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Best Bandsaw for Resawing Wood of 2024 with Top Picks

By: David S. Miles | Last Updated: January 23, 2024

During a woodworking session, different types of tools are used, mostly for cutting. You have to go from a straight to miter to bevel cuts, reshaping, cutting out circles, notches and so on. You need to change tools a billion times if you don’t have a bandsaw.

A bandsaw is like a lifesaver for a woodworker. This versatile machine has made woodworking much more fun and interesting. You can use different skills and techniques to work on your perfect piece of wood using it. And one of the most important techniques is resawing.

Resawing cannot be accomplished by mere any tool. It needs to have some specific features. Best bandsaw for resawing can give you the most appropriate result for your woodwork.

Our Top Picks

1. BEST OVERALL: Shop Fox W1706 14″ Bandsaw with Cast Iron Wheels

2. RUNNER UP: Jet JWBS-14DXPRO 14-Inch Deluxe Pro Band Saw

3. BEST FOR MONEY: WEN 3962 Two-Speed Band Saw with Stand

4. BEST FOR LIGHT USE: Rikon 10-305 10-Inch Bandsaw With Fence

5. BEST FOR HEAVY USE: Laguna Tools MBAND1412-175 14 x 12 Bandsaw

What To Consider When Choosing the Best Resaw Bandsaw

Certain features are important in a bandsaw for resawing. These features signify if a bandsaw is capable of resawing or not. Check them out carefully and make sure you pay special heed to these features while shopping.

Cutting Capacity

A Resaw band saw

The first requirement for resawing with a bandsaw is to have adequate cutting capacity. The cutting capacity is the volume of space on the worktable. It is mainly measured by the throat capacity and the height capacity.

The throat capacity is the distance from the vertical frame to the blade of the saw. This interspace determines the widest cut possible with the designated bandsaw.

The height capacity is similar to the throat capacity. It designates the maximum height that can be cut. It is measured from the tabletop to the highest point the guidepost can be lifted. It determines what height of wood the saw can fit to cut.

Together with the throat capacity and the height capacity, it makes the volume of space that is the cutting capacity— the maximum capacity to fit a wooden plank.

Power of the Motor

You must judge the saw by its power than by its look. A bandsaw is all about its power. The power of bandsaw is determined by the speed of the blade that it’s motor can. The power of its motor is measured by Horsepower.

The power of the motor depends on the size of the saw. For bandsaws from 12 to 14 inches, a motor of ¾ to 1 HP is required. The bigger the size is the more power it requires. The larger bandsaws like 18 inches will require a 2HP motor to generate power.

Resawing needs the blade to move very fast, and hence a very powerful motor is required. You must look for bandsaws that possess powerful motor to work effectively.

Worktable

Resawing Wood by band saw

The worktable is the place where you are going to be placing your wood piece for working. This table must be sturdy and spacious enough to hold your wood on the place and bear it.

In many bandsaws, the worktable is made of cast iron or other heavy metals for handling heavyweight and corrosion. With frequent sliding of heavy wood planks, the table will wear if not made of durable material.

The size of the table is also important to consider here. It should be large enough for the wood planks to fit in. Without optimum space on the worktable, it won’t be possible to resaw even having the right cutting capacity.

For these reasons, it is very important to be aware of the speculations of the worktable of the bandsaw.

Blade of the Saw

The blade is the most significant part of a bandsaw. It is the sole substantial item that will do the main task of cutting. It won’t be operative if the blade is not appropriate or effective to cut the wood piece even though having everything else so standard maintained. That’s why the formation and speculations of the blade must be evaluated thoroughly while buying the bandsaw.

Three properties of a blade must be assessed before buying it. The first one is its material. The blade is the front runner that has to cut through the big woodpiles rigorously during a woodworking session. To do so the material of the blade must be sturdy enough to tackle such thickness and friction. If the blade of quality material, on the first go, it will snap and this might cause serious accidents too.

