How to Saw Lumber with a Bandsaw – Expert Woodworking Tips

Lumber is a hefty and chunky raw material that turns into beautiful pieces of art once woodworkers are done with them. One of the more popular ways of cutting lumber is with a bandsaw. However, many people don’t know of it and end up engaging in other cutting methods. While they work well too, it is completely fine to choose a bandsaw. It will be a fun new project for you. Now, the main question arises – how to saw lumber with a bandsaw.

How to Saw Lumber with a Bandsaw?

That’s why we are here!

We are here to help you with the step-by-step process so that you go ahead and take up the challenge with a smile on your face. Let’s begin!

Live sawing

Live sawing is quick and easy. In this method, you saw the log or lumber halfway around the opening face. Then, you do the same in the opposite direction. You continue this until you are done.

The only downside here is that you will have additional work to do once you finish sawing. You will have to edge the pieces after the process. Also, through this method, you carry the risk of warping too much. So, we suggest you use this method only if you have low-grade lumber.

Plain sawing

You start plain sawing by rotating the lumber. Then you start sawing the outer sides. This methodology uses more lumber than the others. Edging the pieces after the process may or may not be needed. Plain sawing is a good idea if you have high-grade lumber. It gives excellent yield and is easy too.

Grade sawing

This particular method of sawing requires a lot of turning. You have to keep turning and sawing the lumber 4-5 times. This process is ideal for medium and high-grade logs, but the production volume is low because turning the log is quite difficult.

Cant sawing

This method is comparable to plain sawing. It involves cutting on the top, shifting it to 180 degrees and sawing. After this, you should move it 90 degrees to saw again. Lastly, you rotate it by 180 degrees again and saw it again.

Even though it sounds complicated, it is actually quite easy. It also gives more yield, but all the sawed lumber has to further go for processing. Sometimes, it is also sold as large lumber depending on the demand. This method is suited only for medium and low-grade lumber.

Things to keep in mind when you saw lumber with a bandsaw

Now that you know how to saw lumber with a bandsaw, here are a few tips that will help you along the way:

• Make sure the blade is very sharp.
• Be patient while preparing the logs. This is the first and extremely crucial step in the process.
• Edging can be very frustrating because it is a long, tedious process. So, make sure you use a method that doesn’t need edging unless you have other restrictions.
• Don’t rush it. Sawing is not something that you can do “quickly”. It is a time-taking process and requires unwavering attention until the end. Rushing through can be dangerous, and it can result in a bad output, forcing you to do it all over again. You will also lose a lot of raw material unnecessarily.
• Maintain your bandsaw well so that breakdowns don’t make things worse. When a saw breaks, you will have to repair it and get started again. That’s a waste of time. Regular maintenance will avoid this problem and ensure that you are more efficient while working.

Using a bandsaw to cut lumber or logs can be fun provided you follow all the steps, and stay dedicated until the last minute. We hope our guide helps you do your best.

If you have any doubts or questions, please feel free to comment. We are looking forward to helping you further.