Resawing wood that’s already pretty thin
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I have a beautiful piece of koa that I want to use in a banjo resonator. For those who might not know, the back of a banjo resonator is slightly arched. I was originally going to cut it into small pieces and build it in a form, but I’ve been advised that it wouldn’t survive turning on the lathe. Now I’m thinking I’ll build up the back with thin pieces in a form and make the last of those pieces be the Koa. So, here’s the question: The piece of Koa is about 7″ wide and 3/8″ thick. I’d want to re-saw it and end up with pieces about 1/8″ or so. Any tips for re-sawing something that’s already pretty thin and make sure that the blade doesn’t stray?
(PS, the piece of Koa wasn’t cheap, so I’m not eager to screw it up 🙂
Replies
Safety First
Attempting to resaw thin stock is dangerous. Take care!
To resaw a 3/8" piece into two 1/8" pieces is going to require a carrier piece, with the koa hot melt glued to the carrier stock so it can be safely controlled on the bandsaw. After the cuts are made, the hot melt glue can be cleaned up and there you go, business pro! Remember to judge and allow for your kerf thickness as you plan the cut and leave the pieces enough over-thickness to clean up the saw marks after the cuts.
forming
Sounds like you'll be making a formed lamination - essentially a formed piece of thin plywood - using some sort of press. I'm wondering if you'll need to steam the individual laminations, and whether the finished piece will give you the resonance you're looking for. I'd talk to an experienced luthier (which I'm not) before going this route.
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