Bandsaw Resawing: Fence Type?

[Art Greenberg]

I'm just getting into resawing with a bandsaw (Delta 14" with riser). So far, I've used a shop-made, flat-faced fence. It seems to work OK, once its set up correctly. I see commercial bandsaw fences that offer a resaw attachment, a device with a curved face that attaches to a flat-faced fence. The wood contacts this attachment only at one point. I gather that point would be aligned with the front of the blade. I have not tried this type of resaw fence yet. Should I? What advantages does it offer over the flat fence?

[George]

The ability to neutralize the "lead" of the blade by changing the direction of feed.

Don't need a fence at all really. Pivot board works great.

[W Canaday]

'Splain "pivot board' ... that's a new term to me. Is it another name for the rounded thingy that gives you a pivot point as you try to follow a line?

Bill

[Swingman]

A BIG help (almost essential if you want to do it cleanly) when cutting out curved parts whose opposite surfaces are parallel, like a chair back.

[Phil at small (vs at large)]

If you've a flat, square (to the board face) edge to rest the board on, you don't need a fence at all. My old (really old) craftsman 16" resaws just fine with a line drawn where I want to resaw-- I go pretty slowly though. Just takes a good eye & a steady hand. BTW, I'm using a 1/2" 4tpi blade. I would get straighter cuts with a 3/4" or 1" blade its just that the one I have isn't worn out yet & my wife says I'm just cheap-- I like to think of it as thrifty. Phil

[George]

Board on its edge, square to the blade, at the proper distance. Bullnose on the edge toward the blade has its closest approach to the blade at the bottom of the gullets.

Any standard book on bandsaws will have pivot blocks or boards demonstrated.

[The Davenport's]

That is almost exactly what it is, Bill, just with a point rather than a radius to contact the wood to be resawn.

The pivot board being this---->

and the other type of fence is this-----)

Easy, no?

Luck

Mike

[TeamCasa]

I'd pass on the pivot or curved fence. If you adjust your fence to compensate for blade drift and your saw is setup property, you will have no trouble making a tall flat fence suitable for resawing.

I use a 6" tall flat fence, works perfectly. BTW, in my experience, a quality blade has little or no drift.

Dave

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[Andy]

I find that once I get the regular straight fence at the proper angle (a few degrees off parallel with the blade) it works well for cutting a straight line. If your bandsaw came with a fence, or if you bought one specifically for a bandsaw, or if you use a straight piece of leftover lumber, it should be adjustable a few degrees either way. I highly recommend a bandsaw book like "The Bandsaw Book" by Duginske - lots of helpful background info and tips. Good luck, Andy