Wood School: Simple Sawing The most fundamental skill every woodworker must master is the ability to cut a board to length accurately. Go down to the local builder’s merchant, timberyard or DIY warehouse and you can buy ready-planed boards that can be used immediately to construct simple projects or just for shelving. But if you can’t cut accurately you’ll never be able to join the boards with any satisfaction.
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1 Types of cutting There are two types of cutting with a saw. In this lesson we will look at crosscutting, when you saw across the grain to cut a board to length. Cutting along the grain is known as ripping, and is far harder work, unless you use a powered saw. After ripping you will usually tidy up the cut line with plane, but when crosscutting the aim is to produce such a good finish that the cut doesn’t need any further work. Planing across the grain is much more difficult than planing along the grain, and requires a dedicated tool; in most cases a block plane. A tablesaw will do the job accurately and you can use a stationary disc sander to clean up the cut, but for the moment we are assuming you don’t have the luxury of such machines. 2 Holding the saw (Pic.1) Because tidying up a crosscut is tricky, accuracy is critical. Use your anatomy to keep the saw straight, holding the saw handle with your forefinger extended, to stretch the tendons along the forearm from the wrist to the elbow. You will do the same with a plane. 3 Starting the cut We’re not worrying about following a pencil line yet, but you still have to start the cut carefully. The teeth will jump if you don’t guide them, so experts use the first knuckle of their thumb or the tip of their forefinger as a guide against which you rest the saw. Start on the far corner of the board, and pull the saw gently towards you, in short, light cuts to create the first vestiges of a cut. Once you know you won’t tear the wood you can start cutting by pushing, gradually extending the stroke. 4 Cutting to the end Keep the saw at a gentle angle to the wood, cutting across the board. You’ll soon find the best approach, but don’t force the cut. The trickiest moment is at the end, when the waste is about to fall away. If this is too heavy it will need supporting, perhaps with your knee or better still with support of some sort. We’ll look at that in more detail in the future. Happy sawing.
More Back to Basics No.1 Simple sawing Types of cut; how to hold a saw; how to start the cut; how to end the cut No.2 Cutting tenons Marking up; cutting the cheeks; cutting the shoulders; cleaning up; fitting the tenon No.3 Joining an internet forum What is a forum; choosing a forum; choosing a section; viewing topics; registering; managing a profile; posting a new topic; responding Any Questions? Click here to email us a question for a quick replyCutting%20tenons.htmlJoining%20a%20forum.htmlmailto:nick.gibbs@nickgibbs.com?subject=New%20to%20Woodworkshapeimage_6_link_0shapeimage_6_link_1shapeimage_6_link_2shapeimage_6_link_3
Pic.1 How to hold a handsaw, with the first finger extended for greater accuracy Pic.2 Use the knuckle of your thumb to guide the saw at the start of the cut. Some people use the tip of the forefinger, but that puts flesh nearer the teeth The UK’s No.1 Woodworking Magazine