Originally Posted by
Paul K. Johnson
I can't see any way to avoid putting the slab back through the planer after every board is cut from it or I'll have to take each board to the jointer to get one good face and then send it through the planer. I guess either way works.
With a decent bandsaw that is tuned properly and running the correct blade you should not have to reface the board/slab between resaws. I usually cut veneer at 1/32 or 3/64" and can cut 20+ sheets with no more than .005" variation across each sheet and that is being conservative, usually better.
In any case 5/16" should be plenty to have finished boards at 1/4". If your saw and fence are correctly tuned and using a proper blade for the cuts your variation should be well under 1/32", that's actually doable freehand without a fence on a short board. That said the easiest thing to do is experiment yourself and determine where the line is for your machines and your skill, you may find you need a lot less margin for error or you may find you are more comfortable giving yourself a little extra wood to work with.
Of all the laws Brandolini's may be the most universally true.
Deep thought for the day:
Your bandsaw weighs more when you leave the spring compressed instead of relieving the tension.