# Hitachi CB75F Resaw



## Aurora North

Hey guys,

I just picked one of these up because I liked the 3" wide blade. The stock motor on it sounds dreadful. It screams and is underpowered at 2.5HP. I'm going to be replacing it with a 5 HP 3phase motor after I complete a couple jobs and have the time to dig into it. Maybe a 7.5 HP, but that might be overkill. 

The big thing I'm looking to do is cut the frame and make a riser block in order to gain more resaw height. As of now I only have 11 3/8". I want to be able to do 15-16". 

I haven't seen too much on these or guys who own them modifying them other than switching the motors.

Reactions: Way Cool 1


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## JR Custom Calls

Those are pretty neat saws. Everything I've read on them indicates that it's a fantastic design, minus the motor. I guess they decided to put a router type motor on them, which seems like a terrible idea to me. That blade though! You going to have to buy custom blades once you get the riser on it?


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## Aurora North

Hey JR,

Yes I would need custom blades. As of now there are a few sites I found with blades ranging from $165-225 a pop. That's insane to me. A friend of mine who runs an Amish made horizontal bandsaw for slabs and gets his blades dirt cheap. I'll ask him and see if I can get them for this saw at a better price.


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## JR Custom Calls

Aurora North said:


> Hey JR,
> 
> Yes I would need custom blades. As of now there are a few sites I found with blades ranging from $165-225 a pop. That's insane to me. A friend of mine who runs an Amish made horizontal bandsaw for slabs and gets his blades dirt cheap. I'll ask him and see if I can get them for this saw at a better price.


Ouch. That seems a bit expensive to me. I know that's a heck of a blade, but I wouldn't expect it to be THAT much more than a 1" resaw blade. Guess demand isn't all that great on them.


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## Tony

That's awesome, I look forward to seeing how it runs! Tony


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## woodtickgreg

Very cool!


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## Aurora North

JR Custom Calls said:


> Ouch. That seems a bit expensive to me. I know that's a heck of a blade, but I wouldn't expect it to be THAT much more than a 1" resaw blade. Guess demand isn't all that great on them.



That might be the price for the stelite(?) blade. It's spelled something like that. I was looking it over and it has what looks like carbide tips on the teeth. Not quite like the king blades which resemble a table saw blade, but small triangular tips that should be able to be honed. Perhaps that is why they cost so much. I'll have to research more into all of it tomorrow when I'm at work looking at the saw during lunch.


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## Aurora North

What do you guys think... Wood shop environment... dust in the air even with air cleaners/piped in dust collection and all that. Should I be looking strictly at a TEFC motor for hazardous environment or will any old 5hp motor do? There is quite a price gap between severe duty motors with the explosion proof casing vs one that isn't sealed. Our shop never gets near the point of concentrated dust that I'm even slightly worried about an explosion. It's more for lifespan of the motor/ potential for fire? Basically, I want to get a motor and do this conversion job one time.


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## Schroedc

I'm using farm duty enclosed motors without an issue on several tools. wouldn't think you need to go to an explosion proof. From what I understand that's more for vapours than dust.


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## Aurora North

I just ripped these on the resaw. I have done literally nothing to it. Didn't sharpen the teeth. I only check the blade tension and the phenolic blocks.

These are 8" wide soft maple. Ran some 6" also. The 6" cut no problem. The 8" bogged down a couple times. I expected that.

I'll post a short video if I can. If I can't figure out the internet then pictures will have to suffice. I'm 28 but man I am not computer savvy. 


Priced out some TEFC 5hp and 7.5 hp motors at $250 and 300 brand new. not a huge difference so now I'm wondering which to go with.


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## Schroedc

I'm running 2HP on an old Rockwell 14 inch saw so I'd think 5HP would be more than enough, even my bandsaw mill is only 5 1/2 HP although gas engine to electric motor isn't exactly an apples to apples comparison.


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## Schroedc

Also- I'm wondering if after a certain point more HP just means a greater likelihood of breaking something in the saw if you bogged down instead of just stalling.....


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## Mike1950

My 21 inch griz- 3hp has plenty of power to resaw 14+ " it is capable of. They put the 5 on the 24"


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## Aurora North

I hear that. I might actually step it down to a 3hp. I have the same concerns Colin... it's all well and good to go Tim Taylor on this thing and want more power, but I am thinking the parts/frame were not designed for that amount of torque. Also, if I drop to a 3hp motor the price goes down significantly. Or, it means I can go with a VFD set up for around the same price that I would have bought a 5hp at. And I'm liking the idea of being able to adjust my blade speeds depending on different wood density.


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## barry richardson

I agree, I think 3 hp would be plenty, and more practical. I have found you can resaw big, with not that much power, sharp blades are the key.

Reactions: Agree 1


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