C
Chriscanoe
Guest
Does anyone know of a good multi blade rip saw for sawing strips? One that is not an industrial
Grade saw? what do you pros use foe cutting strips?
Grade saw? what do you pros use foe cutting strips?
Mark Adams
all wood nut
Hi,
Not sure what you mean by a 'multi blade" rip saw. There is a tool called a gang saw that is found in large mills. That has multiple blades and will make many cuts at once. I think what you are after is a multi-purpose blade.
I have had very good luck with the Freud 50 tooth combo. I also have one of Freud's "Fusion" combo blades. Most of the time however, I run my saw with a Forrest Woodworker 2 40t combo. Both the Freud Fusion and the Forrest blades are at the high end of the price scale.
My table saw is a Jet 5hp cabinet saw with a 50" Beismeyer style fence. I started with a Jet 10" contractors saw with a 1.5hp motor, and quickly outgrew it. At the time, I was doing a lot of furniture construction and repair. The motor had a huge amp draw, and kept popping the breaker when it was under load. So, when I upgraded, I went 220v and the 5hp motor. 5hp is far more than I have ever needed, and I have stopped the blade only once, while ripping a 10/4 read oak board that had a lot of tension in it and it ended up pinching the blade. If you are looking at getting a completely new saw, look at the Jet or Delta contractor saws. Either of those is a great tool for 90% of the woodworkers out there. Stay away from the stuff that is found at Home Depot or Sears. The main Home Depot line is generally CRAP, and the service department of where I work sees far more orange than any other power tool. That also goes for the other line HD carries.
HTH,
Not sure what you mean by a 'multi blade" rip saw. There is a tool called a gang saw that is found in large mills. That has multiple blades and will make many cuts at once. I think what you are after is a multi-purpose blade.
I have had very good luck with the Freud 50 tooth combo. I also have one of Freud's "Fusion" combo blades. Most of the time however, I run my saw with a Forrest Woodworker 2 40t combo. Both the Freud Fusion and the Forrest blades are at the high end of the price scale.
My table saw is a Jet 5hp cabinet saw with a 50" Beismeyer style fence. I started with a Jet 10" contractors saw with a 1.5hp motor, and quickly outgrew it. At the time, I was doing a lot of furniture construction and repair. The motor had a huge amp draw, and kept popping the breaker when it was under load. So, when I upgraded, I went 220v and the 5hp motor. 5hp is far more than I have ever needed, and I have stopped the blade only once, while ripping a 10/4 read oak board that had a lot of tension in it and it ended up pinching the blade. If you are looking at getting a completely new saw, look at the Jet or Delta contractor saws. Either of those is a great tool for 90% of the woodworkers out there. Stay away from the stuff that is found at Home Depot or Sears. The main Home Depot line is generally CRAP, and the service department of where I work sees far more orange than any other power tool. That also goes for the other line HD carries.
HTH,
OP
OP
Chriscanoe
Guest
Mark,
I was referring to aa gang saw, I just did not know if there was anything smaller than an industrial sizeed machine. I have an old Delta Unisaw, 5 hp, 220v, that cuts fine. I was really just wondering if there was anything that could cut more than one strip at a time.
I was referring to aa gang saw, I just did not know if there was anything smaller than an industrial sizeed machine. I have an old Delta Unisaw, 5 hp, 220v, that cuts fine. I was really just wondering if there was anything that could cut more than one strip at a time.
Mark Adams
all wood nut
Ah, gotcha. My apologies for the assumption of ignorance! Yeah, they are out there, but are HUGE, and industrial. and expensive, and 3 phase and, and and.
OP
OP
Chriscanoe
Guest
Mark,
I am pretty ignorant when it comes to tools. Just what is a Besameyer style fence? I only have the stock fenceon my saw. What are the advantages?
I am pretty ignorant when it comes to tools. Just what is a Besameyer style fence? I only have the stock fenceon my saw. What are the advantages?
OP
OP
Chriscanoe
Guest
Sorry for the creative spelling. That would be Beismeyer Fence.
Mark Adams
all wood nut
Hi,
There are not really any disadvantages to a Unifence. A Unifence is great if you do a lot of panel work, or work with laminate. I assume that is what you have, the oddly shaped aluminum fence that moves back and forth as well as side to side. The one thing I have noticed about a Unifence is that the fence rail can develop notches at commonly used settings, and these may or may not be accurate. The clamping mechanism uses a piece of steel that creates depressions in the aluminum of the rail.
Having used both styles in production shops, I do have to say that I prefer a Biesmeyer style over a Unifence in general. For sheets of ply, I like the Unifence. I was foreman of a shop that had one of each, so I had the best of both worlds.
There are not really any disadvantages to a Unifence. A Unifence is great if you do a lot of panel work, or work with laminate. I assume that is what you have, the oddly shaped aluminum fence that moves back and forth as well as side to side. The one thing I have noticed about a Unifence is that the fence rail can develop notches at commonly used settings, and these may or may not be accurate. The clamping mechanism uses a piece of steel that creates depressions in the aluminum of the rail.
Having used both styles in production shops, I do have to say that I prefer a Biesmeyer style over a Unifence in general. For sheets of ply, I like the Unifence. I was foreman of a shop that had one of each, so I had the best of both worlds.
Dan Lindberg
Ex Wood Hoarder
But back to the question,
back when I built a few, the usual method was to stack 3 (or more) Frued Diablo's, the thin kerf 7 1/4 in cheep versions to cut multiple strips at one time. I didn't see the need myself though.
The easy way is to buy 2x stock, and rip it to 2x2 blanks. Then rip the blanks to thickness, keeping them in order on a long outfeed table (I used just a tee made of 1x6's, which I when used to hold the strips during layup). After each blank is cut, keeping the strips in order, tape them back together tight with box tape. This gets them back into roughly the 2x2 shape. Then rotate them 90 degrees and cut them in half, (effectively cutting 2 at a time). Again, after cutting, tape them back together, to keep all the strips in order, so that you can lay them up in pairs.
This also lets you cut the strips qtr sawn no matter what the raw stock is. Just so it's clear.
If you want to do the B+C edges, mill that after cutting the strips in half.
Dan
back when I built a few, the usual method was to stack 3 (or more) Frued Diablo's, the thin kerf 7 1/4 in cheep versions to cut multiple strips at one time. I didn't see the need myself though.
The easy way is to buy 2x stock, and rip it to 2x2 blanks. Then rip the blanks to thickness, keeping them in order on a long outfeed table (I used just a tee made of 1x6's, which I when used to hold the strips during layup). After each blank is cut, keeping the strips in order, tape them back together tight with box tape. This gets them back into roughly the 2x2 shape. Then rotate them 90 degrees and cut them in half, (effectively cutting 2 at a time). Again, after cutting, tape them back together, to keep all the strips in order, so that you can lay them up in pairs.
This also lets you cut the strips qtr sawn no matter what the raw stock is. Just so it's clear.
If you want to do the B+C edges, mill that after cutting the strips in half.
Dan
