Bandsaw Resaw Fence For Tall Stock - Which Is Better

[Mike Shields]

I have some really nice wormy maple that I want to resaw, and don't want to lose anymore than the blade kerf (minimize planing). My stock Kreg fence has worked really good for short height boards, but the maple is 4x that size. My practice cuts on tall scrap have been less than desirable, so I need a better fence.

There appears to be two different fence types for resawing. The first is like Kregs resaw guide with the curved face, or a point fence. The other is just a taller fence.

I'm thinking that each fence type can produce bad cut results due to blade bowing (tall fence) or sloppy feed control (point fence), both resulting in too much wood loss.

What type of fence do you use for tall pieces? Have you tried the other type and found that it didn't work?

TIA.

[Frank Drackman]

I use a tall fence. To me more important than type of fence is practice. My resawing was all over the place until I spent a lot of time setting the saw up and cutting lots of wood.

[Will Boulware]

^ Ditto what Frank said. Sharp blade, smooth running saw, set your fence for drift, and go slowly.

For what it's worth, I'm currently using a chunk of jointed QS white oak and 2 F clamps for a fence on a 20" delta and getting great results.

[David Kumm]

What saw are you using? Dave

[John TenEyck]

I use a tall fence set parallel with the miter slot. It's built pretty robust so it doesn't deflect.

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The saw needs to be set up to cut smooth and straight (parallel with the miter slot) and the blade has to have enough tension to cut w/o bowing. I use face and edge jointed stock and just hold it against the fence for resawing. For slicing veneer I add a roller feather board to press the stock tight to the fence just ahead of the blade, copied from a design by John Lanciani.

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I do not reface the stock between slices.

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For both resawing and veneer slicing a constant feed rate is key to a consistent cut. Also note, slower is not necessarily better. There is an optimum speed that will minimize the kerf while still giving a straight cut. That speed might not yield the smoothest surface finish, but the piece will be thicker after sanding it smooth than one cut at a slower speed. I didn't believe that until I proved it to myself. I can't swear it's true will all blades but it was with the one I was using when I made the speed comparison.

John

[Chris Parks]

I have found that the blade really is the key to the whole thing and I have not so far found any need for a tall fence even cutting to the maximum depth on a Minimax. Using a Lennox Trimaster CT blade gives awesome results but others may have higher standards.

[Rod Sheridan]

I use a tall short fence for that.....Rod

[Zachary Hoyt]

I have resawn up to the capacity of my Jet 18" bandsaw, which is about 9-3/4", using the fence that came with the saw which is about 2+ inches high. I know how thick I want the piece I am cutting to be at the top, and I can see it and make sure it doesn't flop from side to side, and the bottom is controlled by the fence. The fence is parallel to the miter slot. I don't like the idea of compensating for drift, the bandsaw mill can't compensate so I have had to learn to get it to cut straight and I apply the same general ideas to the bandsaw in the shop. I am not resawing large volumes of wood, just enough for a guitar or two at a time, so I can afford to be slow.
Zach

[Pete Staehling]

For me tall fence, no special care for drift other than to be sure I have a decent blade in good shape on a properly set up saw. If there is a drift problem it is a bad blade or a bad saw setup in my experience. When that is the case I take the time to adjust the saw or change the blade as needed.

[Carl Beckett]

My practice cuts on tall scrap have been less than desirable

Key point


..., so I need a better fence.

I'm thinking that each fence type can produce bad cut results due to blade bowing (tall fence) or sloppy feed control (point fence), both resulting in too much wood loss.

I dont know, but challenge these assumptions.

Also be sure to understand CONTEXT of the different experiences of users here. What is acceptable to one person just parsing out some thick roughcut boards (like myself) would not be acceptable to someone making veneer out of highly exotic/rare species. Yet in a post they may communicate differing experiences.

So from your post on what you are trying to achieve (reduce waste during resaw of wide wormy maple), I would say factors other than the fence may be equally if not more important. Such as blade choice, sharpness, any history of dulling one side of the blade, tension, feedrate, and finally fence.

Share some other aspects of your setup and I bet there are some ideas on how to improve the results.

