What Is A Band Saw Used For? – 6 Uses Of Band Saw

Band saws are reliable power tools that can cut straight lines, curves, and other irregular shapes, even in thick wood, and they are often used for tasks like making curved legs, ripping wood, and cutting small pieces. Once you understand which blade to use, you can use the tool for almost any job in your workshop.

The second most common application involves re-cutting or ripping wood into thin slabs. Besides making the finest cuts, band saws can cut metal and other materials, such as wood, with the right blade. All in all, band saws have a wide range of usage.

And, this article will inform you every detail about what is a band saw used for and how you can use yours to maintain proper safety.

Know What Are the Uses of a Band Saw

A bandsaw is a tool that serves multiple functions, and you can use it to do various tasks. Let’s have a look at what are the uses of a band saw in detail.

1. Straight Line Cutting

People generally buy band saws for woodworking because they are simple to use and effective. While other tools are accessible that can help you cut a straight line, the band saw enables you to make a precise cut each time you use it.

With a band saw, getting a straight cut doesn’t require much effort. However, mark the wood you wish to cut straight to avoid confusion.

You can also use a protractor to measure various angles to accomplish this.

Hold on tightly to ensure that the cut is accurate and to prevent the cut from slipping slightly. You better use a fence this time to secure the piece of wood if you find it challenging to maintain control of the saw. The majority of band saws include a fence.

2. To Get a Curved Cutting

Cutting curved wood is one of the most common applications for band saws. Unfortunately, even experienced woodworkers find it tough to cut complex curves. However, you won’t have any trouble perfecting the various tricks if you put them to good use with lots of practice on a dependable bandsaw.

Since the blade is fixed and keeps moving in a cycle, it can cut wider, thicker pieces of wood than a small, portable saw. Because you’ll be moving the wood yourself, it would be a good idea to plan what pattern you will cut on the saw before cutting. As a result, operator error will decrease. You might also use a thinner blade. We would suggest a quarter-inch one. Woodworkers use a 14″ blade, though it can depend on what kind of wood you’re working with.

Related: Are Reciprocating Saw Blades Universal | How To Choose One?

3. Milling Lumber

If you are a newbie in woodworking, you may not know that you can mill lumber with a band saw. Like a small sawmill using a band saw for milling lumber or logs is pretty cool. In the primary breakdown of logs, bandsaws are the most commonly used cutting tools. An average bandsaw mill will produce more board feet per hour than a traditional circular mill. Because of the smaller kerf, bandsaws produce fewer wood chips and more lumber.

4. Ripping Wood

Ripping wood is the most common use of a bandsaw behind complex designs. The action of ripping is the straight, parallel-grain cutting off of a piece of wood. Bandsaws can be suitable tools for ripping because they can cut wood to depths that many other saws won’t be able. Unfortunately, the ability to perform a straightforward ripping action may not be available on all smaller bandsaws.

A bandsaw is an excellent way to continue cutting wood as needed, even if you don’t have a table saw.

5. Resetting Boards

However, we usually do not suggest cutting multiple pieces of wood at once.

Band saws can cut perfectly angled more than one wood piece together, but in that case, you need to make sure they are the same size.

Related: What Size Miter Saw Do I Need – Know All The Types!

All you need to do is tape the pieces (to make them stay fast) of wood you want to cut together, so they hold fast. Then, after measuring it, you must outline the required cutting angle on the top. Then, move the stack along the outline of the fence with blocks.

6. Cutting Metal or Non-Wood Material

There is no requirement that you use only wood. With the right blade, you can even use metal, such as PVC pipe. In addition, certain soft metals can be cut with wood band saws, though some metal-cutting band saws are more powerful and have a specialized blade.

Again, it can be challenging to cut metal, especially when you want to make angled or curved cuts. It is significantly harder to cut than most types of wood. Band saws are frequently used to cut through wood, but they are also frequently used to cut through metal.

Related: What Is A Scroll Saw Used For | How To Use It Safely?

A tool that can cut heavy metal sheets may be necessary if you are looking for something to cut heavy metal sheets. Heavy sheets are challenging for the band saw to handle, despite performing well when cutting thin sheets. Nevertheless, those who frequently work with steel and metal still use it.

Take a Look at Safety

Using a band saw is enjoyable, but even slight negligence can result in severe mishaps. Avoid touching the cutline with your hands. A band saw is a relatively safe tool, but the blade is sharp and fast and can cause serious injury in a fraction of a second. So, of course, always give the utmost importance to safety when using this tool.

Clean the blade while maintaining a hand position on either side of the cut line. You should place the original piece of waste in both hands if a small piece of waste has been cut off. This is because your hands can slip on the blade if your hands are on a small piece of waste when the piece is ejected.

Using scrap hardwood stock will be more challenging than using scrap softwood stock. If you have never cut banding before, practice on scrap softwood first.

Eye protection is a must, so wear safety glasses.

What is a Portable Band Saw Used for?

Because we’re discussing the bend saw in this article, we will also give you a quick‌ overview of its portable version. Portable bandsaws can cut everything you can cut on a benchtop stationary bandsaw.

Band saws are exceptional at ripping stock, and cutting tenons, curves, and tiny rabbets in wood. Like all other power saws, it has blades with varying tooth counts that allow it to cut wood, metal, and plastic.

Its design is such that one can move it from one part of your wood shop to another, depending on the project. For example, when searching for baseboard and crown molding, as well as window and door trim, finish carpenters appreciate having this feature.

Here, we’ve listed a few uses for band saws that are particularly remarkable.

• For Decorative Cut: The portable saw is ideal for creating artful decorative cuts because of its lightweight function. Carving and cutting decorative wooden items are included in this process. Using its electric mechanism, this saw can cut intricate patterns in wood of different thicknesses.

• Pipe cutting: Pipe fitting requires precision when slicing downpipes to the correct length. Because of its precision cutting capabilities, a portable band saw is ideal for this work.

• Metal Sheet Cutting: A portable band saw can cut metal billets and bar stock into smaller pieces. Sheets such as bar stock, angle iron, metal studs, screws, bolts, etc., as long as they remain within the pot-bound dimensions, are ideal for cutting with this machine. You can use this power saw to cut thin steel sheets into specific shapes.

• Meat Cutting: It is so common if you find a portable saw at a butcher shop. They use it for cutting meat as well.

• Electrical Conduit and Uni-Strut: Cutting electrical conduits with a portable band saw can be quite helpful. A portable can easily cut through the conduit because it is thin enough.

• Making Wood Joint: Portable band saws are extremely useful in woodworking. They are excellent for cutting scarf and tenon joints. First, you can create the tongue for the tenon. Then you can make the mortice hole.

• Wood Re-sawing: Portable bandsaws have the advantage of being able to slice more comprehensive pieces of wood than traditional table saws. Bandsaws are also great for cutting thin pieces using thin blades.

Conclusion

In any workshop, a band saw is an essential tool. Unique construction makes it possible to cut curves as well as straight lines. Resawing lumber or turning trees into wood is one of its uses. But the right blade can also help you cut various materials.