14" Jet Band Saw help

[ben2008]

I have an older model (grey) 14" Jet band saw that I have not used for quite some time. I would like to resurrect it to do some re-sawing. I'm looking for some advice on how to go about that and what blade should I use? I have never used it for re-sawing. I only used it for some scrolling of large toys I made about 25 or so years ago and only occasionally since then. It's almost like new, just dusty. I don't have a fence for it either. Should I try and make one, or buy one?

Thanks in advance

Ben

[Roberta Moreton]

You want the widest blade you can get for your saw. WoodMizer is supposed to be a good brand. 

[Jim Erickson]

Regarding the fence, I'd make my own.  Did that for my son in law's Rikon about 15 years ago, and it's worked well.  I made it kind of like a little Beisemeyer.  I welded mine, but you could build a bolt together unit without too much trouble.  Jim

[Jim Erickson]

I haven't done a lot of resawing, and I don't know what you have in mind, but I've done what I needed with my regular 1/2" 3 tpi skip tooth blade.  I have several wider blades, but don't want to bother with the set up involved with blade changes.  If you're going to do a lot of resawing, or only resawing then maybe a dedicated resaw blade would be better.  Jim  BTW, the 1/2" 3 tpi blade is the blade I use on my saw most of the time.

[WolfmoonCT]

Timberwolf makes nice blades too.  I have a 1/2" blade on  mine and I resaw with it.  One very important thing is to get the setup right. If you don't, you will be cutting angles. spend the time getting the table perpendicular to the blade. You also need to make sure your guides are set correct.   I highly suggest you look for the Carter setup video's on Youtube..   This is a great one.  Alex is a master at bandsaws

 

[ben2008]

16 minutes ago, WolfmoonCT said:

Timberwolf makes nice blades too.  I have a 1/2" blade on  mine and I resaw with it.  One very important thing is to get the setup right. If you don't, you will be cutting angles. spend the time getting the table perpendicular to the blade. You also need to make sure your guides are set correct.   I highly suggest you look for the Carter setup video's on Youtube..   This is a great one.  Alex is a master at bandsaws

 

Thanks for the tip. I'll take a look. 

[Badgerboy]

I just bought 3 Timber wolf blades, love them.  I use the 3/4 for resawing with great success.

[ben2008]

18 minutes ago, Badgerboy said:

I just bought 3 Timber wolf blades, love them.  I use the 3/4 for resawing with great success.

What band saw do you have?

[WolfmoonCT]

I have a late 1990's  Delta 14" with the enclosed base. The 28-280 model.  I buy all my lumber as 5/4 and resaw it.

[ben2008]

Ok, sounds just like my older enclosed base Jet. I'll try the Timber Wolf blade

Thanks

Ben

[OCtoolguy]

8 hours ago, ben2008 said:

I have an older model (grey) 14" Jet band saw that I have not used for quite some time. I would like to resurrect it to do some re-sawing. I'm looking for some advice on how to go about that and what blade should I use? I have never used it for re-sawing. I only used it for some scrolling of large toys I made about 25 or so years ago and only occasionally since then. It's almost like new, just dusty. I don't have a fence for it either. Should I try and make one, or buy one?

Thanks in advance

Ben

I bought a couple of bar magnets from H/F when they were on sale. I'm going to make a low fence and a tall fence. When they are stuck to the table, they don't move and easily removed when not needed.

[OCtoolguy]

7 hours ago, Roberta Moreton said:

You want the widest blade you can get for your saw. WoodMizer is supposed to be a good brand. 

For a standard 14" bandsaw a 1/2" is the max recommended.

[Bill WIlson]

Just to reiterate Wolfmoon's comment regarding set-up.  It is critical, every bit as critical as getting the right blade.  Blade tension & guide adjustment can make the difference between getting nice, even & smooth cuts vs bowed & tapered kindling wood.  Even with a good set-up you might experience some blade drift, so any fence you use should be able to compensate for drift.  It may not be necessary, but it's better to have the capability and not need it than to need it and not have it.