[Carl Beckett]

I use a tall fence set parallel with the miter slot. It's built pretty robust so it doesn't deflect.

I see also that your fence drops down in height after the cut. Similar, it seems, to what Rod is doing.

[Pete Staehling]

Also be sure to understand CONTEXT of the different experiences of users here. What is acceptable to one person just parsing out some thick roughcut boards (like myself) would not be acceptable to someone making veneer out of highly exotic/rare species. Yet in a post they may communicate differing experiences.

So from your post on what you are trying to achieve (reduce waste during resaw of wide wormy maple), I would say factors other than the fence may be equally if not more important. Such as blade choice, sharpness, any history of dulling one side of the blade, tension, feedrate, and finally fence.

Share some other aspects of your setup and I bet there are some ideas on how to improve the results.

Good point. Good to consider all of that. Still I think the concerns are the same for all of us and it is a matter of the degree to which each the factors affect us.

FWIW, to calibrate my previous comments, I'll say that a large portion of my re-sawing is for parts for musical instruments from rough planks and slabs. So the finished pieces are usually a bit thicker than veneer, but still pretty thin, most of it is under 1/8" after sanding. Also it is often some very select and highly figured wood, but mostly local species.

[glenn bradley]

Align your machine.

404132404133404134

I just run the stock fence which has a short and tall position. the tall position is about 6" but, I slice 11" tall veneer without issue. The face against the fence and the edge against the table are milled perpendicular. That seems to be all the guidance required. I do use a feather board so I can concentrate on feed rate.

404129404130404131

[John K Jordan]

I regularly make cuts to the limit of my 18" Rikon bandsaw (12"). I don't have a photo but I devised a simple tall fence that clamps onto the existing fence. I used plywood for the fence and made a wooden support that clamps behind the fence with bolts in holes drilled through the fence. I don't remember how tall I made it but without walking down to the shop to look I'm guessing it's 6" or taller.

I've tried both the curved and point supports and like the flat fence better. I tune my saws so there is no drift relative to the fence. Sharp blade is very important, as is adjusting the guides correctly.

I think proper tension is even more important. I set tension with a good gage and I'm surprised at how much more tension is needed than what is shown on the useless indicators on any bandsaw I've checked. For example, with the 1/2" 4tpi .025 blade I'm using now I have to tension it to the mark the saw thinks will work with 1" blades.

JKJ

[Mike Cutler]

Mike
I have a 6" tall piece of aluminum plate that has been grafted to the stock fence on my Rikon 18". Same bandsaw that John K Jordan has.
Here is a link with photos of the fence in post #13:
https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?17055-Rikon-18-quot-Review&highlight=

It's been "as is" for some 16 years now and has always worked just fine. I do not compensate for blade drift. Everything is square to the table.
I have no idea if the miter slot is square to the blade. Never check, never cared, This saw is only used to resaw and I don't need the miter slot for anything other than feather boards.
I have a 1" Lennox TriMaster, 2/3 varipitch blade installed, and I can hold consistent thickness of resawn pieces, to within 15 thousandths, when resawing by hand, regardless of height.

[Matthew Hills]

I'm thinking that each fence type can produce bad cut results due to blade bowing (tall fence) or sloppy feed control (point fence), both resulting in too much wood loss.

What do you mean blade bowing?
If your cut is no longer vertically straight, I think the first thing to look at is the pitch on the blade and 2nd would be the tension, rather than the fence.

How long are your wormy maple boards?

Matt

[Jim Becker]

A tall fence and proper feather boards that also provide taller support will help a lot. But you will not totally eliminate the need to clean the cut surface with your planer or a drum sander...it's the nature of the tool to leave some marking even with the best support. If you have a saw capable of tensioning a quality carbide tipped blade like the TriMaster, you can get darn close with proper material support, but still...some cleaning will be required.

[Mike Cutler]

A tall fence and proper feather boards that also provide taller support will help a lot. But you will not totally eliminate the need to clean the cut surface with your planer or a drum sander...it's the nature of the tool to leave some marking even with the best support. If you have a saw capable of tensioning a quality carbide tipped blade like the TriMaster, you can get darn close with proper material support, but still...some cleaning will be required.

