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  #31  
Old 01-02-2017, 08:09 PM
Howard Klepper Howard Klepper is offline
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Originally Posted by BradHall View Post
Tadol, I recently acquired a 14" Delta bandsaw. I did find a reproduction of the instruction manual and, while helpful, it is pretty minimal. You mentioned a book on proper set up. Can you specify which book please? It doesn't have the riser block which I'll put on my lengthy list of wants and needs, so I won't be doing resawing of plates for a while. I do have an old Homecraft (Delta) small bandsaw that works fine for thin stock. It has a 1/4" blade. I need a new blade on the 14" saw and am wondering what a good "all around " blade would be best. I'm looking at the Grizzly catalog that shows two 1/2" blades, 4 and 6 hook, carbide "lmbedded", whatever that is. At about $17 ea. and considering I'm probably going to average 3-4 builds a year, do you or anyone have a recommendation for me?
I tried a Grizzly blade about 16-17 years ago. Don't bother. My go-to blade for most cutting is Timberwolf from Suffolk Machinery, 1/4" 6tpi hook ("Positive Claw").
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  #32  
Old 01-02-2017, 08:40 PM
BlmJn BlmJn is offline
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I believe that Rockwell bought Delta a long time ago and cheapened the original Delta design. Delta much later was spun off during a Rockwell reorganization. That is where some think that Delta bought Rockwell comes from. A 6 inch riser block is a cheap way to get the depth of cut. But you will need to put on a big motor to pull 5/8 or wider blade for resawing. Minimum saw size should be a 17 inch saw with a 2 horse motor. Grizzly has a number of saws that fit that and are a good purchase for the money.
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  #33  
Old 01-02-2017, 09:41 PM
John Arnold John Arnold is offline
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Minimum saw size should be a 17 inch saw with a 2 horse motor. Grizzly has a number of saws that fit that and are a good purchase for the money.
I have done really well with my 16" Makita resaw. It was designed for 2" wide blades, but I use 1" Lenox Woodmaster CT (carbide tipped) for most of my resawing these days. I have two....one I bought in 1990 and installed a 3 horse motor, and a recently acquired one that now has a 5 horse motor. The 5 horse is running 5000 FPM, while the 3 horse is around 4200.
This saw was only produced for a few years in the late-1980's, but it can occasionally be found on Craigslist. It is similar to the Hitachi CB75 (same 111" blade length), but is cast iron, rather than a steel frame. It is very solidly built, and can tension 1" blades just fine. The depth of cut is 12 1/2".
The usual selling price for the Makita is $700 to $900, with the original motor. It is a universal motor with a gear reduction (same type as on the Hitachi), and IMHO is seriously underpowered. But even with a motor upgrade, you still should be under $1500.

I have cut thousands of red spruce tops and hundreds of rosewood sets on my Makita......not counting all the more 'ordinary' lumber like oak, cherry. holly, walnut, maple, persimmon, etc.
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  #34  
Old 01-04-2017, 08:15 AM
Ned Milburn Ned Milburn is offline
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Many newer saw makers are building one-piece welded frame ("European") construction. Laguna, General/General-International, Grizzly, etc. A variety of choices are available. Your choice should have a strong enough motor and accurate blade adjusters.

A 14" is the de facto small shop workhorse. It is small enough that it won't break the bank or your back to move it, but big enough to resaw up to near 10". (Note, even if the saw says it has 12 inches clearance, it might only be able to cut 9 or 10" effectively.)

I chose my General International 14" for its 12" resaw depth. It runs on normal current, but can be rewired for 220.

