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I know the subject of large bandsaws has been discussed many times over, but I never paid much attention as I didn't need a saw. While I may need one soon, and I'm going to be at a tool place tomorrow that is a Laguna dealer. I'm looking for something that can re-saw back/sides. Any quick suggestions or tips would be helpful.

Thanks

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Josh House

Canadian Luthier Supply
http://www.canadianluthiersupply.com
https://www.facebook.com/canadianluthiersupply?ref=hl
House Guitars - Custom Built Acoustic Instruments.
http://www.houseguitars.com

If you can afford/have space for a 16 or 18" saw, that's a good thing. Myself, I'm saving up for the Laguana 14"SUV. Some posts and vids of it in use resawing guitar wood are out there if you dig a bit. Seems the best of all worlds to me, 3hp but small footprint...

I noticed the 14"SUV. Could be a good possibility.

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Josh House

Canadian Luthier Supply
http://www.canadianluthiersupply.com
https://www.facebook.com/canadianluthiersupply?ref=hl
House Guitars - Custom Built Acoustic Instruments.
http://www.houseguitars.com

You are going to want something that can handle at least a 1" carbide blade. A good fence is also a must. I have a 20" rockwell from the 1970's. It works wonderfully.

A tip that has made resawing much easier for me is to make sure that you joint the edge of the board that will be on the bandsaw table square to the face of the board that will ride up against the fence. Then if the fence is square to the table and the blade is square to the table, you will get even thicknessed cuts with little to no effort (also set you fence's drift angle).

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ELEVATE || Next Level Lutherie
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I'm eyeballing a Laguna 18 on my craigs list now. It's driving me insane. 4.5HP with 12 inch clearance will probably cut plenty of backs and sides.

I reckon...

The SUV will take a 1" Resaw King...

The 14SUV will take a one inch blade. I notice when you step up to the Industrial machines you can take up to 1 ⅜" on the 16HD saw. For you guys who are resawing your own wood, what is the most common size blade you use?

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Josh House

Canadian Luthier Supply
http://www.canadianluthiersupply.com
https://www.facebook.com/canadianluthiersupply?ref=hl
House Guitars - Custom Built Acoustic Instruments.
http://www.houseguitars.com

IMO 1" X 1.3 TPI Lennox Woodmaster CT.

Kevin Looker

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I'm not a luthier.
I'm just a guy who builds guitars in his basement.
It's better than playing golf.

I have never re-sawn guitar wood, but I am a volunteer carpenter on a tall ship - 350 tons of purpleheart, jatoba, douglas fir and sitka spruce.

About a year ago we got a donation of a used Laguna 18" saw with 3 HP and with a 1-1/4" blade it goes through anything. Well we just finished building a new building and got a donation of a bunch of new tools - Powermatic drill press, jointer and plane, Saw Stop table saw, and a 14" Laguna SUV. We put a 1" blade on the new Laguna and I like it better than the 18". The Laguna carbide tipped blade went through 7" of white oak at a good clip and let me take 3/16" slices, and the the blade left virtually NO (none, nada) marks on the wood.

The 14" Laguna will cut a 15" tall piece and has that 3 HP so will have little trouble doing it. I have to say, though, that we were working on a project of Jatoba and white oak and after a week, the blade had lost its perfect edge.

google "Kalmar Nyckel" and images

Ed

I'm surprised u can put a 1" carbide blade on a 14" saw. I always thought the rule was 18" or better. Maybe I misunderstood. I will say that a 1" Resaw King, carbide tipped blade is awesome. Actually, it's the only time I get a bit fearful since that blade us downright scary looking.

In my experience, the Laguna saws are awesome (I have a 20" Italian bowlturner version - love it) but the Resaw King blades are rubbish.
I ordered 3 Resaw King blades with my bandsaw. The first one was ruined after 3 cuts through a billet of cocobolo. The second lasted about a week just sawing a few billets of claro walnut. I never bothered loading the third one - it sits unused in its unopened box. I got a Woodmaster CT blade. It's been on my bandsaw for about 4 years now and looks like it will last another 4 without any issues. IMO, you shouldn't waste your time or money on the Resaw King blades.

Dave F.

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Cambrian Guitars

"There goes Mister Tic-Tac out the back with some bric-brac from the knick-knack rack"

I bought the Laguna 14 SUV and two Resaw King 1" carbide tipped blades about two months ago and have used the fire out of it, though I've only used it to resaw a couple of times so far (much more to come). I resawed an 11" wide piece of Cherry before making a tall fence and the piece varied only 0.008" corner to corner to middle - not too shabby. And I have been pleased with Laguna service.

