Resaw advice re my bandsaw

[Russell Stanton]

I want to get opinions as to the capability of my bandsaw to handle a specific resaw task. The bandsaw is a 14" Jet JWBS-14CS with a 6" riser block. Also has Carter bearing type guides but I have the original that I could fit with space age ceramics. I need to resaw some 8/4 Jarrah that is 8" wide and also some Birds eye sugar gum 8/4 by 8" wide. I need to slice pieces about 3/8" to 1/2" thick from these slabs to do bookmatch panels for two blanket chests. I have done resaw before on similar woods but not had real good results getting a lot of surface unevenness that required a lot sanding to the point that I lost some of the bookmatch. I use a woodslicer blade for those times.

Questions are: can this saw really do this? If so what recommended blade and guides. If not I am thinking of a Laguna 14 SUV while the 10% sale is on.

TIA

[John TenEyck]

I used to regularly resaw and slice veneer on 10"+ white oak, birdseye maple, etc. on my Delta 14" with riser using a 1/2" 3 tpi bimetal blade. I have a 1.5 HP motor on it and that is still not too much power. The less power you have the slower it's going to go, but it can still be done. FWIW, I never had good luck with a Woodslicer blade though I know many others think they are great. When I sliced veneer I would cut it about 0.090" thick and then run it through my drum sander to finish at 0.065", so that means I was removing about 0.015" on both sides to make it smooth and free of saw marks.

John

[lowell holmes]

I have the same band saw and set up that you have. I resaw thick and plane the boards to thickness. I don't use a wood slicer blade. I set the tension using the flutter method.

[Van Huskey]

You have to keep in mind that all the 14" cast clones have limited tension ability, low blade speed and generally fairly low HP so the feedrate has t0 be low. The problem with a low feedrate (handfed on this saw obviously) is you are always going to have a lot of hesitation marks in the cut. A bigger bandsaw that can tension a bigger band for higher beam strength and with deeper gullets and more blade speed will allow a much faster feedrate and give a better finish.

Those saws can do what you want to do, albeit rather slowly. First the saw needs to be tuned near perfectly. Then I suggest a sharp thin gauge little to no set variable pitch 1/2 or 5/8" blade. The Woodslicer when sharp is generally the best option. I wouldn't buy them from Highland since they are he most expensive place to buy that bandstock Iturra (as the Bladerunner) and Spectrum Supply (as the Kerfmaster) are a lot cheaper. Spectrum also sells a very thin gauge 5/8" version which I think is the best match. IMO the best results are by running the tension as high as the saw will go if you do the math or take the measurements either one you will see a 14" cast saw can not meet the manufacturer's recommendation for tension, the strain should be around 15,000psi. Lower tension equals lack of beam strength, more movement in the cut and a lower frequency higher amplitude harmonic oscillation of the blade all reduce the quality fo the cut finish.

You can always buy more saw but with some care you can get the job done BUT only you know your threshold of acceptable and everyone's is different.

[Russell Stanton]

Van: Assuming I find the constraints you mention too restrictive would the Laguna SUV with a 1" Resaw King do the job or would I be better to go to the 18" Rikon at 4 HP? I mention those 2 because my local Woodcraft can get either one and try to buy local if at all possible.

[Van Huskey]

Both the Laguna LT14SUV and the Rikon 10-346 would be better saws and if you do much resawing would be a better choice. While I always was and still am a fan of the SUV, I think the 10-346 is a better saw if you do much resawing, particularly since it is one of their better saws and while I while I prefer the Laguna guides to Euro style guides they work well enough. It has more throat depth and a lot more resaw height and 33% more horsepower along with a bigger table. While I am a huge fan of the Laguna guides I have one little nagging issue about the SUV. Laguna is revamping their small saws and they have a history of making orphans of their Asian line rather quickly. Put the 1 year (vs 5 year) warranty together with my gut feeling the SUV will get a major revamp or completely redesigned sometime soon, it might not be my choice especially when you have room and budget for a bigger saw and the next step up for the dealer sold Laguna bandsaws is the LT18 3000 since dealers don't carry the 16 3000. I used to be a big fan of the SUV but it used to be $1300. I just see more saw in the Rikon for the money and if space and budget allow it and the 14" saw you have would make a nice 1-2 punch.

