Do I Need a Band Saw?

What Is a Band Saw?

A band saw—also stylized as bandsaw—is a power saw consisting of a continuous toothed steel band stretched across two or more wheels. The band passes through the worktop surface, allowing it to cut incoming material as the wheels turn. Compared to jigsaws or scroll saws, these saws have blades that move in a single direction, which minimizes vibration generation and upward dust movement.

Band saws are suitable for cutting a variety of materials, ranging from metals to meats. They can be used to produce circles and curves or cut thick pieces of materials into thin layers. While a hand saw may be sufficient if you are only cutting a single piece, it is best to invest in a band saw if you are cutting material in high volumes.

Types of Band Saws

Band saws are available in a variety of designs and configurations to suit different cutting applications. Below, we highlight some of the most common variations.

Horizontal Band Saws

As suggested by the name, horizontal band saws cut materials horizontally. They offer quiet operation, good cutting accuracy, and excellent cutting precision when making straight cuts. However, they are not suitable for creating curved or intricate cuts. Typical applications include cutting timber into smaller pieces.

Vertical Band Saws

As suggested by the name, vertical band saws cut materials vertically. Unlike horizontal band saws, they can produce straight or curved and simple or intricate cuts with ease. This quality makes them the most versatile type of band saw available. They can be used to produce cross cuts, rip cuts, or radius/curved cuts.

Benchtop Band Saws

Benchtop band saws offer powerful cutting performance in a compact package. They are a popular choice for home and small workshops.

Portable Band Saws

Portable band saws—also referred to as handheld band saws—are designed for on-the-go sawing operations. They are small and lightweight to facilitate carrying them to and from the workspace. Despite their compact size, they maintain much of the versatility of their tabletop counterparts, allowing users to create straight, curved, and irregular cuts. They are also ideal for cutting material that is too large for regular band saws or too heavy to bring to the band saw work surface.

Wood Band Saws

Band saws were originally developed to cut wood. While they are now used to cut a variety of other materials, they remain a common tool for processing wood. They come in a number of variations to suit different woodworking purposes. For example, head saws are used to cut through hardwood, while resaws are used to cut large wood materials into smaller pieces.

Metal Band Saws

Metal band saws are similar in appearance to wood saws. However, they are designed for cutting metal material, which necessitates a greater number of teeth on the blade and slower cutting speeds. They may also have cooling and lubricating mechanisms to keep the blade from overheating or wearing and brush wheels to prevent metal chips from damaging the blade.

Meat Band Saws

Meat band saws are used to cut through thick meat and bone. As such, they feature stainless steel construction and an easy-to-clean design to ensure the processed material remains safe for consumption.

Band Saw Applications & Uses

Band saws find application in the cutting operations of a wide range of industries. Examples of typical uses for these tools include:

• Lumbering
• Meat processing/packaging
• Metalworking
• Woodworking

Quality Band Saws from Grob Inc.

Band saws are versatile cutting tools that find use in a variety of cutting applications. If you’re looking for band saws you can trust, turn to the experts at Grob Inc. We’ve designed, produced, and distributed quality band saws since 1929. For additional information on our products, browse our band saw product page. For assistance selecting a tool for your needs, contact us today.