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Bandsaws - A Guide

zz Knowledge Centre > Bandsaws > Bandsaws - A Guide

Bandsaws

A comprehensive and beginner-friendly guide to woodworking bandsaws.

A woodworking bandsaw is a stationary power tool used primarily to cut wood using a continuous looped blade that runs around two (sometimes more) wheels. In simple terms: it’s a saw where the blade never stops moving in one direction. You guide the wood into the blade to make smooth, controlled cuts, including curves and straight lines.

How does a bandsaw work?

The blade is a long, narrow metal band with teeth on one edge which run vertically, moving downward through a flat table. An electric motor drives the wheels that keep the blade moving and tensioned. You simply push the wood gently into the blade to cut it.

Why is a bandsaw important to woodworkers?

It cuts curves and complex shapes accurately.

A bandsaw’s narrow, continuous blade allows woodworkers to cut smooth curves, circles, and irregular shapes that are difficult or impossible with a table saw or mitre saw. This makes it essential for furniture parts, decorative work, and organic designs. (Other saws like jigsaws can cut curves, but they tend to wander and leave rougher edges, especially in thicker wood.)

It can resaw timber.

Resawing means slicing a thick board into two or more thinner boards or veneers. This is one of the most important reasons woodworkers rely on a bandsaw. Because the bandsaw blade has a thin kerf, it removes less wood, which maximises yield from expensive timber, reduces waste and allows book‑matched panels and veneers. (Many other saws struggle or are unsafe when cutting tall, thick boards vertically.)

It is safer for many cuts.

Bandsaws are considered safer than table saws for several common tasks because the blade cuts downward, not toward the user. There is no kickback like on a table saw and the wood stays flat on the table during the cut. This makes them especially valuable for cutting small parts, freehand shaping and breaking down rough wood.

It handles thick and awkward stock easily.

A bandsaw can cut thick, tall, or irregularly shaped wood that would be difficult to control on other machines. This is why woodworkers use it for rough-sawn timber, live‑edge boards, and for turning blanks for bowls and spindles.

It reduces waste and saves money.

Because the blade is thin, the bandsaw produces less sawdust, cleaner cutsand more usable wood from each board. Over time, this matters a lot, especially when working with hardwoods.

It is extremely versatile.

A single bandsaw can perform tasks normally spread across multiple tools, including: straight ripping, curve cutting, joinery cuts (tenons, dovetails), template work, timber breakdown. This makes it especially valuable in small workshops where space matters.

It supports both rough work and fine work.

Woodworkers often use a bandsaw early in a project to rough‑cut parts, then later for fine shaping, delicate components, decorative details. It bridges the gap between brute-force cutting and precision craftsmanship.

Bandsaw Sizing Explained

Choosing the right size bandsaw comes down to matching the machine’s capacity to the kind of work you actually want to do. If you undersize it, you’ll quickly hit limits; oversize it, and you’ll spend more money and space than you need.

Understand what “bandsaw size” really means.

When someone says “a 14‑inch bandsaw,” they’re usually referring to throat size, not overall height or blade length.

The two measurements that matter most.

Throat size: Distance from the blade to the frame. This determines the maximum width of wood you can cut.

Cutting height: Distance from the table to the upper blade guide. This determines the maximum thickness of wood you can slice vertically (resaw).

Buy the largest bandsaw you can reasonably fit and afford — but don’t jump sizes unless you truly need the capacity. This advice appears consistently in woodworking buying guides because most people outgrow small saws, but rarely regret a well‑chosen mid‑size one.