Cutting wood is the most common task of the workplace. It is used for making furniture, cabinetry, and wooden floors. The wood is furnished into different things with intricate designs. Using proper tools make this task more accurate, faster, and less complicated.
You can craft the wood easily with powerful tools and the following steps. In this article ‘How to Cut Wood,’ you will get the step-by-step guide and the detailed information about all the things required to get the best results with the timber. You will also get some useful tips to ensure more accuracy and getting precise results.
Contents
How To Cut Wood Using Different Methods?
Method 1: Using Hand Saw
Total Time: 1 Hour
Step 1: Place The Wood On A Workbench
In the first step, you have to place the wood on a workbench leaving a good amount of space
around it. You can also purchase the wood clamps and attach them to the wood and the surface of the workbench.
Step 2: Marking The Line On The Wood
After placing the wood, the next step is to mark the line on the wood where you wish to cut. For this, you can use the measuring tape and mark the line with the help of a pencil. This line will indicate how and where you have to cut. You can also use a marker to get clear visibility of the marked line.
Step 3: Place The Handsaw On Top Of The Wood
The handsaw cuts a line of about 1 to 2 millimeters thick and not exactly on the marked line. This thing is essential to remember because otherwise, in the end, the result will be a few millimeters long or short. You have to place the saw slightly away from the marked line to get proper results.
Step 4: Ensuring Proper Grip Over The Handle Of The Saw
You have to maintain a relaxed but proper grip over the handle. You don’t need to hold it tightly as this will make using the saw a difficult task. It should be balanced enough to remain at the path of the line while cutting.
Step 5: Holding The Wood And Starting The Cutting Process
In this step, you have to first hold the wood with your other hand. This will keep the wooden piece or block at its place and also ensures safety while cutting. It is vital to maintain a reasonable distance from the saw to avoid any kind of injury.
Then, you have to start cutting the wood. You can make a small cut in the beginning. This will help you to know whether you are cutting in the right direction and angle or not. Also, you can ensure that the cut is made on the marked line and not diverted from it.
Step 6: Apply Enough Pressure Until The Piece Of Wood Is Broken
Now, you have to start applying enough pressure onto the wood. It can be more or less depending upon the wood. But you should maintain the accuracy during motion. You can stop in between the process to check that the cut is straight and on the marked line only.
When you reach the end of the marked line, slow down your pace and apply less amount of force to prevent the cracking of wood. Then, you can break the piece with your hand and repeat the same procedure if you want to cut the block into more pieces.
Method 2: Using Jigsaw
Step 1: Placing The Wood And Marking The CutLine
The first and foremost step is to fix the piece of wood you want to cut to the worktable. You can use wood clamps for this purpose. This will make the wooden material stable and prevent any other movement while cutting. It ensures accurate results. Also, you need to mark the line with a pencil to get accurate results. The line must be good enough to remain visible while using the saw.
Step 2: Preparing The Jigsaw
The next step involves making the jigsaw ready for the cutting task. Firstly, you have to attach the appropriate blade to the saw, which depends on the quality of the material. Then, you have to switch on the saw and place the saw shoe near the marked line.
Step 3: Beginning Of The Process
In this step, you have to start cutting the material. For this, you have to pull the trigger and operate it at full speed. You can also use it at a medium pace. This will help you in adjusting its movement while following the marked line. Then, you have to keep the saw shoe slowly on the surface and move it forward in the path of the cutting line.
Step 4: Cutting Along The Marked Line
Keep guiding the saw over the cutting line and allow the saw to do its work effectively. Also, you have to put minimal force on the saw. Applying a large amount of force can break the blade and even affect the performance of the motor. Also, avoid unnecessary pressure on the blade from the sides and creating a forced bevel in the cut. You can use this method to cut literally anything wooden like Railway ties, Formica, corks, And Rafter’s mouths.
Step 5: Finishing The Cutting And Checking The Result
When you have reached the end of the cutting line, then you have to release the trigger to stop the blade. You have to lift the saw from the surface and place it aside. You can check the results before finalizing it and can make the required changes to it.
Tips To Remember
- If you want to cut in the middle of the wood and not from the edge, you can drill a hole of 1/2-inch into the wood. After this, you can insert the jigsaw into the hole and start cutting along the marked line.
- You can use the relief cuts to remove the waste while using the jigsaw. This will also prevent the blade from getting damaged.
- You can use a saw guide or rip fence to remain stable while cutting the straight lines.
- While using the handsaw, you must remember that you need to hold the saw properly and not too tight or loose.
- You can also use other saws other than the handsaw and jigsaw. It means that the circular saw, door trimming saw, miter saw, and reciprocating saw are also useful for different purposes and efficiently perform the cutting jobs. You can also use them with the help of the instructions manual and get accurate results.