Jim
Yeah, even with my TriMaster I still have to run the material through a drum sander. It's good, but not "off the saw, finish ready" good.;)

Have you had a chance to look at the feather boards by Bow Products? They're amazing! They now have them as stackable sets for use on taller material on a bandsaw or shaper. They take the simple featherboard to a different level.

[Al Launier]

I use a tall fence and confirm that the face of the fence & blade is square to the table as close as I can get it using an 8" tall precision machinist square. Adjust the table to ensure perpendicularity of the set-up and the cut. I'll joint the reference face & the bottom square, then I'll hold the piece against the fence at the bottom & top of the cut just to keep it from working should it decide to do so, particularly when it's still may not be conditioned for moisture, and after jointing one face. It'll work out after the cut, but at least the thickness will be reasonably uniform & I can then stack the pieces under a weight or joint/plane with enough surplus material.

[John TenEyck]

I see also that your fence drops down in height after the cut. Similar, it seems, to what Rod is doing.

It drops down to 6 or 7" so I can set the blade guides lower for narrower stock. The roller feather board presses the stock to the fence just before the blade, over it's full height, whether it's narrow or wide. This insures consistent thickness when cutting veneer and you get down to the last couple of slices where the stock may want to cup or twist a little.

John

[Jim Becker]

Jim
Yeah, even with my Trimeter I still have to run the material through a drum sander. It's good, but not "off the saw, finish ready" good.;)

Have you had a chance to look at the feather boards by Bow Products? They're amazing! They now have them as stackable sets for use on taller material on a bandsaw or shaper. They take the simple featherboard to a different level.

I think I know what feather boards you mean...

I recently helped Brian Holcolmb do some tall cuts on his MM20 with a TriMaster (or similar)...and even with one of us on the infeed and one of us on the outfeed, it was clear we would have been well served with "tall" feather boards for best results. That wouldn't have worked for the particular option we were doing, but for actual res-sawing...yea...it would be golden.

[John K Jordan]

I like your aluminum plate idea better than my plywood fence - I may make one, I have plenty of aluminum around. I'm also glad you pointed out that old thread/review.

I've been extremely happy with the 18" Rikon. I almost always use 1/2" blades with mine and cut a lot of green wood. I may have to try the TriMaster. I assume it's intended for dry wood, right?

JKJ



Mike
I have a 6" tall piece of aluminum plate that has been grafted to the stock fence on my Rikon 18". Same bandsaw that John K Jordan has.
Here is a link with photos of the fence in post #13:
https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?17055-Rikon-18-quot-Review&highlight=

It's been "as is" for some 16 years now and has always worked just fine. I do not compensate for blade drift. Everything is square to the table.
I have no idea if the miter slot is square to the blade. Never check, never cared, This saw is only used to resaw and I don't need the miter slot for anything other than feather boards.
I have a 1" Lennox TriMaster, 2/3 varipitch blade installed, and I can hold consistent thickness of resawn pieces, to within 15 thousandths, when resawing by hand, regardless of height.

[Mike Cutler]

I like your aluminum plate idea better than my plywood fence - I may make one, I have plenty of aluminum around. I'm also glad you pointed out that old thread/review.

I've been extremely happy with the 18" Rikon. I almost always use 1/2" blades with mine and cut a lot of green wood. I may have to try the TriMaster. I assume it's intended for dry wood, right?

JKJ

John
Yes, the saw is only for resawing dried wood. I have a Jet 14" for the other bandsaw type stuff.
I did mill a green hickory log once! What a mess. I ended up having to basically disassemble the whole machine to clean all of the wet dust and material out of it.
It was a good learning experience, but not one I would want to repeat.
I don't remember how I ended up with aluminum plate/fence alteration. I know that I never had a plan. I just made it for whatever project I was working on at the time, from just stuff I had squirrels away, and it worked out really well.
I think the aluminum was a cut off from a piece we used to fix a trailer loading ramp.

[Jim Becker]

John, I wouldn't use a TriMaster for "wet work" at all. In fact, there are some blades that are more optimal for wet wood cutting than others in their geometry including blade thickness from some manufacturers, such as Suffolk.

