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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)