The second important property is TPI. TPI is the teeth per inch. You cannot cut all materials with a single blade. The thickness and property of the material are different for different materials. Different material requires different blades for cutting through it. For thicker materials, you need band saw blades with lesser TPI. Whereas for thinner ones, you need blades with lower TPI.

The third property to check out is its thickness. The width of the blade is also a factor besides the TPI. The thickness hampers the cutting attribute of a blade. For cutting thicker materials, the thickness of the blade must be more too. Again, for thinner materials, the blade must be thin too.

Top 5 Bandsaw for Resawing

Not all bandsaws are made for resawing. I have compiled only the best 5 bandsaws capable of perfect resawing here. Let’s check them out; hopefully, you will find the one you are looking for.

1. BEST OVERALL: Shop Fox W1706 14″ Bandsaw with Cast Iron Wheels & Aluminum Fence

Shop Fox W1706 14 inch Bandsaw

The Shop Fox W1706 bandsaw is a very efficient device that comes at a very reasonable price. If you are under a budget, this will be the best bandsaw for your resawing job.

Now, by looking at its size, you might wonder how this tiny bandsaw can assist in resawing. But don’t get swayed by the look. It is a 14” bandsaw with a throat of 13.5 inches and cutting height of 6 inches. Surprisingly you can extend its cutting capability up to 12 inches by the help of an optional extension kit.

You can easily fit your large wood planks on its 14×14 inches table. It is very sturdy with 1.5 inches thickness to handle any weight. You can have bevel cut, miter cut, straight cut anything you want with this multifunctional bandsaw.

Resawing needs different types of blades in work for cutting wood chunks of different volumes. In this bandsaw, you can use blades of varying thicknesses from 0.125 inches to 0.75 inches. It uses a blade of a standard length of 93.5 inches.

One of the cool features of this saw is it has dual blade speed levels. You can easily shift from an 1800 SFPM blade speed to 3100SFPM. And you can do this simply by changing the position of the poly-v belt placed on the lower wheel housing.

This high speed is generated by its 1 HP motor. The motor comes prewired for 110V. You can change the wiring to 220V as per your wish. It runs smoothly and efficiently delivering durable service for resawing to wood shaping or any other cuts.

Features at a Glance

    • Has a cutting capacity of 6 inches. It can be extended to 12 inches with a riser kit for efficient resawing.
    • Spacious table with a bevel capacity of 45o to the right and 10o to the left.
    • Compatible with varying blade sizes from 0.125 inches to 0.75 inches.
    • Powerful motor with 1HP.

2. RUNNER UP: JET JWBS-14DXPRO 14-Inch Deluxe Pro Band Saw Kit

Jet JWBS-14DXPRO 14-Inch Deluxe Pro Band Saw Kit

If you are willing to spend money, spend them on the best material. This bandsaw from Jet is a premium pick worth each penny you are going to spend. It is a multipurpose 14 inches bandsaw highly capable of resawing and other woodworking.

Multipurpose refers to multifunctional. That is, you can accomplish varying tasks using this versatile device. To name one, you can even cut metals using this bandsaw. It has a dual blade speed system. You can change the speed from 3000 SFPM to 1500 SFPM in no time for cutting your metal works.

This bandsaw allows you to fit any average large chunk of wood for resawing. With a throat capacity of 13.5 inches and cutting height of 12 inches, you can perform resawing, book matching, and other woodworking tasks smoothly.

Its 15×15 inches tabletop is well-made to handle any wood weight. You do not have to worry about any damage or breaking. This bandsaw is built with hard-wearing components to tackle heavyweight and last long. It is made rigid in construction and flexible in tasks to meet the varying demands of each project.

The motor of the device is highly powerful with 1.25HP. It is very important to have such a powerful motor for efficient cutting. It comes with 115V wiring which can be changed to 220 as per your requirement.

Its high-tension spring design makes it very reliable for heavy-duty performance. You can easily increase and decrease the spring tension to set the blade tension. Its advanced scale makes it easy to set the spring tension as per the width of the blade.