[John K Jordan]

I did mill a green hickory log once! What a mess. I ended up having to basically disassemble the whole machine to clean all of the wet dust and material out of it.
It was a good learning experience, but not one I would want to repeat.

Let me get this straight - was the hickory mess because of using the carbide blade or just from cutting hickory?

The reason I ask is I cut a LOT of green wood of all types, including hickory, and have never seen a mess inside the machine using any blade I've tried. (But I've never had a carbide blade to try.) Mostly I mill log sections, often sopping wet with water dripping out of the end grain.

Another reason I ask is I'm teaching another bandsaw class next week on cutting green log sections into turning blanks. I would love to know what might cause problems so I can tell the people.

Here's an example of what I cut and some turning blanks from one bandsawing session. My usual blade is 1/2" 3tpi Lenox, .025" thickness.

404164 404165 404166

I've heard others say cutting green wood was a problem for them, jamming the guides, clogging the dust pickup, etc, but I can't figure out what we are doing different.

Maybe my dust collector picks up everything before it gets to the cabinet. I did modify the dust collection a bit. Sometimes there is a teaspoon or so of dust in the cabinet after sawing for a few days. The thing that made the biggest difference was this little box around the lower guides:

404156

The dust collector is a 5hp ClearVue cyclone, if that makes any difference. I split one 6" duct into three 4-inchers for the bandsaw. One flex duct has a magnet so I can position it on top of the table as needed.

404157

I'm genuinely perplexed. What differences are between my saw and yours?

JKJ

[Mike Shields]

The saw is a Laguna LT14, and the blade is a new 1/2 in x 3 TPI carbon steel. The Kreg fence I'm using is 3" high. I've been able to get repeatable cuts that are the thickness I'm aiming for on this 2 3/4 scrap:
404179

When I mentioned blade bowing, it is possibly caused by tension in the wood after the cut on a solid fence, pushing the blade to cause a bow in the cut. This is where I believe a curved face or point fence would prevent from happening.

Going from 2 2/4" to a 6 1/2' scrap, I got a bow, and I don't know why. Since I don't have a lot of experience resawing, I'm guessing a lot here.

Here is the wormy maple I want to resaw, and I just want to minimize the amount of planing (loss of wood), especially due to a bow in the wood:
404180

Thanks for all the suggestions....it seems that a taller fence is what most of you are using.

Thanks,

Mike

[Mike Cutler]

John

I doubt there is any difference. Although I do find that plastic box enclosure under your table interesting. I do not have that, nor ever have???
That hickory log was about 7' long, and probably about 14" diameter. It was heavy!!!!
I was using a Lennox Bi- metal blade,probably 3 tpi.
I was getting these long strands like angel hair pasta, and there was this white sticky substance that formed on the face of material after I cut it. It was close to latex paint on feel.Lots of moisture too.
My dust collection is inadequate for this saw, no doubts there.
I've never crosscut with my Rikon, or cut a bowl blank. Strictly resaw only.
I've liked this bandsaw from the time I first started using it. I've done some fairly decent work with it through the years.
One interesting thing about that log isthat the boards I cut that day were just tossed up into the rafters of the garage. some 10-12 years later, they are as flat and true as the moment they came off the saw, and they're still heavy!!!
Maybe they're really not hickory? They're very white. Not blond, but white, boards.

[John K Jordan]

When I mentioned blade bowing, it is possibly caused by tension in the wood after the cut on a solid fence, pushing the blade to cause a bow in the cut.
Going from 2 2/4" to a 6 1/2' scrap, I got a bow, and I don't know why. Since I don't have a lot of experience resawing, I'm guessing a lot here.


I battled blade bowing years ago when I first started cutting thick wood (up to 12"). I found out it was due to insufficient tension in the blade. I was using blades that were too wide and too thick for my bandsaw.

I purchased a bandsaw tension gage (mine is a Starrett) and found the tension I was using was woefully low. In fact, I discovered my saw could not possibly tension some of the blades properly. I had no problems on thinner cuts but on thicker cuts the blade would bow badly. This was on dry wood or wet wood. I don't believe internal stresses in the wood had anything to do with it. In fact, after I got the saw tensioned correctly I cut some dry wood with strong internal reaction stresses with no bowing. If I cut off a slice it might warp after the cutting but no problems during the cut.

