Resawing Yew (unsuccessfully)

[Mitchell Garnett]

I'm a resaw noobie. While I've successfully resawn a few species, I'm having a horrible time with a Yew log: it requires an unsafe amount of force through the blade so I've stopped pending advice.

I'm using a Grizzly G0514X2 with a 1" Lenox 3tpi carbide blade and I'm pretty certain the tension is correct. The blade hasn't been used much and looks sharp.

Is Yew a tough wood to slice? Or am I overlooking something?

FYI - I did an Internet search about Yew so I'm aware of the toxicity.

thanks for advice.

Mitch

[Erik Loza]

How green is the wood?

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

[Mitchell Garnett]

3 to 4 months since it was cut. This is my first time with fairly green wood tho this log seems drier than green wood I've turned

[Erik Loza]

3 to 4 months since it was cut. This is my first time with fairly green wood tho this log seems drier than green wood I've turned

Without being there firsthand, it is hard to say but in my experience, carbide blades are the wrong blade to use on any wood that is still even vaguely wet. In fact, I actually snapped a brand new 1.0" Tri-master while trying to resaw a green burl of ash, once. The issue is that due to the flat kerf design of the blade, it is not as effective at removing wet sawdust as opposed a typical skip-tooth blade, and the carbide essentially clogs and slows your feed rate way down, putting a ton of heat into the blade in the process. The Woodmaster CT would probably not suffer from this as much as the Tri-master but they both will. I really recommend that carbides be saved for kiln-dried lumber or at least wood that has been in storage for a while. Again, I am not there but that is one of the first things I ask about whenever someone is having preformance issues with a carbide that is properly tensioned. Hope this helps,

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

[Richard Coers]

hasn't been used much and looks sharp.

Mitch

"Looks sharp" is what you tell your wife. Nothing to do with tools. Also agree, wrong blade. Serious resawing, especially wet wood, should have even less teeth and more set.

[C Scott McDonald]

"Looks sharp" is what you tell your wife.

:D That gave me a good chuckle

[jerry cousins]

i agree with erik - yew is a tough wood - but wet & green does not do well with the carbide blades - i learned on some green olive wood - it just caked 1 side of the blade and threw the whole thing off- bogged it down and cut a large curve. can you get into small pieces so it will dry a bit quicker - keep it under weight.
jerry

[Jim Matthews]

Is this for making a bow?

I gather the laminates are better bent, if they're still wet?
I'm still wrapping my noodle around the idea that the gullets are as important to a bandsaw blade as teeth.

My resawing requires a break between passes, after the blade gets warmed up.
I lose just enough tension that the blade goes from dead perpendicular to the table to a curve and I can't see it until the shop veneer comes off.
There must be some table (somewhere) discussing how much heat is generated, depending on the wood, tooth count, tooth pitch and depth of cut.

It's maddening to take a perfect test cut and set up to do the remainder, only to have the successive passes degrade in quality.

[Mitchell Garnett]

thanks for the suggestions. I'm not in a hurry so I just order a Timberwolf blade they claim is intended for green wood. I'll post an update after I get it and try it out.

My plan is to make some Yew boxes down the road after a year or two of drying once cut up. I'm working with short logs that are only about 18" or so in length.

[Erik Loza]

Mitch, in fact it was a Timberwolf dealer who rescued me after that carbide snapped by hooking me up with a Timberwolf "AS" for my MM16, so that I could finish all my demos for the trade show. Night and day difference on the green wood. Carbides are great, just not the correct blade for all applications.

Best of luck with yours.

Erik Loza
Minimax USA