say the 40T is a very good universal blade also.

When reading this forum you will see that the Freud is rated close to the top of the list of blades.

Enjoy your new saw. and welcome,,,,,

[jabe]

Use a 24 T rip blade std. kerf for 2x4s. I've ripped 2x4s soaking wet with Hi-bore treatment with no problems. I use Tenryu Rapid Cut 24T rip blade, use the standard kerf not thin kerf blades for ripping construction grade materials. More teeth on the blades are not suitable for ripping construction grade materials like 2x4s.

[Wood_workur]

If the splitter is installed it should take care of any pinching. However if the wood is reacting to stress relief and the wood is being trapped between the blade and the fence, this could cause the binding.

Is the splitter lined up with the blade? If it is offset slightly towards the fence, this could be the reistance. Another suggestion is to set the fence up so the rear is 1/64 - 1/32" further away from the blade than the front. You will still get accurate rips but you get some room as the wood exits the blade for it to move if it needs to.

yeah, the spliter will take care of the pinching, but it will make it hard to feed because of the extreemly high amount of friction between the wood and the splitter.

Now if the wood is bending outwward, you will need to use a "half" fence, which is a aux. fence clamped to your fence that only runs until the midpoint of the blade. That will solve any problems with the wood moving that way.

[Stytooner]

The only other thing I can add is that you can wax the splitter just like the table top. Use some Johnson's or similar paste wax. Put on a couple coats letting it haze over and then buff between coats.
This will drastically help with the friction, especially in lumber like pine that has high moisture and sap content.
The heat from cutting sometimes melts the sap and it is much like glue at that point.