Note that I do not check the tension often. I check it for a new type of blade then note the position of the built-in indicator in the saw. For example, I mostly use 1/2" 3tpi Lenox .025 blades so I checked it once and made a mark and set it to the same mark every time I change the blade.

If the blade tension is not quite right, I believe a dull blade can "push it over the edge" and cause bowing that wouldn't happen with a sharp blade. Also, I sometimes do a lot of "skimming" cuts to clean up large dry wood, where the blade is often not completely embedded in the wood. This can dull the teeth on one side more than the other. This may also contribute to bowing in an insufficiently tensioned blade.

Just my two cents. Of all the suggested methods to set tension (flutter, plucking, etc) none of them are always initially accurate except by accident. Perhaps those who swear by their method and say it has worked for years may be lucky, have learned from experience, or might not even be using the saw the same way or with the same blade as others. I don't know.

I have multiple wood and metal-cutting bandsaws and a Woodmizer sawmill so it was easier for me to justify buying the tension gage. There are cheaper tension gages than the Starrett, in fact there was a used one for sale in Classifieds recently for a very reasonable price. Perhaps a club could buy a tension gage then loan it to members. I've carried mine to others' shops.

There is also a free way to do the same thing:

https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?250388-Bandsaw-blade-tension&p=2640804#post2640804
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?250388-Bandsaw-blade-tension&p=2640833#post2640833

JKJ

[John TenEyck]

I had bowing issues many times with my little 14" Delta with riser when I would cut thick stock. That saw can only put about 12K psi on a 1/2" band, far below what band manufacturers recommend. With my newer, larger saw that easily runs 25K psi I've never had this issue, in any kind of wood. Make a tension meter and measure blade tension for yourself. It's not hard and doesn't cost much. With a little practice you'll get repeatable results, same as with a commercial meter, and then you'll know 1) what the tension is where your saw's tension meter is now set, and 2) whether your saw can put enough tension on the band so that bowing shouldn't be a problem.

John

[John K Jordan]

Sticky? Maybe another factor - if the tree was cut at a certain time of the year the sap may be an issue. I try to cut in the winter.
But sap is usually like water unless it is fermented by bacteria.
Could it be resin, not a feature of hardwoods? Resins are sticky buy not white.

Was the wood white all the way through the log or did it have a darker heartwood? If no dark heartwood it likely is not hickory.

Can you tell if it is ring porous or diffuse porous? Hickory is ring porous. Knowing if it is ring or diffuse porous will eliminate half of the candidates.
Hickory also has large pores and lots of tyloses in the pores (tyloses look like clear crystals plugging the pores).

Now I'm curious! If you can drop a small piece in the mail in an envelope I'd be glad to examine it under magnification. Wood ID is a hobby of mine since reading Hoadley's book Understanding Wood. All that is needed is a section off the end maybe 1/4" or so thick and 1/2" or so rectangle. I shave the end grain with a razor blade and examine the pore/ring structure. Or do it yourself, section 7 in on this page explains the procedure: https://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/wood-identification-guide/ I use a low-power stereo microscope but a simple hand lens works well. If the wood is too hard to shave soak in water overnight.

The tough sapwood of hickory/pecan can be very white, although most I've sawn is creamier or light brown. Dogwood is mostly sapwood and can be very white and is as heavy as hickory. The bark is quite distinctive, though and it is distinctly diffuse-porous and almost never gets that big in diameter. Hard maple can be white and some can be heavy, also diffuse porous. Persimmon (american/white ebony) is very heavy and varies widely in color but I do have a little that is quite white. Holly can be paper white but lighter in weight than hickory. This is the pore structure of hickory at 10x magnification:

404197

But there is a huge natural variation in almost all species, sometimes within the same tree. This page shows some of the variation likely: http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/hickory.htm

I designed the box under the bandsaw table after noticing the amount of dust from the guides sprayed forward onto the floor where I stand. It allows the dust collector to pull the dust carried by the gullets sideways instead of down into the lower cabinet. I experimented first with one made from cardboard which was so effective I used it for years before I finally made the plastic one, see-through is an advantage. I also use zero-clearance table inserts which might minimize strands going below the table, chewing them into digestible fines instead. I don't know.

