Resaw blade advice

[bjgodefr]

Hi

New on the forum and have a question about resawing:
I bought some beech to refinish my (old) work bench. I flattened the very worn down top and would like to glue some boards on to it to have a clean surface and regain some of the height and mass that I lost.
So, since the bench was made from beech, I went and bought some. I planned on resawing 36mm thick boards (19cm wide) on my record power BS300 band saw. I have a blade from tuff saws on it. But it's not up to the task. It's a 5/8" - SuperTuff Fastcut, but I guess it has too many teeth to resaw this wide a board.


What kind of saw blade would you recommend me to get to resaw an 19cm wide board? I'm currently looking at a 3tpi 19mm wide blade . Would that do the trick?

Thanks!
Bart

 

[RobinBHM]

Welcome to the forum.

What is your question regarding resawing - are you talking about a bandsaw or circular saw

 

[bjgodefr]

Welcome to the forum.

What is your question regarding resawing - are you talking about a bandsaw or circular saw

Thanks!
I rewrote my message - I had some problems with the spam guard ...

 

[Ttrees]

Sounds a bit optimistic to me with that saw.
A tall order resawing 7 1/2" tall stock on any machine.
Maybe other folks can chime in who has that model, and actually cut long planks of hardwood with it.
I'd say a half inch blade would be the very max for a light saw like that, and I'd consider ripping the board so you would be resawing half that thickness.
Too much to go wrong otherwise.

Grain orientation will likely have a part to play on getting flattish boards from the plank.
I've cut some stock for it only to turn into a banana.
Do you know much about the beech you have?

I wonder is steamed beech harder than regular stuff?
And is it more stable?

Just some other variables that come to mind.
Regards
Tom

 

[bjgodefr]

Hi, thanks for your advice!
Yes , I have steamed beech. It should be more stable because of the steaming process.

The BS300 can handle a 3/4" blade (didn't the UK convert to metric at some point ? ;-))
I admit that now I also have my doubts that it can handle a board of 19cm / 7,5" tall. But am willing to test this

 

[bjgodefr]

And yes, ripping it on the table saw from top and bottom for a couple of inches would help. Good idea.
But I would like to have a good resaw blade anyway. I could try to start with that method (i.e. resaw on the bandsaw only).

 

[MikeK]

The specifications for the BS300 might state it will work with a 19mm (3/4-inch) blade, but I doubt you will be able to tension the blade adequately. I have the BS350S and have never had any success trying to tension a 19mm blade.

When I discussed using my BS350S to resaw with Ian at Tuffsaws, he recommended either the 3TPI 1/2-inch M42 blade or the 3TPI 5/8-inch Sabrecut blade. Both require the same amount of tension, and he told me I would not be happy with any 3/4-inch blade.

I doubt you will be able to order from Tuffsaw now, as he told me my order last August would be his last order shipped outside the UK. Unfortunately, I can't recommend any sources local to you.

 

[Ttrees]

I was suggesting cutting the plank in two, and then resawing the pair of 3 1/4" planks, I must take note of my unspecific wording for again.
Have seen some folks doing what you suggest though, so also an option if you have a decent supply of timber, it would compound the issue of wastage if those boards moved.

Keen to see what folks have to say about the beech.
How long is the bench that the boards are going on?

Agreed with MikeK
You would be hard pressed to get an honest answer if inquiring about max blade width on most bandsaws.
You/most manufacturers don't mention gauge thickness of blades, which is another factor.
Tuffsaws sell some thinner gauge blades which would tension better, might be worth using the search function for your saw to see what other folks are using.
Resawing tall stock for a box is a different ball game to resawing long tall stock.

Are you planning on using a point fence, or surfacing and using the rip fence?
Is the stock you have rough sawn or skim planed?

Plenty of factors in which to consider.
If you haven't gave the saw a real test yet, then maybe better to have a go at some trials with pine first, before going near the beech.
I'd sooner the extra work of edge jointing the beech than to ruin the stock, and I'd be clamping it to the benchtop as soon as its cut.
Eager to see what folks will suggest.

Good luck
Tom

 

[RobinBHM]

The super tuff fastcut is really a fine blade for cutting veneers.

I would say you would be better with the sabrecut or carbon steel blade - you want the widest set, least TPI poss - as deep cuts struggle to clear sawdust fast enough.

I don't know if your bandsaw model has a strong enough frame to tension 3/4" blades - maybe others familiar with the machine can advise.


As an aside deeping timber is generally best avoided......whilst it can be done, there's a fair risk of failure - so don't be disappointed if it doesn't work.

Generally it is best practice to buy timber that is as close to the finished component size as possible.

