resaw 101 help?

[CarvedTones]

Maybe it's the saw, maybe it's the blade, maybe it's the wood, but most likely it's the sawyer...

I just put my riser kit on the other night, so I don't really have much experience as the owner of a big under powered (for this task) saw. I have done a little resawing on someone else's saw, but he set it up and I was sawing mahogany with very even grain. I thought I was a genius. So don't pull punches or assume I know much when replying.

Tonight I was cutting 7" spruce to 5mm (living dangerously cause I need it at 4, but I am a resaw genius, remember?). I checked drift with some spruce from the same board and I am pretty sure I got that right. I never had any burn marks through the whole ordeal. I used a roofer's square to get the blade square to the table. I clamped that square between a couple of 2x4 offcuts and then clamped it to the table as my almost single point fence and setting the flat side (1") at the drift angle. I sawed a little bit of 3" spruce to test and it went okay. I started on the 7" piece (which is under 1" thick). The saw slowed way down and made some racket, but for a few inches everything seemed fine. But then the board started drifting away at the bottomand before I knew it, the blade was all the way to the surface. But only at the bottom.

I cursed myself for not paying enough attention and reoriented to board to take a slice off a different face. It happened again, with me paying attention and fighting to keep it on track.

I stopped and cut off that mess and made a fingerboard to keep the bottom in tight. I went after it again on another face and had it happen again because I didn't have the fingerboard tight enough.

I tightened up the fingerboard and cut again. This time it stayed in but it brought the saw to a stop a couple of times and it fought hard. I had the saw stabilized pretty good for regular cutting but it shook a bit during this. It still tried to drift over at the bottom but never quite did and I stopped when I had it long enough for the jouhikko sound board. Icut the piece off and checked it and I will be able to use it, so I can get back to the project at hand. But I gotta get better at this. I figured this board had lots of tops in it, but that is a little iffy now.

A few additional observations...

I have the tension adjuster you read by positioning the nut between the two lines. I did go all the way to the top line by the 2nd or 3rd attempt.

The Grizzly blade that came with the riser kit is not very aggressive.

The board cupped a little bit from slicing.

All suggestions appreciated...

 

[Travis Porter]

What size motor do you have on your saw? What size blade are you using to do your resawing? If you are bogging the saw down, bringing it to a complete stop you are pushing it too hard. For resawing on a saw of your size, I would use a 1/2" blade with 3 or 4 teeth per inch. It also sounds like your tension spring may not be holding up or giving.

Regardless of all of this, if you are bogging the saw down you are being too agressive for the blade and motor that your saw is equipped. My adviceis to slow down and listen to the saw. When it starts straining, slow down and let it cut. My .02 and YMMV.

 

[Mike Davis]

A few other things to check.

How tight does the blade feel? It should be almost tight enough to "ping" not thud when you pluck it.

How many teeth per inch on the blade? You need 2 or 3 for wood that thick.

How about the guides? Are they aligned and close to the blade?

You added a riser kit. Did you check the wheels for co-planer after that? Is the blade running center of wheel on BOTH wheels?

How close is the top blade guide to the wood, should be no more than 1/4 inch above the wood.

It sounds like the blade is drifting inside the wood. Like one wheel is running different than the other or the blade is too loose.

 

[jeff...]

I run my blades pretty tight to get a true cut - I tune them to pluck a C note with the jaws fully open.

 

[CarvedTones]

I run my blades pretty tight to get a true cut - I tune them to pluck a C note with the jaws fully open.

I was in the wrong key again? :tinysmile_tongue_t: G# - I just checked it. Thanks for putting it in terms I understand and can easily check. I will try it in C next time. It's not a fast IV, is it? :gar-Bi

 

[DaveO]

The stock blade that Grizzly sent you sucks (and not in a good way) and I agree your blade tension is a little light. It's hard enough for the smaller framed 14" BS to tension a wide blade, and it gets even harder with a riser block and longer blade.
MTCW,
Dave

 

[Mike Davis]

So, now I have to keep a chromatic tuner in the shop? :rotflm:

 

[CarvedTones]

So, now I have to keep a chromatic tuner in the shop? :rotflm:

It's a great tool - you can also use it to make sure blades are sharp and boards are flat... :wrolleyes:

 

[Mike Davis]

Well, I thought I got it to tune Native American flutes. Never thought I'd be using it to tune the band saw.

 

[CarvedTones]

Well, I thought I got it to tune Native American flutes. Never thought I'd be using it to tune the band saw.

I thought about making some NAFs. Are you doing rough outs mostly with router jigs? What kind of wood?

 

[Mike Davis]

Andy,

I made one for my son's Scout Master to be presented at my son's Eagle ceremony.

I got some good clear Eastern Red cedar from Jeff and Michael gave me his old router table. I used a 3/4 inch cove bit to make the core in each half, drilled all the finger holes, sanded & sealed the inside then glued the parts together and turned it on my lathe. I really was shooting in the dark because I don't have any books and there is very little info on the web. I did find on site with a calculator to figure the bore size, length and finger hole placement, but it turned out to be off a little or my measurements were off. Or my understanding of the process was off. Anyway it turned out to have a great tone and is playable but not true to scale. Haven't had time to start another and not sure where to do different. Will probably buy a book to see if I can get more information and direction on the specifics.

I had thought I would make a nice custom baroque recorder in Rosewood or Ebony for my oldest daughter, but it is even more complicated with tapered bore and multiple parts that have to fit perfectly. Not sure I'm up to it at this point. I may just save up the money and buy one for her.

 

[CarvedTones]

Andy,

I made one for my son's Scout Master to be presented at my son's Eagle ceremony.

I got some good clear Eastern Red cedar from Jeff and Michael gave me his old router table. I used a 3/4 inch cove bit to make the core in each half, drilled all the finger holes, sanded & sealed the inside then glued the parts together and turned it on my lathe. I really was shooting in the dark because I don't have any books and there is very little info on the web. I did find on site with a calculator to figure the bore size, length and finger hole placement, but it turned out to be off a little or my measurements were off. Or my understanding of the process was off. Anyway it turned out to have a great tone and is playable but not true to scale. Haven't had time to start another and not sure where to do different. Will probably buy a book to see if I can get more information and direction on the specifics.

I had thought I would make a nice custom baroque recorder in Rosewood or Ebony for my oldest daughter, but it is even more complicated with tapered bore and multiple parts that have to fit perfectly. Not sure I'm up to it at this point. I may just save up the money and buy one for her.

Somewhere I have instructions for making a NAF rough out entirely by router using a cove inside and roundover on the corners.

I have book on making wind instruments that has plans for soprano, alto and tenor baroque recorders as well as a bunch of other instruments. You are welcome to borrow it.