404198

Both versions are open in the back and partially open on the left, encouraging horizontal air flow. I use small magnets to hold the box in place.

JKJ


John

I doubt there is any difference. Although I do find that plastic box enclosure under your table interesting. I do not have that, nor ever have???
That hickory log was about 7' long, and probably about 14" diameter. It was heavy!!!!
I was using a Lennox Bi- metal blade,probably 3 tpi.
I was getting these long strands like angel hair pasta, and there was this white sticky substance that formed on the face of material after I cut it. It was close to latex paint on feel.Lots of moisture too.
My dust collection is inadequate for this saw, no doubts there.
I've never crosscut with my Rikon, or cut a bowl blank. Strictly resaw only.
I've liked this bandsaw from the time I first started using it. I've done some fairly decent work with it through the years.
One interesting thing about that log isthat the boards I cut that day were just tossed up into the rafters of the garage. some 10-12 years later, they are as flat and true as the moment they came off the saw, and they're still heavy!!!
Maybe they're really not hickory? They're very white. Not blond, but white, boards.

[Derek Cohen]

And then there is this view ...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sY7xKKUGBgE

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Mike Cutler]

Derek

Nice Video. I like that Little Ripper! I'm going to find out of it is available in the US. I have some really, really, nice quilted maple billets with a twist to them. that I've never milled because I don't want to lose the amount of material necessary to joint them first.

As to the fence;
Many years ago ,Stu in Tokyo, on one of the forums, posted a photo series of his Hitachi resaw bandsaw. I noticed that the fence on the Hitachi only extended as far as the blade, so that the material coming off the back end of the blade had free space to relieve stress.
If I am resawing a board that I know is going to relieve stress, I affix a piece of 3/4" MDF to the face of my full length fence so that I create a 3/4" gap space behind the blade, and between the actual fence for the material to relieve into. Once the material is past the blade, you no longer need the fence.
Not all wood is going to react like the material in that video, so you kind of have to read the grain, and be somewhat familiar with the species of wood.

[Matthew Hills]

Hi earlier video (below) is the more provocative--low tension, disengaged side guides, 3/8" blade, tracking at the very back of the wheel.
Note that he is focused on drift, as opposed to other possible issues, like barrel cuts.
For wood that doesn't move much or very thin veneers (where there isn't much lateral pressure), I don't think there is much issue.
If you are doing thick slices in wood where the kerf is opening, you'd probably be better with one of the resaw (point-type) guides that allow the wood to move behind the blade. (I really dislike the resulting board, though--maybe for a panel, but hard to work with if you want to put in a rabbett or do anything else with it)

I like that he does all of his illustrations in the sawdust on the table.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4k-r5utmU2Q

[Derek Cohen]

Interesting Mike. I must try that.

My Hammer N4400 has a fence which can adjust back-and-forth. I generally use a tall fence with this for resawing ...

https://i.postimg.cc/Rh506Hrb/Resaw-fence1-zpsg9wxhapq.jpg

I can slide it back, as you describe ..

https://i.postimg.cc/bJKTB8W2/Resaw-fence2-zpsohlyencz.jpg

I'll give it a go and see how well it works.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Pete Staehling]

tracking at the very back of the wheel.
FWIW, I'd have found it a little more convincing if he had moved the blade to the front of the wheel rather than the back. I may be off base here, but it always seemed to me that if the front of the teeth were supported it prevented them from turning into or out of the workpiece. I'd think that moving the blade to the back still accomplishes that. Still an interesting video though, I just don't find moving the blade back as convincing.

I do think the little ripper looks interesting, but I don't see where you'd get by without switching to a fence when cutting thin pieces as you got to the last slices. Also I guess that for me it would be a solution looking for a problem to solve since I have had good luck just using a tall fence after creating a flat face by other means.

