metallicaforlife Posted May 3, 2011 Report Share Posted May 3, 2011 If i was to say have a piece of purple heart wood that was an inch thick and 7 and a half wide and as long as i need it to be would it be possible to turn that in to a matched pair of two top pieces about 1/4 of an inch thick each? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jahnj1 Posted May 3, 2011 Report Share Posted May 3, 2011 yes, you could. There are many ways, either with a table saw, or a bandsaw and a fence (usually the best). You won't get 4 1/4 thick pieces, since you have your blade width to accommodate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metallicaforlife Posted May 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2011 i only figured i would get two pieces. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotYou Posted May 3, 2011 Report Share Posted May 3, 2011 It's definitely possible. 7" of purpleheart isn't going to be easy to cut through, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElRay Posted May 3, 2011 Report Share Posted May 3, 2011 One other point: The thinner the blade, the closer the bookmatch. You could do two cuts using a table saw, and then hand cut whatever is left, but the bookmatching will not be as good as it would be if you used a bandsaw. That said, a bandsaw that can handle a piece that's 7-1/2" tall is not as easy to come by as a table saw that can cut 3-1/2" deep. Ray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted May 3, 2011 Report Share Posted May 3, 2011 Purpleheart cuts like concrete.... kills blades. I always spend some time tuning my bandsaw before attempting to bookmatch anything... I would spend longer before trying purpleheart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metallicaforlife Posted May 4, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2011 what do you mean by "tuning"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted May 4, 2011 Report Share Posted May 4, 2011 what do you mean by "tuning"? Tuning your bandsaw? Ummm... you know making sure it cuts straight by using a sharp blade, making sure it is clean, setting the guides properly, proper blade tension, aligning the wheels, balancing the wheels, setting the drift on your fence... normal woodworker stuff. Hard woods like purpleheart and bloodwood have a tendency to not rip well. They will cup and drift pretty bad if your saw is not setup properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metallicaforlife Posted May 4, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2011 Makes sense now. I've previously done this. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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