Replies

1. 
   EdWeber | Jan 11, 2022 10:25am | #1

   Most 14" cast iron bandsaws with riser block are low on power and poor on blade tension. There are other things involved in a good resaw like blade configuration and wood species. While it can be done, these saws do struggle.
   Maybe some more info on what you're trying to cut would help.

2. 
   bilyo | Jan 11, 2022 11:08am | #2

   I put a riser block on my 14" Delta a number of years ago and had the same experience. The original 3/4 hp motor was a major contributor to it's lack of power. However, after increasing the power to 1 1/4 hp, it didn't improve greatly, but is adequate with a sharp 3-4 tpi blade. With care and a very slow feed, I have resawn approx. 8" wide cherry. I don't try to cut too thin and depend on planing to get it to a final +-1/8" thick for veneering.

3. 
   mikeinohio | Jan 11, 2022 12:42pm | #3

   I had a 1990s JET 14 inch cast iron saw and put on a riser block. Got poor performance when resawing.

   I upgraded to the Grizzly 17 inch steel frame bandsaw with 2 hp motor ten years ago and it has been great!

4. 
   john_c2 | Jan 11, 2022 12:57pm | #4

   With or without a riser block, my 14 inch Delta clone couldn't resaw for crap. I spent countless hours adjusting and tweaking. Bought a Laguna 14/12 and it resawed flawlessly right out of the box.

5. 
   Jkatzowitz | Jan 11, 2022 05:28pm | #5

   I have a Jet JWBS-14CS with a 1 HP motor and a riser block. I just re-sawed some 9" wide Cherry last week and had no issues. I'm running a 1/2"x105" Woodslicer blade from Highland Woodworking.

6. 
   largeb | Jan 12, 2022 06:21am | #6

   My experience with a riser block on a 14 inch Rigid mirrors what others have said. With the stock 3/4 hp motor it was underpowered for resawing to begin with. I replaced the motor with a 1.5 hp one, added the riser block, upgraded the broken guides to roller bearings, and added a Woodslicer 1/2 blade. After all that, and a lot of tuning, it now is a decent saw for resawing up to 8 inch wood at a slow pace.

   I went the above path because I couldn’t get the saw I wanted in the time period I needed. Without the supply chain issues buying a larger saw would be my recommendation. However you can probably make your saw cut well enough with an upgraded motor and blade.

7. 
   esch5995 | Jan 12, 2022 06:33am | #7

   My experience is anything less than 2hp will not resaw proficiently and 3 hp is better. Resawing is more than just cutting height, although the makers of those 14" Delta clones don't tell you that when they sell you the riser blocks.

1. 
   john_c2 | Jan 12, 2022 07:54am | #8

   I don't think horsepower is everything either. I resaw 10 inch cherry with a Woodslicer blade and 1.75 HP motor, and it cuts like butter. A crappy saw is just a crappy saw, and a bigger motor will just make crappy cuts faster.

8. 
   [email protected] | Jan 12, 2022 03:20pm | #9

   Thanks for all the input. I’ll likely remove the riser block and use the saw for its original, intended purpose.

9. 
   EdWeber | Jan 12, 2022 04:10pm | #10

   While I don't "re-saw" anything on my 14" saw, I prefer the extra height a riser block provides. Having extra room is great for using jigs, guides or sleds, that can eat into the available amount of exposed blade.
   Better to have it and not need it...
   JMHO

10. 
    pmoseley | Jan 12, 2022 04:42pm | #11

    Shouldn't be a big deal to add a larger horsepower motor.

11. 
    gulfstar | Jan 12, 2022 05:30pm | #12

    These bandsaw frames do not have the rigidity to handle more horsepower and more blade tension . Adding a spacer makes them even more flimsy. This yields to lost blade tension and the blade starts to wander in the cut requiring more hp.

1. 
   john_c2 | Jan 12, 2022 05:52pm | #13

   Thats why, if resawing is a goal, folks should just save up for a good steel frame saw that can resaw well out of the box. I wasted a lot of time with a 14 inch cast iron saw. Tons of time tuning it up. Riser block kit, better guides, spring, all kinds of stuff. And it was still no good at resawing. For all the money I sank into it, I should have just put it toward a Final Saw, not a Beginner Saw.