Subject: Re: Kerf width for "ultra-thin" blades?

From: [email-masked] (P. McInerney)
Date: Sat, 8 Feb 1997 14:14:23 +1000

Dan McCammon <[email-masked]> wrote:

>The Ultra thin-kerf Marathon kerf is visibly narrower than a regular
>thin kerf (3/32") blade. I haven't measured but I think it's around 1/16".

I think the blade is 1/16" but the kerf is still 3/32".  I haven't seen 
anything narrower than 3/32".

> I have found that the saw cuts don't look real nice though.  I use a
>stabilizer to help in that department.

You are right.  The cut isn't always smooth.  The orginal poster would
be better off with a very smooth finish blade (80 teeth maybe ?)  Unless
you can get an extra rip per board it doesn't make any difference if the
waste leftover is for example 1" or 1 1/4".

Pat McInerney

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From: Steve Brewster <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 10 Feb 1997 19:39:18 -0600

There is an article about this in Fine Woodworking, Jan/Feb.  The
author says he gets 3/32 finished boards from 1/8 resawn boards. He uses
a thicknessing sander to finish each board.

 Is there a consensus that the
> bandsaw is the tool of choice for cutting multiple thin strips of wood for
> laminating projects?  I'd appreciate hearing some discussion on this topic.

> Thanks
> 
> Lynn Willis
> Indianapolis
> [email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (Carl Muhlhausen)
Date: 7 Feb 1997 16:29:42 GMT

>
>I'm fairly new at this so maybe I haven't gotten the knack yet (or the 
>blade) for making smooth cuts with my bandsaw.  Is there a consensus that the

I'm no bandsaw expert, but I've been using mine for about a
year now. I find that my best cuts on the BS waste about the
same amount of wood as a good thin kerf blade (Forrest WWII)
on the TS. The bandsaw is usually less hassle (set up time),
and quicker for wider boards than the TS. Resawing wide boards
(where you're flipping the board end for end and making multiple
passes)
on the TS usually leaves a surface that needs to be planed the
same as the BS. 

If the boards you're resawing aren't too thick (~<2"), I'd
do them on the TS. Clamp a short stop block or a featherboard
to the left of the blade to give you the correct width strip 
or make a pencil mark on the TS top. 
Rip a strip, then move the fence to line up
with the  stop/pencil mark. Use the appropriate push sticks, push
blocks to make the rips. I have one that rides on the fence that
lets me safely make rips to about 1/2".

With a good blade you shouldn't have to plane the strips.

If your doing wide strips, then I think the BS is better, but 
you'll need to plan for the waste and run them though a planer
(or hand plane them). On the powered planer, you'll probably 
want to stick the strips to a carrier board and then run them
through the planer. DOuble sided carpet tape works well for
me. I heard a talk by an expert woodworker who makes his own
veneer and does lots of lamination work and he uses a BS
and a stationary sander.

Hope this helps.

Carl

-- 
Carl W. Muhlhausen			[email-masked]
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