Billet of Ribbon Sapele to resaw

[Kevin in California]

I purchased a very nicely quarter sawn 8/4 billet of very nice and clean Ribbon Sapele that is 62" long and 11.5" wide. It is a full 1.75" thick.
I've been thinking about the best way to deal with it...cut it up. I have a Highland Woodworking Woodslicer resaw blade for my saw. Height wise it will handle the width of this billet, but this will be my first resawing and I don't know if I want to chance cutting this thing full length and width, so I've worked out a way to get at least 3 sets, probably 4 if I can do a good job of sawing, of back & sides, 2 neck blanks and a bunch of neck blocks. If I really had the equipment and knew what I was doing, I could cut the thing up as is and maybe get 6 B & S sets out of it, but I question too much my ability to be successful doing that. Also, the sides would be only about 1" extra length for dreds and that is not much to play with.

A question for those of you...especially you Ken. With a .025" wide blade, and cutting 4 about 3/16" wide slices for B & S, and then adjusting down to about an 1/8" cuts for the sides, that I could expect to pretty easily get 8 total slices? I realize that there will be some running through the drum sander to clean up the surfaces. If I could do this, I could get 6 sets with sides at 31" long.

What do you think? All advise is welcome on how to treat this billet. I like Sapele necks, I've done two of them. Nice to work and I like the look even though they are a little bit heavier than Honduras Mahogany.

Also, there was a billet of Bubinga there I passed on; 8/4 by about 38" long and 11.5" wide. It was not fancy, but nicely quarter sawn also and nice with black streaks. Only $90. Not long enough to get two sets of backs off two slices though. Ken have you resawn Bubinga and would I be crazy to try it? I don't want to have to buy 3 blades to get it done, not worth it then.

Thanks for anyones opinion and experiences.

Kevin

[ken cierp]

Hi Kevin,
I've never resawn Bubinga so can't help with that one. Admittedly I always plan my resaw cuts for the bad senerio -- rather than the optimum -- stuff happens, the worst being the billet begins to cup (even 1/4 sawn) for no apparent reason -- of course it is the change in moisture content that happens instantly as the cut exposes bare wood. Your blade choice is good and a great start. I have to suggest that you get some Maple or other hard wood that is 9" wide and do some practice cuts to test your band saw and your skills. I have found that slicing the thin piece off the outside works much better then pinching it against the fence. I don't want to discourage -- but be ready for suprises, saw brand ,size, power, blade choice, tension, fence, guide system, operator etc. all can impact the results. I've been using the same saw now for about five years, like I said I still plan for the worse. Sorry I can't be inspirational on this process.

[Kevin in California]

Thanks Ken,
I think you've given pretty good advice actually. I should have no trouble cutting this up and getting 3 sets plus the neck blanks, etc. and that will allow for some error, plus chunking it up should make the resawing going a little easier...smaller pieces.
That Bubinga scared me....man that stuff is hard.
But I'd love to make a guitar with it.

Kevin

[Eric_K]

I have some waterfall Bubinga that needs resawn. I'd suggest practice practice practice. At least I'm going to.

[Ken Hundley]

Would there be any value to alternating which side you cut from to try and equalize the moisture content and cutting direction? Just a thought. May be tough with a rough cut.

[TonyinNYC]

That Bubinga scared me....man that stuff is hard.
But I'd love to make a guitar with it.

Kevin

I bent a set of bubinga sides for a friend once. I had to thin it down with my drum sander. Let me tell you that is was like sanding concrete. I have 60 grit paper in my sander and normally I lower the head by an eighth of a turn on the adjustment wheel with each pass through the machine. With the Bubinga, I had to turn about 1/16th of a turn, and pass the wood through twice before lowering it again. It was hard wood.