So I'm in the market for a band saw. I will need a pretty powerful one as the main reason I'm getting it is to resaw about 400-500 linear feet of 5/4x6" mahogany into 1/2x6". I was reading about guys only getting a foot a minute making birch veneers out of 8/4x6". That's really slow. I have a power feed and would be thrilled if i could get it running nicely on a band saw. So what size ? I'm thinking at least a 14"- 5 H.P. Any input ?
What size band saw ?
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I'd say at a minimum...go with 20.It's the diameter of the wheels.The smaller the wheel,the more stress on the blade.A 24",with 5hp would do very nicely.
Or if this is a one time only resaw,hire it out.And get a nice 14,if all you intend to do is contour work.In the perfect world a shop would have a 24 or so for resaw and "bigger" work.....and a sweet runnin 14 for all the rest.Mighty nice not having to change "setups",back and forth.
Or if this is a one time only resaw,hire it out.And get a nice 14,if all you intend to do is contour work.In the perfect world a shop would have a 24 or so for resaw and "bigger" work.....and a sweet runnin 14 for all the rest.Mighty nice not having to change "setups",back and forth.
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Resawing is a slow process. A foot a minute is a little slow, but u doubt you'll be rigging up that power feed with much success.
Of course I could b wrong. My bandsaw is a 24" centauro with an American 5hp motor and my resawing results are excellent but I do move slow. When resawing 8" curly maple, I'd say my rate is about 5' per minute.
Hope this helps.
Of course I could b wrong. My bandsaw is a 24" centauro with an American 5hp motor and my resawing results are excellent but I do move slow. When resawing 8" curly maple, I'd say my rate is about 5' per minute.
Hope this helps.
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Mahogany is not difficult to cut. Resawing 6in stock should not be difficult.
Whatever machine you purchase, get a blade designed for resawing. It will have fewer teeth, aggressive cut design and deep gullets to remove the waste.
An unknown is whether the blade cuts straight or has drift. This will determine whether you can use the power feed, or whether you have to manually adjust the stock to keep the blade on track.
I have also not seen 14in machines with large motors like 5HP.
You should be able to resaw the mahogany with a 1HP motor, although slower than with larger motor.
I do not think you need larger than 17in saw with 2HP motor for this task. A 17in band saw is going to be more useful than a 14in saw for future general work.
Whatever machine you purchase, get a blade designed for resawing. It will have fewer teeth, aggressive cut design and deep gullets to remove the waste.
An unknown is whether the blade cuts straight or has drift. This will determine whether you can use the power feed, or whether you have to manually adjust the stock to keep the blade on track.
I have also not seen 14in machines with large motors like 5HP.
You should be able to resaw the mahogany with a 1HP motor, although slower than with larger motor.
I do not think you need larger than 17in saw with 2HP motor for this task. A 17in band saw is going to be more useful than a 14in saw for future general work.
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27,864 Posts
you don't need 5 HP!
My 18" Mini Max has a 3 HP motor and has never even slowed down when I've resawn 8" Oak.
It's all about the blade for resawing, a minimum of 3 TPI and when you go with fewer teeth it's hard to find those in a narrow blade, like 1/2" ...so, you need the larger machine for the wider blades.
The blade width capacity of most 14" saws is 3/4", if I recall. But then because of the small wheel diameter, you need a thinner blade like 0.025" to avoid weld fatigue. Then you need more tension on a wider blade to maintain stiffness. You solve one issue and create another.
Looking into the future, my advice is to get a 17" with 2HP minimum, OR a 19" with 3 HP or if you are on a "power trip', a 24" with 5 HP.
I have a 19" Grizzly with 3HP and it's a great resaw machine, nice blade guides also. It will take up to a 1 1/4" blade. This one:
http://www.grizzly.com/products/19-3-HP-Extreme-Series-Bandsaw-with-Motor-Brake/G0514X2B
Unless your power feeder has variable speed, it will be a challange to get the feed rate exactly spot on. Wood densities and hardness varies, even within the same plank.
Some clever guy could rig up a 4" belt sander, laying on it's side with a 36 grit belt and a variable speed controller for a power feeder.... given enough time..... and the right tools .....
and a real need for one... it could happen .... I donno?
Any motor over 1 1/2 HP will require 220 V.
My 18" Mini Max has a 3 HP motor and has never even slowed down when I've resawn 8" Oak.
It's all about the blade for resawing, a minimum of 3 TPI and when you go with fewer teeth it's hard to find those in a narrow blade, like 1/2" ...so, you need the larger machine for the wider blades.
The blade width capacity of most 14" saws is 3/4", if I recall. But then because of the small wheel diameter, you need a thinner blade like 0.025" to avoid weld fatigue. Then you need more tension on a wider blade to maintain stiffness. You solve one issue and create another.
Looking into the future, my advice is to get a 17" with 2HP minimum, OR a 19" with 3 HP or if you are on a "power trip', a 24" with 5 HP.
I have a 19" Grizzly with 3HP and it's a great resaw machine, nice blade guides also. It will take up to a 1 1/4" blade. This one:
http://www.grizzly.com/products/19-3-HP-Extreme-Series-Bandsaw-with-Motor-Brake/G0514X2B
Unless your power feeder has variable speed, it will be a challange to get the feed rate exactly spot on. Wood densities and hardness varies, even within the same plank.
Some clever guy could rig up a 4" belt sander, laying on it's side with a 36 grit belt and a variable speed controller for a power feeder.... given enough time..... and the right tools .....
and a real need for one... it could happen .... I donno?
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36" Tannewitz.
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what's your budget and time frame?
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In the same boat, sort of
Lucky me you all were already talking about this :thumbsup:
I've got about 150bf of 8/4 and 4/4 walnut that my dad's been storing for years. I'll want to resaw some of it, so we're on the hunt for the right machine. Most of my projects are small using off cuts I get from a cabinetmaker friend. I do dollhouses and small boxes, nothing bigger than an end table is in my future (famous last words, I know).
Should I be looking for a 1HP 12" or thereabouts?
Thanks!
Lucky me you all were already talking about this :thumbsup:
I've got about 150bf of 8/4 and 4/4 walnut that my dad's been storing for years. I'll want to resaw some of it, so we're on the hunt for the right machine. Most of my projects are small using off cuts I get from a cabinetmaker friend. I do dollhouses and small boxes, nothing bigger than an end table is in my future (famous last words, I know).
Should I be looking for a 1HP 12" or thereabouts?
Thanks!
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