When timber is seasoned, moisture migrates to the surface from the inside, as it does so the timber shrinks. Even though the moisture content may equalise, the shrinkage may well result in the board having tension - and cutting a board down the middle is the most likely to release tension. That could result in a cupped or bowed board.

 

[Sachakins]

Could you not get hold of more of beech (?£?) To make up the width to suit?

 

[bjgodefr]

Ok, here it goes: the workbench is 2,2m long (or 7,5 feet?) , the boards are just a bit longer. The beech is already planed.

Yes, a test setup is another good idea. As is cutting the boards in half (so width divided by two).

I'm using the fence with some sort of tall featherboard, like here:


After the advice against the 3/4" wide bandsaw, I started looking at this German shop:

Bandsägeblätter online kaufen | Bandsägeblätter | Bandmesser| Bandsägeblatt | Kreissägeblätter

They also offer a choice concerning the thickness of the blade.
But I'm not sure about their tpi marking, it's called ' Zahnteilung' and means the distance from teeth to teeth. I'll have to mail them to be sure to get a 3 tpi blade.

 

[bjgodefr]

As an aside deeping timber is generally best avoided......whilst it can be done, there's a fair risk of failure - so don't be disappointed if it doesn't work.

Generally it is best practice to buy timber that is as close to the finished component size as possible.

When timber is seasoned, moisture migrates to the surface from the inside, as it does so the timber shrinks. Even though the moisture content may equalise, the shrinkage may well result in the board having tension - and cutting a board down the middle is the most likely to release tension. That could result in a cupped or bowed board.

Good, I'm learning again

Well then I made another mistake while buying. But yes, I 'll clamp and glue the resawn board tot the bench top, that'll help to keep it flat.

 

[bjgodefr]

another try for the link to the blade:
flexback blade

 

[Sachakins]

Further down page gives tooth pitch to tpi conversion.

 

[pgrbff]

Ok, here it goes: the workbench is 2,2m long (or 7,5 feet?) , the boards are just a bit longer. The beech is already planed.

Yes, a test setup is another good idea. As is cutting the boards in half (so width divided by two).

I'm using the fence with some sort of tall featherboard, like here:
View attachment 103719

After the advice against the 3/4" wide bandsaw, I started looking at this German shop:

Bandsägeblätter online kaufen | Bandsägeblätter | Bandmesser| Bandsägeblatt | Kreissägeblätter

They also offer a choice concerning the thickness of the blade.
But I'm not sure about their tpi marking, it's called ' Zahnteilung' and means the distance from teeth to teeth. I'll have to mail them to be sure to get a 3 tpi blade.

That is a setup I have not seen before. As you saw the chances are that the board is going to bend and the blade drift. I don't have an awful lot of experience but it is not the usual fence to resaw blades.

 

[pgrbff]

I am in a similar situation. I am in Italy and cannot buy from Tuffsaws anymore. This company has a good range and postage is not too high.
NLS

 

[Ttrees]

Agreed but to be fair it looks like a very small table on that machine.
Derek Cohen might have some good piccys on a short fence.
Is the plank straight? another reason for that.

Infeed and outfeed support would be good, and not getting too greedy with your stock allowing for warpage.
That is the 6 million dollar question what you can get away with, and very interesting.
love to see some piccys of the grain, especially whether its quartersawn, flatsawn, riftsawn and if there is a pith which would likely be more troublesome.
Be great to hear folks experience on the steamed beech.

Do axminster not have the blade department working?, i found them not too expensive for that, and they will weld up blades if you need.
Not sure if they sell thin gauge.

Keep those tires clean inspect after every cut as with the blade, if it is resinous, you don't want issues halfway through a cut.
Maybe more of an issue with pine test board.
You might need to change blades to get the job done, or at least give you the best chance with brand new blade, curious about that too.

You can use them until blunt for something less demanding later.

You mentioned glue, which sounds like you are planning to glue to the top as you go,
you could likely get a crook on your timber resawing, which would need to be planed first before any gluing involved.
Either a long grain shooting scenario shimmed or all together gang planed on edge somehow.

probably missing something else to add.
Best of luck

Tom

 

[bjgodefr]

That is a setup I have not seen before. As you saw the chances are that the board is going to bend and the blade drift. I don't have an awful lot of experience but it is not the usual fence to resaw blades.

What sort of fence would you suggest?

 

[bjgodefr]

Tom, yes the plank is straight (the planed face is at least).

Here is a picture of the grain:

 

[bjgodefr]

You mentioned glue, which sounds like you are planning to glue to the top as you go,
you could likely get a crook on your timber resawing, which would need to be planed first before any gluing involved.
Either a long grain shooting scenario shimmed or all together gang planed on edge somehow.
...

Tom

I don't understand your last sentence in the quote Tom. I have a jointer/planer , so after resawing and before gluing, I'll be planing the sawn side.