"Now THAT'S a resaw!"

[Erik Loza]

Back in my trade show days, guys would come up the the MM16 we had in the booth, tug on the 1" blade (as if they were tying down the load on a flatbed truck and wanted to make sure it straps were all tight; is that the bandsaw shoppers' equivalent of kicking a car's tires?), then proclaim, "Now THAT'S a resaw!". This was always a little funny because after you're around them for a while, none of our bandsaws really seemed that big at all.

The guys in our shop were doing a blade change on the big McDonough we use for ripping planks and for the first time in my life, I said to myself, "Now THAT'S a resaw!"

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Erik

[Eric Keller]

I used to have access to a Hitachi resaw bandsaw with a 4" blade. It was really nice, used it a lot

[Prashun Patel]

Out of curiosity, how expensive are those blades?

[Darcy Warner]

Out of curiosity, how expensive are those blades?

Expensive, but they can be sharpened a bunch of times.

[Bruce Page]

It took a moment for my brain to wrap around the blade in pic 2, but holy cow, that's a BS blade!

[Dave Stuve]

Wow, what do you guys re-saw with such a beefy saw?

[Van Huskey]

Wow, what do you guys re-saw with such a beefy saw?

I am guessing siding...

Erik, how many horse power?

[Darcy Warner]

Wow, what do you guys re-saw with such a beefy saw?

Anything, great set up for busting up moulding blanks.

[Frederick Skelly]

Wow, what do you guys re-saw with such a beefy saw?

Cars, Cuts 'em right in two, doesn't it Erik?:D:D:D

(I'll bet Van's drooling over that baby.)

[Rich Riddle]

That's the size of Van's little saw......

[Bill Rhodus]

Used to maintain this type of machinery, McDonoughs in particular. Totally different class of machine compared to what we would have in a home shop. The mill I worked in used a larger saw as the primary breakdown for logs and sent the "bolts" or sections of the logs to smaller resaws such as this for secondary bteakdown. Also, you might find it intetesting to know the upper wheel has an air bag charged with nitrogen to tension the blade. The issue of blade tension is a hot topic no matter if you are using a Sears 12" bandsaw or a 6' mcdonough

[Erik Loza]

Out of curiosity, how expensive are those blades?


Expensive, but they can be sharpened a bunch of times.

No idea but they never re-sharpen them. We have about half a dozen blades for the McDonough but they last a long time, since we rarely do salvage wood with them. Salvage wood is what kills the blades: Nails, screws, etc.


Wow, what do you guys re-saw with such a beefy saw?

Actually, mostly used for ripping 2X8's or 2X10's into 3/8" thick stock for a few of our cladding products but I believe it was originally used for ripping big salvaged beams and that sort of thing. If someone needed some LL pine flooring, we might use it rip up a reclaimed beam, for example.


I am guessing siding...

Erik, how many horse power?

A LOT... Actually I have no idea. But the motor is huge.


Cars, Cuts 'em right in two, doesn't it Erik?:D:D:D

(I'll bet Van's drooling over that baby.)

I have an occasional nightmare about getting pulled into the feed rollers. Nothing could stop that thing if it got a hold of your shirttail or something. Like the giant plant from Little Shop of Horrors.

Erik

[Van Huskey]

That's the size of Van's little saw......


Rich, my dreams are unfortunately different from my reality. My shops have always been built subject to HOA rules and so is my next one. The rules always limit the size of my doors which kills the huge saws, easy enough to tilt a 1,000 pound saw harder with the 2500 pound versions. I have actually been thinking about building this next shop around a big saw or two, move them in when the slab is cured, cover them with tarps and let the framing crew build around them.

I picked the wrong machine to fall in love with, most of the other big woodworking machines don't require the vertical clearance, then again maybe it is a good thing.

[Bill Rhodus]

The resaws were were running of a similar size were 250 hp.

[John K Jordan]

Used to maintain this type of machinery, McDonoughs in particular. Totally different class of machine compared to what we would have in a home shop. The mill I worked in used a larger saw as the primary breakdown for logs and sent the "bolts" or sections of the logs to smaller resaws such as this for secondary bteakdown. Also, you might find it interesting to know the upper wheel has an air bag charged with nitrogen to tension the blade. The issue of blade tension is a hot topic no matter if you are using a Sears 12" bandsaw or a 6' mcdonough

A big mill near here uses a vertical bandmill with blades that appear to be about a foot or so wide. Debarked logs go around a circular conveyor while the operator sits in a climate controlled booth in the middle. Each time around, the log is checked with a laser and another board is sliced off, maybe 6 seconds per cut. The boards go down another conveyor for edging, then to a gang of circular saws to cut to length, all waste automatically fed to a chipper. The grader has only a few seconds per board then about 10 guys pull and stack on trailers. What an operation!

Takes a crane to move a blade.

I didn't get close enough to see the tensioning method.

JKJ

[Bill Rhodus]

John, not too many people are aware of the technology used with these machines; kudos to you for noticing the lasers. Incidentally, the new technologjy being utilized is a x-ray scanner that sends a profile to the solutions computer but also scans for internal degects. I expect to see a sawyer wearing a helmet like the military pilots wear that has a visual output for them any day now.

