Lam cutting question

[Hill Hunter]

When you guys saw LAMs out with a band saw, what blade do you use?

[kennym]

I like Lennox Diemaster 2 in 4 tpi

[Bradford]

I am using a 6tpi from timberwolf.  Then it goes to the thickness sander

[Hill Hunter]

thanks guys

[Dmaxshawn]

woodslicer 4tpi

[Erwincm]

Forgive me if this is a dumb question but why not use a table saw? Wouldn't it be faster, easier, straighter, and cleaner?

Thanks,
Charles
Madison, AL

[kennym]

Charles, Repeating thin cuts next to the fence, the bandsaw is much safer.

[Dmaxshawn]

Originally posted by Erwincm:
Forgive me if this is a dumb question but why not use a table saw? Wouldn't it be faster, easier, straighter, and cleaner?

Thanks,
Charles
Madison, AL

You left out probably the most important SAFER on a bandsaw in my opinion.  second theres not as much waste.  I can cut lams thinner than what my tablesaw blade is and grind to my likings.  So when product is scarce or if you pay 250$ for a piece of lumber you want it to go as far as possible.   Just my 2 cents worth

[Erwincm]

I almost killed my Australian Shepherd (asleep on the floor 10ft behind me) when I was 18 from a shard of wood kicked back from a table saw so I know what you guys speak of. However, trapping the laminate to the fence is not the appropriate technique. Starting with a hypothetical 2" x 2" x 24" billet of osage, I'd glue the edge of a 6" x 24" x .75" piece of plywood to the osage billet and push the plywood piece with my miter gauge which would of course carry the osage billet along with it and keep my hands far from the blade. I would use a stop pin or block to push the billet against to set the cut width (lam thickness) instead of using a continuous rip fence. The stop pin would be upstream of the saw blade to there would be no binding/contact of the lam once it reached the blade.

This is hard to explain in text form. I hope that makes sense. Yes, I agree that this would create more waste than the band saw option.

[wood carver 2]

If you must use a tablesaw to cut thin lams, you will need to have a zero clearance insert to prevent the thin pieces from being pulled down and broken by the blade.
If you have a bandsaw, then why not use it? It's the safest power tool in the shop.
Dave.

[jsweka]

I let Kenny cut 'em for me