theoldwizard1
Well-known member
I think I can get a hold of some 1x3 or 1x4 cherry cheap. What kind of a blade would you recommend to re-saw on a table saw (no band saw available) it down to 1/2" (nominal) thickness. I have about 50-75'.
Resaw with table saw
- Thread starter theoldwizard1
- Start date
I have a thin kerf freud blade and cut half way thru on each pass then flip board over. normally I am cutting pine
PBCampbell
Well-known member
Bandsaw is your best option, but if on a tablesaw, a rip blade with a splitter. Wood has a nasty tendency to close after the cut when ripping and causing kickback, so be wary.
larry4406
Well-known member
I had never heard of a table saw splitter till now. Had to look it up. Thanks for the info.
http://www.table-saw-guide.com/table-saw-splitter.html
Don't most table saws come with a splitter or the improved riving knife that follows blade tilt?
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Gotcha640
Well-known member
Only if the guy you got the screaming deal on kept it and remembered to give it to you...
454ragtop
Well-known member
Resaw you say? Saw this on CL
I've got more than a few thoughts on how bad things could happen with that. And that is even if it did work....
OP
theoldwizard1
Well-known member
larry4406
Well-known member
I have had my table saws (2) for over 25 years, and they were used when I got them. So, they were not equipped with these
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crguy
Well-known member
You're Not going to get two 1/2" pieces out of a 1" thick board. Just use a planer to bring them down to size.
guy48065
Well-known member
Use a rip blade because it will be completely buried in the wood, tall fence, feather boards low & high. Cut a whisker shy of halfway thru on each pass so the pieces don't separate--then crack apart & the planer will remove the web.
derosa
Well-known member
Even with a thin Kerf Blade you're not getting 2 real boards out of this, particularly if it's rough cut. As someone else mentioned only have the blade do half the thickness at a time, it's easier on the saw and less likely to try and jam. Many splitters I've seen don't work so well with having the blade buried in the board but it will mostly come into use with the second cut. Keep some shims handy and stick them in the kerf once it's a little past the blade and it will do the same thing. Unless your board and the blade are perfectly straight and square cut extra and be prepared to finish plane to size.
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mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
is it surfaced on any of the sides? if so, 1x3 or 1x4 will more likely already be close to .75". in this case, a planer is your best bet.
if it is rough sawn, you really need a jointer.
If it is finished to 1", you'll lose a min of 1/16" for the cut plus some for sanding out blade marks.
if it is rough sawn, you really need a jointer.
If it is finished to 1", you'll lose a min of 1/16" for the cut plus some for sanding out blade marks.
dogmir
Well-known member
I suggest not taking halfway through in one pass. Especially with hardwood. You will need to increase how hard you are pushing, which is an accident waiting to happen. Not to mention the board will close on you. This will pinch the blade. Increasing risk of an accident.
Take an inch flip the board. Take an inch flip the board and raise the blade. Rinse and repeat. This way as the board's energy is released and the board starts to close you are removing that material.
In doing this if with a thin kerf blade you will loose more than 1/16th. As the energy is released it will change shape quite a bit. The end product will need to be planed. You will be no where near 1/2 when done.
I tell you to be very mindful of this operation. You will hear many a tale of I have been doing it for years, it safe. It is not. I am telling you this with very little of my thumbprint left on my left hand. I was young and fearless and thought it was no big deal. It was a piece of pine wasn't very big and lets just say there wasn't anything left to stitch. I was extremely lucky it wasn't worse.
If you do attempt this make sure to use multiple featherboards and I recommend making an aux tall fence to ride along. I even use a push stick that I made for this. Not mine below but you get the idea. Something that fit over the board and has support on both sides so it can't slip off.
http://s676.photobucket.com/user/b00kemdano/media/resawjig3.jpg.html
Take an inch flip the board. Take an inch flip the board and raise the blade. Rinse and repeat. This way as the board's energy is released and the board starts to close you are removing that material.
In doing this if with a thin kerf blade you will loose more than 1/16th. As the energy is released it will change shape quite a bit. The end product will need to be planed. You will be no where near 1/2 when done.
I tell you to be very mindful of this operation. You will hear many a tale of I have been doing it for years, it safe. It is not. I am telling you this with very little of my thumbprint left on my left hand. I was young and fearless and thought it was no big deal. It was a piece of pine wasn't very big and lets just say there wasn't anything left to stitch. I was extremely lucky it wasn't worse.
If you do attempt this make sure to use multiple featherboards and I recommend making an aux tall fence to ride along. I even use a push stick that I made for this. Not mine below but you get the idea. Something that fit over the board and has support on both sides so it can't slip off.
http://s676.photobucket.com/user/b00kemdano/media/resawjig3.jpg.html
ssdave
Banned
Dogmir has it right. I also tried some table saw resaw on some 1 1/2" thick walnut when I first started doing shop work. The wood closes up, pinches the blade, and causes kickbacks. That one episode convinced me that it isn't a good idea, and I've done very little splitting of boards on a table saw since. When I do, I do it a bit at a time, and use both a high fence, anti-kickback wheels, and a featherboard.
