Which tools would you recommend?

[Justin Crabtree]

I am considering starting my own cutting board business and would like your opinion on what tools I should start with? I would be ripping .75" thick cut-offs of a variety of hardwoods into 1-1/4" strips and that will end up being the height of my boards.

I am limited on space since i'm working in my 1 car garage, so I purchased a portable table saw (dewalt dw745), but quickly returned it after using it a few times. I didn't feel safe cutting on such a small table and was worried about kickback and also the fact that I was cutting small strips on a table saw. If I had a bigger table top to work on, it might've been a different story...

I was considering purchasing a bandsaw to do all of my ripping and final cuts to the board once all the pieces are glued together. Would this work? If so, would something like the 14" Grizzly 0555 (with proper blade) get the job done with ease?

The final glued board would then be sent through a 12" planer and sanded of course.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Justin, a bandsaw will not produce straight accurate cut edges.

A tablesaw, with a feeder would rip strips all day while keeping your fingers safe.

I happen to have a General 650, however depending upon how many cutting boards per day you are producing, you may want something along the lines of a Felder/Hammer/MiniMax sliding saw, to make squaring easiest.

An idea of your work load projections would be good.

Regards, Rod.

[Myk Rian]

Get a good table saw (I love my Steel City 35670) with a good fence. Freud glue-line rip blades and a Freud cabinetmaker blade. Either get a jointer (I prefer) or make a jig to joint the edges of the boards on the TS.
Oh yeah. Clamps too.

[John Bailey]

I've found a band saw will make very straight and accurate cuts, however, even with the best blade, I'm not sure you'll get a good enough glue line. Today's circular saws give a very clean cut. I love band saws, but for your stated purpose, unless you are going to run the strips through a planer anyway, you would be better off with a table saw.

John

[Bill Huber]

I have made a few boards myself and I would say you will need.

A table saw, I used an old Craftsman but I would say for the money a Ridgid from HD would be a good buy for a new one, $400.

As was stated a good glue line rip blade.

Some good parallel clamps I like the cabinet masters.

I will get some disagreement on this one but a planer.

A router for edges and juice grooves.

A ROS to do the finishing work.

This should get you going.

[Jim Kountz]

Ok just so Im clear you are using 3/4" material and making rips 1 1/4" wide so you will then be face gluing the pieces together to make a cutting board that is 1 1/4" thick? If thats the case then the quality of cut has nothing whatsoever to do with it, well you know what I mean. The cut edge will become the top and bottom of the cutting boards?? Then you mentioned you will plane and sand them so you wont need a glue line rip blade and YES the bandsaw would be great for this. Safer easier.

[Justin Crabtree]

Ok just so Im clear you are using 3/4" material and making rips 1 1/4" wide so you will then be face gluing the pieces together to make a cutting board that is 1 1/4" thick? If thats the case then the quality of cut has nothing whatsoever to do with it, well you know what I mean. The cut edge will become the top and bottom of the cutting boards?? Then you mentioned you will plane and sand them so you wont need a glue line rip blade and YES the bandsaw would be great for this. Safer easier.

Exactly...the cut edges will then become the top and bottom of the cutting board and planed down to size (they will not be touching any glue). My only other concern is once all of the pieces are glued together, I still need to make a cross cut to cut off all of the excess material since each individual piece will vary in size.

Thanks all for your help and suggestions so far.

[Tony Bilello]

You will be be mostly ripping and crosssutting. Table saws are made for this. Band saws are designed for cutting curves.
I wouldn't want to cut curves with a table saw.

The table saw should be a good one with a good blade. With a good table saw and a good ripping blade, a joiner should not be necessary providing that you can get a good quality hardwood already planed. Planing rough stock yourself may not be cost effective.
You will however, need a planer for the finished product. That is, after the strips are all glued up.
You will also need a router for the edge treatment and the juice grooves.

[BOB OLINGER]

Personally, I wouldn't spend a minute using the band saw for this. The table saw is my choice - doesn't have to be a very expensive one - the blade is the key. Get a good rip blade, like the Freud - I've been ripping hundreds of feet of red oak and poplar using my thin kerf Freud rip blade and it appears good for a lot more. If you have the time, search for a decent used TS on CL - they pop up often - that is the medium priced ones, like a Delta contractors saw - great for your description - my opinion.