Resawing at the Tablesaw It’s often the perfect tool for the job

By Paul Anthony

The technique of resawing refers to slicing across its widest dimension. It’s basically a form of slabbing done to make thin stock from thick stock. It’s also used to create book-matched pieces are edge-joined to createfigure, awhere mirrored resawn pattern suchfor use as asthe a onedoor on panel, page 30. boxResawing lid, or tray is usuallybottom, which is good at slicing done on the , onwide a bandsaw boards, and makes in one a pass. Plus, the thin blade waste and increasing narrower kerf, reducing on a bandsaw can be yield. That said, resawing fussy, and depends on a fencesharp setup.blade, Onwell the adjusted guides, and a meticulous on the tablesaw is fairly straightforward.other hand, resawing Although making deep cuts like this with the stock on edge can it’s not dangerous with thefeel properlike a dicey setup.operation, If your saw isn’t already outfitted Mirror figure.One big benefit of with a splitter or riving knife, go youAnd, can by cuttingeffectively in from double resawing figured wood is that it creates to woodcraftmagazine.com for an theboth cutting edges ofdepth a board, of the a nearly symmetrical book-match article on shop-made splitters. when the sawn boards are opened 10" tablesaw to resaw like pages. Edge-glued together, these stockblade, up allowing to 6" wide. a typical boards will become a stunning panel.

Photos: Paul Anthony, courtesy Taunton Press Oct/Nov 2016 woodcraftmagazine.com 27 5 keys to safe, successful resawing Resawing at the tablesaw 3. A featherboard. For safety and accuracy, set up a featherboard feedingthe first a time board can on seem edge in front of the blade intoscary, perhaps given that a fully you’re 5 4 to keep the workpiece raised blade. But there’s firmly against the no need to be nervous while allowing forward with the proper setup: 3 motion and helping prevent kickback. 1. The right blade. For best results in hard 4. A suitably tall fence. wood, use a 20-to 30-tooth For proper support, the rip blade, which will 2 fence should contact chew through thick stock 1 most, if not all, of the without bogging down. workpiece. When A thin-kerf blade will cut ripping work taller than 1 more easily than a ⁄8"- the stock fence, set up kerf blade, especially on an auxiliary tall fence to underpowered . do the job.

2. A splitter or riving knife.A properly aligned 5. A shoe-style pusher. For best control, splitter or riving knife is crucial because it keeps use a pusher with a long sole, which allows the work against the fence once it passes the holding the work down against the table while blade, preventing kickback. Align the splitter the heel of the pusher does the feeding. with the side of the teeth that face the fence. Resawing in a single pass to joint and the piece The first order of business is then joint the edges to theconsistent faces. This thickness, ensures and stability and accurate slicing while feeding. Set your blade height no more than about 1 4" above the stock. Adjust your⁄ rip fence for the desired 1 piece thickness plus 32 be planed away later.⁄ Set ", to press against the stock just up a featherboard to firmly thenin front cut of as the shown. blade, Before place a pusher close at hand, and Steady and confident does it. Begin the cut holding the piece down and against the fence joint the face that will be with your left hand, while pushing it forward with your right. Feed as fast as you comfortably contactingbeginning the the next fence. cut, Then can, and at a steady rate. As soon as the trailing end of the board is resting on the table, repeat the process as before. bring your pusher into play. Follow through using the pusher until the cut is completed.

28 woodcraftmagazine.com Oct/Nov 2016 Resawing in Two Passes Resawing can be done in two passes because each of the two cuts is shallower thaninstead a full of one,cut. Resawingmaking for in a twosafer passes operation also allows you to slice a wider board. Although a typical splitter won’t work for splitter mounted in a zero-clearance throat plate.this non-through (See onlineEXTRA.) cut, you canWhen use resawing a short as simple as an auxiliary fence screwed to wide pieces, use a tall fence. This may be your rip fence, or you can make a box-style 1 plusfence that32 fits tightly atop your rip fence. Set the fence for the desired finished thickness more⁄ than halfway through the stock. ", and raise the blade to reach slightly

Splitter end-for-endUsing a featherboard to make a forward second passof the that blade, will completemake your the first cut. cut, Before then resawingflip the stock the next the fence. Then repeat the entire process. Half-cut for starters. With the blade raised halfway through the slice, joint the face that will be contacting stock, feed the board steadily and as quickly as you comfortably can, continuing to hold the piece firmly against the tall fence.

Flip and repeat. Rotate the piece end-for-end, with the same face Smooth follow-through. For safety’s sake, use a pusher to against the fence. With a shoe-style pusher at the ready (behind complete the cut, which prevents the parts from possibly the fence here), begin the second cut in the same manner. pinching against the blade at the end of the cut.

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