Resaw on the bandsaw or table saw?

[Paul F Mills]

I need to resaw a 2.5x6x70” piece of walnut into 3/4x6x70 doors. I have a bandsaw (Rikon 10-326) and a tablesaw (Sawstop contractor) to use. I have resawed up to 18” long pieces on the bandsaw, but a 70” piece gives me pause.

I figure I can do it on the table saw, cutting at max blade height, flip it long ways, and cut the other side by myself, or get the feed rollers out to do it on the bandsaw and have my wife help if needed.

Is one method better than the other if I can handle them both equally safely? Would one release the grain stress differently than the other or give a better product? I figure they will get jointed and planes either way to clean them up.

I cut a similar piece on the tablesaw this morning but I was making 3/4x3” stock, so I laid the 6” side flat on the table and cut to 3” width, the flipped it on edge and cut the 3/4” width. It worked well.

[Lee Schierer]

You will get a smaller kerf with the bandsaw so there will be less waste

[Phillip Mitchell]

Bandsaw is definitely safer and will result in less wood turned into sawdust, in other words, smaller kerf.

I’ve resawed plenty of stuff 6” or under on a table saw doing the rip and flip end for end, but you have to be careful with binding with that approach. It can get dicey if the wood releases any stress during sawing, which happens quite a bit.

I prefer the bandsaw hands down. This is what it excels at if it’s well setup.

[Paul F Mills]

Thanks Phillip and Lee. I decided to go with the bandsaw based on your comments. It went well overall. To make it easier I decided to go with four shorter doors rather than two full length doors.

The build is a jewelry cabinet for my wife. It will be hung on the wall behind the master bedroom door. It is 3” deep, about 24” wide and 60” tall. It will primarily house her fashion pieces and her better stuff will be stored elsewhere..

Today I was able to cut the doors to size and ready for glue up tomorrow. I would like to do theM tonight but I am too tired from other activities today and feel that I am starting to make little mistakes. I also cut the frame to rough size and will assemble it after I determine the final size of the doors.

Now I need to decide on hinge type.

I will post pictures when it is done.

[Zachary Hoyt]

I have resawed pieces up to 8 feet long on the bandsaw, without rollers or other support. It's a little awkward at the ends, but not too bad overall.
Zach

[Mike Wilkins]

The bandsaw is the preferred machine for thick stock-less waste with the thinner blade and faster feed rate. A table saw has a wider kerf, your resew capacity is limited to the highest blade height, and will have to be perfectly set up (fence parallel to the blade). Not to mention adequate power to hog through the thicker stock.

[John K Jordan]

I need to resaw a 2.5x6x70” piece of walnut into 3/4x6x70 doors. I have a bandsaw (Rikon 10-326) and a tablesaw (Sawstop contractor) to use. I have resawed up to 18” long pieces on the bandsaw, but a 70” piece gives me pause.


I once resawed a 12' long douglas fir 2x12. I made a high fence and fed the board. I set the back end on a roller stand at even height with the bandsaw table. The friend who wanted it cut into 4 pieces thin boards steadied the cut end while I guided the cut. Resawing even 144" was not a problem. (although it was not real quick.)

JKJ

[Mike Cutler]

You got there in the end, but yeah, the bandsaw is the "more correct" machine for this type of application.

[glenn bradley]

I will belatedly add that length is not really your concern. As long as you have good stock support and control the saw doesn't know how long the material is that is being cut ;-)

426537426538

The casters allow support of curved cuts.

426539

The piece of PVC pipe keeps narrow stock from landing between the casters.

[John K Jordan]

The casters allow support of curved cuts.

426539

The piece of PVC pipe keeps narrow stock from landing between the casters.

I like your roller support. I need to add something like that to my bandsaw. That much help when I saw longer heavy green log sections. What I do now is push the wood until it is balanced on the table then move around to the back and pull through the rest of the cut.

[Rod Sheridan]

I like your roller support. I need to add something like that to my bandsaw. That much help when I saw longer heavy green log sections. What I do now is push the wood until it is balanced on the table then move around to the back and pull through the rest of the cut.

Hi John, I much prefer a simple removable extension table with a leg.

I made an in and out feed extension for my saw.....
Regards, Rod

[John K Jordan]

Hi John, I much prefer a simple removable extension table with a leg.

I made an in and out feed extension for my saw.....
Regards, Rod

That's probably a better idea. How did you fasten the outfeed table to the bandsaw? Is it quick to install and remove? I don't need one on the infeed side.

[Billy Merrill]

Bandsaw.
Have resawn 8'x16'x1" boards on my well tuned 10-326 and a double stack of feather boards. Used roller stands for infeed and outfeed support.
Works better with a helper, but it can be done alone.

[John K Jordan]

Bandsaw.
Have resawn 8'x16'x1" boards on my well tuned 10-326 and a double stack of feather boards. Used roller stands for infeed and outfeed support.
Works better with a helper, but it can be done alone.

Yikes, I hope you meant 8 inches instead of 8 feet wide!

[Mark McClurg]

Be prepared for the re-sawed stock to result in several very wavy boards. Depending on the drying process, you might not end up with usable "flat" boards.

[Paul F Mills]

Be prepared for the re-sawed stock to result in several very wavy boards. Depending on the drying process, you might not end up with usable "flat" boards.

There was some waviness, but not too bad. I knew that would happen so I cut it all at 1” so I could joint and plane as needed to get it to 3/4”.

The walnut was kiln dried so most of it came out stragiht. One piece warped a bit but I can straighten it when I do the glue up. The strange thing was that the offcut of the warped board did not warp, and it was thinner.