Tip #47
Resawing Techniques
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There's a fine art to making thin boards out of thick ones. Resawing is the art of slicing large boards into smaller ones. And it is an art - any woodworker who has done a lot of resawing will testify to that. To resaw a board - and do a good job of it - you have to know your machine intimately and develop a “feel” for the wood. This blend of knowledge and skill is what elevates this simple technique to an art.

It's a useful art, well worth the time it takes to learn it. Most woodworking projects call for several different thicknesses of stock, while lumberyards usually only sell 4/4 (1" thick) and 8/4 (2" thick) cabinet-grade woods, It takes forever to work 4/4 lumber down to ¼" thick on a small planer. Resawing saves an enormous amount of time. It also saves wood. You can get two, possibly three ¼"-thick boards from a single 4/4 board.

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