Help with resawing 2.5" thick boards on TS

[5vhQCj]

Hi All,
A woodworking friend showed me how to resaw my 2.5 x .75 x 36" boards down to 2.5 x .5 x 36" but before I do it again, I'd like to ask for a few more opinions.

My previous set up was with the blade a little over half the board height, ripping it, flipping it over and ripping it again.

The last time I did this cut, I added my diy featherboard to hold the board against the fence.

I saw that some people prefer to cut just shy of 1/2 way through, leaving the offcut attached with a really thin piece of wood, which can easily be trimmed off.

What's a good safe way to do this?

Mike

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Mike, I have to admit that I'd probably run it through the planer to remove 1/4" of material rather than sawing it.

On my saw I would probably cut it in one shot, however if I was going to do it in two passes I would leave a little bit remaining and then clean it up in the planer.

It's not that I don't like a 2 1/2" thick rip, it's that I'm not that fond of the very thin offcut unless you have a zero clearance insert on the saw..........Rod.

[5vhQCj]

Hi Mike, I have to admit that I'd probably run it through the planer to remove 1/4" of material rather than sawing it.

On my saw I would probably cut it in one shot, however if I was going to do it in two passes I would leave a little bit remaining and then clean it up in the planer.

It's not that I don't like a 2 1/2" thick rip, it's that I'm not that fond of the very thin offcut unless you have a zero clearance insert on the saw..........Rod.

Thanks for the reply Rod. I should have stated that I have 120 of these boards that need to be done, if that changes anything. Most of these are actually 4/4 rough, jointed on one side, being turned into .75" thick. Of those, 20 of them need to go down to .5". I know what you're saying about the thin offcut, thankfully I do have a zero clearance insert.

Mike

[Andre in Quebec]

The difference between .75 and .50 being quite marginal IMO I wouldn't bother resawing on a table saw but I'd simply feed them directly in the planer.

With one face already jointed if you take them on the table saw using a regular kerf blade there will be almost nothing left except the .50 anyway.

[Andrew_K99]

I'd also do this with the planner ... it would be a lot faster. Have someone feeding and somenoe receiving them.

Doing this on the table site would take longer and wouldn't be as safe IMO.

AK

[Andrew_K99]

FWIW don't feed multiple pieces at the same time, if the height of the pieces varies too much one or more could shoot out.

If you were wanting to do multiple pieces at once in the planner you could make a carrier sled that has a stop at either end to prevent them from feeding at different rates.

AK

[george in winnipeg]

I am assuming the OP does not have a planer, and that is why he is doing it on the TS.
I have done some resawing like this, and have left a hair of material in the middle. Split pieces apart and clean up with hand plane.
And Absolutely necessary is a Zero clearance insert with thin off cuts.
Take Care
George

[Lost in the Woods]

Just for amusement I'll point out that the depth of cut available with a TS75 is 2-3/4 inch with using a guide rail. One pass, one clean cut.

[bbain32]

Somehow I don't think a festool track saw would do well balanced on a 3/4" thick board edge.

[OttawaP]

I made this cut a few times going over halfway on the first pass. With a riving knife in, I used a featherboard for both passes, a push stick near the end and had no issues.

[willr]

Somehow I don't think a festool track saw would do well balanced on a 3/4" thick board edge.

Don't be so sure -- Track Saw owners get pretty innovative...

I just did a project with a TS55 that would have been difficult with any saw -- I just made appropriate guides and clamps for the tricky cuts -- a lot of small parts. Making that particular cut would be pretty straightforward if the board is less than 8' -- I would just make a board support for my long table so that I could access the edge for the cut.... Less than 10 minutes work -- and a clean cut. Now if Kevin will send me his TS75 I will demonstrate -- and return it just as soon as I'm finished with it...

[bbain32]

Yes, you could do it, but it isn't the ideal too for the job, and with the price of the TS75, the OP could probably go out and buy 2 or 3 planers which are the correct tool for the job.

[Lost in the Woods]

Just for amusement I'll point out that the depth of cut available with a TS75 is 2-3/4 inch with using a guide rail. One pass, one clean cut.

Somehow I don't think a festool track saw would do well balanced on a 3/4" thick board edge.

Just re-read the OP and did not realize that the dimensions/thickness was "point" 75 and not 75 inches. Thought he was just trying to cut 2 and 1/2 inches deep off the end of a laminated slab or something. My bad.

Regardless, if one side is not to be seen ultimately, or if it wouldn't matter anyways, you could dry fit Domino into another piece of wood along the edge that would essentially support the track guide and simply flush cut and sand where the dominos were afterwards. Totally doable.

And as Will mentioned, there are other ways to do this with a track saw I would think. Then again, now I've got the poor bugger buying two expensive tools now.

Actually, even easier with the parralel guide extensions....ooops...that's three expensive things to buy..........I'll shut up now.

[willr]

Yes, you could do it, but it isn't the ideal too for the job, and with the price of the TS75, the OP could probably go out and buy 2 or 3 planers which are the correct tool for the job.

Actually.... The right way would be with the TS75... and my idea of a support bench...

Here's why... If you use the 2.3 (?) mm rip blade that will leave a approximately 4mm slice which will be perfect for a future veneering project.
(19mm -12.7mm - 2.3mm = 4mm approx.. and there is your veneer)

Think of the money that will save on veneer... (TIC)

And much less chips and saw dust...

[5vhQCj]

I am assuming the OP does not have a planer, and that is why he is doing it on the TS.
I have done some resawing like this, and have left a hair of material in the middle. Split pieces apart and clean up with hand plane.
And Absolutely necessary is a Zero clearance insert with thin off cuts.
Take Care
George

When I was first shown how to mill lumber to dimension, resawing on a TS like this was done before it went to the thickness planer. I assume so that all the boards are at least starting at a uniform thickness, and to spare having to go through the thickness planer so many times.

Now I'm doing all the milling at home, except for the thickness planer step.. since I don't own one of those. So I'd like to arrive at my friends' house with the boards the way he'd want them, so they only need a few passes through the planer.

FWIW, I'm currently setting up a 15" bandsaw with a fence. I'm guessing I could do the resawing on there, and probably make a lot less dust at the same time

Mike

[Lloyd in Mississauga]

Since you have so many boards to do, I would use the table saw to get close to the final size, and the clamp several boards on edge together and then feed them through the planer to bring them down to size.

The table saw cut would be in a couple of passes depending on motor size on the saw and the type of wood. It may actually be better as 2-3 lighter passes per side if it is hard maple of something similar rather than taking one big bite to get half way through. I'd look at adding a longer fence and multiple feather boards and have at it.

Lloyd