If you don’t own a bandsaw you might think that it isn’t possible to build with the wide-plank look I use but you are wrong. The techniques I used to build my “Artist Collaboration” board can easily be used at home with just a table saw and this resaw jig.
The board pictured is 30-inches wide and built out of a true two-by-twelve. (2 inches thick x 12 inches wide x 12 feet long)I do not usually use such large timbers but I thought it would be fun to meet the customer, who commissioned the board, at the lumber yard and have him help select the lumber. As I was showing him some nice 2×6 lumber, that I wanted to build the board with, a monster of a board caught his eye and he instantly said, “this is perfect!” The board was not perfectly flat, had tension from the fairly large knots and even had a slight crack from when the tree was alive. We left with that perfect board. Back in the shop, I started by ripping the board into two pieces. This reduced the cup would make the board more manageable. The steps I used to resaw this board can also be used with just a table saw.
Looking from the end of the plank: I started by ripping the board into two much more manageable 2 inch wide by 6 inch wide pieces. Resawing 1/4″ thick slices off a six inch high piece is much easier to do accurately.
Most planks have internal stresses from the tree growing that cause some wrapping and twisting as a board is cut. Cutting the board in half allows you to not only use a smaller saw but it reduces the amount of cupping, warping and twisting you have to deal with.
Depending on the size of the saw you are using you may have to repeat this step leaving you with four 2 x 3’s.
There are lots of ways to cut boards smaller but the trick is to keep it in order to allow reassembly. Mark triangles on the ends of your boards before you start cutting allowing you to easily reassemble the board.
When your board is small enough for your equipment you can slice the 1/4″ panels.
To achieve the wide look you simply match up the two planks again. I draw a second set of triangles on the face at this point as an alignment mark for gluing.
For simplicity I will show the last steps with a single board. If you have more than one board at this point just lay them side-to-side before you start book matching.
The top two boards open as one side and the bottom two open as the other side. The finished results are worth the extra attention in the shop!