I will not that I don't recommend a 1" carbide blade (even the thin gauge RK) for either of these saws. As an example I won't use a carbide blade wider than 1" on my MM20 and it 300 hundred to 350 pounds on these saws albeit with a wider cantilever. A 3/4 blade with proper tension is better than a wider blade without enough tension, carbide blades like closer to 30K psi to work at their best.

I must admit that even though I spent much of my life in the upstate I had to look up Salem, I knew you had to be either in the GSP area or outside Charlotte if you had a "local" Woodcraft.

As a final note despite you saying you want to buy local the best prices on Rikon saws I am familiar with is Circle Saw in Houston which has the 10-346 $1900 and if you need residential liftgate delivery it is another $150 but you can save that by picking it up at the freight terminal. Just one of those FYI things.

[Wayne Lomman]

You are going to struggle band sawing these species on a small saw. You need a saw that will run a wide blade and hold good tension if you want reliable success. Is it a job you do often? If not, consider borrowing the use of a larger machine if you can find one. I have a 600mm, 3.5kw saw that I reckon is a bit under done for this kind of work. White oak etc is a piece of cake compared to eucalypt. Cheers

[Jim Finn]

I use "Supercut" 1/2" 3 TPI carbide blade for re-sawing on my 14" saw. Woodslicer blades dull too quickly to suit me and cost a little more.

[john lawson]

You already have a lot of good advice. What I am about to say assumes you want to keep your current saw and be able to do this in the future. Using low horsepower means you have to feed slower which builds up heat which dulls the blade quickly. Everything you're doing requires a compromise from ideal, ideal being a large bandsaw with lots of power.

First, buy a good quality bimetal blade with 3 to 4 teeth per inch, at least 1/2" wide, maybe a Lenox Diemaster. Tension it as tight as you can get it. The thicker the blade the less you will be able to tension it properly so a carbide blades is probably out. The cut will not be as smooth as you would get with a Lenox Trimaster using an Italian bandsaw with 3 or 4 horsepower, but you probably already know that. You want a blade that will cut aggressively enough to be able to feed with low horsepower. I have seen really good woodworkers who take the veneer off the saw with what I initially thought were heavy sawmarks and glue it up without sanding it. The explanation was that it took glue better than a dead flat surface.

I have done a lot of resawing on a 14" Grizzly. With a new blade it will do okay for maybe 50 to 100 linear feet, but if I feed too fast it will start to wander on me. A medium slow feed rate is best. Your saw will normally tell you if you are feeding too fast. Watch the saw blade and make sure the gullets are clearing the sawdust. If the sawdust loads up it will dull the blade quickly. If you are successful then take that blade off, remember the set up and hang it on the wall for use later.

I have a larger Italian saw that I keep a 3/4" Trimaster on and a smaller 14" Grizzly I use for curve cuts, and I tend to forget how I struggled with this before I got the larger saw. It can be done, but it won't be as easy as it looks.

[lowell holmes]

I have the same saw and the set up is about the same. I occasionally re-saw with it and after the re-saw.

I run the pieces trhough my thickness planer.

If I wanted to re-saw in quantities, I would get saw set up for re-sawing.

I have re-sawed 8" boards.