Dogmir's techniques help, and make it possible to do it safely, but the wood may come out warped and twisted and uneven in thickness when you're done. As others have pointed out, after your plane it back to smooth and parallel dimensions, you may not have much thickness left.
A good, solid bandsaw is the right way to do this, using a pin guide to control thickness, and using your eye to keep it cutting straight by pivoting on the pin guide.
Dogmir's techniques help, and make it possible to do it safely, but the wood may come out warped and twisted and uneven in thickness when you're done. As others have pointed out, after your plane it back to smooth and parallel dimensions, you may not have much thickness left.
A good, solid bandsaw is the right way to do this, using a pin guide to control thickness, and using your eye to keep it cutting straight by pivoting on the pin guide.
OP
theoldwizard1
Well-known member
I understand this, because I understand that a 1" board is not 1" thick.
So you are saying turn 3/8" worth of cherry into saw dust ?
jar944
Well-known member
You are already eating .125+ in the kerf. Assuming it's 1x4 S4S that leaves you with 5/16" after re-sawing and before planing to cleanup the cut faces. You would be very lucky to finish out @ .1/4" when all is said and done.
If you want 1/2" just plane it down.
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southalabama
Well-known member
I've re sawed some with my craftsman table saw.
I'm not sure you'll get much usable wood by taking 1" nominal down to 1/2" nominal by re sawing it with a table saw. If you want finished boards you'll have to leave some to be planed. I would just plane it. I'd also explore using a thicker board than 1/2" nominal. Not sure what your building so can't say for sure. I like true 1" as opposed to 1" nominal. Same with 1/2". Old furniture often used real dimensions.
I'm not sure you'll get much usable wood by taking 1" nominal down to 1/2" nominal by re sawing it with a table saw. If you want finished boards you'll have to leave some to be planed. I would just plane it. I'd also explore using a thicker board than 1/2" nominal. Not sure what your building so can't say for sure. I like true 1" as opposed to 1" nominal. Same with 1/2". Old furniture often used real dimensions.
TomB19
Well-known member
dogmir has provided some good advice. 
If you plan on doing much of this sort of thing, perhaps making your own veneers, pick up a cordless circular saw blade for 5/8" arbor. It's not hard to find one with 0.100 thickness and I think they come even more thin.
You mentioned 1x3 and 1x4. That means you'll be cutting 3.5" tall boards. A 6.5" blade will cut half of that height, when fully up. Just.
As for safety, I suggest using a featherboard, a long push stick, and stay out from behind the blade (as you always should). The tablesaw will have no problem swinging that little thin blade so be mindful that it could become extremely hot. It will dull more quickly when really hot and it could even blue and lose it's temper, if you get it too hot.
Those teeth are silver soldered on so be mindful of the heat. You don't want 24 bullets flying at you from two foot range.
Oh yes... make sure you keep the sticks oriented so they are always cut with the same side toward the fence, even when you flip them over.
If you plane them after resawing, you may find they are too thin. if this happens, build a stationary sled that fits overt your planer table and gives you the ability to plane thinner pieces.
Like this:
If you plan on doing much of this sort of thing, perhaps making your own veneers, pick up a cordless circular saw blade for 5/8" arbor. It's not hard to find one with 0.100 thickness and I think they come even more thin.
You mentioned 1x3 and 1x4. That means you'll be cutting 3.5" tall boards. A 6.5" blade will cut half of that height, when fully up. Just.
As for safety, I suggest using a featherboard, a long push stick, and stay out from behind the blade (as you always should). The tablesaw will have no problem swinging that little thin blade so be mindful that it could become extremely hot. It will dull more quickly when really hot and it could even blue and lose it's temper, if you get it too hot.
Those teeth are silver soldered on so be mindful of the heat. You don't want 24 bullets flying at you from two foot range.
Oh yes... make sure you keep the sticks oriented so they are always cut with the same side toward the fence, even when you flip them over.
If you plane them after resawing, you may find they are too thin. if this happens, build a stationary sled that fits overt your planer table and gives you the ability to plane thinner pieces.
Like this:
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crguy
Well-known member
Is that a problem? Cherry isn't gold.
guy48065
Well-known member
Might as well include a picture that includes most of the relevant suggestions (I add featherboards on the table and high on the stock as well).
If you have a good tablesaw you've probably already made some zero-clearance inserts. It's a simple thing to include a short splitter aligned with the blade. Sand it a bit thinner than the kerf and wax it. That's assuming your saw isn't one of the newer european-styled saws with a riving knife.
If you have a good tablesaw you've probably already made some zero-clearance inserts. It's a simple thing to include a short splitter aligned with the blade. Sand it a bit thinner than the kerf and wax it. That's assuming your saw isn't one of the newer european-styled saws with a riving knife.
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