Resawing On Band Saw--Which Side Of Blade?

[Wiley's Woodworks]

I have some 1 5/8"T x 6-8"W boards that I need to resaw into 3/4"T boards. I'll cut out 7/8"T boards and mill them down to 3/4". I have a tall fence on my band saw. The boards are already planed smooth and flat on both faces and jointed square. Do I set the fence for the 7/8" thickness to be between the fence and the blade or on the outside of the blade?

 

[Rwe2156]

The kerf is always on the waste side of the line.

 

[bob vaughan]

13/16" to the center of the kerf.

 

[Robert LaPlaca]

Assuming you have super behaved material, +1/8 thickness theriorically should work, but I haven’t always been so lucky..

Sounds like your 1 5/8” might have come from a 8/4 board. Might want to consider a resaw to 15/16 or 1”..

Kerf to the waste

 

[Craptastic]

The side with the teeth usually works best

 

[Gofor]

I think the question is if he should put the keeper wood against the fence, or on the outside of the blade. I do not do a lot of resawing, but I normally put the widest part (be it the the part I am going to use or the stock I am cutting that board from) against the fence as it is more stable that way. So, for me, it depends on the overall width of the stock vs the width of the piece I am going to use.

In this case, if I understand correctly, he is basically splitting the board, so I would put the keeper portion against the fence, providing I have the fence set where I am not getting any drift. If there is any drift tendency, I would have it go into the waste wood.

Again, I do this rarely, so those that use a bandsaw frequently may want to correct what I have said.

 

[Wiley's Woodworks]

I think the question is if he should put the keeper wood against the fence, or on the outside of the blade. I do not do a lot of resawing, but I normally put the widest part (be it the the part I am going to use or the stock I am cutting that board from) against the fence as it is more stable that way. So, for me, it depends on the overall width of the stock vs the width of the piece I am going to use.

In this case, if I understand correctly, he is basically splitting the board, so I would put the keeper portion against the fence, providing I have the fence set where I am not getting any drift. If there is any drift tendency, I would have it go into the waste wood.

Again, I do this rarely, so those that use a bandsaw frequently may want to correct what I have said.

Yes Mark--You got it right. Obviously I worded my original post poorly because it caused confusion rather than being clarifying. I am resawing 8/4 boards milled barely thinner to make a lower shelf for a massive woodworker's workbench. Final thickness of 3/4" is not critical. I've decided to put the keeper wood against the fence. This way I set the fence once, and every board comes out the same thickness. This will make final planing and running the boards through a thickness sander easier. To get two usable boards out of each thick piece I will probably have to take everything down to 5/8"--11/16", after subtracting milling, saw kerf, and cleaning up band saw kerf marks with thickness sander. That's still going to be thick enough to support any weight I may put on the shelf boards.

 

[tvrgeek]

I usually put the keeper against the fence.

 

[ErnieM]

The side with the teeth usually works best

Now you tell me!