What type of bandsaw is best for resawing or ripping old oak timber?

[gaura carlson]

Hello ladies and gentlemen
I purchased several dozen oak timbers that are 80-100 years old. These are 10" x 10" x 12' long.
I want to use them in a house I'm building for myself. I'll use them as shelving, bookshelves, trims and mouldings.
A fellow has a DoAll bandsaw for sale at a very reasonable price; it has a 20" throat and 12" maximum work height.
Would this saw be suitable for cutting these timbers into 1" and 2" thick slabs?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Gaura

[Dennis Ford]

The DoAll could be used if it has speeds for woodworking (~3000 ft/min), they are made for cutting metal at much lower speeds. It would be a lot of work handling heavy material with any shop type bandsaw. If you can find someone with a band type sawmill (woodmizer or similar), that would make the job easy.

[John Schweikert]

Buy a portable saw mill if you feel the need to do it yourself or take them to a saw mill. Managing wood that size on a bandsaw is crazy in my opinion. You are looking at 400# beams. A gas powered saw mill will cut slabs quickly, accurately and safely.

[Matt Day]

I agree with Dennis. That's going to be some very heavy material and you'll need some kind of infeed and outfeed support system, likely with rollers and/or some kind of sled.

[Mike Wilkins]

Find a local person with a Wood-Mizer and have them resaw into useable slabs. These machines are designed to handle timbers of that size. If you try to tackle it yourself, you will need suitable infeed and outfeed support, a power feeder for a bandsaw or lots of muscle power. The Wood-Mizer company can help you find a local sawyer from their website.

[Prashun Patel]

Make sure you use a quality, low tpi blade. Your blade is more important than your saw.

Also, check the wood for metal or you may be going through more blades than necessary.

[Gus Dundon]

If resawing is a big part of your wood working job or future, you'll never regret buying a band saw. Bigger is better. If not, try to find a local shop to resaw the boards for you.

[Rod Sheridan]

A bandsaw can be used if you cut the timbers to a shorter length.

If you want to the 10 foot long pieces, have someone with a portable band mill come over.

Be prepared to pay for blades as you'll hit metal objects...........Rod.

[Prashun Patel]

It would be a lot of work handling heavy material with any shop type bandsaw.

With a smaller saw, I agree, but I've resawn long, heavy things on my 19" saw with little problem. You have to establish proper infeed and outfeed, and must brace or bolt your saw to the floor to prevent it from moving. Waxing the deck does wonders for helping heavy stock move along.

If you can, plane down the table-side of the timber so it rides flatly and smoothly.

You will definitely need at least one person to guide the piece on the outfeed side.

[Loren Woirhaye]

Some of those do-alls are 3 wheel saws I think. If you have the space a big 2 wheel saw is preferable. The Do-all may be a 2 wheeler. The other issue is the Do-all is a metal saw and you may have to fuss with it to get it to run at a speed appropriate for ripping wood, unless you are in no hurry, which is fine, but I suspect wood cutting blades dull faster at the slower speeds of a metal cutting saw, getting less work cut before the blade gets dull.

Some metal cutting saws have a blade welder, which can reduce your costs on blades by about 80%.

[Jim Andrew]

I have both a MM16 and a Cook bandmill. If I were to pick one to resaw oak beams, would use the bandmill. I can accurately cut logs into lumber with the bandmill by myself, and you would need a very good helper to use a bandsaw and not ruin your pieces.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

I've used a 14" delta on a mobile base to cut a big laminated beam by moving the saw, not the beam. I've wondered if it would work for a poor mans "sawmill". May be an option.

[gaura carlson]

Some of those do-alls are 3 wheel saws I think. If you have the space a big 2 wheel saw is preferable. The Do-all may be a 2 wheeler. The other issue is the Do-all is a metal saw and you may have to fuss with it to get it to run at a speed appropriate for ripping wood, unless you are in no hurry, which is fine, but I suspect wood cutting blades dull faster at the slower speeds of a metal cutting saw, getting less work cut before the blade gets dull.

Some metal cutting saws have a blade welder, which can reduce your costs on blades by about 80%.

Thank you for your reply.
This particular model of DoAll is a 2 wheel saw, and it's a variable speed, from 0-5000 fpm. It's also quite heavy, at least 1,700#.

[gaura carlson]

This is a really great site! I'm amazed by the number of quality replies to my first question posted.
Thank you all very much.
From reading what all have replied, I see a need for more information from my side.

The bandsaw I'm considering is a variable speed, from 0-5,000+ fpm.
It is also quite heavy, weighing at least 1,700#. It has 2 cast wheels for the blade, and does not have a blade welder.

I've inquired through craigslist.com and found portable saw/lumbermills willing to cut for $45/hr, which is the route I'm inclined to go, after having read all the replies.
At my age I think it's best to leave the 'heavy lifting' for those younger and better equipped.

Thank you all.
Best regards,
Gaura

[george newbury]

C'mon that "heavy lifting is exercise"!
Check out this combo 14" bandsaw/14" sawmill built ON THE CHEAP.
http://woodgears.ca/bandmill/backyard_milling.html

http://woodgears.ca/bandmill/ready_to_mill.jpg

[Rod Sheridan]

274685274686

Here/s a much more capable home made saw I made that cost $600 to build and it comes apart into pieces I can lift into my minivan........Rod.

[Aleks Hunter]

+1 on the bandmill. Hire someone to bring it on site and they'll saw it any way you want. Those timbers are going to weigh in at 300 - 350 lbs so you're not only looking at a bandsaw but a conveyor system and an assistant and take several days. A woodmiser or hud-son will slice them in a few hours.

Plus the blades for the bandmill are quite a bit less than blades for a bandsaw.

[Mark Bolton]

274685274686

Here/s a much more capable home made saw I made that cost $600 to build and it comes apart into pieces I can lift into my minivan........Rod.

I have to say that the first time I've seen a band mill attached to a DC.. Is that because of the equipment around?

[Aleks Hunter]

What accommodation does the do-all have for sawdiust collection? You're going to be making a lot of the stuff.

[Carl Winterbauer]

Gaura,
maybe Rod can make a road trip and bring his saw to your location, call it a dry run or a bike adventure first????
Ron, I may of screwed up with the PM sent to ya, one "airhead" to another at r90scj@gmail.com
.....~~=o&o>.....

[gaura carlson]

Hi Alex
You're correct regarding the weight- these are 350-400# range.
I've already contacted woodmizer about owners in my area. They sent me a bunch of owners in my zip code area, along with phone #'s.
I found a guy on craigslist.com who charges $45/hr and will come to me for $200 min. charge.
Does that sound like a reasonable fee?
Thanks.
Gaura

[Jim Andrew]

Don't know what distance the guy has to cover, but that is about a half day minimum. Depends on how many beams you have and what the boards are worth. Would not spend more to saw the beams than what the lumber is worth.

[Aleks Hunter]

That is quite reasonable, esp if he has a hydraulic machine. you can cut a LOT more with hydraulic than manual. Work out the pricing for blades too.
A metal detector is a good idea. WM blades run $320/15 for my saw (167 x 1.25) pus shipping. Resharpening is about $100 a pop plus shipping both ways. figure about 800-1200 sq. ft of cut surface per blade. If its white oak figure on the lower end yield wise.

[Rick Potter]

Whatever you decide, watch out for nails. They can ruin very expensive BS blades instantly.

Rick Potter