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Derek Cohen
10-27-2019, 7:15 AM
I collected some rather nice fiddleback Jarrah from The Timber Bloke for the hall table (for my niece) that is now starting. (It has some nice challenges, but that is all for later) ...


https://i.postimg.cc/CKNnYw79/Wood1.jpg

The table is based on a Danish Modern design and has a case with drawers. The Jarrah for the underside of the case is nothing special (as it will not be seen), and I have used old roof rafters, a few nail holes and all (having said this, they cleaned up really nicely, as you will see).

Having planed one side and an edge, time was to resaw away waste prior to thicknessing to dimensions. I had a brand new carbide Woodmaster 1.3 tpi 1" blade, quite unused, which replaced one that disintegrated after about 4 years. I had reasonably good results from the old blade. It did not leave the cleanest surface - as clean as others reported - which may have been due to uneven set. This improved after I ran the (old) blade against a diamond stone. While these blade are not meant to be sharpened, I re-sharpened the teeth about 3 or 4 times over its life. I hesitated to purchase another (considering a Resaw King), but obviously in the end did so.

In addition to the new blade, I have also modified my resaw fence on the Hammer N4400. Several years ago I made this one out of MDF ...

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

It slides over the original fence ...

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

The local woods I work with is typically quite interlocked, and it is not unusual to see a widening kerf as it comes off the bandsaw blade. The issue with this is that the one side of the board then pushes away from the fence, and pushes into the blade, causing the cut to skew. I have given this some thought over the past year, and eventually modified the fence to allow the board to exit the blade away from the fence. It is now free to move without affecting the cut.

At first I simply pulled the fence back ...

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

However, there was not enough support for the board as it went past the blade. This led to cutting back the fence and retaining a short, low section for registration ...

https://i.postimg.cc/ry75CHFY/IMG_2801.jpg

So, here is the 9" wide Jarrah being sawn ...

https://i.postimg.cc/hPkd1yhZ/Resaw4.jpg

As it comes out of the blade, so the kerf opens up (not too badly. I have seen much worse) ...

https://i.postimg.cc/cC6nXPQ2/Resaw2.jpg

Here is the back of the fence ...

https://i.postimg.cc/7YGz78PT/Resaw6.jpg

The cut is staying tight against the line, and remained that way from beginning to end ...

https://i.postimg.cc/c15Yr4WS/Resaw3.jpg

The final surface looks like this ...

https://i.postimg.cc/KjVgVQfz/Resaw1.jpg

Very happy with the new blade. It motored through this cut!

Regards from Perth

Derek
Jim Becker
10-27-2019, 10:29 AM
I'm betting this project is going to be stunning as all of yours are. :) . Re-saw looks great...excellent explanation about the lateral fence relief after the blade, too.
Derek Cohen
10-27-2019, 1:36 PM
Thanks Jim.

Regards from Perth

Derek
Keith Mathewson
10-27-2019, 4:45 PM
Looks good Derek. Most bandsaw feeders have an inside roller which is only about 12 inches long for the reasons you describe. I know a lot of people here like the carbide blade. I purchased one years ago, I didn’t find it to be particularly special. A sharp blade works just as well for a fraction of the price.
Derek Cohen
10-27-2019, 7:31 PM
A sharp blade works just as well for a fraction of the price.

Keith, true .... but for a fraction of the time.

Regards from Perth

Derek
Erik Loza
10-28-2019, 10:31 AM
...I know a lot of people here like the carbide blade. I purchased one years ago, I didn’t find it to be particularly special. A sharp blade works just as well for a fraction of the price.


Keith, true .... but for a fraction of the time...

My experience has been that lots of folks want their carbides to be some "magic bullet" of bandsaw blades and cut fast/cut smooth/last for decades on every type of wood, then are disappointed when it doesn't live up to that expectation. . I've sold/used hundreds of Lenox carbides over the years (mostly Tri-masters, some Woodmaster CT's) and I've also ruined brand-new ones by using them on the wrong type of wood.

What carbides excel at: A really nice surface finish on properly dried hardwoods. Use your blade for only this and it will give good results for a long time.

Where carbides will disappoint you: Any type of green wood or as a "general purpose resaw blade". Can't tell you how many customers I had who paid $150+ for a 1" Tri-master, then complained as they were trying to stuff a huge piece of wet softwood through it.

Think of bandsaw blades like a set of kitchen knives: One for this task, one for that task. No single blade will cut everything the same. Just my 2-cents,

Erik
Mick Simon
10-28-2019, 10:52 AM
Good points made, Erik!
John TenEyck
10-28-2019, 12:56 PM
The only blade that ever cut close to the surface finish I get from a CT was a Woodslicer. To Derek's point, it dulled in less than 50 ft of 8" maple, while the CT lasted over a year through hundreds of feet of all kinds of hardwoods. Typical non-carbide blades don't cut anywhere near the surface finish from the CT.

John
Keith Mathewson
10-28-2019, 2:24 PM
I would be inclined to suggest that perhaps the TPI is too high. This will slow the feed rate. You should be able to get a decent surface on a standard blade.

The size of the saw will make a difference as well. Here is a pic of Mario running the big saw. Mostly I use a 32" saw.
Tom Bender
11-05-2019, 6:46 AM
Hi Derek
The 'half fence' is the better half of the solution. The other half is the leading half. I use a point fence so I can adjust when the grain pushes the blade to the side of the line. Probably there is something wrong with my method that is getting me into this situation. Your success with gnarly wood with a half fence has me thinking.

Tom
John TenEyck
11-05-2019, 11:16 AM
Hi Derek
The 'half fence' is the better half of the solution. The other half is the leading half. I use a point fence so I can adjust when the grain pushes the blade to the side of the line. Probably there is something wrong with my method that is getting me into this situation. Your success with gnarly wood with a half fence has me thinking.

Tom

That problem goes away with a 3/4" or wider blade with 25K psi on it. And then you can use a straight fence and just push the wood through the blade knowing you will get a straight cut, and not have to deal with trying to wiggle the board left or right. So much easier.

John
Tom Bender
11-10-2019, 7:15 AM
Thanks John. My saw will handle a 1/2" blade but I normally don't take the trouble to change it for resewing. So there's two things wrong with my method.