Features at a Glance

    • Dual blade speed system with 1500SFPM/3000SFPM allowing to cut varying materials.
    • Has a throat capacity of 13.5 inches and cutting height of 12 inches. Perfect for resawing lumber.
    • The body is made of sturdy and durable components. It can tackle unwanted damage and breakings.
    • Consists of a highly efficient 1.25HP motor.

3. BEST FOR MONEY: WEN 3962 Two-Speed Band Saw with Stand and Worklight

WEN 3962 Two-Speed Band Saw with Stand and Worklight

The Wen 3962 bandsaw comes in three different sizes. You can get 9 inches, 10 inches and 14 inches bandsaw of the same model. Among them, 10 inches saw is a standard one if you don’t have enough room but need a saw for resawing.

This saw is a highly capable small-sized device for your woodworking tasks. If you are a hobbyist, this saw will be the perfect bandsaw for you. The low price and small size make it ideal for small jobs.

It can outperform any other 10 inches bandsaw. It can take in more wood with its 9.75 inches throat capacity and 6 inches cutting height. You can fit your wood piece swiftly to get you resawing done in no time. It can also help you in book matching as it will for resawing.

You get 2 speed levels from this super cool 10-inch bandsaw. You can run the blade at speed levels of 1520 SFPM and 2620 SFPM. It can assist you in meeting demands for varying projects. Its speed levels and sturdy blade capacity helps it to become a versatile saw cutting different materials as per your requirement.

The blade speed depends upon its motor’s capability. Its highly powerful 3.5 amp motor delivers enough energy to generate high speed for heavy-duty performance.

When you are cutting different materials, you will have to change the blade accordingly. This saw gives you enough flexibility to change blade sizes from 1/8 inches to ½ inches.

It is loaded with various cool accessories. You get an easily maneuverable work light to illuminate your work table. Besides that, it has a flexible rip fence and miter gauge to assist you in accurate woodworking and resawing.

Features at a Glance

    • Has 9.75 inches of throat capacity and 6 inches cutting height. Suitable for resawing.
    • Includes a dual blade speed system with 1520 SFPM and 2620 SFPM.
    • Highly powerful motor with 3.5 amp.
    • Can change blade sizes from 1/8 inches to ½ inches.

4. BEST FOR LIGHT USE: Rikon 10-305 Bandsaw with Fence

Rikon 10-305 Bandsaw With Fence

It is another 10” bandsaw to rank the top list. It gained its position basing on the value it possesses. This 10-inch bandsaw from Rikon is compatible enough to deliver a heavy-duty performance like any of its 14-inch counterparts.

This highly capable device has a solid steel construction with a cast iron-built worktable. Having a 13.75×12.5 inches tabletop, it can fit any large plank of wood. It is very unlikely for a 10-inch bandsaw. This helps in bearing large wood chunk for resawing.

The table has a bevel capacity of 0 to 45-degree angle. You can cut your wood piece in your desired bevel cut, a miter cut or simply straight cut with this super-swift 10” bandsaw.

It includes a flexible rip fence to assist you in cutting accurate straight cut. You can easily fit the fence as per your measurements and fix it using its hand clip. You would not face problems of drifting while resawing which will be tackled by this barrier fence.

You need high speed for proper resawing. This Rikon 10-305 bandsaw delivers exactly what you require. It’s high commanding 1/3 HP motor generates maximum speed for cutting large planks effortlessly. Without any wandering, you get smooth and swift cuts.

After finishing all your woodworking tasks, you might find yourself under a huge pile of sawdust. But not with this saw. It has a helpful dust cleaning system to eliminate the dirt problem. All you have to do is connect a vacuum hose to its dust port to eliminate all the sawdust away from the workspace.

Features at a Glance

    • The 13.75×12.5 inches tabletop is made of cast iron to bear any weight effortlessly.
    • The table has a bevel capacity from 0 to 45o angle to assist in bevel cuts.
    • High powered 1/3 HP motor to cut through any wood.
    • Effective dust removing port system to have a clean workstation.