That said if I were to start having problems with the kerf opening up and stressing the cut, using a fence that stops at the blade sounds like something worth trying. In that case, using a piece of MDF as Mike Cutler suggested to provide relief makes sense to me.

I have had poor resaw performance at times that mimicked the problem he described with the opening kerf. The thing is that without exception it was immediately resolved by replacing the blade and properly adjusting the saw. I have never had issues like that with a fairly fresh blade and properly set up saw. So that raises the question, would the little ripper have made a nice straight cut without the blade change in those cases? I doubt it. Would it have made the blades last longer and prevented the blade's demise? Again I doubt it, but who knows?

I am kind of intrigued, but probably not enough to buy one.

[glenn bradley]

And then there is this view ...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sY7xKKUGBgE

Regards from Perth

Derek

This guy is interesting. I'll just keep doing it wrong (as shown in post 13). :) I slice 1/16" veneers over and over again off the same blank this way with nice consistent results. The variety of solutions for the variety of problems is one of the great values of the forums. Just because I'm not having the problem he is having doesn't mean that the they next guy isn't. The same "next guy" may look at the solutions I am happy to have been shown and wonder why I need that :D.

[glenn bradley]

I designed the box under the bandsaw table after noticing the amount of dust from the guides sprayed forward onto the floor where I stand.

Works great for me too.
404246 . 404245 . 404248

I closed the throat just inside the lower cabinet.

404247

I put a piece of sheet magnet over the lower cabinet port as I do not even use it.

404249

This is what the lower cabinet looks like after several months of use. Funny how the spoil always gathers at that right front corner.

[John K Jordan]

Works great for me too. 404248
...
I closed the throat just inside the lower cabinet.
404247


Excellent! It's surprising how well this works.

My Rikon came with a piece of flexible sheet (rubber?) placed to close that throat. It has a slit it it for the blade.

When I used a shop vac the bottom inside of my cabinet still looked like layers a geologist would like to study. Now it's clean. I left lower open and connected it to a 4" duct.

This method does prevent tilting the table with the box in place but I don't tilt the table. If I want to cut an angle I fasten an angled piece to the top of the table.

JKJ

[Mike Shields]

Align your machine.

404132404133404134



Glenn,

You included this pic of the blade on the wheel, but didn't say how the position affects the cut. Could you elaborate?

[John K Jordan]

Align your machine.
404132404133404134


Nice illustration. I've tried to explain it before but your pictures make it easier. In practice the stiffness and tension of a wide blade may keep it from angling so much when off center but it's better supported when in the center of the tire. I run mine right in the center. The adjustment on the 18" Rikon make this easy but on my smaller 14" Delta I had to add shim washers behind the upper wheel to get the blade to track where I wanted it. I know some say it doesn't matter but it does to me.

JKJ

[Derek Cohen]

I was building a long framed panel today, and thought about this thread.

Incidentally, these panels were sawn and thicknessed about 2 months ago. They were stickered and clamped. All perfectly flat and waiting to be used.

https://i.postimg.cc/bvwmYQDV/R7.jpg

This is the board I was sawing up for the frame. Hard Maple, about 200mm (8") wide. Unfortunately, I did not need anything that wide for the frames - which would have been great for this test. The frames are 60mm wide, and so this was first sawn on the table saw.

I thought I would post a photo of this since we often discuss using a F&F jig to rip on a slider, but here I am using my Hammer K3 as a traditional table saw as the slider is 1250mm in length (too short for a long rip such as this one, which is 1.6m/63") ...

https://i.postimg.cc/sgynqFVr/R4.jpg


A note about the bandsaw blade: I was not using the 1" Lenox CT Woodmaster. For such a narrow resaw all that was needed was a 1/2" bimetal blade.

I posted a picture of the bandsaw resaw fence previously. I planned here to resaw a length with the fence pulled back, like so ...

https://i.postimg.cc/Hk2SCSx7/R6.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/TPNCKpnd/R2.jpg
And also in the full position ...

https://i.postimg.cc/027WV51n/R8.jpg

In each case the board demonstrated internal tensions, and ended up with a 5mm (combined) hollow in the centre ...

https://i.postimg.cc/FFdnJgP2/R1.jpg

What I noticed was:

1. In the short fence mode, the board was easier to push. It was noticeable, in the full fence mode, that the board wanted to push away from the fence. Clearly, the short fence ended before these tensions manifested. Pushing along the full fence required more effort to keep the board pinned against the fence.

