Jack Hogoboom
12-03-2007, 9:20 PM
I was installing some shop cabinets using a French cleat system this weekend. I had a dried 2x4 that I wanted to use for the cleat. Since it was so thick, I figured if I could rip it in half, I'd be able to get 16' of cleat.:rolleyes:
I took a scrap piece of 2x4 over to the table saw and stood there for a moment trying to figure out how to re-saw it safely. I couldn't quite get comfortable with raising the blade all the way and seeing if I could cut it all at once. I would have had my hand awfully close to the blade without enough height on the fence for support or clearance.:eek: I thought about an article I had read about re-sawing it in two passes, each a little short of 1/2, and then bandsawing the remaining thickness, but I couldn't figure out how to safely avoid pinching the blade.
After thinking it over for a few more minutes, I decided to try my bandsaw. I set the fence for 3/4 of an inch, butted the 2x4 up against the fence and smoothly cut the scrap in two, close to equal pieces (certainly good enough for my purpose).
Then I tried the same thing with the full 2x4. It worked OK at first, but then the blade started to wander. I kept pushing the board against the fence, but about 1/2 way through, the blade wandered to the point where the whole exercise was getting pretty ridiculous and I was having trouble pushing the wood into the blade.:o
I stopped the saw, flipped the board end for end and started again. Same thing happened. In the middle, the two saw cuts were almost 1/2" apart. At that point, I gave up and cut the board up on my CSMS, sacrificing the middle area where the cuts drifted the worst.:(
I thought about using my single point fence and adjusting the cut as the blade started to wander, but with an 8' board, I was worried I'd run out of room to angle the board if the drift got too bad. I suppose I could've cut the board shorter to start and then resawed the pieces, but I really wanted to have one long board hung on the wall rather than a bunch of short pieces.:rolleyes:
Any suggestions as to how I should have done it? I have another 2x4 that I'd like to use for the same thing.:eek:
Thanks,
Jack
I took a scrap piece of 2x4 over to the table saw and stood there for a moment trying to figure out how to re-saw it safely. I couldn't quite get comfortable with raising the blade all the way and seeing if I could cut it all at once. I would have had my hand awfully close to the blade without enough height on the fence for support or clearance.:eek: I thought about an article I had read about re-sawing it in two passes, each a little short of 1/2, and then bandsawing the remaining thickness, but I couldn't figure out how to safely avoid pinching the blade.
After thinking it over for a few more minutes, I decided to try my bandsaw. I set the fence for 3/4 of an inch, butted the 2x4 up against the fence and smoothly cut the scrap in two, close to equal pieces (certainly good enough for my purpose).
Then I tried the same thing with the full 2x4. It worked OK at first, but then the blade started to wander. I kept pushing the board against the fence, but about 1/2 way through, the blade wandered to the point where the whole exercise was getting pretty ridiculous and I was having trouble pushing the wood into the blade.:o
I stopped the saw, flipped the board end for end and started again. Same thing happened. In the middle, the two saw cuts were almost 1/2" apart. At that point, I gave up and cut the board up on my CSMS, sacrificing the middle area where the cuts drifted the worst.:(
I thought about using my single point fence and adjusting the cut as the blade started to wander, but with an 8' board, I was worried I'd run out of room to angle the board if the drift got too bad. I suppose I could've cut the board shorter to start and then resawed the pieces, but I really wanted to have one long board hung on the wall rather than a bunch of short pieces.:rolleyes:
Any suggestions as to how I should have done it? I have another 2x4 that I'd like to use for the same thing.:eek:
Thanks,
Jack