Resawing without a resaw

WLC · July 04, 2020, 02:07:51 AM

I have some lumber I initially sawed for another project that didn't happen. Now I have a need for some thinner lumber and wondered can I, and if yes, how can I resaw 6/4 lumber and basically split it in half. I need 11/16 after planing and I'm starting with 6/4. Can I do it and get 2 pieces usable out of it? How is the best way?

barbender · July 04, 2020, 02:18:07 AM

Resawing 6/4 in two will only leave you 11/16 before planing, with a 1/8" kerf.

longtime lurker · July 04, 2020, 06:29:36 AM

As Barbender said, you're up against it from the start. We often split 1½" for panelling stock but that has a finish size of ½" dressed.

Depending on application can you get away with dressing only one face? With a real sharp blade you might be able to stop at 5/8"

kelLOGg · July 04, 2020, 06:55:44 AM

Regardless of the thickness you end up with, you need a way to keep the board flat on the mill while making the cut. A slight bow can ruin the thickness. I put sections of railroad iron on the board to flatten it and that has worked well. I cut 8" wide and 1" thick red oak boards this way to make a covering for a plywood-topped storage table and after planing both sided I ended up with 5/16". I never get quite the thickness I expect.

Sixacresand · July 04, 2020, 08:00:50 AM

Quote from: kelLOGg on July 04, 2020, 06:55:44 AM
you need a way to keep the board flat on the mill ...... I never get quite the thickness I expect.

One of my least favorite things to do on a sawmill.

John S · July 04, 2020, 08:31:00 AM

terrifictimbersllc · July 04, 2020, 08:45:29 AM

Try your best with the flattest piece, see what you can get and whether it's enough.
Add in to the issues having to cut and clamp less than 1" from the bed.
You can stack weights on top of the board. Stones, toolboxes, railroad rails work well.

Southside · July 04, 2020, 11:16:44 AM

If that lumber is dry it will be worse than sawing a dry log, your band will wave like a mom on the first day of school watching the bus leave.

WLC · July 04, 2020, 01:53:02 PM

Well, evidently math isn't my strong suit.... I realized after I posted the OP exactly what Barbender told me in the first reply. I just split 1.5" in half and didn't allow for the kerf. :

I may try it and only skim a half inch just to avoid having to hog so much material off in the planer, or I may just go buy the lumber to do the project. I just hate buying lumber when I have stacks of "free" lumber sitting on stickers.

terrifictimbersllc · July 04, 2020, 02:23:37 PM

You could hog it off either side with the sawmill pretty easy too.

To be honest that's what I thought when I first saw your post.

WDH · July 04, 2020, 08:47:29 PM

I get a lot of calls for it. I have learned to say, "No, I don't do that."

barbender · July 05, 2020, 01:27:27 AM

What John S. has there is a fine example of a resaw sled, that's the only way to do this kind of stuff on the mill, IMO. Resawing boards by clamping them and cutting them is a fool's errand, you can't get them flat and end up with uneven thicknesses- not to mention it's slowwww.

WLC · July 20, 2020, 06:54:23 PM

Thanks for talking me out of it. Probably better to buy what I need anyway.

RussMaGuss · July 20, 2020, 10:34:40 PM

That sled is pretty slick!

I tried to resaw a few 2" red oak boards that had been sitting in my dad's friend's garage for years... It didn't go terribly well lol lesson learned

Don P · July 21, 2020, 08:17:15 AM

I've found its usually better to just let the planer grind to the line at that point.

scsmith42 · July 21, 2020, 08:55:15 AM

We do it all the time, but we have a dedicated horizontal resaw that is set up for it.

My greatest concern with what you propose is that any delta's in MC% between the core and shell of your 6/4 lumber will cause it to cup significantly after resawing.

The most important thing when resawing is to ensure that there is little if any moisture content gradient between core and shell.

Cruiser_79 · July 21, 2020, 09:40:42 AM

Today I also learned the hard way that resawing with a bandsaw mill is not a really good idea... Customer wanted to resaw a couple of azobe beams for marine dock doors. The beams aren't perfectly straight but a bit arched, what resulted in beams that aren't square anymore... Besides that my sawhead is creeping up a little while my sawbed is exactly level, what can cause that problem??

Larry · July 21, 2020, 09:48:48 AM

Quote from: scsmith42 on July 21, 2020, 08:55:15 AM
My greatest concern with what you propose is that any delta's in MC% between the core and shell of your 6/4 lumber will cause it to cup significantly after resawing.

Excellent point. Well worth filing that nugget of information away.

I sometimes re-saw thick stuff brought in by customers. They have no idea of the MC or what will happen after I re-saw.

terrifictimbersllc · July 21, 2020, 10:23:00 AM

I've had quite a few resawing jobs and many more such inquiries.

The ones I've taken have had the expectations managed.

farmfromkansas · July 21, 2020, 10:48:09 AM

Years ago, I stopped by a shop in Wichita KS that sold trim, pretty good prices. The trim was pretty thin. What they were doing, was resawing rough sawn 1" lumber at an angle, then ran it through their molder so the trim fit the uneven cut. Worked pretty well, they just used a upright bandsaw to make the resaw cuts. Think it was called Witchita Millwork.