Bandsawing Secret Technique!

⚙️ EPISODE #208: When using a bandsaw, so many struggle to cut accurately to a line. But with this simple technique anyone can smoothly bandsaw like a seasoned pro. There’s no special gadgets, it just takes a little change in focus while band-sawing that makes all the difference. In this episode I break it down and demonstrate live, and of course answer any questions you might have. By the end, at least when it comes to band-sawing, we’ll all be “smooth operators!”
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LIVE EVENTS are filmed in the shop of Tom McLaughlin, host of TV's Classic Woodworking and Shop Night Live. Tom loves to pass on the craft of woodworking by creating projects to present in live video form backed by his over 30-years of experience making fine custom furniture.
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[@williammagee7514]

The effort you went through to create the "Model" is significant, and shows just how much you care about creating truly effective lessons, THANK YOU!

[@EpicWoodworking]

Thanks Bill, it was my pleasure! 👍

[@martyconrad8352]

Thank you for your hard work.

[@charliereina7933]

It’s well worth the 20 minutes, Tommy. The explanation makes sense, the expanded model illustrates it clearly, and the blade-line connection is visible throughout the actual sawing. Keep doing what you’re doing.

[@EpicWoodworking]

Thanks Charlie, much appreciated! 👍😎

[@rickstewart6047]

Last cut camera shot really showed the technique well. Nice work camera lady!!

[@EpicWoodworking]

Great, she gets the shots! 👍😎

[@centurion2185]

A sincere Thank you to you and your camera woman. I’m 73 and could’ve used this 6 decades ago . I’ll try to pass it on to my kids.

[@RICKYDENNIS49]

Excellent video, The best bandsaw video I have ever watched. 40 years of woodworking and you never stop learning. Many thanks for all of your efforts

[@socrates2890]

As much as you laughed at your model mock-up, it did a GREAT job conveying the concepts you discussed. Brilliant job!!! 🏆🏆🏆

[@EpicWoodworking]

Thanks Socrates, that means a lot coming from you!! 😎👍

[@southernexposure123]

Nice job. The last two cuts you recorded really clarified the technique.

[@waterwalker813]

Thank you for sharing this technique. This will make projects so much easier once I practice and perfect it.

[@thomlipiczky9021]

I can't believe this is the first time I've seen this technique! brilliant! Thanks so much! I've enjoyed your FWW videos, but now I'm a subscriber to your channel!

[@chrisallen6511]

Thank you for this and thank Greg for the suggestion of a shot from behind the cut. I was a bit confused on which side to push against the blade until I saw that view. This is very helpful.

[@ray1283]

the way I was taught this technique was to take an already cut curved piece with the line still intact on the edge, and with saw OFF! slide the piece along against the side of the blade, focus on pressing the line against back edge of the blade and guide it with the teeth just skimming the edge/line. This gives the proper 'feel' and 'focus' and allows the student to focus on that feedback thru the fingers without the danger. When the student is comfortable, try a real cut with the saw running. It takes just a few cuts to get the feel right, speed will come thru repetition. I loved your description of 'leaning' on the back edge of the blade and the model!

[@marciolangeani9992]

Best learning comes allways from the best teachers! Thanks a lot!!!

[@atishghosh4682]

Great tip-will try it out. Love the scale model of the blade-must have required a lot of work but very useful to explain what is going on. Thanks to you and to all the other woodworking experts on KZbin who generously share their knowledge for free! Much appreciated by novices like me! Liked and subscribed to your channel.

[@lmcsquaredgreendale3223]

I may now go back and tackle the beast of a band saw that my late father owned. When I say this is a beast I can't give you the exact number because it is at my late parent's home which my brother is renting. When you look at the drive wheel and idler wheel they look about the same circumference of a passenger car tire. I have tried to use it and I always end up going back to my jig saw or for small projects my scroll saw. When you were cutting on the side you are most comfortable with I could see that you were using the back of the blade. I've tried so many different ways but that never occurred to me. My brother who has been a machinist/programmer for 40 years uses it almost as well as you do but when I asked him for an explanation he said I just needed to practice. He knows what I am doing wrong but he wants to keep me humble. Thank you!

