Setting Up Your Saw for Resawing

Set your bandsaw up for accurate resawing by following these simple setup tips.

- Logan Wittmer

A bandsaw is a versatile tool. In fact, I know many woodworkers that use a bandsaw as their primary saw in their shop. It can cut curves, joinery, rip parts to width. It’s my belief however, that the bandsaw’s most valuable and unique skill set is one of it’s least used—and that’s resawing.

Resawing—splitting material into several thinner pieces, may be done for several reasons. First—you can stretch expensive material further. You can resaw your own veneers, resulting in a series of matched veneers for projects. And one over looked aspect is that, often times, it’s faster to resaw material down rather than planing it away. No matter what way you cut it (har har), when you resaw, you’re asking a lot out of your saw. Every little thing needs to be right for you to get the best possible results. Here, I’ll walk you through the steps I take when I set up my bandsaw for resawing.

Before we jump in, I want to point out that every bandsaw can perform some level of resawing tasks. Bigger, more powerful saws will handle larger material. That’s not to say you need a 2,000lb, 36" bandsaw for resawing like I have. If you want one though, who am I to stop you. Heck, I’ll provide your signifi cant other a doctor’s note saying you need one.

Blade First

Choosing the right blade is one of the most critical aspects of having a good resawing experience. For resawing, the rule of thumb is that you want the widest blade with the most aggressive teeth that your saw will handle. Here, I’ve loaded my saw up with a