[John TenEyck]

Here's how I had my Delta 14" set up for slicing veneer against a tall fence. This is white oak about 6" to 7" wide. The blade is a 1/2", 3tpi Olson MVP bimetal.



https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/BgEQMUdS_lNSIeNrGLBwaytJ5ZUsj-nHfWFRwjRloIMoE63XvTL-iguEY1WmZzaqJHL-HGgfU_dG16QfXIlqjoxkJKBIdpyefBUfKVlwBFmQdiHY9Z0XY7 DUCt2J7XowG6amvPi0Ac1BFzY7bouYOfNYVX9ho7H524-UJPOrTJJ--JaTVkvb6LqRZM1Ac7A4oUwzqxdc5RRqlyVMhs6Rs0H1dURJjIJ Gqh-cvUEvOBRTXpDQLlRGql5I7_A4_IDFc8gAdA-SyngZ1AXvbMIiJX53634u4MvE6iImTmw4rwk-d5WgCjmwKDNQVaElYQ5d6P4UjqkKIJ3KNj8byNMy9hNFGbfHQZ eLeVDpEpdpoEtSLVqXOAU9zVK0PLTsvmSObXHAaqTM70SoEK0u hwMLGQmh3aYfhSd6YlaTZrhSgHMistFJLVDml9mDuljw9gi36R jCwj5BDFEbvyxpeWqkGOEM0TAHehYjLzhlk6GL_Syx3MN3UOZ7 ehv-GC2N7AVaptwctbb4-Za_K9ToR5gOIJJPeIVQncYwluXzejKCJlTr0BL8my3VcP-5q_Ct4Evx8BeUrFTp0EsjrEn6JZVf4KrF55e291W3Undgn_RVg n4T-EU0=w838-h628-no


The veneer slices, about 0.090" thick.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/SuddzJz7NxVm72uwI8ReBVh6cTLXWmAAn7nc-M_-eFNkOk7SYg7jYRD3hsos4OsXP8r6Axh1xN6uGpDFVoRnK8cLHX 7EpBIZMDKV5PWEzIdD7DsfkOotPWtqSTShkr2MAFA00u29xmhr M1YGoiAdp5Ikh23aj9jXfO6oaSqxoWjoZO6SOINOkSsyDgAvpR 0EF6UDtFQOlEXqwyTcH9nA1_W0LJnoC54vKAQRocOWqvFXBiSR T5RtQdvEH7f-pvUxZDQsAjgjTUidNRhDubIrwNmA9mKBWkzVT_zNj2Z-EhMmt2un-c11yhn3lWbQzcIq82j6ZBYhCWi8ujb0ApLwEkk49W9d4sd2ARQ Ani_MeKPMY-sDzm1DdB5y1qAeEjIyhczByzeHmP57AYB54tVJXFl13b72sbcF S2zhwpx5-zIV2WV7SYMJ6k-7QTk1e7dvJRmjM_ArfHN1qacjiINUJ1O8pA_xsFJmTBoi9zZxj hZmK0_gYkEaP_YYI9PaPZ54tTpy6P-h0U3kH9BlfEOZP3BWa_yNE13hNInobffh4Fk3zAKtNmrjuBSXV uxfvYdX1y1rAYVgFd_aXKfyjkOS6RQkbvv1-xLgmFsGqd1ysK2PmWCy=w838-h628-no

If you only need to resaw or slice veneer occasionally your saw will work fine. But if you plan to do it often a larger saw will make it so much easier.

FWIW, I measured the tension I could get on my Delta. Even with an Iturra spring 12K psi is about the practical limit with a 1/2" wide blade. You can apply higher tension but the frame starts bending so much that the upper guide goes substantially out of alignment. But the saw still cuts well at 12K psi, you just have to go more slowly. I would say the absolute limit is 15K; anything above that and you risk breaking the upper wheel bracket. In any case, as was mentioned, you will get better performance with a narrower blade running higher tension than a wider one with low tension. IMHO, most saws max. out at one blade width less than what the manufacturer says their saw is capable of running. So if you want to run a 1" blade you should look for a saw that can tension a 1-1/4" wide one.

John

John

[John K Jordan]

... The blade is a 1/2", 3tpi Olson MVP bimetal. ...


John,

Do you have a good supplier for the Olsen MVP? I'd like to try one but I can't find the 142" blade I use on my 18" Rikon except directly from Olsen, but it looks like their direct prices are much higher than some other suppliers based on a price comparison of some shorter blades. I can't find another supplier for the 142" with google, though.

I generally use 1/2" 3tpi blades made from Lennox stock by a local industrial supplier. (They can usually make them up while I wait which is nice.)