[@ehRalph]

I’ve cut a lot with 3/8 1/2 and .025 bandsaw and likely used this method without knowing. Definitely plan to focus long on the blade next time. It occurs to me this is like teaching driving - look farther down the road to stay steady in your lane

[@ashokmoghe8035]

I am new to bandsaws and your videos (this and other ones) are awesome. You have taken so much effort in this one including creating a 10X model of the blade - amazing. Don't have words to appreciate it enough. Thank you and please keep making such wonderful videos.

[@Gottenhimfella]

Bandsawing metal, I have settled on a slightly different technique. There is less "set" on the teeth than with a wood blade, but still enough that by pushing the workpiece sideways (at right angles to the cut line) the teeth will exert a slight filing action. So I use a varying amount of push, always just enough to bring the toothed end of the blade right to the point of touching the line (the tiniest amount). It's like positioning a ship in the middle of the Suez canal, NOT by steering it, but by pushing sideways at the midpoint with one or other of two pushboat tugs (one on each side). In metal, if you turn the workpiece to try and get back to the middle of the canal, you always end up "hitting the bank" because the blade is not pointing in the direction you need it to go. I don't know if that's helpful for wood, but mention it just in case.

[@EpicWoodworking]

Thank you, interesting distinction! 👍😎

[@Greg-fs8np]

The final shots where the Camera Lady got behind the blade, finally, really showed clearly how to do it. I have read about this technique before and seen a video but still had trouble understanding it. Thank you for the great demonstration and all the effort that went into it!

[@EpicWoodworking]

Thanks, yes, she always gets the shot! 👍😎

[@kerryschoolfield1537]

Best demonstration of this Ive seen. Thanks for taking the time to explain this in detail.

[@EpicWoodworking]

Thanks Kerry! 👍

[@robertherzog2087]

I've always had trouble with the blade wandering, even with a fence. I've watched numerous videos on how to adjust the saw for blade drift, which has helped a lot, but never heard of steering with the back of the blade. Makes sense and I will definitely try it the next time on the bandsaw.

[@EpicWoodworking]

Great, thanks Bob! 👍😎

[@earthling01]

Good info, thank you for the demonstration and showing the band saw cutout example!

[@bobb5528]

All these years I struggled cutting to the line. I was always steering from the front of blade teeth. Never knew about this technique. I will definitely give it a try. Thanks so much for sharing this. I learn a lot watching your vids.

[@EpicWoodworking]

Thank you, much appreciated! 👍😎

[@codeblue2532]

@@EpicWoodworking:: does the heel or thicker part of the blade contact the left side or right side of the kerf moving forward ?

[@johnnylightning1491]

So basically what you are doing is slightly pointing the blade away from the line. I can understand how this works, it keeps the blade from getting sucked into the line and if you do make a mistake it will tend to be into the scrap not into the work piece. It's too late to test this tonight but maybe tomorrow. Thanks and keep the good stuff coming.

[@user-lt3qd9pz6o]

Thanks Tom and Kris great demonstration of a technique I've never heard of or seen. I am always wondering off the line l will be trying this out next time I'm using the bandsaw. Thanks for all your great tips and tricks.

[@EpicWoodworking]

Our pleasure! Thanks, after a little practice on some scrap you will no doubt be a smooth operator! 😎👍

[@jimhogan5333]

Always love your Videos Tom, learn something new every time. I have purchased 3 sets of plans and they are top notch. Keep up the great work.

[@henryrossouw930]

Great explanation and demonstration.Sure it will end my struggles getting straight cuts.

[@jimmiebell5106]

Me too!

[@RayShaw007]

That was really good. I discovered I'm not the only one that can have the blade wander from the line! What you're suggesting is to stabilise the blade by lining up the rear of the blade to the line. I can see how that works to prevent wander, but what about when you're using the machine fence? I guess the starting cut taking up the width of the blade is pretty critical to make sure the rear of the blade is to the line. Must admit I had some bad wander when trying to cut 4" thick oak. Just couldn't get it straight to line so reverted to sawing by hand. That worked but I needed to rest!