Tools You Need To Cut Wood
Before going through the steps of cutting wood, it is better to know about the various tools available for wood cutting tasks. This will help you in making a quicker choice while buying the same from a hardware store. Here are the tools you can use for this purpose:
- Handsaw: Handsaw is the most common tool used for making cuts on the wood. It gives you control over your cutting task and can also provide accurate shapes and sizes.
- Jigsaws: These tools are specifically designed for cutting the wood. They can create straight and curved cuts. You can quickly get the desired results with this tool. It is a powerful tool used in workshops.
- Circular Saw: Circular saws are used for cutting different types of wooden materials. You can cut the timber, block boards, ply boards, and MDF also. It is used for making direct line cuts.
- Miter saws: Miter saw, also known as fixed saw, because the saw needs not to be moved manually as it is used for slicing the wood. It is used for making angled and titled cuts. Also, the miter saw is suitable for all the general wood purposes such as architraves, dado rails, and chopping the planks.
- Reciprocating saw: These saws are suitable for destruction work. It is mostly preferred to make quick and rougher cuts. They are not used for making furniture or anything else because they are not capable of providing detailed cutting results.
- Door trimming saw: As the name suggests, this tool is used for trimming the lower edges of the wooden doors. It is used for making simple shaping cuts. You can trim the doors quickly and precisely with this saw.
Best Wood Cutting Tools
1. DeWalt 20V Max XR Jigsaw (DCS334B)
- Brushless motor of the cordless jigsaw delivers efficient performance for longer runtime (vs. DCS331 Jig Saw)
- Compact size for easy grip and maximum control of the jig saw
- Bright LED on the jigsaw tool helps illuminate dimly lit work surfaces
- The Dewalt 20V MAX XR Jigsaw model is suitable for wood cutting. You will get a brushless motor, which enhances the performance. It means that it gives a significant performance with long runtime.
- It offers the variable speed trigger and dial. You can adjust the speed and obtain accurate results.
- The design of the tool is also useful to beginners. It has a compact size that ensures better control over the saw and helps in proper handling.
- In this model, you will get the bright LED system to provide clear visibility while working in the night or low-light areas.
- It is made up of metal, and lever-action keyless blade change helps in easy and fast blade change. Also, you will get the battery and charger separately.
2. Ryobi One+ P5231 18V Orbital T-Shaped 3,000 SPM Jigsaw
- 4 ORBITAL SETTINGS: The higher the setting, the faster you can cut into wood. These higher settings are ideal for making...
- BUILT-IN DUST BLOWER: This feature on the tool will help you clear debris away from your work, giving you clear vision
- LED LIGHTING gives you improved line-of-sight in poorly lit conditions
- In this jigsaw, you will get the four orbital settings. You can quickly cut the wood if you keep the setting to the highest point. With higher settings, you can make straight cuts, whereas lower ones help in cutting curves.
- The LED lighting feature helps get a clear view of the cutting line in the low-light conditions.
- The built-in dust blower facility ensures to clean all the sawdust and debris, providing a clear vision.
- You will also get the trigger lock system. This feature helps in focusing on the marked line and cutting over it only.
- It also has a blade saving base, which means that you can use the unused blades of the tool. This will increase the lifetime of the tool and its accessories.
3. DEWALT Sliding Compound Miter Saw, 12-Inch (DWS779)
- Stainless steel miter detent plate of the 12-inch miter saw blade comes with 10 positive stops
- The mitre saw has a precise miter system and machined base fence support
- Precise miter system and machined base fence support Cam-lock miter handle with detent override delivers quick and...
- The Dewalt DWS779 is a 12-inch double bevel miter saw (compare it with single bevel). This increases the quality of work and helps to complete it in a shorter period.
- It includes a powerful motor of 15 AMP, which has the potential to spin the blades at maximum speed and cutting the materials easily.
- The miter saw offers a maximum no-load speed of 3800 RPM. This makes the 12-inch blades to spin at their maximum limit.
- It can cut the material of 2×16 inches at 90 degrees and lumber of 2×12 inches at a 45 degree.
- The miter detent plate is made up of stainless steel to handle loads of work. It is very much suitable for a busy workplace.
FAQs
1. I want to cut the plyboard. Which wood cutting tool is suitable for this purpose?
You can use the circular saw for this purpose. It is used for cutting different types of wooden materials. You can cut the timber, block boards, ply boards, and MDF also.
2. Which tool is better to use while making curves on the wood- Handsaw or jigsaw?
Jigsaw is better for making curves on the wood. You can quickly get the desired results with this tool. On the other hand, a handsaw is not suitable for this.
Final Thoughts
Today, most of the furniture is made up of timber. Due to this, the wood cutting job is common in the workshops. The crafters use different tools to perform their jobs, including the circular saw, the miter saw, and the jigsaw. After cutting make sure you perform the waterproofing of your wood also.
If you are a beginner, you can follow the simple steps and read the instructions on how to cut wood to get the professional results. This will help you in getting quick and accurate cutting outcomes.
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