Resawing on a table saw?

[Captain Smollett]

Any thoughts on using a table saw for re-sawing?

On wood working web sites, I've seen a few references to "don't do it, EVER!" and such alarmist absolute imperatives usually give me great pause on credibility issues (ie, the person saying it is often just repeating something they heard/read and don't really understand the whys and wherefores of the answer).

Also, I've seen others say "I've done it for decades...like anything else with a table saw, with proper precautions it's okay."  I've seen some jigs for holding/pushing the work piece to make things safer and do plan to employ such strategies, in addition to such devices as feather boards.

So, what say the boat building/restoring bunch?

My problems/questions are twofold:

(a) I don't own a band saw

(b) the pieces I need to resaw off the stock are only about 1/8" thick.  I was planning on putting that side against the fence, and do not plan to resaw ALL the way through (leaving a sixteenth or so to "pop" off after the saw operation).

[CharlieJ]

Yeah- I do it. couple things

get a thin kerf blade. They waste less wood

I normally do not like having an offcut between blade and fence-can bind and sling back at you. But if you make SURE you leave that small bit uncut, it should do fine.

Use a push stick


Use a push stick

Oh- and- use a push stick

[John Bailey]

I did it quite often when I was younger.  While the best advice is "don't do it," it can be done in relative safety.  You didn't mention what size stock you are using.  Generally speaking, the larger the stock, the safer it will be.  For instance, if you are cutting that 1/8" of a 1x4, go buy some more life insurance.;D. On the other hand, (if you have both hands after cutting the 1x4) cutting it off a 4x4 should be just fine.

In any event, you should be fine if you keep your body parts a safe distance and, use a push stick.

One other thing, keep your body out of the line of fire.  As a past moderator of the web's largest woodworking forum, I saw too many pictures of the results of flying wood.

Might be a good time to invest in a band saw.  It's my favorite, and go to, machine.  It's great for boat work.

[CharlieJ]

Might be a good time to invest in a band saw.  It's my favorite, and go to, machine.  It's great for boat work.

Only one problem there - Capt Smollett lives on a 30 foot sailboat ;D

I suspect he's borrowing the table saw too.

Agree on the band saw- I have two in my shop.

[Captain Smollett]

Many Thanks, Guys!

Only one problem there - Capt Smollett lives on a 30 foot sailboat ;D

Not at the moment; she's still in the yard, but yeah, don't want to invest in too many shop tools that will spend 98% of their life collecting dust in a storage unit.

I suspect he's borrowing the table saw too.

Broke down and bought one of the small bench models (a Bosch) that I can use at the boat yard.

I just was not getting done with I needed with other tools.

get a thin kerf blade. They waste less wood

Good suggestion; thanks.

I normally do not like having an offcut between blade and fence-can bind and sling back at you. But if you make SURE you leave that small bit uncut, it should do fine.

Guess I'm not married to leaving the offcut against the fence, and as I think about it, I can arrive at no good reason to do it.  But either way, I will be 100% for certain I leave that uncut bit in the middle; as I understand it, it's about the only thing that even remotely makes table saw re-sawing safe enough to attempt.

Use a push stick


Use a push stick

Oh- and- use a push stick

and

use a push stick.

;D

Yes, I hear you.

The "jig" I mentioned is actually a beefed up push stick designed to positively grab the work piece along three dimensions (top, back and face that is away from fence) with an attached handled positioned to

(a) keep body out of alignment with blade and

(b) keep hands away from blade in the event the handle breaks...the direction of push is forward and not 'down' at all.  Even though the blade is "covered" by the work in this application, its still there, the work can move and I am just paranoid to think about it.

Generally speaking, the larger the stock, the safer it will be.  For instance, if you are cutting that 1/8" of a 1x4, go buy some more life insurance.Grin. On the other hand, (if you have both hands after cutting the 1x4) cutting it off a 4x4 should be just fine.

Well, the pieces I need to do are more like the 1x4, or maybe 1x6 or 2x6, but I have a fence extender "jig" for ripping narrow pieces that I use (rather than ripping directly against the fence) and that resawing jig mentioned above SEEMS to me like it will help.

Am I way off base here?

Might be a good time to invest in a band saw.  It's my favorite, and go to, machine.  It's great for boat work

Yeah, I can think of a few uses for a band saw...I use the dickens out my jig saw.  I have not been  sure a "bench" model will be large enough to be useful for what I need and I simply do not have room for any floor equipment.

Band saw is ideal, if it's big enough.  I see online bench band saws that are called 9 inch, so now I'm thinking that may, indeed, be the way to go.  9 inch should be PLENTY for what I'm doing.

Even still...another shop tool...oy.

[John Bailey]

Typically a 9" table mount bandsaw would not have the power to handle resawing 4" safely.  It seems you've done your home work, so, just let us see how it went.  It'll be fine with the table saw.

Like I said I did it in my younger days and I lived to be old.

John

[CharlieJ]

What he said.

And I'd bet I got to be older :D

[John Bailey]

Respectfully,

Neither one of us is old if we have the SailFar attitude!!  I would opine the more SailFar attitude the younger one is.

I hope to be as young as either of you some day.

John

[Wade]

As an ex professional woodworker,,,, yes, it can be done. There is good advice above. what ever works and leaves you intact is the way to go.  Wade

[Leroy - Gulf 29]

CJ... I seem to remember when you cut the strips for the ceiling on Tehani.  Was the "resawed" part next to the fence and the cutting stock on the outside or vice versa?

[CharlieJ]

I had the saw set up so the offcuts were next to fence. Didn't have to reset each time then. Don't really like doing that, but in this instance, made sense. Did have a hold down clamped to the fence, and feather boards set to hold against the blade. Plus there were two of us working so the last couple of feet got PULLED through.

Here's what it all looked like . That's my little table saw by the way. Since sold. Thenn they all got planed and edges rounded- edge rounding set up, using a router, is shown in second pic.

Third shot is all varnished

[CharlieJ]

And one final shot showing the completed ceiling, in fore cabin

Edited to add- the materials were 3/4 inch Ash, ripped to 1 1/2 " width, then resawn edgeways, into two  strips, about 3/8 thick.