Table saws are one of the most versatile tools in a woodworker’s arsenal, capable of performing a wide variety of tasks. From ripping boards to quickly cutting precise tenons, you can use a table saw for all kinds of joinery and woodworking tasks. But can you resaw with a table saw?

Yes, you can resaw wood with a table saw as long as the width of your board is less than or equal to twice your table saw’s maximum cut depth. For instance, if the maximum cutting depth of your table saw is 3″, then you can safely resaw boards up to 6″ wide.

Ok, now that you know it’s possible, how exactly do you do it?

For the rest of this guide, I’m going to walk you through 5 simple steps to resaw wood with a table saw. Plus, we’ll dive into a few of the benefits, disadvantages, and alternatives you might want to explore.

Let’s make some sawdust:

What Does It Mean To “Resaw” Wood?

Resawing wood is simply the process of cutting a board parallel to its widest face in order to yield 2 boards (or more) of the same width. This technique is often used in woodworking to make veneer, create book-matched panels, and minimize waste.

For instance, let’s say you have a board that’s 2″ thick, 6″ wide, and 4 feet long. You could resaw that board into 4 thinner boards that are each 1/4″ thick, 6″ wide, and 4 feet long.

How To Resaw Wood With A Table Saw: 5 Simple Steps

If you’re hoping to resaw a piece of wood on a table saw but you’re not sure how to go about it, here are a few simple steps that will help you get started:

1 – Pick The Right Blade

As with any woodworking technique, if you want to get the best results, you need to use the proper tool for the job. That’s why, if you want to resaw with a table saw, it’s important to use the right blade.

What kind of blade is best for resawing on a table saw?

When resawing with a table saw, you should use a thin-kerf ripping blade with somewhere between 20 to 25 teeth. The combination of fewer teeth and a thinner kerf will reduce the volume of wood you have to cut through and result in the cleanest cut.

If you’re looking for a great blade for resawing with a table saw, this Freud Thin-Kerf Ripping blade is perfect.

3 – Make Sure The Blade Is Set To 90 Degrees, Exactly

After installing the right kind of blade on your table saw, the next step is to set your blade to a perfect 90 degrees. This is absolutely critical if you want to achieve good results, as even a slight deviation from 90 degrees can ruin your cut.

How do you make sure your table saw blade is set to 90 degrees?

My favorite method is to use a digital angle gauge, like this one from Stead & Fast. With a digital angle gauge, all you have to do is place it on the bed of your table saw, zero it out, then attach it to your table saw blade with the magnet on the bottom and adjust your angle accordingly.

The other option is to simply use a square. If you go this route, however, I don’t recommend using any old square you find at a big box store. Since resawing requires an extra level of accuracy, I recommend using a precision square, like the Woodpeckers Mini Square.

Also, if you choose to use a square, I recommend shining a flashlight between your square and the table saw blade to check for any small gaps.

Trust me, getting this right is much easier than trying to fix a bad cut after the fact.

2 – Set The Blade To The Right Height

Once you’ve got your blade dialed into the correct angle, the next step is to set the height.

If your piece of wood is narrow enough to resaw in one pass, then just set your blade slightly higher than the width of your board.

On the other hand, if your board is wider than your table saw’s maximum cutting depth, I recommend setting your table saw blade to just higher than 50% of the width of your board.

4 – Set Your Fence And Run Your First Cut

After setting your height, the next step is to set your fence to your desired measurement and run your board through the table saw. For this step, I recommend using a push stick and a featherboard.

The key here is to keep your board pressed firmly against your fence.

As long as you keep it perfectly vertical, you shouldn’t have any trouble with this first cut.

Just let the saw do the work. At no point in time should you force the workpiece through the blade.

Take your time, and don’t do anything that makes you uncomfortable. Remember, safety is paramount when working with power tools. So don’t do anything that feels iffy.

5 – Run Your Second Cut (If Needed)

If your board was too wide to resaw in one pass, then the next step is to flip your board end-over-end (keeping the same face referenced against your fence) and run it through the table saw again.