As for resawing, I agree with others that the 14" bandsaw will do the job if care is taken. I have an older 14" Delta with riser and I used to do a lot of resawing with it. I also agree with that proper tensioning is a problem with wider blades. I check tension with a Starrett gauge and I'm surprised at the amount of force needed to tension even a 1/2" blade to mfgrs specifications. I don't think my 18" Rikon can even properly tension a 1" blade although I've used them before. Fortunately, the 1/2" blade will do almost everything I want.

For the 14" Delta, I did successfully use a 3/4" 3 tpi blade for resawing, undertensioned, of course. Years ago a friend asked me if I could resaw a 2x12 Douglas fir board 12' long into 4 thin boards. Since I didn't know any better, I agreed to try and made a tall fence with a piece of 2x8. Somehow he went home with 4 good boards planed smooth on one side. Ignorance is bliss. I wouldn't even think of trying that now.

I like your resaw fence. Does it attach somehow to the stock fence?

JKJ

[Russell Stanton]

I appreciate all the answers. I looked at the two blanket chests I have to make and the resawing needed and the material I have on hand and have decided to keep my 14" Jet, upgrade to space age ceramics and to a 1/2" blade either Lennox or the above Olsen MVP. It will be awhile before I start this but will try to remember to post my results. I too would appreciate a source for the Olsen blades. Also what does MVP mean?

Russ

[Robert Engel]

Good decision.

Tension the heck out of the blade, adjust fence for drift, tune up the saw and take it slow you should be alright.

[Mike Cutler]

I want to get opinions as to the capability of my bandsaw to handle a specific resaw task. The bandsaw is a 14" Jet JWBS-14CS with a 6" riser block. Also has Carter bearing type guides but I have the original that I could fit with space age ceramics. I need to resaw some 8/4 Jarrah that is 8" wide and also some Birds eye sugar gum 8/4 by 8" wide. I need to slice pieces about 3/8" to 1/2" thick from these slabs to do bookmatch panels for two blanket chests. I have done resaw before on similar woods but not had real good results getting a lot of surface unevenness that required a lot sanding to the point that I lost some of the bookmatch. I use a woodslicer blade for those times.

Questions are: can this saw really do this? If so what recommended blade and guides. If not I am thinking of a Laguna 14 SUV while the 10% sale is on.

TIA

Bottom line is that yes it can. It takes a little tuning and some attention to detail but you should be able to set it up and get reasonable results.
I have the same exact saw that you do, and these are the differences from OEM;

Carter Guides, the same as the ones you are using, but I modified the lower guide and machined a spacer to get it closer to the underside of the table, thus more closely mimicking a Delta lower guide setup.
Carter tires. The OEM tires on a Jet are hard and the crown is exaggerated for some silly reason. The Carters are a softer composition and do not have that exaggerated crown. This makes setting the tracking on the blade much easier.
The tension rod on mine, was replaced with the next size up All thread rod and that wicked little tip is no longer there. The tension rod makes contact with a tool steel pad, and not the frame, as per OEM. I think this setup is better that the OEM at having a more positive reponse to the tension value.
The OEM tension spring on a Jet will yield about 9000psi of blade tension with a 1/2" blade, before it bottoms out. NO spring, NO bandsaw. ( I did some testing on bandsaw tension gauges for Mark Duginkse a few years back so I am confident of this value. All work was done in a mechanical standards lab, with NIST devices.) I use a Carter Cobra Coil. The Cobra coil will max out at approximately 14,000 psi of blade tension. Not the "15,000" psi value, but close enough for wood.
I use pretty much any 2-4 hook, or skip, tooth blade to resaw with decent results. I also have found that the wood slicer seems to dull rather quickly.
With all of that done to my Jet, I have a Rikon 18" setup exclusively to resaw, with a Lennox 1" Tri-Master. The 14" will resaw, but it is slow. If your pieces are relatively short, you should be able to resaw them, but it will take some finesse in the setup of the saw and your technique.