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This guide covers both the timber bandsaw and the metal bandsaw. Notes specific to one machine are labelled.

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What the bandsaw is for

• Cutting freehand curves, circles, and intricate shapes in timber and some plastics (timber bandsaw)
• Resawing timber (cutting a thick board lengthwise along the grain into thinner boards) (timber bandsaw)
• Precisely cutting unique shapes such as tenons (timber bandsaw)
• Creating thin veneers (timber bandsaw)
• Cutting metal sheets, bars, and pipes to specific dimensions (metal bandsaw)

Limitations

• Blade drift can reduce accuracy on long straight cuts
• Cannot make partial-depth cuts (e.g. grooves/dados/rebates)
• Curve radius is limited by blade width
• Max thickness is limited by machine height capacity and blade capability
• Cut quality depends on correct blade tension and a steady feed rate (too much force can cause curved “boat cuts” or blade buckling)

Anatomy (key parts)

• On/off switch
• Blade
• Upper wheel guard and lower wheel guard
• Guidepost (keeps the blade aligned/vertical)
• Fence (straight rip cuts)