Resawing

[JoeyGee]

Just about every band saw thread on this forum references resawing, resaw capacity and riser blocks. I am interested to know how many actually resaw with their band saws and how much extra capacity really plays into it. I am looking into a band saw, and while I am sure resawing would be nice, I am not sure if I would actually do it.

I know I will probably get a saw with good resawing specs, but I am still curious to know how many actually resaw.

[gary]

I do have a riser but typically resaw items less than 6" wide. That said I've used it for bigger items too.

[kwgeorge]

I seem to resaw quite often for one reason or another. The project I am currently working on caused me to resaw many times over. With that though I have yet to add the riser as I have yet to find a need to resaw over the 6” capacity that I currently have. If this becomes an issue I will add the riser block but for now I am fine. The thing about a bandsaw is once you get it you will be amazed at how you ever lived without it as I find myself going to it for one reason or another quite often in any project I am making.

Ken

[Ken Massingale]

I also resaw a lot. I do have a riser but typically it is not for 10-12" widths. usually I resaw around 8" stock.
IMO you will resaw more than you expect to now.

[cabinetman]

I would resaw stock for drawer sides to maximize material. I also like to resaw stock to get sequential patterns from the same piece of wood. You can get some very interesting layouts.



"I'M NEVER WRONG - BUT I'M NOT ALWAYS RIGHT"

[SARGE..g-47]

A bunch.... recently downed a 18"-20" diameter sweet-gum in the front yard. Had to quarter it first to get it through the 12" max on my Steel City 18" bandsaw. No matter how much capacity you have, you come up short eventually.

Buy stock often in 16/4 as available and have to re-saw left over on occassion down to what-ever size I am currently working with. Book-match is common as you progress up the detail chain.

I find 12" sufficent which I have with my 18" saw, but you will find bowl turners that procure downed trees that could use much more. I am not a turner (at least yet), so I can make the 12" work as my saw allows that without riser blocks.

Regards...

[Workman]

I have the Grizzly GO550 with riser and have resawn widths up to close to 12 inches. I've found you use what you have. If you try to purchase s4s oak, walnut, cherry, etc. boards up to 12" wide, it will cost you. If you can make your own, it at least costs much less, it is often free for me (other than my time milling and curing my own lumber). What is available to you? I have a friend who is a professional forester. Other woodworkers I know get their material from recycled barn material (often wide plank and much oak). They need to be able to resaw to use this material. Others want to resaw for drawer sides, veneers, etc. Fit the tool to the task, but remember that you may have not realized the potential because you did not have the tool (previously - it's Christmas time - the right time for a new bandsaw)! Inserting a riser block is not overly expensive or difficult and has been a great cost savings for me.

[Black wallnut]

I have a riser on my G0555 and I have resawn 8" stock. I also half frozen turkeys whenever we get one and that would not be possible with 6" capacity. (the last two Thanksgivings my children have won turkeys at School. When we buy a turkey we have the meat counter half it for us; clean up is way less that way!)

Another benefit of the riser is wider blades should last longer due to being longer.

[BrazosJake]

Ditto the drawer sides, great for that. Veneers as well.

I have a Ridgid w Riser block but have yet to go over 6".

I'm not sure the extra capacity does much good unless you have a means to face joint stock over 6".

[Jeffrey Schronce]

I also half frozen turkeys whenever we get one and that would not be possible with 6" capacity. (the last two Thanksgivings my children have won turkeys at School. When we buy a turkey we have the meat counter half it for us; clean up is way less that way!)

That should be the new measurement standard! Turkey saw capacity!

[John Hunter]

I do a lot of resawing with my 14: HF bandsaw using a 1/2" 3 TPI Timberwolf blade.

[HarmsWay]

I resawed an 11 inch piece of teak for a friend. It was quite stressful (for me anyway - don't know about him). He wanted 5/8" slices for a series of bookmatched drawer fronts.

Keep in mind that the taller the piece, the more significant the alignment errors are (in terms fence to blade vertical alignment). Also requires quite a bit of power and a slower feed rate since so much blade is in the wood.

I use a Canwood 17" bandsaw (blue version of the Grizzly G0513) and a 3/4" 3TPI Starret blade.

Bob

[L. D. Jeffries]

Band Saw Riser Blocks/resawing

Speaking of resawing; I have a Craftsman BS that uses an 80" blade. This stetup allows me to resaw material just a fraction under 6". Have in the past (re: BS Boxes) would have liked to be able to resaw wood thicker than 6". Problem is I can't seem to find any riser blocks for the Sears saw, well at least Sears don't seem to know squat about it. Any help out there, I'am in the house now and don't remember the Model # of the saw but if anyone has the foggest idea of help can sure get the number fast from the shop. Thanks guys.

[WoodButcher26]

Don't think the Sears saw has the ability to use riser blocks. I've got one of them as well, getting fairly close to trading it in for another model. It was a decent saw to learn on, but not one to write home about.


Kim

[Jeffrey Schronce]

Need a model number for the Sears BS to let you know if there is a riser. Euro steel frame models can not have risers due to nature of design. Most cast iron BS's have a riser block of some sort out there. If its the 12" it definately does have a riser block, same as the 12" Hitachi.