A proper band saw with good quality, preferable 14 model, will be the best used tool for resawing. Usually band saws come with two or three blade wheels with a throat capacity of 8 to 36. For resawing, wide blades are used and the small radius curves are cut with narrow blades. Though the band saws are mostly chosen for their versatility, they often come with complex set up and different operations for each different cutting. The blade is changed each time there is a new operation.

Tuning

A band saw should be unplugged while centering blade and installing. The tilt of top should be well adjusted and there should be proper tension in order to make the blade cut straight. Support the rest of the blade with guide blocks and back up roller and set the side clearance by wrapping a single layer of 24# paper around the blade.

In order to cut sharper corners with less binding, the back of the blade should be conditioned well. Adjust the fence to blade so that the band saw could cut parallel to edge of a table. The table should be set square to blade for a 90 degrees cutting. Setting a band saw can be a time consuming process as each blade is set differently for different procedures.

Blades

Three major types of blades namely regular tooth, hook tooth, skip tooth, are mostly used for a better cutting. The regular tooth is meant for smoother cutting and not resawing. Having a 10 degrees rake angle, hook tooth is used for hard and difficult cuts. The skip tooth has 0 degree rake angle and is used for smoother cuts as well as resawing.

The fewer the teeth, the cut will be more aggressive and perfect for resawing. Similarly, blade with more TPI will cut at a slower rate. But it is necessary to have at least three teeth in the material. While a wide blade will give a straight cut, a narrow blade will cut slower.

A band saw with broken blades can be repaired or fabricated to use again. Steel or bi-metal blades of 1/16 to 1-1/4 are fixed by brazing fixture. With a 180 degrees movement and wide blades, the jig can be used again and so is the kit which can be used to make blades from coil stock. Fences should be set properly for a fine cutting. Instead of the stock blade, most woodworkers use one quality blade in the widths when they purchase a new saw.

Safety Tips

Read and understand the owner’s manual before using band saws. Wear face shield and safety glasses and make sure the machine is set to the stand. All the guards should be places properly with the upper guide to 1/8 above stock. Keep the floor clean and use a push stick while cutting narrow pieces. Use the proper blade with required blade tension and keep your hands to one side of the blade. Do not leave the saw running unattended.