A bandsaw is known for curves, but it also makes good straight cuts: ripping boards to width, cutting thick stock that a small table saw can’t reach, and crosscutting parts to length. Because the blade pushes the work down rather than throwing it back, many woodworkers find ripping small and narrow parts calmer on a bandsaw. The cut is rougher than a table saw’s, so plan to plane or sand the edge.
Set up first.
- A wide, sharp blade. Straight cuts want the widest blade your saw takes that suits the job; a narrow curve blade wanders. See blade width and curves.
- Square table, set guides. See squaring the table and setting the fence and setting the blade guides.
- Fence set for drift. Many blades cut slightly off square to the table edge; set the fence to match, or the cut wanders.
Ripping along the grain.
- Prepare the board. One flat face down on the table and one straight edge against the fence. A board that rocks or a bowed edge makes the cut wander.
- Set the width between the fence and the blade, measured to the side of a tooth that is set towards the fence.
- Lower the upper guide to just above the board.
- Feed steadily, keeping the board against the fence with your hand well away from the blade’s path, and use a push stick for the last part of the cut.
- Support long boards. Use an outfeed stand or roller, or a helper who only supports the board and doesn’t pull it.
Crosscutting to length.
Use the mitre gauge in the table slot, set square to the blade, and hold the work firmly against it. For several pieces of the same length, clamp a stop block to the fence ahead of the blade, not beside it, so the offcut can’t get trapped between the blade and the fence. For long boards, support the end that hangs off the table.
Cleaning up the edge.
A bandsaw leaves fine saw marks. Leave the part a millimetre or so oversize and take it to size with a hand plane, a jointer or a sander. A sharp blade with even set leaves the least to clean up.
Find your bandsaw’s blade size and width range ↗︎