2. The down side of the short fence is that it ends at the blade and registration is lost. This means that there is little, if any, support for the end of the board as it approaches the blade. The full fence supports the board all the way through.


Regards from Perth

Derek

[Mike Cutler]

That's pretty interesting Derek. Thank you for sharing that photo essay.

It's a little cold and raining here right now, so maybe I'll head out to the shop and play with the bandsaw a bit. I want to improve the dust collection on my bandsaw and a few of the :hacks" I've seen here may accomplish that end for me.
I don't actually know that I position the short fence to stop just prior to the blade, and I may have it just clear of the back edge of the blade. I really don't know?? I tend not to mess about with things and develop a solution to a problem I don't have. I also know that I've resawn with the entire length of the fence and had no issues either.
I don't think there is ever just one solution to solve a problem. It's always good to have another option if a person runs into trouble

[Derek Cohen]

I want to improve the dust collection on my bandsaw and a few of the :hacks" I've seen here may accomplish that end for me.
...

Mike, don't forget this thread: https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?270526-Dust-collection-for-bandsaw

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Matthew Hills]

Derek,
From the photo of the finished workpieces, it looks like you got an even cut, with the wood bowed in towards the kerf?
Did you notice what point would have been binding to create the resistance with the full fence?


My interpretation of the mini-ripper videos was that he was asserting the freed end would bow out, pushing against the fence, and pushing the workpiece back into the side of the blade. (This would mess up the registration on the fence, and the video also asserted that you'd end up dulling that side of your blade).

If the kerf is closing, I'd think you wouldn't have this issue, so it was interesting to hear you were getting more resistance. I assume the cut width is otherwise even?

Also, I would expect you can have the fence go past the teeth of the blade, trading off the support vs. the bowing effects.

It is interesting that there haven't been many sliders for bandsaws... or splitters.

Matt

[David Kumm]

Yet another home made fence. It slides on my Beisemeyer and can be placed forward or beyond the blade. It is 2" so I can still use the tape on the fence. I usually saw veneer with the thin part next to the blade and don't joint the face after each cut.404360404361404362

The third picture is bad but the veneer is sawed on both sides and between .04 and .044 Dave

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Matthew

I have a couple more boards to cut and will test this out again, paying attention to where (if) the pressure occurs.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Mike Cutler]

Mike, don't forget this thread: https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?270526-Dust-collection-for-bandsaw

Regards from Perth

Derek

Derek
Yep, that one is on my "to do list". Anything to improve the DC on a bandsaw. Most times, even with the DC going, I have a high velocity fan blowing the across the table front to back.
It's a little nasty outside right now to make one, but it is definitely on the hot list. ;)


John K Jordan.
Thank you for the the following idea;
This morning I went out and cut the bottom 4" off a rectangular plastic tub, a tub used for horse treats. Cut out a section to allow it to fit around the guide bearings and shoved/wedged it in place, and ran a piece of walnut 8" wide and 24" long through it as a test.
The results were amazing!!! Very little dust carried through and over, back onto the table and the lower cabinet had ZERO walnut dust accumulation!!!
You have the same band saw that I do, so if worked for you, i figured it had to work for me.;)

[John K Jordan]

This morning I went out and cut the bottom 4" off a rectangular plastic tub,
...
The results were amazing!!! Very little dust carried through and over, back onto the table and the lower cabinet had ZERO walnut dust accumulation!!!
You have the same band saw that I do, so if worked for you, i figured it had to work for me.;)

Fantastic! I was surprised at how well even my little piece of cardboard worked. I can saw for months and not see any dust in the lower cabinet.

I have a similar plan to try, someday, with my tablesaw. Seeing how rarely I use the saw, it might be a while!

JKJ

[Doug Garson]

Am I the only one? The videos won't play for me from the forum but if I go directly to Youtube they play fine.