You have probably seen a bandsaw before, those large saws that feature a table and a long, serrated blade that moves in a single continuous direction, in a loop, like a circular band (hence the name). Now, this type of saw may look big and intimidating, but it is actually one of the most useful types of saws out there.
So, what can a bandsaw do, and what materials can be cut with one of these awesome, multipurpose tools?
7 Practical Bandsaw Uses
Bandsaws are fairly versatile tools, and they do have quite a few practical uses. Below, we will take a look at the various types of cuts that a bandsaw can make, as well as how these cuts apply to real-life applications.
Ripping
The first type of cut or application of a bandsaw is making rip cuts. Rip cuts involve cutting a board through its thickness and along the length. Effectively, a rip cut creates cuts wider boards into thinner boards along their length.
A rip cut leaves the length and thickness of the board the same, while reducing the width. Practically speaking, rip cuts are used for all sorts of purposes including roofing and flooring, making various types of frames, and more. For instance, here you could turn a 2 x 6 into two 2 x 3 boards.
Resawing and Making Veneer
Another type of cut that a bandsaw can make is a resaw cut, also more simply known as resawing. This is very similar to ripping or making a rip cut, as it similarly involves cutting a board along its length. Whereas with a rip cut, you cut through the thickness and along the length in order to reduce the width, with a resaw cut, you cut through the width of the board and along the length, which reduces its thickness.
As an example, a resaw cut would turn a single 2 x 6 into two 1 x 6 boards. Here, the thickness of the board is reduced, while the length and width remain the same. Just like with ripping, this type of cut has many practical applications. Pretty much every trade that works with wood, and every application, will require wood to be resawed at one point or another.
Cross-Cutting
Another thing that you can do with a bandsaw is a cross-cut. A cross-cut, unlike a rip or resaw cut, has you cutting along the width of the board to reduce the length of it. So, if you have a board that is 2 feet long, you would cut it straight down the middle to end up with two boards, each 1 foot in length.
This is not the primary use of a bandsaw, but if your stock is not too long, it is definitely something that the bandsaw can do. The cut you are looking to make just cannot be any wider than the maximum distance from the blade to the fence. Once again, cross cuts are used in all carpentry applications.
Angled Cutting
Just like with a cross-cut, a band saw can also make angled crosscuts. Once again, just like with normal cross cuts, this is not the primary function of a bandsaw, but as long as the stock in question is not too long, it is doable.
Making Relief Cuts
One very useful application of a bandsaw is to make relief cuts. When you are cutting large patterns or irregular shapes, it helps a lot when you can regularly remove pieces of wood that have been cut so far.
So, if you are cutting a long curve, especially one that veers back and forth, you want to make several relief cuts so you can periodically remove material from the cutting site to make maneuvering easier. This is something you would do when cutting all sorts of curves, and of course, this has many practical applications, especially for tasks where you are cutting details and patterns.
Cutting Curves, Circles & Irregular Shapes
Due to the fact that bandsaw blades are so thin, they are perfect for cutting circles, curves, and all sorts of irregular shapes. This can be used for fencing, to make picture frames, arts and crafts, and various pieces of carpentry.
Meat Cutting
Have you ever gone to a butcher or a slaughterhouse? If so, you probably know that these people use bandsaws to cut apart large cuts of meat.
What Materials Can Be Cut with a Bandsaw?
Let’s take a quick look at the various materials that can be cut using a bandsaw, as there are actually quite a few.
Wood
As you can probably tell from the above section, the main purpose of a bandsaw is for carpentry and woodworking. Seeing as bandsaws can make so many different types of wood cuts, it is one of the best woodworking tools out there, and moreover, due to the fact that there are many types of blades, you can also cut all sorts of wood, whether it be hardwood or softwood.
Metal
Bandsaws can also be used to cut various types of metals. Although you cannot cut through really thick and tough metals with a bandsaw, such as a thick chunk of steel, this type of saw (as long as the blade has lots of small teeth), should be able to thin-walled brass, aluminum, and copper, or in other words, the softer metals.
Meat
As mentioned in the above section, a bandsaw can also be used to cut meat. With a sturdy blade with lots of fine teeth, you could use a bandsaw almost exclusively for butchering animals like cows, pigs, sheep, and more.
Plastic
A bandsaw can also be used to cut plastic, as long as the plastic is very hard and sturdy. You cannot cut thin or flimsy plastic with a band saw. Once again, a fine toothed blade is best for this, specifically a carbide tipped blade.
Summary
As you can see, bandsaws are definitely some of the most versatile woodworking tools out there, and of course, they can be used for more than just cutting wood. Whether you want to make rip cuts, resaw cuts, cross cuts, angled cuts, relief cuts, or circular and irregular cuts, a bandsaw can do it all. Just be sure to follow all safety procedures when using a dangerous power tool such as a bandsaw.
If you need bandsaw recommendations, check the lists of my favorite standard bandsaws and portable models.