Hey everyone! I recently got my first bandsaw equipped with a 1-inch resaw blade, and I'm trying to make a backpanel out of some 15/16" black walnut. I've jointed one side and an edge but found that my resaw line isn't quite straight. I know I need to work on tuning my bandsaw. Here's my question: How should I go about making this back panel?
1. Should I run each piece through the jointer and the planer? I'm a bit nervous about using the jointer on such thin pieces; it just feels risky with my hands so close to the blades.
2. Would it be better to just plane each side (skipping the jointer part), glue up the boards, and not worry too much about getting a perfectly flat panel since I plan to nail it to the back of the carcass anyway?
3. Am I overthinking this process?
I plan on using a drum sander after the glue-up to finish everything off. Thanks for any help!
3 Answers
It might help to post some photos of your setup. It could lead to more tailored advice. Good luck with your project!
Once you get your bandsaw tuned and have had some practice with cheaper wood, try this: Joint one face and edge, then plane or rip the other face and edge for S4S boards. After each resaw, run the piece through the planer to re-true the cut face. After resawing all your boards, plane them to ensure they have the same thickness before gluing. Since you have a drum sander, you can safely cut and plane them a bit thicker and sand them down later. Eventually, you’ll get closer to the final thickness with practice, but rely on that drum sander for now!
Good call on the bandsaw! If you’re feeling uneasy about using the jointer for thin boards, consider using a sled in your planer to face joint instead.
Thank you for the practical advice!