Buying beyond one's perceived needs is often a good idea. "They never built a barn big enough!"
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  #35  
Old 01-04-2017, 12:11 PM
Rodger Knox Rodger Knox is offline
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From a hobbiest perspective, a 14' saw with a riser block is all you need. My saw is only a 3/4 horse motor, and I've cut 8" mesquite and 10" sapele with it. You do have to go slow, but taking a couple of hours to resaw backs and sides is not that significant if you're building two or three a year.
I would like to upgrade the motor, but I doubt that the frame is stiff enough for much of an upgrade. It does alright with a 5/8" blade, I use a Timberwolf with 3tpi for resawing. I usually keep a 1/2" 10tpi Timberwolf on the saw for general cutting, the saw gets a lot more use for general cutting than resawing, and I do cut all my own backs and sides.
I'll agree with the experts that bigger is usually better, but the price goes up pretty quickly when you get bigger than 14". With that kind of investment, it may be the hobby changes from building guitars to resawing wood.
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  #36  
Old 01-04-2017, 01:08 PM
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Bruce Sexauer Bruce Sexauer is offline
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Bandsaws simply don't need big motors, what they need is sharp blades. I have a 1/2 hp on my 14", and a 2 hp on my 20". No matter how much power you have, if the blade is dull resawing is difficult and expensive as the blade will become distracted by the wood and won't track adequately. The Makita/Hitachi 2" stelite blade machines are dedicated resaws and operate a bit differently that typical bandsaws, but they do the job!

I sprang for a carbide blade once, but found it slow cutting and it took a big kerf. Then I hit a grabber screw and had to throw it away. Since then I have been very happy with the 5/8" thin kerf blades I get from Hastings Saw in Rohnert Park, ca. If I am resawing expensive Rosewood backs a blade is good for about 20 perfect cuts, and then feeding it starts to slow down, making it a good idea not to risk a bad cut, which can easily cost more than the price of a new blade. NEVER push the wood into the saw, instead feed the stock as the the saw takes the wood away. This is my key to successful resawing.
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  #37  
Old 01-04-2017, 03:14 PM
Rudy4 Rudy4 is offline
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So true about the correct blade making all the difference on a smaller saw with a lighter horsepower motor.

I've had the same 12" Delta for several years and it matches my needs well. I cut the column and added in an additional 3" riser to re-saw occasionally to a maximum 9" capacity and it does so with no problem.

I keep it fitted with a 3 tpi 1/2" skip tooth bi-metal blade and use it for all my band saw needs, including 3/8" brass and 2024-T4 aluminum bar stock. I buy the blade stock in bulk and weld up a fresh blade when the old one starts to get dull or if I'm going to do re-saw work with it. I inherited my dad's 220v blade welder, so it costs me about $6 to throw a new blade on it. The stock 1/2 hp motor doesn't seem to mind whatever I throw at it, as long as the blade is sharp.

It always amazes me when someone has problems with burning, tracking, slow cutting with a band saw and wants to fix it by putting on a bigger motor.

Why did I go with this saw? I purchased it new for less than $200 (I'm cheap...) and it's light enough to move around by myself, a prerequisite as I get older.

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  #38  
Old 01-04-2017, 03:21 PM
redir redir is offline
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Please believe me, your definition of 'cuts no problem' will change when you go from a 3/4HP 14in saw to a dedicated resaw with 3HP

Of course the blade and the condition of the blade is important no matter what kind of saw you are using. But with the power behind it the feed rate is impressive to say the least. It will never slow the blade down which means it runs cooler and will probably have better blade life too.
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  #39  
Old 01-04-2017, 04:46 PM
Rudy4 Rudy4 is offline
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Originally Posted by redir View Post
Please believe me, your definition of 'cuts no problem' will change when you go from a 3/4HP 14in saw to a dedicated resaw with 3HP

Of course the blade and the condition of the blade is important no matter what kind of saw you are using. But with the power behind it the feed rate is impressive to say the least. It will never slow the blade down which means it runs cooler and will probably have better blade life too.
The membership-based shop here in town has a BIG re-saw with a 2" wide carbide tipped blade and they say the same thing. I TOTALLY agree with your statement, but can I do it for the same $250 I have tied up in my rig?

Here's a shot of re-sawing some walnut; I believe it was 7" wide, but the wider stuff cuts OK. too. Sure, it's slower, but I'll use the couple thousand dollars on something else and same myself a hernia in the process.


Last edited by Rudy4; 01-04-2017 at 04:54 PM.
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  #40  
Old 01-04-2017, 06:32 PM
wade63 wade63 is offline
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I'm thinking hard on this with a riser kit-pretty much hobbyist https://www.amazon.com/Grizzly-G0555...Series+Bandsaw
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  #41  
Old 01-04-2017, 07:03 PM
redir redir is offline
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Originally Posted by Rudy4 View Post
The membership-based shop here in town has a BIG re-saw with a 2" wide carbide tipped blade and they say the same thing. I TOTALLY agree with your statement, but can I do it for the same $250 I have tied up in my rig?

