Wood splittting

JimiJimi · 8 Jun 2016

Hi all

I recently got some 21mm redwood and sometimes the wood splits as I am cutting it. The splits are up to 5mm deep. Does anyone else have this problem? Is all redwood generally unstable, or do I have a bad batch?

Jimi

Claymore · 8 Jun 2016

what blade are you using Jimi? sometimes if I have used pine on a project its done the same thing......usually solved with using a finer blade like a number 3 skip.

Brian

JimiJimi · 8 Jun 2016

Hi Brian, thanks for the reply. I am using a number 5 skip, but it is splitting even when I am cutting it into smaller pieces using a handsaw - it splits along the grain when I am cutting across the grain. It doesn't seem to make any sense.

Jimi

Claymore · 8 Jun 2016

Hi Jimi,
Just been out to the workshop and tried a bit of my redwood and used a few blades including a number 5.... mine chipped a bit but nowhere near as much yours is doing is the blade nice and straight ie no bends.kinks in it? also what speed have you been using? I used around 3/4 of the dial which is number 10 on my saw. I will have another go tomorrow as I'm off down to our woods to get some Hawthorn and bitten by midges too lol
Cheers
Brian

JimiJimi · 8 Jun 2016

Hi Brian. Yeah, the blade is straight and the speed is nice and slow. The splits are occurring nowhere near where I am cutting and seemingly only when I am either using a handsaw to cut the wood into manageable lengths, or using the scroll saw to lop a bit off - not when I am actually cutting a pattern. Also, the splits don't go all the way through the wood - they only happen on the underside of the wood, and they go length ways, whereas I am cutting across.

As an aside, should the wood be really resinous? It feels sticky to the touch and when I cut it there is orange resin where I have cut.

Jimi

Claymore · 9 Jun 2016

It will chip when cutting across the grain with a handsaw/scrollsaw just like pine does and some thicker plywood and there's not a lot you can do to stop it, as for the resin that again is common with softwoods and you can use sanding sealer to seal it in (a couple of coats should help) it makes a mess of my bandsaw too...... spruce is terrible for resin and best avoided.

JimiJimi · 10 Jun 2016

Thanks for the advice. It is a bit more serious than chipping though - on a metre-long board it has split the full length, down the middle, about 5mm deep.