Resawing wood is a method to cut a wooden panel into thinner and leaner parts. It uses a lengthy rip cut that is parallel to the grain of the material. A circular saw is not an ideal match for resawing, but they are a viable option.
To resaw wood with a circular saw, you first need a proper blade with larger teeth. Next, you need to prepare the wood and adjust the blade depth. You can finish off by sanding the rough edges.
Follow the thorough instructions mentioned below for fruitfully resawing woods.
Circular Saw Blades To Use For Resawing Wood
A circular saw is not the most favorable option when it comes to resawing wood. By chance, if you only have a circular saw in your arsenal, you can make use of it. To make the best use of the circular saw, you must put profound concentration on the blade that you are about to use. Let’s see what type of circular saw blade you can use to resaw wood.
Hook-Tooth Blade
The hook-tooth blade is exactly what it sounds like. These blades are designed with larger teeth. The shape is akin to a hook with teeth that are angled forward. These special tooth shapes make this blade ideal for resawing thick materials like wood. Although the cut is rough on the cutline, it is quicker in cutting larger panels of wood.
Skip-Tooth Blades
There are two distinctive features on this blade. The first one is that these blades have lesser teeth count. That means, there are fewer teeth in each inch. Secondly, this blade has a larger gullet. Gullet denotes the gap between the teeth on a circular saw.
These features allow this blade to remove the material quickly and efficiently. They are perfect for resawing softer wood. You can also rough out the wood with this blade. Then you can finish off with a smooth-teeth blade for a more furnished look.
Regular-Tooth Blade
You don’t have to go for extra length to fetch the perfect blade to resaw wood. A regular tooth blade can serve your purpose right if the teeth are smaller and located close to each other. This attribute makes the blade suitable for resawing thinner panels of wood.
Although you may lose your lunch break while using this, you won’t have to use another blade to smoothen the rough cuts unlike skip-tooth blades and hook-tooth blades.
Carbide-Tipped Blades
Words are not sufficient to express the utility of a carbide-tipped blade. These blades are coated with tungsten carbide. This material elevates the tooth blade to be extra tough and durable. Moreover, it reduces the heat generated from the friction between the material and the blade.
Even though they don’t come cheap, they are totally worth it. Because the longevity and the durability with cover the extra cost and you will thank your past self for making this wise decision. Makita Carbide-Tipped Ultra-Coated Blade can be a smart option for you.
Bi-Metal Blades
The name implies it all. This blade is a merger of two different types of metal. The combination is usually softer steel and high-speed steel. This concoction provides this blade with a balance of flexibility and durability. For resawing purposes, this blade can be another valuable option.
How To Resaw Wood With A Circular Saw?
A Circular saw is not really cut out for resawing wood. I am not saying it’s not possible to resaw wood with a circular saw but given the design and texture of the circular saw blade, it won’t be able to give a smooth and fine finish to the wood while resawing. However, if you have no better option, you can make the best out of a circular saw too. How? Let’s see.
Wood Preparation
The material’s condition and quality matter a lot in the sewing industry. A flat and smooth material will make the cutting and resawing process much easier. Thus, make sure that the wood is flat from every angle and edge so that the blade can run through the wood easily.
Clamp The Wood
Once the piece of wood is flat and ready to cut, clamp it securely on a workspace or work surface. You can use a wooden piece to clamp the material securely. Make sure that the clamp is strong enough to tightly hold the wood when the high force of the circular saw blade runs along the wood.
Marking The Cutline
A cutline is a direction that leads you on the path of where the wood is to be divided. If the cutline is curved and bent, the cut will be like that too. So, use a straight edge and a pencil to mark the cutline where you want to divide the section. You can also use a grease pen or masking tape if the pencil line is not visible enough.
Adjust The Depth Of The Blade
Usually on a circular saw, the depth of the set is at maximum no matter what the size of the blade is. But you need to adjust the blade to the right setting before you can move on to resawing the material.
For adjusting the blade depth, first measure the thickness of the wood. You can keep the blade on the side of the panel and measure the difference. Set the blade’s depth to just 0.5-1 inch below the thickness of the wood. Make sure the depth is enough to cut through the thickness and not long enough to touch the ground of the workspace.
Let The Cut Begin
Place the blade on the edge of the cutline and start the motor of the circular saw. Keep your hand steady and don’t lose focus from the cutline. If the blade is not deep enough or the wood piece is particularly thick, you may have to make several passes to sever the wood completely.
Sand The Cut Edge
The prime issue of the circular saw in resawing is that the output is always rough and rusty. The blade of a circular saw can’t properly smoothen the edge. So, after you have done the cutting part, you have to sand the surface. You can use sandpaper or hand place to smoothen the surfaces and edges.
Some Tips To Remember
- Don’t forget to adjust the blade tension. When the blade is not properly tensioned, it will start drifting and loosening when you start the cutting process making the cut uneven.
- If the board doesn’t keep straight, you can use a fence that will lead you to a straight cutline. The fence must be set parallel to the blade. You must clamp the fence too.
- Do not rush the process. Resawing takes vigor and perseverance. Start the cutting with a slower pace and gradually move forward with limited speed.
- Use a push stick when the wood and blade become closer. The push stick will guide the blade at the last stage keeping your hand safe and away from the blade.
- If the wood panel is too thick, check the depth after each cut and adjust the blade as per the wood’s thickness.
People Also Ask
Why should you use a bandsaw over a circular saw for resawing wood?
There are several advantages that putting the bandsaw over a circular saw when it comes to resawing wood. The first and foremost pro is the narrower blade that can make thinner cuts on thick wood.
This narrower blade creates less waste and removes less wood. A bandsaw runs on two wheels. This aids in keeping the blade straight and provides a straight cut. The bandsaw blade sustains less tear and wears as it is made of a continuous loop of steel teeth. Also, as the blade is enclosed, there is a lesser risk of kickback and injuries.
How to identify a suitable blade for resawing?
When you are browsing for a blade to resaw wood, take the wood’s thickness, type, and desired to finish into consideration. A perfect resawing blade must have the following qualities. They should have larger teeth and a rational gap between them to dust off the sawdust. The blade should be sharp and free of debris for clean performance.
Is resawing and ripping similar to each other?
The concept of resawing and ripping might seem like a similar idea, but reasonably they are both different things. Ripping indicates a method to cut a panel or board along its length in order to create narrower boards. Relatedly, crosscutting implies a method that cuts a board across the width for building short panels.
Final Words
A circular saw is a versatile tool though its quality falls short in the resawing department. Nonetheless, you can make the best use of it if you can select the correct blade and prepare the wood panel before cutting. It will require some additional steps to achieve the desired result but if you had followed the instructions, you could triumph in resawing wood with a circular saw.