Here's a shot of re-sawing some walnut; I believe it was 7" wide, but the wider stuff cuts OK. too. Sure, it's slower, but I'll use the couple thousand dollars on something else and same myself a hernia in the process.

I did the same thing for about 20 years before I got the resaw. I'm just poking fun. Whats that fence set up all about? I have not seen something like that.
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  #42  
Old 01-04-2017, 07:38 PM
Rudy4 Rudy4 is offline
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Originally Posted by redir View Post
I did the same thing for about 20 years before I got the resaw. I'm just poking fun. Whats that fence set up all about? I have not seen something like that.
No problem. We sometimes use different methodology to arrive at the same point, often taking in the consideration of the economics of our respective shops. I've been doing instrument stuff for over thirty years and I just happen to be really "frugal". (Some have another name for it...)

Re-sawing effectively on a small saw requires that you accommodate for your blade lead angle. (There's tons of info on the web about lead angle and how to establish it).
There are two methods to compensate for blade lead angle; re-setting the fixed angle of the fence or using a point contact fence (as shown in my photo) that permits adjusting the cut on the fly. The fence on my band saw has this feature built in so I opt to use it. Often you see folks re-sawing with only the point contact used and the standard fence is removed during its use.

The photo doesn't show the relationship very well, but the point is aligned with the front of the blade; the angle here is a bit more extreme than usual because I'm using a blade with a bit of wear. In most examples of using the point contact (with a sharper blade) the angle ends up only being a degree or two. I'm spitting a thick billet here to use as a bookmatched top that's going on a carved top bass. With a sharp blade it's easy to cut 1/8" or 3/16" thick slices from the billet.

Last edited by Rudy4; 01-04-2017 at 07:46 PM.
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  #43  
Old 01-04-2017, 07:51 PM
Rudy4 Rudy4 is offline
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Originally Posted by wade63 View Post
I'm thinking hard on this with a riser kit-pretty much hobbyist https://www.amazon.com/Grizzly-G0555...Series+Bandsaw
The GO555 is a very popular saw and is a feature in a lot of serious shops. I have seen this saw featured occasionally with reduced shipping or something else that makes it easier to justify the expenditure. I'm positive at one time I saw the riser block thrown in at no additional charge.
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  #44  
Old 01-04-2017, 08:20 PM
wade63 wade63 is offline
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Originally Posted by Rudy4 View Post
The GO555 is a very popular saw and is a feature in a lot of serious shops. I have seen this saw featured occasionally with reduced shipping or something else that makes it easier to justify the expenditure. I'm positive at one time I saw the riser block thrown in at no additional charge.
Thanks, Amazon has it cheaper than Grizzly. Will be near a Grizzly outlet later this month, I think I'll call them and see if I can work a deal.
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  #45  
Old 01-05-2017, 08:34 AM
redir redir is offline
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Originally Posted by Rudy4 View Post
No problem. We sometimes use different methodology to arrive at the same point, often taking in the consideration of the economics of our respective shops. I've been doing instrument stuff for over thirty years and I just happen to be really "frugal". (Some have another name for it...)

Re-sawing effectively on a small saw requires that you accommodate for your blade lead angle. (There's tons of info on the web about lead angle and how to establish it).
There are two methods to compensate for blade lead angle; re-setting the fixed angle of the fence or using a point contact fence (as shown in my photo) that permits adjusting the cut on the fly. The fence on my band saw has this feature built in so I opt to use it. Often you see folks re-sawing with only the point contact used and the standard fence is removed during its use.

The photo doesn't show the relationship very well, but the point is aligned with the front of the blade; the angle here is a bit more extreme than usual because I'm using a blade with a bit of wear. In most examples of using the point contact (with a sharper blade) the angle ends up only being a degree or two. I'm spitting a thick billet here to use as a bookmatched top that's going on a carved top bass. With a sharp blade it's easy to cut 1/8" or 3/16" thick slices from the billet.
If you are talking about blade drift, you have to account for it on the big saws too, it's not as bad but it's there and bad enough to make a difference if not accounted for. In fact I do it before every resaw session. The fence on my resaw swivels so it's just a matter of loosening a hinge bolt to set the angel.

Fun stuff.
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