[OCtoolguy]

6 hours ago, Bill WIlson said:

Just to reiterate Wolfmoon's comment regarding set-up.  It is critical, every bit as critical as getting the right blade.  Blade tension & guide adjustment can make the difference between getting nice, even & smooth cuts vs bowed & tapered kindling wood.  Even with a good set-up you might experience some blade drift, so any fence you use should be able to compensate for drift.  It may not be necessary, but it's better to have the capability and not need it than to need it and not have it.

Exactly my magnetic fence works. Totally adjustable. 

[Jim Erickson]

I have to add comments about the set up as well.  In prep for re-sawing some expensive (is there any other kind) hardwood a few days ago, I tested cuts on some softwood scraps.  My saw wanted to drift a bit.  I got out my machinists squares and started to check the blade, the fence, the table, and the guides.  I discovered that the blade was not exactly parallel to the miter slot on the table.  I have euro type guides on my saw (Mini-Max 16) which I don't particularly like, but they came with the saw and work OK.  Anyway, I've noticed over the years that one of the guides spins more than the other. (right side/left side)  I put the square on the guide bar, and discovered that the guides weren't exactly parallel to the blade.  Fortunately, there are adjusters for the guide bar on the saw.  I ended up slightly changing the adjustment.  The adjustments involve 4 set screws.  As I adjusted the screws, I made test cuts.  After about three tries, the saw cut parallel to the fence, and I re-sawed the hardwood board.  Don't remember if I ever adjusted the bar before, of if I even knew the adjusters were there.

Long and short of it is:  saw adjustment is really more important than the blade.  Jim

[Fish]

I have an older 14" Jet too. these are the things my brother told me about, Carter blades, and stabilizer.  I use both quite a bit and really like them. The stabilizer is used by itself, you don't need anything below. The blades  already have the rounded back and they are no more expensive than other brands.  The  videos by Alex Snodgrass,  were very helpful to me. I found the pattern for the fence a long time back, though I don't remember where now.  Hope it helps, 

[OCtoolguy]

55 minutes ago, Fish said:

I have an older 14" Jet too. these are the things my brother told me about, Carter blades, and stabilizer.  I use both quite a bit and really like them. The stabilizer is used by itself, you don't need anything below. The blades  already have the rounded back and they are no more expensive than other brands.  The  videos by Alex Snodgrass,  were very helpful to me. I found the pattern for the fence a long time back, though I don't remember where now.  Hope it helps, 

Do you resaw with it?

[Fish]

I do every now and then. The most recent I've done was making wood boxes for my iphone se. I have one done in hickory, walnut, ash and cherry.  I cut from 3/4" wood down to about 3/16"  I brole the cherry box. Very soft wood. The smaller parts I cut on my scroll saw.

[OCtoolguy]

5 hours ago, Fish said:

I do every now and then. The most recent I've done was making wood boxes for my iphone se. I have one done in hickory, walnut, ash and cherry.  I cut from 3/4" wood down to about 3/16"  I brole the cherry box. Very soft wood. The smaller parts I cut on my scroll saw.

Very nice. I'm going to give it a try on my saw. I have resawed before but it was on my true Delta bandsaw. This one is a Chinese Delta but it seems to do everything I ask it to do.

 

[OCtoolguy]

Not to hijack this thread but a question for those of you who are following this thread. I'm toying with the purchase of the Carter guide system. Not the stabilizer but the guides. I'd like to know who has them, what you think of them and would you recommend that I buy a set?  Please, don't just say I need them because you bought them. I want to know if they improved your saw and would you buy them again? My saw cuts pretty well now with the stock guide system but I'd like to improve it if possible. Thanks.

 

[Badgerboy]

On 5/26/2021 at 6:06 PM, ben2008 said:

What band saw do you have?

The Delta 14 inch with the enclosed base.   Does very well for me and easy to tune.  The first thing I did was add Cool Blocks blade guides.  I always take the time to retune and adjust the saw before resawing.  

Edited May 29, 2021 by Badgerboy

[WolfmoonCT]

1 hour ago, Badgerboy said:

The Delta 14 inch with the enclosed base.   Does very well for me and easy to tune.  The first thing I did was add Cool Blocks blade guides.  I always take the time to retune and adjust the saw before resawing.  

I have the cool blocks in mine as well. As far as I've gone, I can resaw to 1/4" without an issue. I haven't tried going any less than that.