What is Resawing? Why Resaw on Bandsaw Over Table Saw?

It is necessary to have all the tools for woodwork, and knowing how to use them is very professional. If you are working on a woodshop or you want to work on a woodshop, you probably have questions on What is Resawing? Why Resaw on Bandsaw Over Table Saw?

Resawing is undoubtedly the most beneficial skill to have when working in a woodshop. 

Resawing is the process of splitting a big thick wood to obtain multiple thin pieces from that without compensating the length. Resawing is another kind of rip-cut. To learn more on what is resaw & why resaw on bandsaw over a table saw? continue reading.

Why Do You Resaw Wood?

There are several benefits of resawing wood. Here we have mentioned some important reasons why resawing wood is necessary.

Save Cash: Resawing can help you with saving cash and material. Instead of buying thin lumber, which is expensive, you can cut cheaper logs and make your own lumber if you know how to resaw. 

Make Veneers: Veneers are thin layers of wood that are used as furniture sheets. Veneers can also be used to create fascinating grain patterns. 

Making your veneer can benefit you more than buying it straight from the store because buying veneers from the store means you are limited to making any changes to it. 

Whereas, you can change its dimension as you like if you make your own. 

Grain Effect: Yes, as mentioned above, the grain effect is another unique design option you can do by resawing wood. Have you seen the cool-looking designs of the front panel of the furniture? That is the grain effect.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Bandsaw and Table Saw

• Bandsaws are the most often used tools for resawing. One of the advantages of a bandsaw is it can handle any standard dimension boards or resaw whole logs. But these are not beginner-friendly tools as they require more practice to master.
• Table Saws are suitable for resawing narrow boards, and they can also produce some clean repeatable cuts. It is one of the biggest advantages for table saws. Table saws are beginner-friendly, so anyone can start working with these tools. 

But before you start working on resawing as a beginner, you should be aware of the risks you can encounter during resawing. When resawing, there is a possibility of kickback which can cause severe injuries.

Difference Between Rip & Resaw

Rip and Resaw are for cutting the wood, but they cut in different ways. The Rip is to cut a block of wood across the width whereas, on a Resaw, the wood is split across its thickness to get multiple thin pieces of wood from one. Both Rip and Resaw cut the wood along the grain.

In a simpler way, rip-cut cuts a wide board into multiple smaller width boards, and resawing is to slice off the lumber into narrower boards.

How to Resaw?

Resaw can be done automatically or manually. A hacksaw is to resaw manually, while there are more options for automatic machines, for instance, Table Saw, Bandsaw, and Sawmills. Woodworkers use power tools more nowadays as they have gotten more reasonable, and their convenience is worth it. 

Both table and bandsaw are more common, however, if you compare both then a bandsaw is a better option in our opinion. Why? Let us explain.

Resawing on Bandsaw VS Table Saw

Resawing on both of these power tools is very similar. Start by setting the blade straight, set the fence parallel to the blade according to the slab thickness, then just push the lumber against the fence and against the blade to get the cut you want. 

What Advantages Does the Bandsaw Have Over the Table Saw?

• Bandsaws are better suited for wide boards.
• The blade kerf of bandsaws is much thinner than table saws. 

Resawing on Table Saw

As mentioned above, table saws are very common among woodworkers, due to their versatility and the ability to achieve a variety of cuts. Table saws are great tools if you are working with narrower boards, they are not good with wide boards or planks. It is because their blade raise adjustment is limited.

Every problem has a solution, to cut wider boards with a table saw you can use two-pass. Although this procedure will be more time-consuming.

Resawing on Bandsaw

If you are working with big wide lumbers, then bandsaws are the one you should go for. The biggest advantage of having a bandsaw is the flexibility of resawing wider and narrower lumbers. The blade of the bandsaw can be raised much further to help it accommodate bigger boards.

The kerf blade allows for saving cost and material as well. It achieves a cleaner and straighter cut in a single pass. Overall, it is much more comfortable and convenient to have over a table saw.