5. BEST FOR HEAVY USE: Laguna Tools MBAND1412-175 14 x 12 Bandsaw

Laguna Tools MBAND1412-175 14 x 12 Bandsaw

Sometimes to pay a little extra is worth it to get a good device. And this bandsaw from Laguna Tools is just the kind of thing. This bandsaw covers the necessity of all the hobbyist woodworkers to the professionals. It will make your woodworking a lot easier with its precise functionality.

It is a heavy-duty bandsaw with 1.75 Hp motor. It comes prewired for 115V which can be changed into 220V. It uses less energy than many of its counterparts and thus it’s a little cheaper. Its motor is packed with energy and generates high blade speed without bogging.

Blade’s speed and size are important for woodworking. You need to change the size as your wood type and size changes. This saw is compatible with 1/8-inch blade size to ¾ inch for resawing.

The worktable of the saw is made of cast iron and micro-polished to be strong enough to hold any wood weight. You can easily fit your big wood plank on its 21.5×16 inches table. Its 13.62 inches throat capacity and 12 inches cutting height make it perfect for resawing.

Not only the tabletop, but the whole structure of the machine is also well built to avoid corrosion and damage. The steel frame structure with a pyramid-shaped spine is the specialty of this bandsaw.

This saw ensures maximum safety for you while in use. Its illuminated power button is such an effective one that glows when powered on. It also includes a safety key with it. The two see-through windows on the upper wheel help you to track the blade tension and its position while running, ensuring the highest safety.

Features at a Glance

    • Heavy-duty motor with 1.75HP. It can generate enough high speed for flawless resawing.
    • Cast iron built a micro-polished worktable of 21.5×16 inches. Suitable for fitting large wood planks.
    • Well-built body structure with a pyramid-shaped spine. It can give durable service.
    • Ensures maximum safety.

FAQs about Bandsaw for Resawing

In this section, I am going to answer some of the most frequently asked questions about bandsaw for resawing. If a question is popping up in your mind and we have not already answered that here, you can just go ahead and write in the comment section below.

What is a resaw capacity?

Ans. The optimal volume of space offered by the bandsaw to fit a wood plank is the resaw capacity. It mostly designates the height capacity of the saw. The space between the table and the highest point the guidepost can be lifted is the height capacity.

For example, a height capacity of 12” designates that the saw can fit about 12 inches long wood plank to cut. Normally for resawing, you need that wide wood planks. That’s why you need to know the exact resaw capacity.

How to choose a blade for resawing?

Ans. The quality of the blade is judged by TPI, which is Teeth Per Inch. It is an important factor in obtaining effective results. There is also a TPI chart for selecting the correct blade for designated material. This number signifies the pitch of the blade. The required number of TPI fluctuates with the thickness of material in use and can vary from 1 to 32 TPI.

You must choose your blade for resawing basing on TPI. For cutting large wood planks or resawing, the TPI must consist of 2 to 3 with a coarse tooth blade. The blade must be of very high quality, and able to move at a very fast pace to cut through the thick wood plank efficiently for resawing.

What should be the width of the blade?

Ans. The wider the blade, the straighter will be your cut. You need to cut through the wood plank from the start till the end in a straight line. The cut must be perfectly even throughout its way. To obtain such a straight cut for your resawing, you need the widest blade compatible with your bandsaw.

How much power is required for a bandsaw?

Ans. The power of a bandsaw is completely based on its motor. A typical bandsaw has around 0.75 to 1 HP motor. Such motors can power 12 inches to 14 inches bandsaws. A larger bandsaw will have a higher horsepower motor. As for 18 inches bandsaws, they need around 2 HP motor.

Final Words

Woodworking requires multitasking. You need to go through so many processes, need to perform so many tasks to make your perfect piece of woodwork. In all these processes resawing is one of the most important ones.

Resawing can be very easy if you have the right tool. The best bandsaw for resawing can make your resawing task a piece of cake. That’s why without any more delay, get your own resawing bandsaw and see the magic yourself.

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