I have been told you can cut veneer on a band saw.
First; can you?
Would you cut it with the thin slice between the blade and the fence or would the slice be on the open side of the blade. ie the block between the blade and fence.
Sorry never had a band saw before now, and just thinking of doing veneer work.
This is one of the unfortunate side effects on getting a great deal on a use band saw.
I will have to be a little more careful in convincing my wife I need another tool. I don't know why she though it was a good idea, the table has been that way since we bought it 40 years ago.
Yes you can and you have the advantage of cutting the veneer as thick as you want. I have cut oak so thin that you could see through the holes in the grain and I have cut maple veneer for a kitchen reface job 2/32" thick. I cut 1/4" thick veneer to cover bed posts made from plywood. You can cut it either way but I prefer to cut with the veneer falling outside the blade and keeping the stock between the fence and the blade. Supposedly this is the correct way and is the safer way. If you cut with the veneer coming off between the blade and the fence the stock tends to become tapered and the veneer seems to come out thicker on one end than the other. Remember thin veneer has little support to not bow and often will rub back into the blade. Basically think about how you would cut thin pieces on you TS. You want the thin stuff to be able to not get trapped against the blade, it can bind and get gnarled up.
Yes you have to move the fence but you can simply attach a stop for this purpose, Rockler sells a bearing stop for this purpose for about $15~$20.
Take a look here at the Laguna site, click on the "Perfect Cut" video under the band saw section
You can cut thins slice veneer with a band saw. And yes you can do it either way. Most do it with the cut out away from the fence and you need to adjust the fence each time. No big deal, you set up a stop and move the fence and wood to that.
I have done both.. I don't have a problem either way. You do lose support after the blade if you cut on the fence side. I use a magnetic tool that has wings on it to push against the fence before the blade when doing either cut. That way I don't let it drift away. Be sure your saw is tuned, and your drift is adjusted for if you use a fence. I now believe in a fence over a point. I can be more accurate and consistent.
Use a good blade, I use the timberwolf.. others rave about the highland woodslicer. Either are good. Stay away from the Olson, I can't get that blade to cut consistently.
Given the above, slicing off veneer is pretty easy. It is easier from a wide piece of wood than from a narrow one.
Either way. The former means you don't have to move the fence (at the price of stability); the latter is more stabile but you have to move the fence for each cut. Spend $395 for Laguna's Driftmaster fence and that is easy too.
Reminds me of a woodworking show I went to a few years back. One of them was a Laguna dealer showcasing how it could cut 12" high veneer strips off a piece of wood that were less than 1/16" thick. You could hold the veneers up to a light and actually see the brightness of the light through them.
Guessing that some other brands of bandsaws can do this, but it really impressed me about Laguna brand bandsaws. When the time comes for my to buy a bandsaw, Laguna will be the first brand I'll consider.
Ditto. I was about to pull the trigger (14SUV) last fall but lost my job at the end of August. Kinda reset the whole thing. Once I get the house sold...
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