I may have to try out the Woodmaster CT blades, though. So far I haven't taken the second Resaw King blade out of the package because the first is still doing just fine. But I'll be resawing some Walnut, Mahogany, and Canarywood very soon and will probably put the new blade on for that and designate it as 'resaw' only but keep the other blade on primarily.

David

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David

David Falkner - Woodworking YouTube channel and Instagram
Romans 3:23

The RK blades have mixed reviews, likely based on their initial sharpness...?

Some complaints of dull out of the box, lots of people swooning. What can ya do?

There has been a lot of discussion regarding the Resaw King, unfortunately a lot of it has been deleted because of the users who posted it. I bought one a few years ago and never liked it. Others love them. Laguna does not make the blade stock, I believe it comes from Europe.

You can find more discussion on the Resaw King on the various woodworking forums.

Kevin Looker

_________________
I'm not a luthier.
I'm just a guy who builds guitars in his basement.
It's better than playing golf.

My 2 cents. For commercial resawing every day . I would get a Powermatic PM 1800 at 4.7k For occassional sawing abt 5-10 hrs per month the Lagoonie 14 suv with 3hp is more than adequate it got excellent reviews in the fine woodworking tool reviews.

The only 1" wide, carbide-tipped blade the 14 SUV will run is the Resaw King. Like Kevin says the user reports of the Resaw King are either totally positive or totally negative, and almost in equal measure. As Clint would say: "Do you feel lucky?" If so, then hitch your wagon to the 14 SUV. It comes in as a good value. I would rather have a choice in blade selection for resawing so an 18" saw is the minimum I would be looking at.

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Stay with the happy people.
--Reynolds Large

I suppose that's possible but I don't understand why. The only real difference between the RK and Lennox is the tooth. Doesn't really have anything to do with how a blade fits a saw.

I have a 16" Laguna, non HD. The Chinese made one. It would appear, looking at their website, they don't offer it any more which is too bad. It's a great saw and was offered at a more affordable price than the HD. I have both RK and Lennox blades. The RK needed sharpening right out of the box. It is now a great blade. So is the Lennox at probably half the price. The only real benifit of the RK is kerf. It's 20 or 30 thou. less than the Lennox. The Lennox blades live on my saw and the only time I bother to put the RK on is if I want maximum yield, not very often. I have gotten 4 usable slices, 2 back sets, out of an 11/16" board with the RK. Pretty impressive. The Lennox couldn't match that. I would be inclined to go with a saw that would accept a 1" Lennox blade.

Sounds like the future of guitar building is looking bright for you Josh. I'm happy to hear that. I think you've earned it.

Cheers,
Danny

Thanks guys,

Lots of great and helpful tips. Headed to the tool dealer now Just looking today, no purchases. But it will still be fun.

_________________
Josh House

Canadian Luthier Supply
http://www.canadianluthiersupply.com
https://www.facebook.com/canadianluthiersupply?ref=hl
House Guitars - Custom Built Acoustic Instruments.
http://www.houseguitars.com

Danny, The backing on the Resaw King is .024" and the backing (band thickness) of the Woodmaster CT is .035", which is too stiff to bend around a 14" wheel.

_________________
Stay with the happy people.
--Reynolds Large

Aaaaaaa. I see.

that't true but then you are stuck with the Laguna blade if you want carbide. I think they are overpriced.

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Michael F Smith
Goat Rock Ukulele
http://goatrockukulele.com

Mayhaps. Anyway, if OP has room, may as well get a 16 or 18" saw. The SUV is a good compromise, if you must.

Looked at some Laguna saws today. All nice, but I really like the larger industrial saws (16HD is the one I have my eye on). 14 SUV is nice and could handle guitar stuff.

_________________
Josh House

Canadian Luthier Supply
http://www.canadianluthiersupply.com
https://www.facebook.com/canadianluthiersupply?ref=hl
House Guitars - Custom Built Acoustic Instruments.
http://www.houseguitars.com

Twice the moolah though, if that matters.

I don't think it's too stiff to bend around a 14" wheel but it may be too stiff to properly tension, which, in the long run may equate to the same thing.

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David

David Falkner - Woodworking YouTube channel and Instagram
Romans 3:23