What does Resaw mean?

[JBritt]

Again, new to the website and to woodworking.  What does it mean when someone says they are having to do resaw work? Does this simply mean resawing lumber that has already been cut once?

[woodmills1]

It probably can mean different things, but primarily it is when one saw is used to produce a square cant from a round log, and then another "resaw" is used to make boards out of the cant.

[JBritt]

Oh ok, thanks a lot woodsmill1.

[Bibbyman]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKhQh4YhHxU

Here is a video of the Wood-Mizer HR120 resaw.  They make more models for more production.  Most all sawmill manufactures also offer resaws. There are also resaw attachments for band sawmills.

[mcfcfan]

Hi JBritt,

Just to let you know, there is no resawing required with a swingblade mill. 8) 8)
Dimensional boards come straight off the log.

Cheers Lee

[Tom]

Resawing  has a purpose.  It is a common practice in the Pallet industry where they can get small cants and cut what they desire from them dependent upon necessity.  You have to be careful about resawing like that because the cants will degrade if not processed soon enough.

It is also used in Cabinet shops where they deal in expensive woods.  It is not uncommon for a shop owner to split 2" thick stock into two boards that will dress 3/4.

Luthiers (music instrument makers) readily resaw 1/4" or 3/8" boards from thicker stock to obtain material for violins, guitars and other stringed instruments.

Resaw is also a term used by circle saw millers.  When they have made a run (cut) and are returning the cant/carriage to its starting point (gigging back) , the big saw will often touch the side of the cant and leave a criss-cross design on one side of the board.  The sawyer will often refer to this as resawing.  It can be a problem in that instance because the saw can heat, but the touch is usually so light that it isn't one.

[Bibbyman]

Hi JBritt,

Just to let you know, there is no resawing required with a swingblade mill. 8) 8)
Dimensional boards come straight off the log.

Cheers Lee

How do you take a piece of recoved lumber and turn it into 1/8" veneer?  How would you take a 2x4 and make 2 1x4s?

[backwoods sawyer]

Another instance where a resaw can be affective is down steam form the primary break down saw whether it is a bandsaw or a round saw. The less cuts needed by the primary break down saw translates into more logs sawn in a shift.

[weisyboy]

to resaw is to cut one piece of timber into smaller pieces.

Hi JBritt,

Just to let you know, there is no resawing required with a swingblade mill. 8) 8)
Dimensional boards come straight off the log.

Cheers Lee

How do you take a piece of recoved lumber and turn it into 1/8" veneer?  How would you take a 2x4 and make 2 1x4s?

obviously if you have a peice of timber and wanted to make it into smaller timber then abviously you have to resaw it.

this can be done on the mill by simply dropping the peice into a log that has been opened up and resawing in the mill. this is a little fidily especialy when you are doing small sizes. this is why i built a resaw bench.

what lee meant was that when sawing a log with a swing blade mill you dont have to saw cants and resaw them into dimensional timber. the boards come straight of the log with each pass.

[Chris Burchfield]

You may not have an order to fill at the time you are creating cants.  The cants of what ever wood can be stored under shelter until a customer has a need for specific board sizes. 

[Dodgy Loner]

Hi JBritt,

Just to let you know, there is no resawing required with a swingblade mill. 8) 8)
Dimensional boards come straight off the log.

Cheers Lee

I cut dimension lumber straight off a bandsaw as well. But as the others have mentioned, sometimes boards or cants need to be processed into something thinner than they already are. I have used the bandsaw to resaw 2x4s into 1x4s.

Also, I went to Rotorua, NZ back in May 2003. Defintely the most unique spot on earth I've ever seen been to!