Could I mill up some cedar slabs with this bandsaw?
- Thread starter Burt Shaver
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Burt Shaver
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I will start looking out for one of those used of course
OP
Burt Shaver
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OMG, they are cedar slabs . Cut off from a saw mill. I will run out to the saw mill, measure them with my caliper
jack stand
Well-known member
This is where regional terminology gets involved.
To many (including myself) I thought that you wanted to cut a log into live edge slabs, think 2" thick or more table tops.
Are you wanting to salvage some small boards from the opening cut that's rounded with bark?
Usually there's not enough wood left and it's all very flat grain and prone to extreme cupping.
To many (including myself) I thought that you wanted to cut a log into live edge slabs, think 2" thick or more table tops.
Are you wanting to salvage some small boards from the opening cut that's rounded with bark?
Usually there's not enough wood left and it's all very flat grain and prone to extreme cupping.
OP
Burt Shaver
Well-known member
Yes, That was my thought if I can do it inexpensively.
No, I hadn’t thought of doing that, although I do wonder now if I could run an entire 9 or 10’ length through from a cedar tree with a 7” diameter
I hadn’t thought picked up a load of white pine slabs quite a few years ago, I was amazed at how much meat was left on them. I milled them with my table saw lol, so I couldn’t make the board any wider than 6 1/4” and it was a fairly slow process. I agree that they may cup but if they do, they do. I would just want to fix up a sliding shed door on an old out building from the early 1900’s and if it didn’t work out I could use the cedar for kindling.
I know nothing about bandsaws, when it’s a 10” or a 14” bandsaw, does that correlate to the amount of blade showing or is it in reference to the throat of the machine? I will google this stuff up
Firebrick43
Well-known member
The measurement is the wheel diameter, which in turn affects the distance between the frame and the blade horizontally.
While some get a 14" Delta or Delta clone to work in resaw applications they are not themselves even close to ideal for that job. The frames are not stiff enough to tension a 3/4" resaw blade correctly, nor have enough cutting height. They make riser blocks to solve the cutting height issue but it makes the lack of frame stiffness issue even worse. Then there is the lack of power which makes the process very slow.
The Italian welded frame band saws that started coming here in the 80's, imported by companies like Mini max and Laguna have frames that are stiff enough and a 1.5hp or 2 hp motor has enough power to resaw well. Most of them are 16-18". Grizzly has been importing the Taiwan 17" bandsaws for decades that are decent if you upgrade the guides. If you have the space (not that much extra) and can find a used one in good condition they would serve you well.
Laguna now imports a couple of 14" resaw bandsaws from Taiwan. I have their 14BX and its excellent in the resaw. The Slightly smaller and less featured 14SUV is offered before. These saws the stiffness, power, and cut height that no previous 14" band saw
Rikon and Grizzly saw the success Laguna has had with smaller wheel resaw focused bandsaws and brought out there own versions.
Rikon 10-324 or even better 10-353
Grizzly G0817
While some get a 14" Delta or Delta clone to work in resaw applications they are not themselves even close to ideal for that job. The frames are not stiff enough to tension a 3/4" resaw blade correctly, nor have enough cutting height. They make riser blocks to solve the cutting height issue but it makes the lack of frame stiffness issue even worse. Then there is the lack of power which makes the process very slow.
The Italian welded frame band saws that started coming here in the 80's, imported by companies like Mini max and Laguna have frames that are stiff enough and a 1.5hp or 2 hp motor has enough power to resaw well. Most of them are 16-18". Grizzly has been importing the Taiwan 17" bandsaws for decades that are decent if you upgrade the guides. If you have the space (not that much extra) and can find a used one in good condition they would serve you well.
Laguna now imports a couple of 14" resaw bandsaws from Taiwan. I have their 14BX and its excellent in the resaw. The Slightly smaller and less featured 14SUV is offered before. These saws the stiffness, power, and cut height that no previous 14" band saw
Rikon and Grizzly saw the success Laguna has had with smaller wheel resaw focused bandsaws and brought out there own versions.
Rikon 10-324 or even better 10-353
Grizzly G0817
jar944
Well-known member
A 14" saw minimum. Ideally a lot bigger than even that.
racecougar
Well-known member
Agreed. A 14" saw is the bare minimum, IMO, and it is nowhere near ideal for this.
RoninB4
Well-known member
-A simple question to your original post and you reply with sarcasm? You're in need of adult supervision.
OP
Burt Shaver
Well-known member
Maybe I misinterpreted a portion of your comment? If I did, then my apologies, if not? Then you’re correct, I did not think it through at all before posting. This forum for me is for the most part for entertainment/enjoyment with of course a wealth of knowledge, but I expect for the most part that anyone who is replying to a message/post is doing so in their leisure time, so I did not think things through before posting. Again if I misinterpreted, my apologies. And no adult supervision required, I’ve been adulting for many years now.
dcg9381
Well-known member
Could you and should you are different deals.
By the time you cut it with that, get it dried in, have to plain it down, that's a lot of work and a lot of equipment. You will definitely have to straighten it out and that's another piece of equipment.
