Resaw options

[Tony Wilkins]

I've spent a bit of time looking at the resaw threads for the last couple of years and there doesn't seem to be one thread where all the options are analyzed and compared. Here's what I've found so far (and I don't claim this to be an exhaustive list):

1) Kerf saw/Frame saw as presented in Fidgen's newest book
2) European style rip bow saw (e.g. ECE)
3) Ryoba/kataba
4) Western rip saw (which 'success' in this arena seems to drive the search for anything else)
5) band saw (not Neanderthal but ends up being mentioned for some reason :roll eyes: )
6) forget about it (where the previous threads seem to end up)

So what do you use to resaw? I seem to be caught in the current leading inexorably toward band saw but don't want to wash up there.

Thanks,
Tony

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

A lot of it depends on what you want to resaw, and the answers are going to be different depending on what you want to do - it's not ideal, but I've had decent success with a seven-point, 26 or 28 inch handsaw for things like drawer sides, and can struggle along with stuff a little bigger, so I haven't worked for anything more just yet. I wouldn't take that approach for something 10 inches wide, though. I get the feeling the "kerfing plane" like Fidgen mentions (and a poster here made their own version separately) could help a lot even with a handsaw.

After seeing the large frame saw stuff at Logan Cabinet Shop, Renaissance Woodworker, and Fidgen's newest book, I'm thinking that and a kerfing plane are future projects for me. The fact that the Renaissance Woodworker blog has made some commercial hardware available makes it a little easier if a little more expensive to try this.

I'm interested though, because Adam Cherubini of the Arts and Mysteries column/blog at Pop. Woodworking has posted less than favorable reviews of the same tool others have praised.

I was particularly impressed with the results shown in the vintage Williamsburg video with George and his apprentices making the harpsichord.

I'm wondering about these large framesaws, as far as what tooth count is best - Tom Fidgen went for a higher TPI than Bob at Logan Cabinet shop or Shannon at the Renaissance Woodworker, which I'd be more comfortable with. The length is another question I have too - larger seems better, but I can probably only convince my wife to help on the other side so much. (I have a pretty good wife considering she's offered to help at all! - she's a keeper!)

Tom's "kerfing plane" seems useful even outside of resawing, and with some work might be useable for dadoes and sliding dovetails as well, and seems worth making to me - the metal bits are the biggest cost outlay, and could be repurposed.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

Actually, I think you should build a giant treadle-powered reciprocating saw - I'm imagining something like a huge scrollsaw powered by foot power - I'm thinking like the old gang saws. I just want to see someone make something that crazy.

[Tony Wilkins]

No huge foot powered anything here Joshua lol. Resawing I'm think of is mostly 1/2" stock our of larger for drawer-sides; just think planing 3/4" or 4/4 stock down is too wasteful (and exhausting depending on the size).

[David Weaver]

Bandsaw with anything of size. Western handsaw if not large.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

No huge foot powered anything here Joshua lol. Resawing I'm think of is mostly 1/2" stock our of larger for drawer-sides; just think planing 3/4" or 4/4 stock down is too wasteful (and exhausting depending on the size).

The issue with size is less the thickness than the width of the stock.

Unless you're doing huge drawer sides, or really hard woods, I've gotten along fine with a normal rip saw for drawer sides, if we're talking something not more than maybe 6". 4" inches or so isn't bad at all. If you roughly crosscut first, it's not too bad at all; the crosscut lets you work all four corners pretty easily and have the kerfs meet to help guide you along.

That said, I wouldn't want to do a million drawers like this, and wouldn't want to do a lot of large drawers for like a chest of drawers or something, but it's not bad for a few, or smaller things like desk drawers or what have you. I'm not saying it's ideal, but it's workable. Just make sure you sharpen your saw first, and frequently.

[Chris Griggs]

Rsawing by hand sucks. Like others have said, a couple not too wide drawers sides isn't too bad, but in general, it sucks. If you have the money and space for a bandsaw get one, learn to to tune and use it, and spend your time enjoying the much more fun aspects of handwork.

[Judson Green]

Nice little 14" band saw doesn't take up too much room. Most can plug into a regular 15 amp 115-120 volt outlet, up to about 1.5 ponys I think. I use a western saw (though not well) for smaller resawing.

[Mark AJ Allen]

1. I start with kerfing with a cheapy $100 TS or my own prototype kerfplane
2. I made a framesaw with a bow saw blade. Very aggressive, ugly cut but will stay in with the kerf.

I still have to clean up the faces and I can't do anything thinner than 1/4". I'm looking to improve my setup for resawing.

[Shawn Pixley]

I have resawn boards by hand to see if I could do it. I could. Now I do it on a bandsaw. I know I'll rot in neander hell for admitting this in public.

[Jim Koepke]

I have resawn boards by hand to see if I could do it. I could. Now I do it on a bandsaw. I know I'll rot in neander hell for admitting this in public.

For me it depends on what is being sawn. For ripping a 1X6 of a few feet into two .5X6s the band saw gets the job. When it comes to taking a piece of 4/4 of 6 inches and trying to turn a piece that is over a few feet into a couple of 4/4 of 3 inch width then it is easier for me to get a good cut with a hand saw.

It is difficult for me to feed a long piece like that through my bandsaw without a helping hand. Even with help it is easier to just do it by hand.

As far as neanderness goes, they would have used bandsaws if they had 'em.

jtk

[Jim Matthews]

I have resawn boards by hand to see if I could do it. I could. Now I do it on a bandsaw. I know I'll rot in neander hell for admitting this in public.

Those of us with the nerve to try it once, and the good sense to realize it's a thankless chore - do the same.
"There are two types of people in the World:
people who say they pee in the showers,
and filthy liars." - Paraphrase Louis CK

[Warren Mickley]

I used a hand saw (rip saw), until I made a veneer saw in 1980. My veneer saw is roughly modelled after Roubo plate 278. American veneer saws are often narrower between rails and have turned handles outside the rails so they have less capacity, more for resawing boards and planks than logs as in Roubo. It takes skill and touch to use a saw like this. When you are learning you want to leave yourself plenty of leeway for wandering inside the cut.

I tried ploughing a narrow kerf around the outside about 20 years ago. I found that with wide boards the kerf is not enough to keep the saw on track- if it really wants to wander it will just go outside the plough kerf. I also tried sawing diagonally down one side then the other, but did not find that helpful.

If you already have a good feel for using a ripsaw, resawing is not too hard. You have to be able to feel just what the saw is doing.

[Bruce Haugen]

If you would ask a large number of dedicated hand tool users (and I guess you are), you'd likely find that the most used power tools they have is a bandsaw. I know that's true on the Oldtools list.

[Bill Rhodus]

Depends on what you want to focus on. If resawing is just a component of your woodworking stick with a band saw or western handsaw. If you want to slide down the slope of hand resawing check out the frame saw blades from Blackburn Tool. I have a 4"x48" blade of his that works well and is inexpensive. I read Adam Cherubini's' articles on the frame saw but disagree on his conclusions. I spent many years in the sawmill industry and have applied a variety of sawing techniques; the similar tooth geometry, kerf, side clearance, plate thickness, etc will cause the frame and western saw to mimic one another. Many of the frame saws I see have a narrow blade and this reduces the directions limiting of a wide blade. The frame saw also induces a great deal of tension to the blade that is not present in a handsaw; flip side is a large frame that I have found works better with 2 people that know what they are doing. In my every day woodworking world of sawing components as I build a piece, I most often reach for a Disston 30"x3 tpi western saw. Sorry for the rambling reply.