How to remove 1/4" from a billet?

[chagerman]

I building a solidbody guitar from a one-piece billet (Limba if it matters) with a maple cap on top. I'd like to remove about ¼" of the thickness of the billet. I'm wondering what techniques people use OTHER than use a thickness planer or router since I'd like to use that excess for control cavity covers and other uses? The billet won't fit vertically into my bandsaw. Any other ideas?

[Bizman62]

There's plenty of ways to reduce the thickness, most of which you already opted out! Planing and routing really waste material so I can easily agree with not using them. Sawing (resawing is the right term if I'm right) is the right way and if your bandsaw isn't up to the task it's hand tools to the rescue!

@ADFinlayson once presented an idea of a handsaw with a thickness guide to start the cut with, guess this picture helps understanding how it works:

Another drawing from my archives shows a way to cut hard woods with a handsaw with the least effort. Basically we're talking about cutting off corners as they're much easier to saw than long stretches:

[chagerman]

Thanks Bizman. Guess hand sawing IS the obvious choice here. Thanks for the Kerf image - that helps a lot.

[ADFinlayson]

The above guide saw contraption that @Bizman62 very accurately depicted was to create a kerf all round the blank that is the used to guide a panel saw to cut all the way through so I got a fairly clean cut. I used that method a couple of times, but it is incredibly time consuming and blisters are mandatory. This one below took me something like two hours to hand saw off so I don't recommend it.

If you can plan out your build so you know exactly where your control cover is going to go, you can mark it's location and route around it. then cut the control cover out with a flush trim saw. This is my goto method for a grain matching (ish) control cover. I use a plunge router and a surfacing but and work my way round so it's only the area around the cover left.

[chagerman]

Thanks for the info @ADFinlayson . The router + flush trim saw approach is simple and elegant. That hadn't occurred to me. I don't like the idea of wasting all of that routed excess ... but also don't like the idea of a few hours of sawing! So I'll probably go with this idea!

[Bizman62]

Before saving your sweat take a look at this video. That guy uses the hand saw a LOT for rough shaping! According to Wood Database the Ancient Swamp Kauri is about 9% harder than Limba (Janka hardness 730 v.s. 670), the neck and fretboard woods are unknown to WD although some information can be found. Most likely they're harder, though.

Also bear in mind that saving a few hours by skipping the sawing is a fraction of the time you'll have to use for sanding!

 

 

[Prostheta]

13 hours ago, ADFinlayson said:

 

By far, this is the best way to do it. The only issue is when your growth rings run out to one side, which misplaces the grain match. Not difficult to compensate for prior to placing where you take the cover of course. It's worth taping a "credit" card over the very end or something along those lines if you want to avoid the beak of the saw scraping up the surface.

[ADFinlayson]

39 minutes ago, Prostheta said:

 

By far, this is the best way to do it. The only issue is when your growth rings run out to one side, which misplaces the grain match. Not difficult to compensate for prior to placing where you take the cover of course. It's worth taping a "credit" card over the very end or something along those lines if you want to avoid the beak of the saw scraping up the surface.

It is and I'm pretty sure I stole this idea from you. I just didn;t mention it because I always get your usermixed up with @curtisa It does totally depend on the species and cut of the wood as you say. I did notice when I last did it that although the grain didn't match perfectly, the chatoyance was consistent through the depth of the body blank so it still looked like it matched well. Something I do to help the grain match is to get the bottom level taking as little material as possible, then bring it down to correct thickness by taking material from the top so the grain on the grain patterns on two pieces are as close together as it can be.

[Prostheta]

Likewise, I would have foisted it from somebody else! That's how everything works  Information wants to be free.

Yep, being aware of how much the variation by depth might be affected (or not) can make or break this. I look at the endgrain and figure out a rough offset based on growth ring angle. Once surfaced, placement can be fine-tuned. All fun times.