Up north we don't have a slab saw, were able to get someone to come out and make rough slabs for us when we cut down a big maple. They have portable mills. In TX you can buy rough cedar slabs pretty inexpensively...
I get wanting to DIY "just because" - not knocking the idea, but that's not the right tool. If I was taking that on, I think I'd buy a chainsaw guide/mill and rough cut it the Alaska way.
Family owns a sawmill, they'll rough cut whatever you want or sell you slabs. I assume other private mills will do the same.
RoninB4
Well-known member
-Then maybe I responded a bit too harsh. If so then please accept my apologies as well.
-My question about size was because your definition of a "slab" may be different than what is called a "slab" out here in rural Appalachia. Size would be important for the throat size of that bandsaw if you're doing a thickness re-saw, less so if just trimming edges/length. If you're wanting to cut anything that resembles the photo in the above post then @dcg9381 made the correct reply of "Can you and should you are two different things".
-I hope we're ok now and still on civil speaking terms. As for adult supervision....I still need it now and then.
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WisJim
Well-known member
Not knowing a lot about this particular saw, my main problem would be the 1/4 hp motor, which is awfully small for doing much at all. I've done things on an inexpensive bandsaw similar to this that just took a bit more time and trouble than doing it on my 14" Delta that I have now. And an even heavier saw would make it easier and quicker.
I'm picturing slabs of various widths and thicknesses, similar to what the sawmills around here sell in bundles as firewood.
I'm picturing slabs of various widths and thicknesses, similar to what the sawmills around here sell in bundles as firewood.
OP
Burt Shaver
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Of course we are good. I’ve picked up slabs twice in my life. When I did, I would say they range from 4 inches across and 1 inch thick in the meatiest part to the largest pieces being maybe 14 inches in width and 2 1/2” maybe 3 “ thick in the meatiest part
I’m not familiar with the terms but I believe what I want to do would be a thickness re saw. I can trim the edges with my table saw if need be.
So in my terms, I’m thinking of trying to make boards, I would only be able to make them the width of the bandsaw blade which is fine if they make a saw that has 6” of blade showing.
The whole thing is of no real importance, I just thought with the price of lumber I could make up some boards to use to make that sliding shed door, scraps can be used for kindling.
Dumber than lumber
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Well, this non-adult adult thought that reply was along the lines of appropriate.
However, someone in my family says there is no such thing as a stupid question. The standard response to that? There are lots of stupid answers.
Now, where was I?
Old tool guy
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$64 for the saw, a new coarse blade … worth a try.
dcg9381
Well-known member
This falls in the "just because" category for me.. If nothing else, I'd find a use for a $64 bandsaw.
I'd never be able to cut straight enough with a bandsaw where you have to feed it, but maybe there is some sort of guide?
We have lots of cedar around here, it's beautiful wood, cheap, they literally give it away as it's so dirty to burn. But having used it for siding on some projects, I believe you've got to cut it, stack it, and let it dry out which takes a lot of time... Otherwise it's going to crack and warp. Just a heads up before you do a really nice looking project that falls apart..
racecougar
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Yes, you'd want to use a fence to resaw.
OP
Burt Shaver
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Good points, the two times I did pick up a truck load of slabs they happened to be dry, must have been sitting for at least 6 months or longer. I will take a moisture reading of the slabs if I’m unsure. I don’t want it to be a big hastle for myself. When I was redoing my barn, I needed some planks to replace some of the rotten planks. I happened to have those white pine slabs around and I was able to make up 7 or 8 boards that I needed in the table saw, but I found it was fairly slow doing so. My thinking was the thin blade of a bandsaw would make the work quicker. I don’t need them to be perfect, rough cut is fine, and if the thickness varies an 1/8” or so, that’s fine to, but I won’t cut them till the wood is dry because your right, who know what they would do as they are drying.
I will keep my eyes open for a working, cheap bandsaw, and if one comes up, I will give it a try.
I also agree with a previous post, 1/4 horse probably is to small
RoninB4
Well-known member
-As @WisJim pointed out, a 1/4 hp motor would have trouble with that width of lumber. I've done a re-saw on oak that I felled and it wasn't easy. While cedar is fairly soft it will still tend to clog up in the kerf, dragging on the blade enough to stall an undersized 1/4 hp motor. Resawing lumber that size requires guiding, the blade doesn't always just cut a straight line, the kerf often wanders and repositioning is required.
-Board width, thickness, and wood species are the limiting factors. Seems like it would be far easier to search for someone that cuts rough lumber from trees on a regular basis. There were quite a few people that bought those lumber sawmills that are wanting the business. I bought several white oak planks (3" x 12") for a work bench several years ago. It was more economical than buying from a lumber distributor or purchasing one of those sawmills.
-Perhaps, you'd still have to consider whether you need to run the boards through a planer or not if appearance is important.
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OP
Burt Shaver
Well-known member
Thanks @RoninB4 , I guess as you mentioned it would be a good idea to at least check around for prices on some rough cut cedar.
I had a brand new 12” planer, lent it to a friend of mine about 15 years ago, never seen it again. I still see him, in fact we played poker together last night. Maybe I might bring up that planer again lol