If you could

[jessupe]

I'm working in some RnD related to a tool I am "dreaming" up and I would like some opinions from other luthiers who do "resaw" work making their own sides/plates and such from stock.

Traditionally a large throat bandsaw is needed with a sled that can hold the material in alignment in order to slide it through the blade. Mark Hatcher recently posted shots of him resawing some Maple in the traditional way

This method seems to me to be the predominant way of resawing material and I'm somewhat surprised that after all this time no one has come up with a cheaper, safer more compact tool for doing this job.

So question one; IF a tool that was compact, safe, affordable and easy to use were invented for the purpose of resawing, would you buy it?

And two; I don't claim to know about all things available in the world, does anyone know if a compact tool for doing this work already exist's? I have not found anything and was wondering if anyone knows about such a thing.

Ripping and chopping wood seems to be the predominant "cut" that happens to wood, wide resawing is fairly rare in the world of construction and other fields, but when it needs to happen it seems to me that its a shame that a large bandsaw is the only option. This tool would be made for not only shop use, but to be highly portable for bringing to a jobsite that would require no "footprint" space requirement to set up.

This is NOT something that I intend on manufacturing, but more about developing and perhaps lic. out to existing manufacturers

Is this something that needs to be invented?

Any input would be appreciated

[printer2]

Compact and relatively inexpensive.

[jessupe]

Originally Posted by printer2

Compact and relatively inexpensive.

It's actually very close to what it is, with power assistance. Here again this really isn't about making money, it's about making a tool that I want more than anything. Just wondering if there would be any commercial want for such a thing. Just knowing luthiers are doing resaw work quite a bit, particularly for more thin delicate cuts for sides.

[Mark Hatcher]

Cheaper? Safer? More compact? After all I've spent on my band saw and sled set up I can only say "You Better Not!"

Mark

[Bruce Sexauer]

The tool I imagine from your description is a one trick pony. My 20" bandsaw does MANY other tasks on a literally daily basis. And it does resaw so well and effortlessly that I have trouble imagining anything easier.

There is such a thing as a horizontal bandsaw with a belt feed. Allied Lutherie has one. It makes resaw a no brainer (relatively untrained labor can run it) but I think the price tag is above your target. Some of the wood I've acquired that was resawn on Allied's machine was thick enough that I was able to bisect it and get two sets for the price of one! Whoever was running the machine that day probably got additional training subsequently.

[H165]

I had a big Aggie saw for years. Still have access to a couple.

Unless you are hitting a very low price point, I'd say it's too inexpensive to buy sawn and thicknessed sets to beat the competition from these sets.

[Tim McKnight]

At this stage in my career I’m not interested because I have about 3 lifetimes worth of wood in my inventory. I would certainly be interested to see what you come up with though because there might be a market for it if the price point is a fraction of a large bandsaw?

[gerberguitars]

I'm having a hard time imagining a portable tool with no footprint that can resaw 10"x24"x2" billets of hardwood, and do so in a way that's easy to manage. Do you have a design in mind or are you just inquiring to see if there is a need for such a tool?

[printer2]

Needs a little work.

[LouieAtienza]

Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer

The tool I imagine from your description is a one trick pony. My 20" bandsaw does MANY other tasks on a literally daily basis. And it does resaw so well and effortlessly that I have trouble imagining anything easier.

There is such a thing as a horizontal bandsaw with a belt feed. Allied Lutherie has one. It makes resaw a no brainer (relatively untrained labor can run it) but I think the price tag is above your target. Some of the wood I've acquired that was resawn on Allied's machine was thick enough that I was able to bisect it and get two sets for the price of one! Whoever was running the machine that day probably got additional training subsequently.

Grizzly makes one. A local lumberyard has a large horizontal bandsaw that will slice to .18", but I think Grizzly quotes theirs at .25". I've seen some sets on sale that are cut to almost .3"!

[LouieAtienza]

Jessupe, I think the biggest issue is that most folks here are guitar makers first, and maybe sawyers second. I send my woods out to resaw, and it's a lot cheaper than tooling up for it. Plus I don't have the space (I have a tiny Ryobi bandsaw for small work.)

[printer2]

A binding machine, you feed in the strips and it cuts the rebates and wraps the guitar perfectly every time.




Alright, I know I am not helping.

[jessupe]

Well thanks for everyones input, Bruce is pretty spot on {as usual} in that this would be pretty much a one trick pony, but if it was portable and accurate enough it might have some merit if it can be produces cheap enough.

Well if I come up with anything you guys would be the first to see it, thanks again for your thoughts about it, as you were.

[Halcyon/Tinker]

That scene where Trillium shows Arthur that it both slices and toasts at the same time...

[printer2]

Originally Posted by Halcyon/Tinker

That scene where Trillium shows Arthur that it both slices and toasts at the same time...