What is a band saw used for

A band saw is an essential tool for any woodworker seeking to advance their skills and create more. It is a versatile tool and has the full potential to transform old, boring pieces to outstanding, useful pieces. If you have one of these and wondering about different ways to use it, this article is a great resource.

What are the parts of a Band Saw?

Before you get started, take the time to learn a little bit about the band saw and what it does.

To get a better understanding of your band saw, you need to understand what each part actually does. Here’s an overview of the major components and what they do.

• Frame. The frame of the equipment is usually made of cast iron.
• On/Off Switch. Control device start and stop
• Blade tension knob. Adjust the tightness of the saw blade by turning the knob.
• Rapid tension lever. Quickly adjust the tightness of the saw blade.
• Cabinet access knob. Turn the knob to lock or open the cabinet door.
• Blade height adjustment. Turn the knob to adjust the height of the saw blade cover.
• Blade. Saw blade is the core component of the band saw. Cutting different materials requires the use of different types of saw blades.
• Blade lock. Lock the saw blade.
• Miter gauge. Using a miter gauge can adjust the cutting Angle of the material to be cut.
• Table. Worktable.
• Table tilt lever. Adjust the tilt Angle of the worktable to meet different requirements.
• Table lock knob. Lock the workbench.
• Dust port. The waste generated during normal operation of the band saw is discharged from this position.
• Motor. The motor is the power source of the band saw.

What is a band saw used for?

Regardless of the type of band saw you have, you can make use of it in different ways. I have compiled 15 uses that your band saw can come in handy.

1. Cutting Straight Lines

One of the basic uses of a band saw is cutting straight lines on various materials. A band saw is relatively easy to maneuver and with a few settings, you can make it work. You first need to mark the cut line for precision. You can use a pencil or a marker to draw the line, so it is easy to see.

Using a measuring tape, you should confirm that the line is accurate. With a firm grip, you can then cut across the board following the straight line you marked. If you tend to be shaky, you can utilize the fence to guide you for better accuracy. The fence also comes in handy for beginners learning how to use a band saw.

2. Making Relief Cuts

Relief cuts are essential when making curves and other decorative cuts. These come in handy when cutting small diameters or smaller pieces of material. You first need to mark the relief cut lines for easy cutting. The lines are usually small and join forming the curve you intend to create.

3. Making Curved Cuts

Unlike other saws, a band saw is useful for cutting curves for decorative applications and other uses. When making curved cuts, you first need to mark out the exact line. It is important to note that you need to make relief cuts first. This will help you to cut the curve following the relief cuts.

Cutting curves requires you to stop at every relief cut. It helps to make the curvature piece by piece for a proper curve that you will not need to polish after.

4. Resaw

Resaw refers to the process of cutting board sheets to smaller, thin pieces. A good example to explain this is; if you have a 6-inch thick board, you could cut it to make two 3-inch thick pieces. A band saw, in this case, requires positioning the board on the sides.

Re-sawing is an economical process and prevents wastage of wood. Additionally, it allows you to produce pieces with consistent colors and patterns in the case of raw timber.

5. Resetting the Edge of a Board

When you get boards from the mill, some might not be as straight as the milling process is not always accurate. With such boards, you can use a band saw to perfect the edge for easy use. For example, if you need to glue two pieces of wood together, you can reset the edges to ensure they align properly.

To do this, you can use a chalk and draw a straight line for resetting. You can then saw free-hand at the band saw and cut through following the line. If you have additional boards to reset to equal size, you can use the first one as a guide.

6. Making Veneers

Veneers are common in woodwork projects and provide plenty of possibilities on how to use. If you are working with thin veneer, you can use a band saw to slice it into thinner pieces. For example; you could be making a drawer and need a wood piece to make matching doors.

In such a situation, you can get a thick veneer and cut to get similar front faces. Using a band saw for this kind of woodwork helps you to maximize the use of exceptional and highly-figured boards. It also enables you to add a refined look to your results.

7. Making Bent Laminations

The versatility of a band saw makes it one of the essential tools for any woodworker. It is one of the most practical tools to cut thin laminates with bent lamination. This design expands your designs possibilities to create even more unique pieces.

Just like thick veneer, you saw the laminates in succession from a thick block. You can then use the laminates to build curved furniture pieces by gluing them together.

8. Processing Small Logs

If you have a few logs in your backyard, you can make use of your band saw for processing. In this case, the band saw works like a mini-mill to create more usable and practical pieces of wood. You can make curves, or small blocks to build furniture, etc.

9. Making Perfect Circles

In addition to making curves, your bad saw can help you cut perfect circles. It expands your creativity to come up with unique pieces of art or furniture. The process is easy, and you only need to set your band saw in place.

First, you need to mark a circle on the piece of wood. Find the center of the wood and make a hole. Make long tangent to the circle at the starting point. Use a nail and drive it down, ensuring you maintain a 90-degree angle.

With an auxiliary table fastened to the band saw, turn the cut material into the blade to rotate the pivoting on the nail. It will cut along the marked line for a perfect circle.

10. Cutting Metal

While most people use a band saw for woodworks only, it is a practical tool to use for cutting metal. Most band saws are strong and sturdy to cut through thicker and harder material. Although it might not deliver perfect lines like wood, it comes in handy for one-time metal cutting needs.

When cutting metal, however, it is crucial to use the right type of blade.

11. Ripping Lumber

One of the primary uses of a band saw is ripping lumber. This process involves cutting down large pieces of lumber following the grain. A band saw, in this case, comes in handy to transform an uneven, hefty piece to a uniform, useful piece.

If you have a large lumber piece, you can process it into different pieces that you can use for various projects. An example is cutting a big chunk of lumber to use as fence planks that are uniform and same in size.

The good thing is that the band saw has a large table to accommodate different large pieces. Additionally, the cutting capacity is high to work with different textures and grains of wood. You can easily line up multiple pieces in succession and run them along with a miter guide precise cutting.

12. Creating Tenon Joints

Most woodworking projects require you to create a mortice and tenon joint. These are essential for joining two different parts of wood firmly. A portable band saw is the most applicable in such a case. It is easy to maneuver and ensures precision when making the joints.

13. Resetting the Face of the Board

A band saw can help you control the grain and figure of the board for a more appropriate face depending on your project. For example, if you want to make a table with curved legs, you can mark the face of the board following the grain.

It will guide you on where to cut and create the curves following the natural grain of the wood. Also, you can use the band saw to maximize the ray figure in some species. You can easily saw to reorient the face of the board to the annual rings. This process can elevate the quality of your work.

14. Making Decorative Cuts

You can use your versatile band saw to cut pieces for decorative purposes. Think of cutting at various angles and joining the pieces to create unique pieces. A portable band saw in particular works best for decorative cuts. It is lighter to maneuver and works well even with the tiniest pieces.

15. Cutting Meat

Although not structural, one of the ways of using a band saw is cutting meat. Usually, butchers use tabletop or portable band saw to cut through big chunks of meat. It is also useful for splitting bones and reducing them to smaller sizes. In this case, a band saw saves time and effort and also helps to make clean cuts of meat.

Conclusion

From the uses above, it is clear a band saw is a practical tool to have. Not only is it great for general woodwork projects but also useful in cutting different materials and textures. With a band saw, you can make pieces out of your creativity and utilize the versatile design.

It is, however, essential to consider the cutting capacity of your band saw. You want to ensure it can handle the materials you intend to cut and can allow some sort of customization to suit your needs.

Whether you have a portable or tabletop band saw, you can use it in the ways explained above and enjoy its adaptability. Leave a comment if you have any question and let’s interact.