[@1stetson57]

Man I am gonna try this!!!! Thank You so Much! Nice Job on the model too. You should put that on the wall. Lot of work you went through to demonstrate this. Thanks again!!!

[@sandmandave2008]

Holy moly what an eye opening video! I've had a Craftsman 12" bans saw for over 20 years and never got great cuts which I just attributed to a shaky, under powered, cheap band saw. I recently bought a brand new Harvey 14" 3hp band saw that I am chomping at the bit to put to good use. I finally have something powerful enough to do some re-sawing and other more accurate general use. Can't wait to get my new Timberwolf blades.

[@jimmiebell5106]

That made so much sense! Thank you for taking the trouble to build the scaled model of a band saw blade. It’s a game changer to this novice. Once again, thank you.

[@JohnSmith-xs4sx]

certainly in the top one hundred of all time " how two's " on the internet , great demonstration, thanks for sharing it :)

[@sundayschoollessons2241]

Great video! I'll have to watch it again to wrap my head around it, but it looks like it works amazingly well.

[@rhajmand1933]

Wow! Great presentation!

[@user-qg1sh9ct7u]

Amazing thank you for making this video. I never seen this explained so well it makes sense.

[@ronmcbride986]

wow, that changes the game a lot!! thanks for making the model and the demonstration!!!!

[@EpicWoodworking]

Thank you, making the model was kinda fun! We just posted a short video of that process too 👍

[@kwilliams2239]

Amazing! This is the most useful KZbin video I've seen this year. THANK YOU!👍👍

[@kennyg6482]

I just received two Timberwolf blades yesterday that I ordered and will try your method for sure. One is a 1/4" blade and I know you said you don't use them because they break easier, my other one did break. Quite an eyeopener when that happens.

[@dgdubya9415]

Thank you Tom and Kris. I've seen this technique demonstrated before but never with the clarity you've provided. Love your model blade and work piece! Thank you.

[@EpicWoodworking]

Thanks, I enjoyed making the model too! 👍😎

[@garyhome7101]

After watching this in a previous post, I simply could not understand the technique. I gave it a try and discovered that I had to actually lean the piece to make contact with the back of the blade, and then having watched this particular post, the final sequence with the shot from the back of the cut, confirmed my suspicions.

[@DMor-qj1ie]

Thank you for the lesson. You are an excellent teacher.

[@richardpatsel9628]

Thanks for the great tip, the last couple of shots really showed me what you were demonstrating with your oversized blade and kerf. I also love how you explain things so the average woodworker can comprehend. Thanks again! Liked and Subscribed.

[@EpicWoodworking]

Thanks Richard, much appreciated! 👍😎

[@rogerhoene61]

Thanks team T&K for turning on the light bulb on this technique. Anxious to try it out soon!

[@WoodShopStop]

Great props. The saw blade prop is my favorite. Good information for band sawing.

[@andrewirvine6444]

Impressive accuracy AND speed of work. This is great for anyone earning from their craft: speed+accuracy=productivity

[@EpicWoodworking]

Thanks for that observation, a well tuned bandsaw with a little practice and good technique can be a pleasure! 👍😎

[@johnsanchez1619]

This is an excellent tip, thank you!

[@bobstephens5429]

Awesome the best video of this type I've ever seen.

[@FranktheDachshund]

Great demonstration, great props.

[@jamesbaynes4358]

Thanks mate always so helpful 😊

[@jimaspinii7579]

Thanks!! Super job!!

[@pathardage1880]

I love the model. I'd never heard of this. I'd always tried just to keep the line in the middle of the V in the kerf. Thanks.

[@a9ball1]

That was awesome. The larger pieces sure help to visualize what you are saying. I had to subscribe because of this video.

[@JasonPeltier]

The last shots from behind was the aha moment for me. So basically you're angling the work at around half a degree off of square, but then pushing the work through square. Nice technique!

[@donovancampbell7785]

That was a wonderful video. Thank you for your experience and your knowledge.:)

[@larrypahl5756]

Call great praise for the three or four people who seem to have sat through that whole thing

[@EpicWoodworking]

Again, a little positivity goes a long way. Actually over 20K people have viewed this video in less than 48 hrs…can it really be that bad?