Since you set the table saw blade to 50% of the width of your board, this second pass will cut the remainder of the wood and result in a perfectly book-matched set of boards.

Benefits Of Resawing With A Table Saw

Now that we’ve gone over how to resaw with a table saw, let’s talk about some of the benefits:

You Don’t Need A Band Saw

First of all, if you already own a table saw, then using it to resaw small boards eliminates the need to go out and purchase a bandsaw.

While a band saw certainly has its advantages, if you’re just getting started in woodworking, then a table saw will do the trick just fine.

Less Finicky

If you’ve ever used a bandsaw to resaw a piece of wood, you know it takes some practice and skill. Not only do you have to know how to set up your bandsaw properly, but you have to nail your technique in order to keep your blade from wandering.

With a table saw, you are cutting with a blade that is designed to cut in a straight line. Add in a feather-board or two, and a table saw is a pretty foolproof way to make beautiful resaw cuts.

Fast And Accurate

Another advantage of using a table saw to resaw is that it tends to go quicker than a bandsaw–especially on harder woods.

Not only does resawing on a bandsaw require a much slower, focused effort, but the setup can also be a bit of a pain. With a table saw, you just swap in your blade, set your angle, height, fence, and feather-board, and start cutting.

Disadvantages Of Resawing With A Table Saw

While there are some definite advantages to using a table saw to resaw boards, there are also some notable disadvantages:

It Can Be Intimidating

There’s just something about a table saw that’s more intimidating than a bandsaw. Maybe it’s the fact that it has a spinning blade, or maybe it’s because table saws require you to keep downward pressure on your workpiece the whole time.

Whatever the case, if you’ve never resawn wood on a table saw, the whole process can feel a bit more intimidating than resawing on a bandsaw.

You’re Limited To Narrower Boards

Since a table saw’s cutting capacity isn’t very deep, you’re limited to resawing narrower boards. In most cases, you won’t be able to fully cut through a piece of wood greater than 6 inches wide.

Meanwhile, many bandsaws will allow you to resaw boards more than twice that width.

So, if you’re working with wide boards, then a table saw probably isn’t the best tool for the job.

More Clean-up Work

Since resawing on a table saw often requires 2 passes, you may have a little extra sanding to do on your boards after you finish making your cuts. A bandsaw, on the other hand, allows you to resaw in one pass, which typically results in less sanding.

More Waste Than A Bandsaw

One of the biggest disadvantages to resawing on a table saw is that the kerf of the blade is much thicker than that of a bandsaw. Therefore, every cut you make will result in more waste.

With that in mind, if you want to minimize waste and yield the maximum number of boards possible, a bandsaw is a much better option.

Is Resawing On A Table Saw Safe?

Yes, with the proper setup, technique, and safety precautions, resawing on the table saw is safe. For example, you should use the proper blade, wear safety glasses, use a push stick and a feather board, and let the saw do the work.

And, as is the case with any power tool, if you’re unsure or uncomfortable attempting a certain technique, it’s best to seek the advice of someone with more experience.

Are Resawing And Ripping The Same Thing?

No, resawing a board and ripping a board is not the same thing. Ripping a board is the process of cutting a piece of wood to reduce its width. Resawing a board, on the other hand, refers to cutting a board to reduce its thickness.

The only time resawing and ripping can be used interchangeably is if the thickness and the width of a board are equal.

For instance, if the board you are cutting is 4″ wide by 4″ thick, then your first cut could be considered a rip or a resaw. That said, in most cases, this situation is still referred to as a rip cut.

Final Thoughts

Overall, resawing on a table saw is a fast and accurate way to cut boards.

As long as you use the proper setup and safety precautions, this can be a great option for narrow boards.

That said, if you’re looking to resaw wider boards, or just minimize the amount of wood you waste per cut, then you’re probably better off using a bandsaw. Ultimately, the best tool for the job will depend on your specific project needs.

What are your thoughts on resawing with a table saw? Be sure to drop them in the comments.

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