Bandsaw resawing question

[dancam]

I have a Rikon 10-325 Band saw that has a re-saw capacity of ~12-13". I bought an Olson 3/4" 3-4TPI to use for re-sawing and I am not that satisfied w/it. The cuts are straight and there is little or no drift but the finished cut is very rough. I am mostly trying to re-saw QSWO, figured maple and Cherry.

I am thinking of getting another brand and was wondering what the best brand to get for re-sawing. I would like to get as smooth a cut as possible. I am also wondering if it would be better to get a 1/2" vs. the 3/4".

Any suggestions/guidance is appreciated.

Dan C.

11/29--Got the new Wood Slicer delivered yesterday and mounted it this AM and re-tuned the saw. The Wood Slicer is considerably better than the Olson 2TPI/ 3/4". The cut is real smooth.

 

[yellofins]

I have the same band saw set up and I purchased the Wood Slicer from Highland Woodworking.
I can go from the saw to the sander with this blade.
I have both the 3/4" and the 1/2" an both do a great job.
It is easier to adjust the tracking on the 1/2" but either would do a great job.
I've resawed Cherry, Oak, Maple and Koa lately with no problems.

Ron

 

[Ken Massingale]

Same saw here.
I only use Bladerunners from Iturra for resawing. Same blade as Highlands Woodslicer but about 30% cheaper. I find the 5/8" works very good.
Like Ron said, the cut is as good as I have seen after a resaw.
k

 

[woodguy1975]

I like Lenox Bimetals for resawing. I buy them from woodcraft bands.

I've resawn on a number of machines and have seen a pretty good variation of what a saw will produce. For the ultimate smooth cut I use a Lenox 1" carbide tipped blade. they are the only blades that will give you a surface that can be sanded smooth easily.

Personally I accept the fact I'm going to have to at least drum sand the peice and tune up the saw best I can in a resonable timeframe. I've resawn maple to 1/32" of an inch with a finely tuned setup, but I spent a lot of time getting the setup just right. You can really waste a lot of shop time trying to get perfect results when they aren't required.

Good Luck,

John

 

[CarvedTones]

Another vote for the WoodSlicer, but I have an underpowered saw so it is pretty much the only reasonable option for me because of the thin kerf. I have only done a lot of true resaw on spruce and I got clean cuts, but I use it for general purpose cutting also and I have gotten very clean cuts in 16/4 mahogany, 12/4 basswood and 8/4 hard maple and cherry. I did also resaw a short 3" wide purple heart board and it was fine.

It is my understanding that very few 14" bandsaws with riser kits can properly tension a blade over 1/2".

 

[Travis Porter]

Carbide. The price is a shock, but the longevity and cut quality are outstanding.

 

[mlzettl]

Over the years I've used various blades on my 14" Delta, and then on my MiniMax 16. I've tried the Woodslicer, Timberwolf, Olsen, etc., etc. All produced reasonably good results if the saw was tuned properly, blade sharp, and all blade guides set carefully. Still, these blades tended to dull rather quickly, especially if you're resawing dense tropical hardwoods. About two years ago I finally bit the bullet and bought a 1" Trimaster. Wow, you have to see it to believe it. I can cut 1/8" thick veneers 12 inches wide with no problem. The price is enough to take your breath away, but the durability may offset that. I have not used the Lenox bimetal blades, but I may get one to put on the saw for most everyday work.

Matt

 

[dancam]

Thanks everyone for your input. I went ahead and ordered a "Wood Slicer" from Highland Hdwr. I'll let you know how it works out.

Thanks,
Dan C.