[@larrypahl5756]

@@EpicWoodworking “…bad….” was never an issue; time:value was the urgent point of comment.

[@larrypahl5756]

@@EpicWoodworking “…call great praise….” used to be quite ‘positive’ thank you for the high quality & informative video

[@donlancaster7669]

Thanks for sharing this. I will try it when I use the bandsaw next

[@darrellnazar5940]

Great explanation. Thank you

[@EpicWoodworking]

You are welcome! Thanks 👍

[@carldavis6902]

Great technique wow it works like a charm

[@EpicWoodworking]

Yes it does, thanks! 👍

[@jaschatz1]

Great tip and video!

[@ceaarmarmolejo-zw2kb]

Awesome video I love the expanded form

[@sethwarner2540]

Good demo!!I call it"RIDING THE BACK OF THE BLADE"

[@danmckeever7429]

I do some curves in my home shop and this makes sense. Well done……Dan

[@curtklemenz4783]

Good explanation about the practice of bandsaw cutting to a line. The model was a great teaching tool and showed something that I was unaware of: the difference in width of the blade teeth compared to the back of the blade and the kerf. WOW. When you were looking for a term to better describe the "steering" available at the back of the blade, I wanted to say think of a boat rudder...same thing?

[@mikelongo4689]

Great Job, thanks!

[@EpicWoodworking]

Our pleasure! 😎

[@johnridgeway6718]

Terrific. Thank you

[@buzzpatch2294]

you bet- that was great- just what i needed to know- when i needed to know it

[@Douglas-hw8is]

great! Many thanks.

[@stephenclingerman4865]

Fabulous! Thanks 😊

[@TheCleric42]

Great job

[@katherynlamarche7308]

Thank you so much. I have used . my bandsaw a lot and have the problem you talking about I will try it out tomorrow. Julien

[@sapelesteve]

Great explanation & demonstration of that blade & technique! You have a new subscriber here! 👍👍🔨🔨

[@terrrywilliams3617]

Thank you for that information. I’ve always had problems with drifting off the line while cutting on the bandsaw. I have one question though. Are the blade guides suppose to be as close to the blade as possible and will it have an adverse effect if the are either to close or to far away?

[@TonyV_in_the_OC]

The last view brought it all together, thank you.

[@cowboy930]

Thank you for sharing I have a lot of trouble on the bandsaw

[@nickdarbenzio1681]

Thanks! Very interesting. I stumbled onto this because I use a wooden fence and when I angle fence slightly I get a straighter line. Now I know why

[@EpicWoodworking]

Glad it was helpful! Yes, sometimes that’s due to the “drift” angle, a little different concept, and I often do the same thing when using the fence. 👍😎

[@roberttalluto237]

Thank you excellent video. I think it will help me cut better.

[@jaimecastells9750]

Fantastic advice! Thank you! (Why haven't I seen this before?)

[@EpicWoodworking]

Thank you! It’s not a common thing taught, although when you spend enough time at the bandsaw I think you unconsciously begin to adopt this technique. 👍

[@jetsettergeorge2675]

Thank you 🙏🏿

[@EpicWoodworking]

My pleasure 👍

[@walterrider9600]

thank you

[@EpicWoodworking]

My pleasure! 👍

[@roelotterspeer6535]

For people outside of the U.S. it would be nice to inicate the measures in mm also. It's very unconvienent for us to have to convert the imperial measures into metric in our minds. It took me twice as long tot follow your video. Other than that: I learned a lot from you. Thanks!

[@tkarlmann]

This is a great technique. When do we get to see "The Camera Lady"?

[@disqusrubbish5467]

Nice tip.

[@shaynesabala]

That’s pretty cool.

[@billrogers6863]

Very nice. I think ... the side of the line to which the sawyer hews will depend on one's dominant eye. Sort of that parallax thing. One COULD stay on either side. But there will be a preference.

[@user-xu7nv1vm9s]

Oh, my God. I can't believe you put me through that.