[Malcolm McLeod]

John, not too many people are aware of the technology used with these machines; kudos to you for noticing the lasers. Incidentally, the new technologjy being utilized is a x-ray scanner that sends a profile to the solutions computer but also scans for internal degects. I expect to see a sawyer wearing a helmet like the military pilots wear that has a visual output for them any day now.

It's been 8-9 yrs or so, but I did some automation work for a big plywood mill in East Texas. Most of the operation involved peeling logs and making sheet goods out of it.

However, they sent me to a corner to work on a 'curve saw'. Anything too small for peeling was sent to this saw. A series of lasers scanned the incoming log, calculated best yield, fed the results to hydraulically adjusted arbors (all w/ circular blades), and cut the log into dimension lumber.

What was different, and gave the saw it's name, were the hydraulic dogs that would feed the log thru on a curved path. Nothing came out but stud grade material and sawdust (drop was chipped). It took ~10 seconds from scanning to discharge. I was there to edit the automation program to allow them to feed the cores from the ply mill thru this saw. There was a specific name for the cores, but have forgotten it....and have forgotten why it wasn't designed to accept them in the first place.

I couldn't help but pity whoever buys the output of the saw - - because it was just as curved as the original logs. They just pressed it all into pallets and dried it. The strapping on the pallet was what held it straight.

And the operator didn't need a high tech helmet. There wasn't an operator.

[Bill Rhodus]

Different type of equipment Malcolm; the headsaw John referenced does have an operator. Incidentally, the wood sawn through the curve sawing machine will be straight after going through the kiln and planer.

[Jim Becker]

Here's the setup at Hearne (http://www.hearnehardwoods.com/wood_facilities/wood_shop/millwork.html)...67" vertical band mill...

http://www.hearnehardwoods.com/wood_facilities/wood_shop/wood_machinery_files/header6.jpg

http://www.hearnehardwoods.com/wood_facilities/wood_shop/wood_machinery_files/header1.jpg

[Malcolm McLeod]

Different type of equipment Malcolm; the headsaw John referenced does have an operator. Incidentally, the wood sawn through the curve sawing machine will be straight after going through the kiln and planer.

Thanks, Bill. I understand the difference in equipment - - I was just pointing out that oftentimes the operator is on a path for replacement. And thought some might enjoy the window into the technology.

I was also aware that the curve gets 'straightened out' in the kiln. I'm just not confident that it will stay that way ....Call me a cynic.:eek:

[Alan Lightstone]

Here's the setup at Hearne (http://www.hearnehardwoods.com/wood_facilities/wood_shop/millwork.html)...67" vertical band mill...

http://www.hearnehardwoods.com/wood_facilities/wood_shop/wood_machinery_files/header6.jpg

http://www.hearnehardwoods.com/wood_facilities/wood_shop/wood_machinery_files/header1.jpg
Wow!!!! and OMG!!!!! don't seem sufficient to describe that. Incredible.

And I would have assumed Van had two of those, but I guess not true. Or so that's his story, and he's sticking to it.

[Wayne Lomman]

This is why I was confused by the resawing discussions last year. This is somewhat more like it. The one I was most familiar with had a double edged blade, two operators and fed the flinches back and forth. Cheers

[Larry Edgerton]

They have one of those at Johnsons in Charlotte Mi. Used it to resaw 14" Makore, close to its limit at the speed it was set up at, stalled it once. Pretty cool.

How are you doing Eric? Job working out for you? Miss your input.

[Martin Wasner]

Miss your input.

+1


Extra words so I can post

[glenn bradley]

Awesome. Every neighborhood needs a pit saw ;-)

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Say . . . how do you fold this thing!?!

[Reinis Kanders]

Recently I was trying to buy some 2x3 in Home Depot and those things were really curved. It was almost comical, whole stack was junk and was labeled 'premium':(
Perhaps your pessimism is waranted:)


Thanks, Bill. I understand the difference in equipment - - I was just pointing out that oftentimes the operator is on a path for replacement. And thought some might enjoy the window into the technology.

I was also aware that the curve gets 'straightened out' in the kiln. I'm just not confident that it will stay that way ....Call me a cynic.:eek:

[Jim Becker]

Awesome. Every neighborhood needs a pit saw ;-)

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Say . . . how do you fold this thing!?!

"Very carefully!" "D

[Rollie Kelly]

A flip and a twist, of course, if you don't do it right your voice will change.
Rollie

[Erik Loza]

How are you doing Eric? Job working out for you? Miss your input.


+1 Extra words so I can post

Doing good, thanks! Busier than a one-armed paper hanger but really like the new gig. In NYC as we speak, calling on firms here.

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It's more being a product rep and account managet than direct sales, as before. Lots of consulting with architects on product integration into their projects, working with interior designers, hosting seminars and presentations, etc. We are doing extensive (and ground-breaking) work with some modified woods out of Norway and out of the Netherlands, which is something I really never got any exposure to from the machinery side of things. Here is some Doug Fir that just came out of the paint room. For for the interior of a large commercial building in Chicago.

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[Robert Engel]

No, that's a vertical sawmill!! Wow.