Is there a secret to cutting western red cedar with a power saw? I have tried to cut it (2" thickness) with a table saw, band saw, and scroll saw - always starts to smoke and burn. I have tried slowing both the saw speed on my scroll saw and the feed rate all three saws. Blades are clean and sharp. The best I can do is feed a few inches, back up and pause, then feed again. I'm afraid of having saw dust smolder in the collection area inside the saw box or in the dust collector system.
I assume there must be a way besides cutting it by hand.
I expect it is the moisture content and the oils that are causing the smoking.
Try cutting in two or three cuts using a partial cut in depth each time That should allow you to speed up
Joe
WRC is really easy to cut, generally much easier than pine. It sounds like you are cutting into a bind. IE: saw isn't tracking straight, and the blade is binding in the wood. On a TS you need to make sure the distance between the blade and the rip fence is pretty close to equal, if not equal you want the far end of the fence, furthest away from you, to be tailing out to the right if the fence is to the right of the blade.
Quick test to make sure it isn't a wonky saw blade is to use your miter gauge, and see if you can make a cross cut without a problem. If it zips right through, and you are having this only on rips, you have poor alignment.
Joe he's on my side of the country, and the WRC we see is almost arid, literally cuts like balsa wood. I've never experienced what he is saying.
The smoking, burning description is why I went the way I did.
Well it's not a case of binding. So I'm wondering if it's a matter of maybe changing to a blade with fewer teeth and more gap, and also a slower speed - in effect creating less friction and heat. The plank I bought for the boat oar I carved was quite soft compared to pine and poplar, but I wouldn't call it resinous. It was highly aromatic, though not the same as the typical smell of a cedar chest. The good thing is that it was beautiful to work with using hand tools. I have a small project or two using some of the cut-offs. I'll experiment with some other blades. I thought someone might have an answer for me.
well what blade are you using?
It is pretty difficult to narrow down an issue if the information is so generic we have to conclude things like the blade is correct for the application or the saw is fairly well tuned.
I am not ragging on you, sometimes it just helps to provide more information
I do not think there is anything big about cutting it. I have hundreds of trees and cut up to 14" logs on my bandsaw and no problem and even cut up to 2.5" on my table saw. Are your blades clean? if there is anything burnt on the blades or any waxs or pitch it will get gummed up but no problems cutting it if saw blades are good and clean. Also you need a bandsaw blade that has 3 to 6 tpi if anything more it will cut so very slow
are you sure your cutting red cedar?
I've cut hundreds of feet of WRC with each of the tools mentioned. Not once did I experience those problems.