[@robertburgy7735]

Anything else to consider using a 1in blade to resaw wider boards

[@bud1412]

Good info I subbed.

[@EpicWoodworking]

Thank you, welcome into the shop! 👍😎

[@apajohn2]

Thank you at 78 I can now drive my saw with purpose and a sense of control

[@johncbrownmd]

Great! Norm on steroids! I liked and subscribed. Thanks for the effort.

[@larrypahl5756]

suggest preview at about 17:30

[@EpicWoodworking]

Actually, it actually starts at 0:00 😎

[@robertrosskopf4641]

Can't rap my mind around it. If you put a pressure to the left, the right side of the blade will have more cutting force, and the blade will cut to the right. It can't see any line. MDF is the wooden equivalent of butter. So I'm not sure this is a fair test. But even with a cold cube of butter, if you cut one side of the cube of butter, you will have a nice flat pat of butter. If you cut the other side (without reorienting the butter), you will have half a pat of butter, as the butter knife only has a bevel on one side; which ever side has the bevel will create a sideways force opposite to the bevel. The same science applies to wood. Although bandsaw blade doesn't have a bevel, we are favoring one side. So as that blade starts sliding over the line to the right, how do you correct it, if not by twisting the board counter-clockwise?

[@EpicWoodworking]

The back side of the blade is serving as a kind of stabilizer by leaning slightly against it to make up for the wider kerf. Without lightly bearing against the blade you are left to steer with the front edge of the cutting teeth with no stability behind the cutting teeth. Another comparison is a dovetail saw which performs and tracks best when nearly all of the set is removed from the rip teeth. Once you get started on the cut the dovetail saw tracks beautifully because there is very little wobble to the saw in the kerf. On the bandsaw, we don’t want to remove the teeth set but we can use this method of leaning to one side. If you give it a try on 1/2” blade you will feel and see the results. Hope that makes sense and helps. All the best, thanks for watching! 👍😎

[@jimfromri]

Terrific model, it was invaluable to my understanding of the skill you were teaching. I had never encountered this before. Now I’m headed off to the workshop to try it myself. Thanks!

[@cnctroubleshooting9052]

I’ve tried to AVOID doing that for the past 35 years because I thought the twist wouldn’t be good for the machine LOL. The length was perfect btw. Faster is not always better, and if the technique is all that is needed, a person can always “grab” the little red dot in the red bar at the bottom and zip ahead to any point in the video they prefer. No need to change a thing.

[@jolox.]

I'm new to bandsawing, though have carved for years. This is so helpful as my cuts have been swerving. I'm going to give it a try! Also going to subscribe and thumbs up to help your channel! :)

[@EpicWoodworking]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it…and I need all the help I can get! 😎👍

[@rickstewart6047]

Tom, are you still focusing on the teeth to aim while steering with the back edge of the blade?

[@EpicWoodworking]

Yes, I am watching the teeth track while closing the gap between the blade and the line, and feeling the steadying affect 👍

[@tunnel7]

Wow love All your clamps you can never have enough Clamps.

[@DuanneBall]

He extra thickness is called Blade Set

[@EpicWoodworking]

Thank you, good to know the actual correct term! 👍

[@TheStanford01]

The secret is a sharp blade as much as anything.

[@user-yn9of7gr4h]

Brilliant Dave in the U K

[@larrypahl5756]

@17:30-18:00so one simple technique; “lean (the back of the blade ) against the side that has the line” Is that what y’all heard?

[@EpicWoodworking]

Thanks for the helpful feedback. These videos are recorded live. I’m pretty sure I gave some free value before the 17 min mark…made a model of the blade, explained verbally with the model, and demonstrated the technique live by making 4-5 cuts. Then added that bit about leaning on the side of the line. Please put a little more effort into your commenting style and try to find and say something positive about the free video before the punchy negative downers. Your constructive negative comments would be received much better and I would enjoy knowing you’re watching. 👍

[@larrypahl5756]

@@EpicWoodworking thanx for the valid reminders on packaging. Thank you for the time and consideration.

[@robintanner3247]

Three Thumbs Up ..... 🙂