Wood Slicer Blades for Resawing on Bandsaw

There are several blades available for resawing to make the process much easier and more attractive. Many companies are producing dedicated blades for bandsaws, and wood slicer blades are one of them. Wood slicer blades with variable pitch can reduce vibration and noise. 

Also, use a thin kerf blade with 2-5 TPI (tooth per inch) for resawing for a better result.

Blade tension

Blade tension is a crucial part you should be aware of. Too much tension can cause damage to your blade, or a loose blade can break. Usually, the blade should be set at around 7,000 – 15,000 PSI, depending on the saw itself. 

But a normal person won’t carry a tension meter with them, but you can feel the tension by touching and hearing the sound of the blade. A well-tensioned blade may sound similar to a guitar string.

How to Resaw with a Bandsaw

Operating a bandsaw might be tricky for a beginner. But once you get used to it, you will enjoy working with it. Let’s go over the steps on how to resaw on a bandsaw.

Start by measuring the lumber you are planning to work on. To keep things less complicated, we will use a 3 x 6 board. If you want to make a 1 inch resaw cut, which will turn the 3 x 6 into two 1.5 x 6 boards. 

The next step is to prepare the saw and set the fence. Fences on a bandsaw help to stay on track. If you are resawing a 3 x 6 board then set the fence to 1.5 inches. The same goes for the blade’s height, as the board is 6 inches wide the blade should be set at just over 6 inches. 

And do not forget to use a thin kerf blade to get a better cut. 

Lastly, power up the saw and start to cut. Set your bandsaw to a moderate speed and rest the lumber against the fence. Gradually push the lumber through the blade, it is preferred to use a stick to push the lumber for safety reasons.

How Can I Ensure a Straight, Accurate Cut When Resawing on a Bandsaw

1. Make sure the blade is sharp and properly tensioned.

2. Use a fence and miter gauge to keep the board aligned and steady.

3. Feed the board slowly and evenly to avoid binding.

4. Make sure the blade is tracking straight and true.

5. Use a thin-kerf blade to minimize the amount of material removed.

6. Use a zero-clearance insert to reduce blade deflection and provide a smooth, clean cut.

7. Make multiple passes, reducing the depth of the cut each time, to ensure a straight, accurate cut.

How to Resaw with a Table Saw

As mentioned above, a bandsaw is much better than a table saw, but many woodworkers still use table saws for resawing. Let us see how to resaw using a table saw. It is basically the same process.

Start by measuring the lumber and mark on both sides of the lumber, because in this case, you have to flip the board for a two-pass. 

After marking is done, set the fence and blade height properly just like a bandsaw. And adjust the fence and blade just like the examples in the bandsaw above.

Lastly, power up the table saw, rest the lumber against the fence and start pushing the lumber into the blade using a push stick. 

This is how to resaw on a bandsaw, and a table saw.

What is Resawing Lumber?

Resawing lumber is slicing large pieces of wood to get multiple thin pieces of wood from it. This process allows obtaining thin pieces of wood panels, such as veneer. There are many uses for thin layers of wood, and resawing is the only easy way to achieve them.

Why is it Called Resawing?

The term Resawing refers to cutting a board across its thickness. In other words, sawing a wider board to obtain multiple thinner boards.

FAQs

Can You Resaw with a Table Saw?

Yes, you can, but resaw is mainly done in the bandsaw. It is extra work to resaw with a table saw when a bandsaw can help you save time, cost, and material.

Can All Bandsaws Resaw?

Yes, almost all bandsaws can be used to resaw. But wide blades make it more effective and easier to cut a straight line properly. Try to look for blades with four TPI (teeth per inch).

Summary

Resawing is the process of splitting a thicker wood into two thinner wood. Both Bandsaw and Table Saw are used to resaw wood, but from the difference, you can clearly see how much better Bandsaw is compared to a Table Saw. 

We hope you have gained new knowledge on what is resawing and why resaw on bandsaw over table saw. We have provided in-depth information about resawing and both the power tools to help you decide on which tool you should buy if you want to work on woods.

Relevant Resources:

• What Is a Toe Kick Saw? The Purpose of Toe Kick Saw