Which One First?

[Steve Maskery]

Alert!
Looking at some vids on the web is not a good way to learn how to use a tablesaw!!!!! Especially the "turn over" as you put it. That is a really bad idea. It's a bad idea for anyone, let alone a beginner. Please don't do it.

That operation is more usually called deep ripping or re-sawing. The bandsaw is the better machine for the job, and it has to be equipped with the right blade and set up pretty darn well to do the job properly. The fact that some people try to make the TS do something it was not designed to do, and sometimes get way with it, does not make it a good idea.

The TS is a great machine, but please make sure that you use it in a way that is going to keep you out of A&E.

 

[siggy_7]

I would agree with Steve's advice on resawing, and if you want to resaw 228mm a table saw that can handle that is a very industrial bit of kit. You could get by with an 8" saw such as the Axi TS200 for the rest of the operations, but my recommendation would be for a 10" saw. They seem more robust than the 8" offerings and the larger tables are useful for accurate work. I would look at Axminster AW10, Charnwood W650 or SIP 01332. Or if you want to save a bit of cash, look for something second hand - there are a lot of good saws around, if you stick with a basic flat top and blade cabinet saw there's not far you can go wrong.

 

[custard]

the timber will be rough cut 228 x 38mm of lengths of up to 2000mm. I need to rip some down to 25mm thick

Bob, sawing (with any saw), is not a good way to bring 38mm rough sawn timber down to 25mm finished thickness. If you perform that operation with one cut you're very likely to end up with a uselessly cupped board. In theory you could take a thin, equal cut off both sides and that would increase your chances of success, but in reality to re-saw you need to start with at least one accurately planed edge and face. Consequently most people would then just continue with the planer/thicknesser, thickening equally from both faces, to bring the board down to the finished 25mm thickness. Trying to re-saw rough sawn boards (that are almost certain to be twisted, cupped, or crook to some extent) is something an experienced sawyer would think carefully about, and for a beginner it's a terrible idea.

Bob, don't take this personally, but reading through this thread again I'm wondering if you're ready to undertake building beehives to a saleable standard? I suspect that you might sink quite a lot of time and money into this undertaking, only to be left with a pile of ruined timber and some machinery that's not really up to the job. And that's the good outcome! The bad outcome has you in A&E.

Why not start with some smaller and simpler projects, like birdhouses, and use this to polish up your handtool skills?

Good luck!

 

[Mr T]

I would agree with all the previous warnings. I did not realise you were planning on ripping with the table saw when I recommended it. Ripping that depth with either a table saw or band saw will not give you clean or accurate enough stuff to make hives. It would need planing and final thicknessing. You could do this by hand but it would probably put your labour costs up too high.

Actually I thought the sides of the national were 20mm thick, you could use a standard PSE board size for this and not need to do the deep ripping or planing.The top rails are 38 by 25, you could rip that on the table saw fairly safely. The 15mm for the floor could be marine ply, although I understand many keepers are now using a mesh floor.

Whatever you do Iplease consider some hands on (not sure that's the right term here!) tuition in machine woodwork. I think Peter Sefton does a course and he's on your side of the country. Or perhaps there is a forum member locally who could give you some tips.

chirs

 

[blackrodd]

I'll second the above! Peter Sefton can show you what can, and cannot be done safely, regarding machinery.
A definate must for a newby wanting to retain all the fingers you started out with.
Regards Rodders

 

[whiskywill]

Can you make them cheaper than these? http://www.caddon-hives.co.uk/National- ... abled-Roof
After researching the cost of Western Red Cedar I don't know how he does it.

 

[SurreyHills]

As a beekeeper making most of my own National equipment you should be able to get by with a tablesaw and a router. The router is a must for producing the rebates required in a National box. If you are going to make them out of WRC be careful as the English stuff is not as good as the American. English WRC tends to be paler in colour, has more knots but is much cheaper. I buy my WRC from a local sawmill and get them to plane it to thickness (19mm and 25mm) - even if it's freshly felled it doesn't shrink by much as it dries out. 25mm dries out very quickly I warm weather - much faster than the normal guideline of 1" per year for most woods. I could thickness it myself but it's a diffuse wood to plane as it is light it suffers from tearout unless you have a very good p/t. Wood costs me about £10 per brood box.


Cheers
Andy

 

[blackrodd]

Cracking beehives you found whisky will, they look really good!
I've not used w r cedar for years, but remember the lovely smell.
Regards Rodders