Resawing on a table saw

[toller]

I bought some teak scraps about 6" or 7" wide by 1' to 2' long for $5/bf. Problem (or opportunity, depending on how you look at it) is that they are

2" thick. I would like to resaw them on my table saw, and wind up with finished 3/4" stock. He has a bunch more, if this works out.

I have read everything google came up with and figure I will:

1) Not use a zero clearance insert 2) Use a rip blade 3) Move the blade up in 1" increments as I cut both sides 4) Leave a 1/4" inch web, which I will then cut with a band saw or jig saw.

Any other suggestions before I give it a go? Thanks.

[J]

[toller]

The stuff I found on google said it created a lot of sawdust with no place to go, so they recommended 1 and 3 to accomodate the saw dust.

I sawed up my 4' of wood in a couple minutes. The tough part was handsawing the web. But I found a 1/16" web was adequate and sawed easily. Now I know for next time.

[Lobby Dosser]

If you have a band saw, why not just resaw on that? Whole lot easier, no burning, no extra steps.

[Leon]

1. Use a zero clearance insert
2. Or a general or combo blade.
3. This is OK.

4 This is OK also.

I,

1. Use a zero clearance insert
2. Use a Forrest WWII 40 tooth reg kerf on a cabinet saw to resaw Ipe that is 6" wide.
3. I now make the cut in 2 passes total.
4. No longer do this if I can cut all they way through when cutting from both sides.

[Lew Hodgett]

Why?

Buy several good carbide rip blades.

Teak eats cutting tools, it's very abrasive stuff.

Keep recycling them back to a sharpening service so you alway have a sharp one in the saw.

Why? Is your saw horse power limited?

See above.

HTH

Lew

[JMWEBER987]

Just out of curiosity why do you leave a web when resawing on a table saw?

[Leon]

That is not a problem. The sawdust goes down into the saw. I have never ever has a hint of a problem with that respect.

[Leon]

So that the 2 halves to not seperate when the blade is deep in between the two halves.

[igor]

Is the concern that if they separate the fence-side piece will fall into the blade, jam, and go flying? If so, it seems that a jig that holds the fence-side piece to the fence would solve this problem. No?

[RonB]

I might add a couple of things to above posts:

1) The amount you cut on each pass depends on your machine. My 3HP cabinet saw can resaw 4" in two to four passes without breathing hard. My old 1 HP Craftsman could barely handle 3/4" passes without choking and smoking.

2) Be CAREFUL, especially with a lower powered saw. If you try to take too large of a bite, clog things up, and start heating up your stock might warp enough to close on the blade. I had a piece of PINE do that years ago. About the time the 1HP motor started moan the 2' to 3' piece knocked the push stick out of my hand and shot back and up over my shoulder. Fortunately I was where I was supposed to be - outside of the blade plane. Hardwood like Teak will probably be a little slower to warp but be careful.

This is a good place to use featherboards or at least clamp a guide to the table top to help hold stock to the fence.

[patriarch]

"RonB" wrote in news:PzNfd.89860$tU4.83396@okepread06:

It isn't just the wood that can heat up and warp. Blades overheat, and do nasty things, when no longer flat.

Pay attention to your tools, and don't push them past their reasonable limitations.

Patriarch

[bridger]

how? remember, up until the moment you finish the last pass it's attached to the other side.

'sides, you still have to surface it when you're done ripping. the tablesaw kerf is pretty wide compared to the handsaw kerf used to make the final separation, so the bit of "flash" left proud down the middle does no harm. having the two parts hang together through the rip is a safety thing as well as a convenience, and as long as the bit you leave in the middle is small it's a quick and easy process to finish off with a handsaw.

[igor]

If you tell me a solution (in theory) (1) could be safe and (2) would make things easier because saw-through could be done on the TS, I have what I think is a good one.

[RonB]

Actually this piece was warped. The web remained between the upper and lower cuts. But the kerf was closing on itself in the area being cut. It might have been the wood relieving stress rather that heat though.

[Leon]

Well technically the center part that you do not saw on the TS should be

3/8-1/2" wide. When it is this wide the two halves have less chance of pinching the blade. A very narrow center does little from a safety stand point. Cut the center out with a recap or hand saw.

[Dan Valleskey]

I resaw on the table saw all the time. I hav a great band saw, but (before I got my planer) the table saw made a cleaner cut.

I did some without leaving a web to hold the halves- I would always wince, tense up, get a cold feeling in my gut, until I had the wood all the way past the blade.

Well, DUH!!!! I finally started listening to my reactions. I leave a web now, it is easy to clean it up with a hand plane.

Mulitiple passes? One inch depth of cut? not on your life, even with my 1.5 hp contractor saw, full depth has never been a problem. As long as I use a good sharp blade. I have switched to my thin kerf blade, on occasion, though.

-Dan V.